would like some opinions about floor standing speakers

[EvPa]

Or actives, if I was on a really tight budget and looks were not important.

Not all actives look like studio gear, including the ones in front of me right now (ADAM Audio ARTist 6).

 

[jonathanRD]

Don't sell your bike to fund your hi fi hobby. It's not worth it. Just be thankful you don't collect musical instruments and cameras too, or do you?! Patience, little one.

Oh the bike was a phases, haven't been using it and I paid 1350 for the bloody thing, best to sell while still valuable. My other hobbies include drinking, I gave up smoking.

Out of interest what bike is it? (and size)

Cube Reaction GTC Pro (Carbon) 18inch frame, 26"er.

That's a very nice hardtail, I bet you need to be fit, fast and fluid to get the most out of it. I had my eye on a Giant Anthem but then I spent my cash on hifi and home cinema instead, and now I'm not as fit as I used to be *sad*

 

[Al ears]

Those XTZ speakers really do look good. Why don't you give them a try. You do get 14 days trial period but if you do send them back (bet you don't) them you have to pay shipping.

 

[dim_span]

Do they have to be new?

There are plenty of PMC FB1i, Spendor SXe range (6e, 9e) all around your budget.

I would absolutely prefer new, I love the smell of new, but thank you.

LOL .... my gear normally smells of mothballs and charity shop

 

[stevee1966]

Monitor Audio RX6
Marantz PM7001 amp
Marantz SA7001 sa-cd player

£750 for the three ???
Let me know if interested.

 

[Anderson]

Monitor Audio RX6 Marantz PM7001 amp Marantz SA7001 sa-cd player

£750 for the three ??? Let me know if interested.

Counter offer. Buy my bike for £450?!?

 

[rainsoothe]

Do you mind me ask, what you're comparing the XTZ to yourself, what's your yardstick?

huh? Sorry, I don't really understand what you're asking. If it's what I compared the XTZ to, it was with the usual offerings at the price - Rotel RA1520, Marantz PM7004 (i think), Roksan Kandy K2, Creek Evolution 2, Rega Brio R, Exposure 2010 S2. If you're asking what I use now, I'm running a Naim Supernait 2.

 

[Anderson]

Don't sell your bike to fund your hi fi hobby. It's not worth it. Just be thankful you don't collect musical instruments and cameras too, or do you?! Patience, little one.

Oh the bike was a phases, haven't been using it and I paid 1350 for the bloody thing, best to sell while still valuable. My other hobbies include drinking, I gave up smoking.

Out of interest what bike is it? (and size)

Cube Reaction GTC Pro (Carbon) 18inch frame, 26"er.

That's a very nice hardtail, I bet you need to be fit, fast and fluid to get the most out of it. I had my eye on a Giant Anthem but then I spent my cash on hifi and home cinema instead, and now I'm not as fit as I used to be *sad*

You don't realise how fit you become when cycling daily, I took it for granted. I've not been on mine really since October now though. I know your feels.

 

[Anderson]

Do you mind me ask, what you're comparing the XTZ to yourself, what's your yardstick?

huh? Sorry, I don't really understand what you're asking. If it's what I compared the XTZ to, it was with the usual offerings at the price - Rotel RA1520, Marantz PM7004 (i think), Roksan Kandy K2, Creek Evolution 2, Rega Brio R, Exposure 2010 S2. If you're asking what I use now, I'm running a Naim Supernait 2.

AW didn't mean to confuse. What I should have asked is what other speakers have you listened to and do you find the XTZ to be up there with the best?

 

[jerryapril]

How about this set:

http://www.audiblefidelity.co.uk/blog/monitor-audio-silver-8-a100-amplifier/

It comes with your favorite speakers and sounds great. It has a DAC too...

 

[Anderson]

How about this set:

http://www.audiblefidelity.co.uk/blog/monitor-audio-silver-8-a100-amplif...

It comes with your favorite speakers and sounds great. It has a DAC too...

Thanks for the suggestion Jerry, I'm looking at getting a AVR, I've done stereo amps but they just don't cut it for my usage in my living room unfortunately. I'm eyeing up one of the slim line Marantz receivers which go pretty cheap.

 

[Anderson]

So I'm still a bit torn.

My issue comes down to the crossover network and theoretical differences between 2.5/3 way designs. A 3 way should in theory (if done well) reduce IMD and reduce cone break up, on the other hand 3 ways are very difficult to do right. The 2.5 way in the XTZ is simpler and the individual components are vastly superior, Monitor Audio have skimped on the drivers.. Then again Stereophile measurements of the MA were excellent, maybe I'm over thinking?

 

[Vladimir]

XTZ skimped on the box and they will be very fussy with placement. 3 back reflex ports and large floorstander bass means pushing them at least 1,5m away from walls. Otherwise consider DSP/tone controls.

Plastic driver baskets have benefits over metal. The cons are they are useless as voice coil heatsinks. Stamped metal baskets is skimping, not injection molded glass fiber reinforced plastics. Canton uses the same tech in their higher end drivers. Interesting that MA chose this for drivers with metal cone membranes.

 

[Anderson]

XTZ skimped on the box and they will be very fussy with placement. 3 back reflex ports and large floorstander bass means pushing them at least 1,5m away from walls. Otherwise consider DSP/tone controls.

Plastic driver baskets have benefits over metal. The cons are they are useless as voice coil heatsinks. Stamped metal baskets is skimping, not injection molded glass fiber reinforced plastics. Canton uses the same tech in their higher end drivers. Interesting that MA chose this for drivers with metal cone membranes.

Keep talking, you're helping me here! There's no way I could have them that far out from the wall. Didn't know plastic baskets weren't a big deal either, swinging back towards the MA now. Thank you

 

[Vladimir]

Not saying the MAs are better. Just things are not as simple as plastic bad, metal good.

In your situation I would seek out closed box designs.

 

[Anderson]

Not saying the MAs are better. Just things are not as simple as plastic bad, metal good.

In your situation I would seek out closed box designs.

With speakers I've had in the past I bunged the ports, would that not be a workable compromise?

 

[Vladimir]

Not saying the MAs are better. Just things are not as simple as plastic bad, metal good.

In your situation I would seek out closed box designs.

With speakers I've had in the past I bunged the ports, would that not be a workable compromise?

No. That is horrible patchwork that ruins speaker performance.

 

[drummerman]

Not saying the MAs are better. Just things are not as simple as plastic bad, metal good.

In your situation I would seek out closed box designs.

With speakers I've had in the past I bunged the ports, would that not be a workable compromise?

No. That is horrible patchwork that ruins speaker performance.

Not necessarely.

It will no doubt change the manufacturers intended parameters, several of them but we all know that with all the good intentions (of manufacturers) speakers can misbehave in real world conditions, in real rooms. Designers still have no control over that.

So, by blocking or part-blocking you may well find a certain speaker will fit a room better. I've done it many times.

 

[Vladimir]

Sealed design speakers are very tricky to pull off. For every acoustic suspension design there is only ONE matching box+driver+crossover setup, and with very tight tolerances. Sometimes special drivers are made for sealed enclosures. Reflex ports are much much more forgiving and easy to work with.

The differences are quite large. By stuffing the hole on a ported speaker you are not getting a sealed box design. You got just that, a stuffed ported speaker with some of the performance compromised. By doing this you are trading room acoustics for speaker performance. Using tone controls would be smarter IMO.

However, I'm not a speaker designer, I just did my research during my years of ownership of various acoustic suspension speakers. I've experimented with the effects myself and came to the same conclusion that designers like Ken Kantor of AR have said repeatedly. If you need a sealed box enclosure, you buy a manufacturer designed one. You cannot migrate from ported to sealed with stuffing holes, changing damping etc.

 

[iQ Speakers]

XTZ skimped on the box and they will be very fussy with placement. 3 back reflex ports and large floorstander bass means pushing them at least 1,5m away from walls. Otherwise consider DSP/tone controls.

Plastic driver baskets have benefits over metal. The cons are they are useless as voice coil heatsinks. Stamped metal baskets is skimping, not injection molded glass fiber reinforced plastics. Canton uses the same tech in their higher end drivers. Interesting that MA chose this for drivers with metal cone membranes.

Vlad i looked at the cabinet and it looked very simple and flimsey. They are using 22mm MDF though.

When my site is ready could you give it a look over and offer your critical opinon?

 

[Vladimir]

Vlad i looked at the cabinet and it looked very simple and flimsey. They are using 22mm MDF though.

When my site is ready could you give it a look over and offer your critical opinon?

Glad to help anyway I can.

 

[Gazzip]

I suggest you put Kef R500s on your demo list....best £1500 floorstanders speakers that I've heard.

R500's in piano black on eBay now for £999 Buy it Now.....

 

[obiwan kenobi]

Or the new B&W CMS2-serie

 

[Anderson]

So guyz.......

I'll be ordering the Monitor Audio Silver 8 on Wednesday *yahoo* apparently it takes a week to get them in once ordered. The only downside is I won't have any amplification until the end of March *dash1*

 

[Vladimir]

Which trim? I hope you didn't get these. Your wife will tend to put flower pots on them.