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Are there any bookshelf loudspeakers available today that has the warm tonal balance of the classic AR brand ? I went shopping today and everything I heard sounded lean and with an etched treble response . Heck , anything with the classic , old New England sound will suit me . I'm sorry I got rid of my old Acoustic Research speakers . If anyone has come across a nice , warm sounding pair of bookshelf speakers in the price range of $700 -1000 please post . Thanks
Follow Ups:
PSB Alpha B1s - yes, I know they're only $240 or so, but I really like them with my McIntosh Mc30s. I bought them for a quick fix in a room and don't want to get rid of them.
The PSB Imagine B may be a good choice. It lists for $1K, could be discounted, and PSB is one of those few brands that is available just about everywhere for a listen.
The Definitive Technologies "StudioMonitor 450" looks like a good possibility at $660.00 a pair. They're available through Crutchfield which will save you time to get them in home and they have a good return policy.
I am not sure about the current lines but the older models were very warm sounding.
I had the S5e in my HT system and, often, had a hard time understanding the actors. Too soft.
Happy listening.
Regards,
JerryS
Why not buy restored vintage speakers like AR?
and beautiful cabinets. It won a 10 speaker shootout a while back in affordable audio dot com. I owned a pair and liked them, but I'm not big on warmish sounding speakers!
$650.
I'd always heard they were bright, much as Theils, B&W, Joseph, etc. etc.
If they're warm, I'd be very interested in getting them ASAP.
z
JM had liked it a lot.
I can think of a warm sounding speaker that is similar to the old KLH 6.The Cambridge Soundworks 6 sound good to me.Henry Kloss design.Not very expensive.
I personally like airy sound with lots of space between instruments,like Shahinian Obelisk.But they are expensive.
I know, a really commercial brand... but smooth even sound.
This model on sale now... But the more expensive VS240 is the one that you would really want - very resonant free cabinet.
I like my behringer digital equalizer. It's the ultracurve 2496 I think. I put it between the digital source and the dac, although it would work just as well between a cd player and receiver. It lets me fix simple brightness or exaggerated mid-bass due to the speaker or the room. People will say that it's not good because it's cheap and introduces jitter but I don't find this to be a problem. As long as you use the digital in and out it's pretty transparent. There may be systems that would reveal shortcomings but I only ever use it in second systems in the living room or something that have room related problems that dwarf whatever problems it may have.
Are we all on the same page? Or am the only one off?
"What did the Romans ever do for us?"
warm = de-emphasizes the higher frequencies not accentuates
dark: A warm, mellow, excessively rich quality in reproduced sound. The audible effect of a frequency response which is clockwise-tilted across the entire range, so that output diminishes with increasing frequency. Compare "light."
warm: The same as dark, but less tilted. A certain amount of warmth is a normal part of musical sound.
vs.
lean: Very slightly bass-shy. The effect of a very slight bass rolloff below around 500Hz. Not quite "cool."
light: Lean and tipped-up. The audible effect of a frequency response which is tilted counterclockwise. Compare "dark."
cool: Moderately deficient in body and warmth, due to progressive attenuation of frequencies below about 150Hz.
cold: The same as "cool," only more so. Having somewhat excessive upper-range output and weak lower-range output.
etched: Very crisp and sharply outlined, focused to an almost excessive degree.
I am not sure these terms are always used this way, but the reference is very valuable to me. Thanks again.
"What did the Romans ever do for us?"
You may have to go vintage to find a pair that has this feature.
...The Vandersteen Model 1C has a tweeter level control and should fit the OP's needs to a tee.
A darn good recommendation if you are looking for a speaker with "warm" tonal balance, for under $1000. Made in USA. But it's not a bookshelf speaker, unfortunately.
Edits: 12/08/09
$700/pr., but discontinued.
FWIW.
JM
.
Harbeth HL5's and Spender S/P 1/2's immediately come to mind.
I have not heard any current designs that are warm either. Let me know when you find one?
I listened to a lot of the new speakers and I agree they are bright and etched...I have heard it described as voiced for contemporary music. I guess people don't listen to Classical anymore.
The closest to warm I have found in a contemporary speaker design is the Dynaudio line. None of them are warm, but they are all neutral (ruler flat power response with no peaking in the treble and upper mid-range ~ 1 kHz to 8 kHz or dipping in the power and warmth passbands ~ 400 Hz - 80 Hz) and that gives you a lot more of the pleasure of a warm speaker than a bright and etched model ever could.
You must have heard a lot?
Modern speakers can be on either side of the spectrum.
But, very few today's speakers have close to AR sound as most of the AR were, generally speaking, severely coloured, overly warm speakers, and rolled of at both ends.
The only today's speakers that I know of in the same general neighborhood are Vienna, (severely coloured, warm and boring to death)
What speakers did you listen, with which associated components, in what environment, what kind of music, compared to which AR?
Real warm!
Check out the Era Design 5 speakers:
http://signalpathint.com/index.php/Comparative/era-Speakers.html
Kef
The Insignia Coax (good, not great - on the cheap)
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