Speaker upgrade confusion
- Thread starter adamct
- Start date
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4krow
Guest
I'm not jealous, as I have been fortunate enough to done as much as I have in audio. Having said that, I have never attended an audio fest. THAT is the one thing left on the list, and Denver is within reach. Unfortunately, this is my year to have some medical issues and pay them off, so the list waits.
Eric, there is SO much more to audio than changing little caps! I'm putting you on the BOSE mailing list as punishment.
Eric, there is SO much more to audio than changing little caps! I'm putting you on the BOSE mailing list as punishment.
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4krow
Guest
OUCH! Maan, well now you've done it. I have to call my entire team of psychiatrists and schedule a few sessions. Thanks a lot, EARIC.
Speakers are the most challenging thing in audio. Everyone has a different opinion. There are always compromises to be made. Personal preferences and just how much space you have.
I always liked the "flat response" thing. Everyone designs for a flat response. What if your ears aren't flat? The older you get the less you hear.
What sounds good to a guy that worked all his life in a manufacturing plant may well be a bit bright to his teenage daughter.
I always liked the "flat response" thing. Everyone designs for a flat response. What if your ears aren't flat? The older you get the less you hear.
What sounds good to a guy that worked all his life in a manufacturing plant may well be a bit bright to his teenage daughter.
In the past 1.5 years i have purchased 5 new pairs of speakers: 3 pairs of salk (internet direct company), 2 used and one new. A pair of active a5 for my computer and then a set of orcas. I have settled with 2 sets, a main system, Salk SS8's that is probably 15 times more expensive than my desktop system of Orcas and no sub powered by a sex amp. I'll go days ( not often) without listening to my main system. My orcas are a really fun engaging sound, not a ton air moving from them but you feel it emotionally not physically like with a bigger box speaker. Similar to a headphone or a maggie. When i built a crack and got headphones i had to learn to love the headphone. I was used to the physical feeling of a bigger speaker. When i sit down in front of the main system i'm blown away, but its more of a commitment, it's "better" and fuller and amazing sounding... but as fun? not really, it's serious not fun. I spend more hours listening to the orcas with the sex.
i recently went to the SF audio show and honestly was really unimpressed with most the set ups that were on the expensive to really expensive side. Sure its probably because very few people had any treatments in the room. Its harder to demo speakers for a lot of the internet direct speaker companies but the pay off is greater. i purchased all of my speakers without hearing any of them. i know not recommended but there are some great resources to research, and to find local owners that will demo speakers for you. With all that said, i highly recommend the orcas and maybe another pair of box speakers. you will find things you like in both and those things will change over time.
good luck
i recently went to the SF audio show and honestly was really unimpressed with most the set ups that were on the expensive to really expensive side. Sure its probably because very few people had any treatments in the room. Its harder to demo speakers for a lot of the internet direct speaker companies but the pay off is greater. i purchased all of my speakers without hearing any of them. i know not recommended but there are some great resources to research, and to find local owners that will demo speakers for you. With all that said, i highly recommend the orcas and maybe another pair of box speakers. you will find things you like in both and those things will change over time.
good luck
Well said Guf... The 'fun' aspect is so important IMO. The sound cannot be just "technically" good. You know, clean, large stage, quick with good extension, bla bla bla... It has to have 'soul'. I have not heard anything except for tubes that can do that. Period. Speakers are of course a very important piece, but they cant do it all.
Clark B.
New member
Guf,
Thanks for the mention! Indeed, its been the hardest quest of all, taken by far the longest of all initiatives, to engineer "fun" into the sound. I'm glad I was a music history major and not an E.E. (for me personally, because I was able to self teach most of the engineering I've needed as I've gone along, and learn the rest by proxy to talented people who were willing to teach).
Our qust with the company is to make HiFi culturally relevant again. And it has proven to be a much more fulfilling pursuit than to just try to make our graphs wart free. Additionally, we are after as practical of a package (and price) as possible in the Orcas and accesories. The tough part these last few months (paradoxically, because you'd normally think that when you just spend more, you'd get more) has been trying to get that same sound into our upcoming larger and more expensive speaker model releases. But we are close... very close... to realizing that goal!
Cheers!
-Clark
Thanks for the mention! Indeed, its been the hardest quest of all, taken by far the longest of all initiatives, to engineer "fun" into the sound. I'm glad I was a music history major and not an E.E. (for me personally, because I was able to self teach most of the engineering I've needed as I've gone along, and learn the rest by proxy to talented people who were willing to teach).
Our qust with the company is to make HiFi culturally relevant again. And it has proven to be a much more fulfilling pursuit than to just try to make our graphs wart free. Additionally, we are after as practical of a package (and price) as possible in the Orcas and accesories. The tough part these last few months (paradoxically, because you'd normally think that when you just spend more, you'd get more) has been trying to get that same sound into our upcoming larger and more expensive speaker model releases. But we are close... very close... to realizing that goal!
Cheers!
-Clark
Grainger49
New member
Now Clark, I'm an EE but didn't have to go to school to know what fun is or sounds like! Well, maybe I learned when I got my Psychology degree?
And the Orcas are fun!
And the Orcas are fun!
Clark B.
New member
Grainger,
Actually, I did have to go to school to learn what "fun" is in music. Paradoxicaly, I started this quest from a very analytical perspective. My dad is a biostatistician, I aced my SAT's, and I was president of the math club in high school, etc. etc.
So when I met Terry Cain, he told me - "dude, you've got to balance out your talents...you really should consider learning about music from music's viewpoint rather than learning music from an acoustical science's standpoint purely."
Boy, am I glad that I balanced out my math heavy upbringing with an music degree. Of course, I still did alot better on my music theory than on my piano performance, but still... so important to have a balanced mind in any pursuit. Terry was the only guy with the gumption to tell me how warped my perspective was.
Surely, we've all got strengths and weaknesses. part of what makes life interesting.
Cheers,
Clark
Actually, I did have to go to school to learn what "fun" is in music. Paradoxicaly, I started this quest from a very analytical perspective. My dad is a biostatistician, I aced my SAT's, and I was president of the math club in high school, etc. etc.
So when I met Terry Cain, he told me - "dude, you've got to balance out your talents...you really should consider learning about music from music's viewpoint rather than learning music from an acoustical science's standpoint purely."
Boy, am I glad that I balanced out my math heavy upbringing with an music degree. Of course, I still did alot better on my music theory than on my piano performance, but still... so important to have a balanced mind in any pursuit. Terry was the only guy with the gumption to tell me how warped my perspective was.
Surely, we've all got strengths and weaknesses. part of what makes life interesting.
Cheers,
Clark
Grainger49
New member
You should have been a teenager in the 60s.
My wife and I had dinner with Terry and his wife at the1003 2003 VSAC. He warmed up after a few minutes and it is a memory I will cherish.
My wife and I had dinner with Terry and his wife at the
Grainger49
New member
My profile says "Old Fart", what more do I need to explain it???
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4krow
Guest
He was there in spirit.
Grainger49
New member
That is what I get for typing in the dark at 6:00 AM.
Grainger49
New member
Ah, HA! But maybe I would be wiser?
4
4krow
Guest
You made this far sir, what's wisdom got to do with it? 'That's a joke son. I say-I say, the boy don't have too much cookin' in the kitchen, if you get mah drift.' When I die, maybe I'll come back as Foghorn Leghorn.
Grainger49
New member
Loved Foghorn Leghorn! My last boss at K-C was from Coosa Pines Alabama. He was the human incarnation of Foghorn Leghorn.
