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This may sound odd but I find that I dont care much for the speaker disappearing and holographic reproduction, spaciousness et al. I like listening to a single speaker and this made me wonder if it will be OK to buy one KEF L50 and enjoy a great speaker for half the price. By the same token I can go for one Elac UB5 (if a single one is sold) and enjoy AJ's three way for the price of a pair of B6. I remember listening to a single Tannoy Westminster long time ago and loving it. What is Audiophiles' take on this?
Anyone tried this half... listening?
Cheers
Bill
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There's some good information here: :-)
http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.html?forum=speakers&n=346517&highlight=bill+the+k&search_url=%2Fcgi%2Fsearch.mpl%3Fforum%3Dspeakers%26searchtext%3Dbill%2Bthe%2Bk
If you want to listen to just one speaker, why not get a center channel speaker? At least you bet two small woofers and a tweeter. You could set it up vertically to get better dispersion....
Don't get a small single speaker. It will "get lost" sounding. Ridiculous as that sounds, however it is true. Try to get a sizable speaker. And don't worry about single drivers.
What seems to work best as mono is a high efficiency driver or full range driver that is typically augmented with a high range horn tweeter or sorts.
Look towards the kits at Madisound or Parts Express. This way you can get a GOOD bang for the buck and get ONE channel. Some of the high efficiency drivers are wonderful for this very application. But on caveat - their claim is not quite true. They do still need that very top end tweeter.
Any thoughts?
charles
Thanks for the valuable suggestions. A good horn may work well.
I was wondering about a single Zaph SR 71. What do you think. But the drivers seem to come only in pairs. Dont know how to get only one.
Best Wishes
Bill
I like the SR-71 A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!
You can buy the parts separately from Madisound. You don't have to buy the actual Kit.
The 71 has a very nice off axis sound. I often sit on the other side of the room to listen to mine with no problems. Excellent all round speaker.
The other speaker I would look into more is the MarkAudio Alpair 12P 8". It does have a few limits like it is a low power speaker. But it looks good otherwise. Do a google on it.
Looks good.I must do more research on it.
I found that one Zaph driver and crossover is available for half the price. My friend will build one cabinet. Meanwhile another friend is full of praise for Decware. There seem to be some real good small speakers around! There should be a small speaker Audio Show.
Best Wishes
Bill
I know I'm bias but the SR-71 is just a great speaker. Does every thing very well. You don't find many good 7" paper cone woofers in the monitor class.
As I mentioned before it had EXCELLENT off axis listening. The problem most single drivers and high efficiency driver do have is off axis listening limitations.
If your friend is willing to build the cabinet then have him build two. Just in case you decide to one day go for stereo.
The paper cone has a very nice natural open relaxed sound. And as I've stated before that darn cheap tweeter is one of the best tweeters I've heard.
The single driver and high efficiency idea is nice. But limited in amp power and listening placement, ie they get beamy quickly
Brilliant idea. I looked at the specs of center speakers and found them good. But I dont find any reviews. They are priced comparatively higher too. I must listen to the new Elac center. Thanks.
Bill
center speakers are usually designed for dialog. never really seen one with a descent size woofer
you guys know more than I probably ever will, but....I have always been interested in making my system more "3 dimensional". I am fully aware that a good system will make you feel a little that way. Even with a good system when you close your eyes, you can tell which direction the speakers are. A good 5.1 system cures that, but it seems to me that going to a single speaker would only worsen that problem. And then there is that other thing called a vertical soundstage.
I would never be fooled into thinking I'm hearing a live, unamplified event radiating from a single 5.25" driver, but it if works for you then go for it!
And maybe you'll finally stop contemplating various Elacs. :)
You are very observant! Hope my contemplations will come to an end soon.
Cheers
Bill
In the studio monitor speaker market, they usually sell just one speaker.
Many choices: Neumann, Genelec, ATC, JBL, Yamaha, Mackie, . . . .
I have seen Genelec in Studios, a single one. Could nt tell which model. They all look identical. Must be very good. Rather expensive too.
Cheers
Bill
Somethings wrong if you dont like good stereo with your system. Of course most stereo recordings are pretty terrible image/soundstage wise. The good ones though make up for the rest. There are some so bad they sound better in mono.
ET
You are right. What is wrong is my right ear with reduced hearing and hum. Balance adjustment does not work. But luckily I like the single speaker setup. The ear people say there is no satisfactory hearing aid for the single ear problem. May be very expensive solutions but at my age not recommended. There goes one channel!
Cheers
Bill
Crap Bill sorry to hear that.
ET
The KEF L50 is only sold in pairs. How do you go about buying one?
> > "The KEF L50 is only sold in pairs." < <
The LS50 is sold in pairs. I've never heard of the L50, but perhaps that is the single-speaker version. :-)
-Bob
I presume the OP meant the LS50. There is no L50.
:-)
Yes, I meant the Anniversary speaker. I remember reading once the speaker was available in singles. Maybe they have changed the decision.
Cheers
Bill
One, it depends on your music taste. The last time I went to an orchestra, big band or chamber music concert, the players were spread across the stage. Two, be aware that, for many recordings, playing them in mono will affect the sound quality, since there will be phase, EQ and other differences between what were intended to be two "different" channels.
But, hey, it's YOUR system!
:)
As someone who has just spent a lot of money on a mono cartridge with dedicated arm for my vinyl system you may count me in as someone who enjoys mono. However it is a two speaker setup but for practical rather then either technical or aesthetic reasons in regard to mono as I also enjoy stereo.
So I don't think that stereo is necessary although on some types of music it could be considered a benefit if not essential.
Have you wondered if you are someone who cannot hear stereo properly? There are a number of medical conditions related to processing that can cause this. In fact I used to work with someone who could not hear stereo at all. Faced with a pair of speakers playing in stereo he would always hear only a hard left and a hard right sound issuing directly from each speaker.
Anyway if it is simply what you like then great and, better, there may be a saving involved.The downside is that these days there aren't too many source or amplification products offering mono only and speakers are so often only sold in pairs, especially small ones which are boxed as such.
I have a friend who hears a vocal that is dead center straight ahead of you (seated) sounding likes it's dead center and six feet higher up.
See ya. Dave
Edits: 06/11/16
Have you tried listening to just one speaker when playing mono recordings?
Tre'
Have Fun and Enjoy the Music
"Still Working the Problem"
Tre', I'm old enough to have been around when there was ONLY one speaker.
Especially from so called audiophiles.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
Maybe the problem is that you have one of these multi-driver speakers that are very sensitive to placement.
It's hard not to get a decent enough sound stage from a pair of almost any small 2-way speakers, no matter what the price.
Hi how is Brexit. I have had the little Rogers all my life and a big Technics which sounded like a Shahinian. Now I have retired to one speaker and can get a very good speaker for half the price.
Regards
Bill
Can't say, really. I'm in Denmark. But it looks close.My 3/5As are made by Stirling Broadcast in Somerset. Like all these speakers, you can even turn them around and they still image.
Edits: 06/10/16
You can use that stereo amp to bi-amp.
Could you please explain how that is done?
I am thinking of using the mono button of my NAD amp to play one speaker.
Any better way?
Cheers
Bill
The good thing about mono is that it sounds the same anywhere in the room. There is no sweet spot.Stereophonic sound is a bit of a gimmick, albeit a very nifty one.
Mono could also save you some money if you play your cards right. After all you will only be needing half a stereo system.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Big speakers and little amps blew my mind!
Edits: 06/09/16
Unless the purpose of your system is to entertain others, why do you care about my take on it? If you like mono with a single speaker, go for it.
As for me, I enjoy imaging and soundstage; therefore, I need stereo with two speakers. However, I don't think I will ever be visiting you for the purpose of music listening, so I think you should build your system to please you -- not me!
Good luck,
John Elison
If its going to drive away audiophiles like John, I better rethink on my mono ideas.
Cheers
Bill
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