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Hello!I guess Hyperion is the SF guru around, but, of course, this is an open question to everybody...
I was told that a pair of EA in very good condition are going to be sold for about $900 (I live in europe ... i guess in US that wouldn't be easy to find a pair in thisprice range). The question is that they are over 300 km away from me, so i would like to have an insight on these speakers before i take any decision ...
I know the EA II quite well. they are superbe. outstanding speakers imho... but those are a bit on the expensive side :( Unfortunately i never had the chance to listen in good conditions to the previous EA's :(
My system is composed of a Meridian 508.24 CDP and a plinius 8150. I got them both from people i knew which were upgrading and they're both in mint condition. I listen mainly to jazz (specially accoustic jazz) and classical music (speacially ancient music).
How do you think the EA would fit in this system (I believe they do fit my musical taste, knowing the SF range from the concertino's to the Amati's ...)?
Cables: i will need to upgrade my speaker and IC cables (now i have the kimber's pbj and 4TC ... and these are not cables for equipment on playing on this "league"). Suggestions?
thanks in advance for any thoughts on this matter!
LC
Follow Ups:
Hi!I just wanted to add that the tweeters on these speakers are going to be changed, because one of them was damaged by a curious child of the previous owner (yesterday I had dinner with the friend who told me about these speakers and he told me about this ...). The speakers are at the SF importer for Portugal (they are also the importers of a lot of other interesting stuff like Jadis, Krell, Audio Research, Copland, Proac, transparent, nordost ...) and they are going to perform the job.
The tweeter is the famous Esotar from dynaudio ... i hope this will have no impact on the price of the speakers ...
The good news is that is likelly that i will have the chance of listening to them in my living room :) I will update the information on this subject.
Esotar tweeters are very expensive. Expect the price to go up because of tweeter replacement. More so, because Dynaudio does not sell these tweeters to DIY suppliers anymore, and the Sonus faber Esotars are custom made with cut-away tweeter baffles.
Thank you for the info! ... I was aware that the Dynaudio is not selling the Esotar anymore ... my friend is very close to the SF importer (and also a good customer ...) so I've asked him to make some lobby for me :)) ... we'll see
For $900 I would drive even 3000 km! :-) Seriously, this is an amazing bargaing on an amazing speaker. If I were you I would jump on it right away! If you don't like them, although I'm sure you will, I would gladly buy them back from you :-)
First, the good news. $900 for the EA is a bargain no matter how you slice and dice it especially if it comes with the stands. It is not a perfect speaker. It is the SF speaker I love to hate (but mostly because of the ignorance of its fans hehe) But at $900, and in good condition – it is a steal. If you don’t like the sound, you can take it apart and use the nice pricey drivers for a DIY project hehehe, but I’m just kiddin. The EA will acquit itself nicely for pure classical and acoustical music with the right ancillaries and good setup.The not so good news. The EA and EA2 has some similarities but they are actually more different than similar. So if you like the EA2, it is not guaranteed that you will like the EA (and vice versa).
A EA2 vs EA description will probably help you decide so here goes:First, the similarities: both are small speakers that are able to sound BIG, grand and have extraordinarily hefty but tuneful bass for their relatively compact size. Both can sound energetic and dynamic when fed enough power (but the EA2 does not need as much power as the EA to achieve the same big sound).
Now the long list of differences:
In terms of tonal balance, the EA is fuller sounding. It got a richer, thicker sounding treble, is fuller darker sounding in the midrange, it got more upper bass and upper midbass. The EA2 sounds lighter across the audio band but has a deeper, more controlled and more dynamic bass. If you think the EA2 is a bit lean then the EA would probably be perfect to you. Otherwise if you find the EA2 just right, then the EA would be excessively full by comparison.
In terms of speed and tempo, the EA2 is faster and more rhythmic. But the EA is no slouch either, it is by no means a slow wimpy sounding speaker. Still, I feel there is a wide disparity between the two in terms of fine dynamic and temporal gradation in favor of the EA2.
In terms of imaging and soundstaging, the EA2 is more focused and with a better layered, wider, deeper soundstage but the EA's instrumental images tend to be bigger and more palpable. The perspective is different as well, the EA2 is strictly a midhall perspective speaker - most of the sound will seem to come from well behind the speakers. The EA, otoh is more like a front row speaker - the stage actually begins well in front of the speakers, and sometimes you cant help but feel like you are in the middle of the performance.
In terms of coherence, this is where the EA2 trumps the EA. The EA may have better, and more expensive drivers but there is a noticable gap of discontinuity between its esotar tweeter and skanning midwoofer tonally and dynamically. The EA2's tweeter and midwoofer are better matched to each other's capabilities. The ramifications are big, the EA is strictly a farfield speaker - it must be sited far away from the listener - at least 8-10' away. The EA2's driver coherence is good even though it got a wide but shallow notch in the crossover region as well, but it is listenable from as close to 5-6' away. This also means the EA is a lot harder to setup optimally in a given room than the EA2 (it also require a bigger room) - minimizing that discontinuity takes a lot of time and effort.In terms of personality, there is a big difference too. The EA2 is more laidback and subtle with a more graceful mien but also a more decisive and confident nature, while the EA is more of the vigorous seductress who is more playful but a bit nervous and not as confident in belting out tunes.
That should give u an idea if the EA is for you or not.
The smooth and refined Meridian 508.24 would be a good compliment to the EA. Not so sure about the Plinius 8150. I'd personally start with a slightly warm (but no overly so) sounding integrated tube amp with good bass control like a Jadis DA60 with KT88 tubes.
As for cables ... the only cables I can sincerely recommend are Audio Note stuff. The ANVx interconnects and ANSPx speaker cables and ANSPx jumpers are discontinued but they will fare very well with the EA. Look for used ones.
Uauuu!a real expert you are! First: they don't come up with stands :(
I cannot thank you enough for your thoughtful comments on the EA. A very close friend used to have a pair of EA II, so i know them pretty well (btw, he's got now the Amati's :))).
I must tell you that I completely agree with you about the words you used to describe the EA II ... I don't think they sound thin at all, I theink the bass is remarkable in terms of articulation and has a pretty good extension for a monitor speaker. I really think they are tremendously refined and musical, transparent but never dry or analytical, euphonic but never slow or blurred. So I love them and I'm sure that I will live happy with the EA II (happier then with the EA), but the problems are that:
- they quite rarelly show-up in second hand here in portugal (the friend i mentioned is very close to the importer in portugal);
- they are too expensive for me :(Anyway, I think i will have the chance of listening to them, so ...
One other option would be the signum. Some friends say that would be the speaker for me (those I could afford to buy a new pair). The problem is that I'm affraid they will sound too thin in my room (the ceiling is 3.5 m high; 40 square meters of area). thoughts?
BTW, to you know the Audio Physic Tempo III? my favorite retailler is going to get a pair (which will sell for about $1500). Do you know those? I've never heard them, but I'm affraid they will sound a bit too much on the analytical side when joined with the rest of my electronics ... the SF are warmer.
The Signum is more like the EA2 than the EA. It has the same refined, subtle but confident personality. It does however sound lighter and not as big sounding as either EA or EA2. It is also less dynamic and not as authoritative as either of its bigger sisters. It is more immediate sounding than the EA2 but not as forward sounding as the EA. Its bass is very impressive - deep and articulate for something so small but it does lack that punch, weight and impact for big percussion instruments like piano, drums etc. It must be sited near the rear wall or it will sound too lightweight. With a 40 sqm room ... I think you need a good subwoofer.I consider the Signum the best value SF speaker - it is a more mature and more expressive speaker than the EA, but if sounding rich, big and glorious is more important to you, then the EA beats the Signum in those criterias.
Never heard AP stuff. They are not available here so I cannot comment on them.
calculate cost of traveling to the sellers place and back
calculate cost of the time spent listening
add cost of risk of speaker not in good condition
add cost of risk of speaker not sounding like it 'should'
add to cost of speaker itself
= total cost of speakersIf total cost < $$ you're willing to spend, then make the trip and buy it. If you need to sell it in ANY event you don't like it, I believe you still can do so without problems.
btw, does it come with original stands?
soundwise, i have not heard the above combination, so not much I can contribute constructively
thank you, Tool :)
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