Why do these speakers sound so Flat?

[admin_exported]

A friend has stumbled onto a pair of Teresonic Integrum floorstanders. These are massive floorstanders from America which has a retail price of nearly $10,000 a pair!

When he first showed them to me in his system (Rega Brio amp, music from computer to M-DAC), they sounded so INCREDIBLY flat, that I thought something was wrong in his system.

So today, he brought over these massive speakers and I just plugged them into my system (Audiolab 8200CDP>M-DAC>Naim XS>KEF LS50). Guess what, they are still totally flat. As in so flat, that after 5 minutes, I just had to stop and reconnect my LS50s, just to reassure myself that my XS had not gone bad. The Naim was fine, with the Kefs.

What could be the reason for this performance by these Teresonic speakers? I can't believe these sell for $10k, my home theater speakers ($500 Yamahas) sound better. Could something be wrong with these? how do I check? the tweeters appear to be fine.

 

[CnoEvil]

I'm not familiar with these speakers, but maybe they need a suitable amp in the same price bracket to get them fired up properly.....or maybe the're just shyte.

 

[The_Lhc]

interesting, single driver, no crossover, 101.5db/W sensitivity, can be driven off as little as 4 watts... Ah, I see the problem, according to the manufacturer you should use their speaker cable with them! Of course, obvious when you think about it...

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue22/teresonic_integrum.htm

They're a Lowther type driver apparently, so they don't have much bass, perhaps that's what you're hearing?

 

[Frank Harvey]

This review mentioned they sounded awful initially, but after some run in period sounded much better.

http://www.stereotimes.com/speak033007.shtml

 

[Anonymous]

This review mentioned they sounded awful initially, but after some run in period sounded much better.

http://www.stereotimes.com/speak033007.shtml

We dont know how long the original owner has used them, so for the moment I am assuming they are not broken in and going to have it play overnight and then throughout the day tomorrow. I'll keep this thread updated (it's now been playing for about 6 hours and its still horrible; thin, boxy and unpleasant.

 

[CnoEvil]

They would probably sound very different on the end of an Audio Note SET amp or something like a Unison Research S9. or a Jadis DA 50.

 

[Anonymous]

Still sounds horrible, and I've been playing for over 12 hours continuously now. And its hard to imagine the original owner paid so much for this and didnt even bother to break it in. I am thinking now this is just the way these things sound.

 

[Richard Allen]

Still sounds horrible, and I've been playing for over 12 hours continuously now.

Some people buy things coz they like the privelage of owning them, not what they sound like. People buy the big Wilson Audios. Not for the sound, for the prestige and I suspect that this is the case with these ones you've got. Naff all to do with the sound quality.:?

 

[daytona600]

speakers with lowther drivers done correctly can sound superb

they would need a good front end with a single end triode valve amp

try a 10k front end and see how they sound

 

[daytona600]

speakers with lowther drivers done correctly can sound superb

they would need a good front end with a single end triode valve amp

try a 10k front end and see how they sound

 

[MajorFubar]

Surely damn good speakers should sound damn good no matter what you drive them with. Sure I'd expect them to sound even better if you pair them with better amps and source components, but even partnered with less exotic componentry, shouldn't they still sound waaaay better than a pair of speakers worth a fraction of their cost?

 

[CnoEvil]

Surely damn good speakers should sound damn good no matter what you drive them with. Sure I'd expect them to sound even better if you pair them with better amps and source components, even partnered with less exotic componentry, shouldn't they still sound waaayy better than a pair of speakers worth a fraction of their cost?

IMO Often damn good speakers need damn good amps, to sound damn good. I have often said that I would rather a cheaper speaker driven properly, than an expensive one driven in a mediocre way. Though there may well be exceptions.

It's also possible that this speaker needs matched with a good SET amp to sound full bodied....but I'm guessing here,

 

[Native_bon]

Surely damn good speakers should sound damn good no matter what you drive them with. Sure I'd expect them to sound even better if you pair them with better amps and source components, even partnered with less exotic componentry, shouldn't they still sound waaayy better than a pair of speakers worth a fraction of their cost?

IMO Often damn good speakers need damn good amps, to sound damn good. I have often said that I would rather a cheaper speaker driven properly, than an expensive one driven in a mediocre way. Though there may well be exceptions.

It's also possible that this speaker needs matched with a good SET amp to sound full bodied....but I'm guessing here,

Dnt total a agree with you there CnoEvil.. am using very cheap amp to drive very expensive speakers with very good Results Actually just read a write up in another HIFI MAG... The mag was making the piont which i have been saying on this forum for long. Expensive is not always better. There are some models of HIFI equipment out there that are very well make if you use yours ears well. yes there are far & inbetween but does exsit. The Mag emphasize the piont that in a very competitive world of HIFI these days, there is really no need to spend loads & loads on hifi any more.

Also making the piont some cheap Hifi are very well made & engineered sound wise. Somethinh along those lines.

 

[CnoEvil]

Dnt total a agree with you there CnoEvil.. am using very cheap amp to drive very expensive speakers with very good Results Actually just read a write up in another HIFI MAG... The mag was making the piont which i have been saying on this forum for long. Expensive is not always better. There are some models of HIFI equipment out there that are very well make if you use yours ears well. yes there are far & inbetween but does exsit. The Mag emphasize the piont that in a very competitive world of HIFI these days, there is really no need to spend loads & loads on hifi any more.

Also making the piont some cheap Hifi are very well made & engineered sound wise. Somethinh along those lines.

As as has been said many times - The thing about HiFi, is that it is about subjective opinions. I can, like anyone else, can only talk about what I have experienced on a personal level.

To make matters even worse, I think with even with cheaper speakers, most people don't get to hear what they are fully capable of. I have heard my Refs sound sublime, as well as awful.

 

[Native_bon]

Dnt total a agree with you there CnoEvil.. am using very cheap amp to drive very expensive speakers with very good Results Actually just read a write up in another HIFI MAG... The mag was making the piont which i have been saying on this forum for long. Expensive is not always better. There are some models of HIFI equipment out there that are very well make if you use yours ears well. yes there are far & inbetween but does exsit. The Mag emphasize the piont that in a very competitive world of HIFI these days, there is really no need to spend loads & loads on hifi any more.

Also making the piont some cheap Hifi are very well made & engineered sound wise. Somethinh along those lines.

As as has been said many times - The thing about HiFi, is that it is about subjective opinions. I can, like anyone else, can only talk about what I have experienced on a personal level.

To make matters even worse, I think with even with cheaper speakers, most people don't get to hear what they are fully capable of. I have heard my Refs sound sublime, as well as awful.

Well think we saying one & the same thing then.. You may also never know how good a cheap amp sounds until you use good speakers..

 

[CnoEvil]

Well think we saying one & the same thing then.. You may also never know how good a cheap amp sounds until you use good speakers..

No, that means we are saying the opposite of each other......but there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[Anonymous]

I finally gave up on trying to break them in. I dont think thats the issue here. I think these work with some exotic combination of amps and cables and interconnects.

So I tried the most 'tube like' system I have access to; my second system; Conrad johnson 2300MF power amp+ Conrad PVR preamp. From past experience, I know this gives a lush, relaxed, polished kind of sound. So maybe this is what this going to set these speakers on fire.

Note that if you do some googling, at least one stereo mag in the US has described these same speakers as "the best they've ever heard for the money" or somehting like that.

So the result from this new combo?

No bass. Hardly any midrange. Highs ok.

I can't wait to get this crap out of my house.

 

[Native_bon]

Well think we saying one & the same thing then.. You may also never know how good a cheap amp sounds until you use good speakers..

No, that means we are saying the opposite of each other......but there's nothing wrong with that.

Oh well agree to disagree then.. :O