Speaker Asylum

RE: A long cathartic ramble

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In Reply to: RE: A long cathartic ramble posted by sleeper on June 20, 2017 at 22:49:11

Thanks for the "ramble". Your approach and experience is rather similar to mine.
A few months ago I went to visit 2 dealers offering costly but well-priced used or ex-demo speakers.
At the first dealer (in a big farmhouse, so a domestic setup), I first listened to Magico S3 speakers, then Martin Logan Summits. Both impressed but I hadn't gone to listen to the Magico but the MLs, which in any event I preferred.
At the next showroom, a big dealer in Oxford with a good-sized listening room, I heard the 802Ds and another pair of Martin Logan Summits. The B&W had astonishing and rather in-yer-face bass which I didn't like. It would be great on some music but would become wearing on most music I listen too - and wouldn't be appreciated by neighbours if played as loud as I normally play music. This reminded my of a HiFi Show where I first heard big B&W 8 series speakers playing Sandstorm by Darude at huge volume. It was hugely impressive and just the type of music these speakers excel with. But I don't often listen to Sandstorm! Again the MLs were detailed and somewhat akin to my existing Avantgarde horn speakers.
I had gone to visit the dealers fully expecting to buy the 802Ds on the basis that I wouldn't have lost much if I didn't like them at home and re-sold them, but in all honestly they just didn't suit the type of music I listen to - and the dealer agreed they are best with pop music.
I decided to buy none of these. If an ML Summit II were to come up, or it's current replacement, perhaps I would have gone for it, but I've decided to stick with the AGs for a while longer.
I was in the Netherlands last month and happened upon a good dealer in Venlo. It was a Saturday but he had no rush of customers so the dealer and I spent 3 hours just listening to music. I hadn't taken any discs so we used some of his stored music and looked up tracks familiar to me on Tidal.
We were listening through Swiss-made Piega Coax 711 speakers. These are costly with cabinets built from aluminium (as are Magico for much more money) but I was bowled over by the excellence of these speakers with prolonged listening, even when fed by a quite modest amplifier. The bass was exceptional but not overwhelming, with things in the room rattling when the track included daft levels of bass and the volume was turned up. Most "mormal" music was delivered with realistic and non-tiring bass levels and with wonderfully detailed middle and top - through it's concentric ribbon drivers. If I find a used pair of these speakers, I'll very seriously consider them.
I hope you find what you want. Mistakes can be costly and, although I don't know what music you listen to, I think you may get tired of 802Ds quite quickly.
Peter
Piega Coax 711 (Open in New Window)

Edits: 06/25/17

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