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KOTEX GOD OF BLOOD posted:Nearfield studio monitors are not hifi speakers and cannot be used interchangeably. You really never Googled this? What makes them so different? The main difference is that studio monitors are better for near field listening, but that does not make them any worse for ordinary at-home mid-field listening. At the very worst, you may have to just turn up the treble a little bit, all active monitors have a control for this and usually a guideline in the manual for how much you should increase the tweeter level. I should know, I've been using studio monitors in my main setup for years, and they sound awesome. So no, I didn't google it, I have actually used several different setups over the years, both active and passive and I can confidently tell you that studio monitors work awesomely as hifi speakers, and generally provide much better sound quality. quote:I recommend you try actually swapping out a few different amps on one pair of speakers. The difference is really obvious. Amps vary wildly in tone, they are a lot more than power/signal-to-noise/impedance. You really need to do some research man. Nope, they don't. It has been shown that people simply cannot audibly differentiate between different solid-state amps of adequate power and sufficiently low distortion and output impedance, ie. just about every competently constructed single solid state amp you can buy. And yes, that includes AV receivers. quote:Some are, many aren't. If a store is throwing USB decrapifiers and $1000 cables at you, stay away. Others are wonderful and honest. But you seem to think that amps don't vary, somehow, so you probably think everything at every audio store is bullshit. If they try to sell you on an amp by referring to its "tone" or "signature sound", stay the hell away. Anyone with even a basic knowledge of electronics will tell you that 99% of the claims made by hifi peddlers are utter bullshit and usually physically impossible.
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Dec 11, 2017 10:50
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KozmoNaut posted:The main difference is that studio monitors are better for near field listening, but that does not make them any worse for ordinary at-home mid-field listening. Studio monitors are just speakers. There's no reason you can't use powered monitors, or even passive monitors as regular speakers. Some people might not like it, but it might float your boat. Even bigger than the difference between "monitors" and "speakers" is a treated and untreated room.
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Dec 11, 2017 20:49
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RichterIX posted:My dad loves his 901s that he bought in the mid-80s but, yeah, they sound like utter trash without their proprietary EQ, which makes them almost impossible to use with a home theater system because you need a tape loop to use it without making things Extremely loving Complicated. I didn't remember the tape loop thing until you said it but now I totally remember that you're right, it does make things crazy.
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Dec 12, 2017 03:22
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KozmoNaut posted:Anyone with even a basic knowledge of electronics will tell you that 99% of the claims made by hifi peddlers are utter bullshit and usually physically impossible. Wait, are you telling me that the gallium containing speaker cables I bought for $14,999 don't sound more "weighty" and "liquid", my tin eared friend? http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/teoaudio/liquid.html quote:To the eye, there's nothing to suggest that this skinny black cable is anything other than yet another 'normal' audio wire. Producing sound as soon as they were plugged in validated their proof-of-concept existence with a splash. To get the most telling comparative read, I assembled an ultra-resolution system of 20 x 32-bit DAC digital source into Esoteric's 'activated passive' C-03 preamp into the FirstWatt F5 into my customary Acoustic System Tango R speakers. The only valves in this chain were the JJ ECC99s of the APL Hifi-modified Esoteric UX-1's now transformer-coupled class A output stage. While arguably not the harmonically richest component combo, the linearity and noise-floor behavior of these electronics makes them my best for ultimate magnification purposes. As I did anticipate having to perhaps split hairs, the more resolving power the merrier. Comparative cables were the ASI LiveLine links as the best in my stable. Having been given to understand that the liquid cables benefit from a physical settling-in period similar to the Cerious Technologies designs, I avoided rushed plug'n'play comparisons.
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Dec 12, 2017 03:33
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KozmoNaut posted:If they try to sell you on an amp by referring to its "tone" or "signature sound", stay the hell away. GnarlyCharlie4u posted:Conversely, my KEF LS-50 make pretty adequate nearfield monitors. I've only auditioned the LS-50 at range, but I am told that they do indeed work well in the near field. I wouldn't use them in a studio setting though – break out K240s. KOTEX GOD OF BLOOD fucked around with this message at 03:44 on Dec 12, 2017 |
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Dec 12, 2017 03:38
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KOTEX GOD OF BLOOD posted:I recommend you try actually swapping out a few different amps on one pair of speakers. The difference is really obvious. Amps vary wildly in tone, they are a lot more than power/signal-to-noise/impedance. You really need to do some research man. You've done this in a double blind test, of course?
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Dec 12, 2017 03:43
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Yes. Try to set your goon zealotry aside for just a moment. Not all high-end audio is speaker crystals and $15,000 power cables. There are real and genuine benefits to be had if you have solid money to spend. There is just also a lot of bullshit. But it's not all bullshit. Different amps sounding differently is not bullshit. e: I should probably add that there won't be as much difference at the low end, in my experience. The difference between a cheaper Yamaha and Onkyo is not much. The difference between the ~10 $1000+ integrateds I tried before settling on a Peachtree unit was really blatant. No one who is spending that kind of money on audio equipment should be buying it without having a listen first and comparing it directly to the other options in your price range. KOTEX GOD OF BLOOD fucked around with this message at 03:55 on Dec 12, 2017 |
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Dec 12, 2017 03:46
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naughty_penguin posted:The Ascends came in on Friday. I had big plans to spend all weekend comparing them, moving stands and A/Bing various albums from various sources, but I've already put the Kefs back in the box and filed for an RMA. The Sierras are just better; way more lowend, way more sound. Definitely don't need a sub for music. Things sound right up in my face. The imaging is great, maybe a tad less holographic than the Kefs, maybe. I like to listen to music with them, and I am engaged in a way that I wasn't with the Kefs. Honestly these are the most expensive speakers I've heard by far, so I can't give the best description, but yeah, Sierras all the way. My only regret is that the Sierra-2s weren't on sale. My Sierra Towers show up tomorrow. I'm so excited. I'm also in an apartment but will also check out the platform/feet. Right now i'm going to rock a 2.0 system but will expand to a 5.0 maybe 5.1 system later on. Dave has me sold on the Lunas for my surrounds if I like the towers. If I do like them I'll probably get a Sierra 2 center. But first to see how the towers sound.
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Dec 12, 2017 06:11
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KOTEX GOD OF BLOOD posted:You have literally no idea what you are talking about, and I'm not going to try to convince you, but no, the differences between amps are not like $15,000 speaker cables. Well, considering that that I apprenticed at Bang & Olufsen and rubbed shoulders with their sound engineers, that I've been into hifi and electronics my whole life, that I've learned a ton of stuff from my dad, who worked with TV, radio and hifi for decades before starting his own wireless communication service company, and that I make a small hobby out of studio recording and live sound for his cover band, I would say I probably have a lot more of an idea what I am talking than most people have, both in the hifi and pro audio areas. So please do try to convince me about BS snake oil nonsense that doesn't make any electric or electronic sense. If nothing else, it will be entertaining. quote:Studio monitors ARE just speakers, but they are built for very different purposes than hifi bookshelf speakers. Besides being nearfield-specific, they are also uniformly neutral and will reveal the slightest flaws in bad sources and recordings. Hifi bookshelves are intended to have a more refined sound across content. There is overlap between the two categories...if you are looking at five-figure speakers. Studio monitors are as varied and different as any other kind of speakers. There are accurate monitors, deliberately fault-focused monitors (sharp midrange/treble to catch sibilance), deliberately lovely monitors (like Auratones, to simulate cheap transistor radios) and a whole range of others. The majority fall into the "accurate, but not boringly flat and neutral" category, such as Neumann, Adam, EVE, Genelec, JBL and most other popular brands. Some have the exact same bloated midbass that a lot of hifi speakers suffer from, such as KRK. I can tell you for a fact that my Adams are rather accurate, but absolutely not boring. Yes, you'll definitely notice stuff like lovely lossy compression or lazy production, but that attention to detail also means that you get much more detail in the sound, you get the full texture of the bow on a cello string, not just a generic "cello sound", like you get with hifi speakers that focus too much on being "pleasing" and gloss over the finer details in the process. quote:I've only auditioned the LS-50 at range, but I am told that they do indeed work well in the near field. I wouldn't use them in a studio setting though – break out K240s. Monitoring on headphones? Hell no! quote:Yes If two amps sound noticeably different, one of them is broken and/or has built-in EQ, which is both counterproductive and a stupid-rear end decision by the manufacturer, as not all speakers and rooms are alike. Please show the double blind test proof that difference (competently designed) amps sound noticeably different.
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Dec 12, 2017 12:36
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MonkeyFit posted:My Sierra Towers show up tomorrow. I'm so excited. I'm also in an apartment but will also check out the platform/feet. Right now i'm going to rock a 2.0 system but will expand to a 5.0 maybe 5.1 system later on. Dave has me sold on the Lunas for my surrounds if I like the towers. If I do like them I'll probably get a Sierra 2 center. But first to see how the towers sound. Post pics please. I need more convincing that I should have just gotten the Ascend instead of the KEF LS-50. I picked up the KEF at accessories4less.com for like $900 to use for my desktop but now I don't even have an office and can't use my desktop and put the LS-50 in my living room. What the gently caress am I doing with my life?
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Dec 12, 2017 16:56
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Yeah, post a ton of Sierra porn. If I replace my speakers (who am I kidding I'm definitely gonna) either the towers or the Sierra 2s will definitely be on the short list. I think I also need to look at B&Ws new 700 series. The speakers I had before my current ones were B&Ws biggest 600 series bookshelf and I always loved the sound. I A/Bd them with my current speakers which retailed for like 7x the cost or something and preferred the B&Ws for music but the Infinitys were vastly superior for HT so I kept them.
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Dec 12, 2017 19:16
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I was super close to trying out Sierras but the deal I got on my Cantons was too good to pass up and I love them now so I'm good for a few years. I think the overall thing about high end audio is there's a very fuzzy edge between the stuff that is expensive because it performs well, stuff that's expensive because it's nice [looks nice, good materials, made by people with healthcare] and stuff that's expensive simply because it's expensive. The tip top end of audio generally means all three things are true.
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Dec 12, 2017 19:49
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KozmoNaut posted:Well, considering that that I apprenticed at Bang & Olufsen veiled boner fuel posted:I think I also need to look at B&Ws new 700 series. The speakers I had before my current ones were B&Ws biggest 600 series bookshelf and I always loved the sound. I A/Bd them with my current speakers which retailed for like 7x the cost or something and preferred the B&Ws for music but the Infinitys were vastly superior for HT so I kept them. KOTEX GOD OF BLOOD fucked around with this message at 21:23 on Dec 12, 2017 |
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Dec 12, 2017 21:13
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GnarlyCharlie4u posted:Post pics please. I need more convincing that I should have just gotten the Ascend instead of the KEF LS-50. So I listened to a movie and it was awesome. Then I threw on some of my MP3's (256-320kbps). They were ok. I decided to listen to one of my CD's vs the MP3. With my old speakers (lovely logitechs) I was never able to tell a difference. Now I need to rerip all of my CD's into FLAC. FUUUUUCCKKKK. What am I doing with my life? But seriously, these towers are amazing both in sound quality and beauty.
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Dec 12, 2017 21:52
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veiled boner fuel posted:I think I also need to look at B&Ws new 700 series. The speakers I had before my current ones were B&Ws biggest 600 series bookshelf and I always loved the sound. I A/Bd them with my current speakers which retailed for like 7x the cost or something and preferred the B&Ws for music but the Infinitys were vastly superior for HT so I kept them. Dammit, now I want to take a listen at 702 and 703. Especially the latter seems like it'd be just my thing .
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Dec 13, 2017 01:17
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veiled boner fuel posted:I didn't remember the tape loop thing until you said it but now I totally remember that you're right, it does make things crazy. To get his 901s working with his home theater setup my dad had to find a receiver with a set of unamped outs so he could amp and equalize them separately, basically undoing all the paring away of discrete components that was his reasoning for getting an HT receiver in the first place.
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Dec 13, 2017 01:26
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Hob_Gadling posted:Dammit, now I want to take a listen at 702 and 703. Especially the latter seems like it'd be just my thing . I just listened to the 702s and 705s (and some Martin Logan motion 40s and some lovely def techs) and both the 702s and 705s seem very very good. The bass from the 702s was surprising. I didn’t believe that the guy didn’t have a sub on at first. So now that I’ve exhausted all the local options to listen it’s either go with one of them, go internet direct, or wait until next month when I’ll be passing through Sacramento. e: the Martin Logans were very good also though I didn’t listen to them as much. Def techs to me always sound too harsh on the highs and these were no different. bird with big dick fucked around with this message at 03:54 on Dec 13, 2017 |
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Dec 13, 2017 02:28
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So, I bought some things that go boom: Subwoofers are the JBL CS1214. They are 12" subwoofers designed for car audio but do pretty well for home theater in 1.75 cu ft. sealed enclosures. The best part? $90 shipped for the pair! I'll be building an enclosure 19"x19"x24" for the pair. After bracing and subwoofer displacement, I should be around the 1.75 cubic foot per mark. Powering them with the Crest CKI800s should give 600 rms per sub.
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Dec 13, 2017 10:28
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KOTEX GOD OF BLOOD posted:Actually this explains a lot! It only goes to show how little you know. B&O has some of the best engineers in the business. The stuff they've been doing with DSP and active speakers with room correction is rocket science compared to what most of the "high-end" business is doing with their outdated monkey coffins and cable elevators.
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Dec 13, 2017 12:01
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Scrapez posted:So, I bought some things that go boom: I really want to do this but oh god so lazy
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Dec 13, 2017 17:33
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KozmoNaut posted:It only goes to show how little you know. B&O has some of the best engineers in the business. The stuff they've been doing with DSP and active speakers with room correction is rocket science compared to what most of the "high-end" business is doing with their outdated monkey coffins and cable elevators. The thing I like about B&O is not only do they care that their product looks aesthetically pleasing, but the majority of speakers I've heard from them all sound like they were made to be pleasing to the ear and not the almighty graph. That's not to say I don't like speakers that are "flat" or "neutral" but I also really enjoy how a lot of B&O speakers sound. Also, the Beolab 90's are GODLIKE. GnarlyCharlie4u fucked around with this message at 18:13 on Dec 13, 2017 |
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Dec 13, 2017 18:06
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B&O: when you like Bose but it's not quite obscure enough
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Dec 13, 2017 18:37
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Scrapez posted:So, I bought some things that go boom: I have a JBL GTO804 in a Bill Fitzmaurice designed folded horn, it gets dumb loud and is powered by a crappy little 100w plate amp. JBL car drivers are good poo poo, I like 'em.
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Dec 13, 2017 20:34
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How much of an upgrade would these be over the Pioneer AJ speakers. Looking to add the rear surrounds to my 3.1 system, and stumbled across these. https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/ele/d/wow-complete-polk-audio-51/6418223851.html I know the sub is trash, I already have a Polk PSW505. I could probably sell the 3 Pioneer speakers I have and the 10" sub for 150 bucks, so this would be a net 250 dollar upgrade, and include the rear speakers. The fronts and rears look like they're series 1, but still those MSRP'd for what 400 a pop?
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Dec 13, 2017 21:09
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Do you think I'll get better performance out of a pair of Micca MB42x, a center speaker, and a Denno receiver than I would with an equivalently priced soundbar (just under $600 CAD). I live in pretty small apartment if it matters.
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Dec 13, 2017 22:46
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Dec 14, 2017 03:04
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KOTEX GOD OF BLOOD posted:Thanks for the heads up about this. The 600 series bookshelves are really awesome, hopefully the used market prices will go down even further (yeah right) and I can have a cheap secondary setup. I sold mine instantly/easily when they were like 9 years old and was fairly pleased with the amount of money I got for them. Money spent on receivers and most other electronics is like pissing money into a well but speakers are usually not bad. Even now looking at a pic of a 601 S3 I think they're a pretty nice/modern looking speaker, which helps. Just looked on eBay and it seems like ~300 for a pair and I think that's a great deal. I'd say they've pretty well leveled off though, that's not that much less than I sold mine for 5 years ago. IIRC I sold the 601s, the smallest bookshelf (604?) and the smaller center for 900 bucks.
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Dec 14, 2017 03:26
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Hob_Gadling posted:Dammit, now I want to take a listen at 702 and 703. Especially the latter seems like it'd be just my thing . They didn't have the 703 so I can't comment about its sound from personal experience but it definitely seems like it might be the best bang for the buck in the series. Giving up the external tweeter and one woofer saves you a thousand dollars per speaker (vs the 702). bird with big dick fucked around with this message at 03:34 on Dec 14, 2017 |
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Dec 14, 2017 03:29
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GnarlyCharlie4u posted:Post pics please. Here you go. With grilles:  Without:  Couple of close ups:   Ignore the stray toslink that's not glued down. It's a temporary fix right now.
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Dec 15, 2017 00:11
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How come the cable modem is mounted to the wall?
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Dec 15, 2017 09:02
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KOTEX GOD OF BLOOD posted:How come the cable modem is mounted to the wall? Because 
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Dec 15, 2017 09:06
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no LED underlight 6/10
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Dec 15, 2017 09:07
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Nostalgia4Dogges posted:no LED underlight 6/10 I understand I probably don't have a whole lot of room to talk. But LEDs are generally the bane of taste and aesthetics. Rarely are they done right and I just prefer not to mess with decorative LEDs.
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Dec 15, 2017 09:10
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I mean the wiring looks good, really. The router, eh, sure. could have figured out a better alternative for the modem tho
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Dec 15, 2017 09:17
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Nostalgia4Dogges posted:could have figured out a better alternative for the modem tho I'm open to suggestions. This is what I initially sketched out and obviously didn't fully follow through on as some power cords were too short. 
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Dec 15, 2017 09:21
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Do you rent or own? Because I would have just gone right into the walls. I mean at this point just leave the router I guess, it doesn't look THAT bad. imo put the modem inside the entertainment center, then you can run the ethernet cable towards the router along the right side of the TV next to the single wire to get some more symmetry
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Dec 15, 2017 09:28
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MonkeyFit posted:I understand I probably don't have a whole lot of room to talk. Yeah your setup isn't my bag but man gently caress LEDs everywhere, especially blue ones. Also grilles off because your poo poo is clearly going for a bit of a tech vibe.
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Dec 15, 2017 09:33
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I rent. This is a 700 sqft apartment. I have the router because it gives me coverage of the entire pool area right outside and even all the way out to my garage as well as having 8x Gbit ports. I did it this way because I don't have a lot of things to hang on my wall and thought this would look cool and decorative. Once I get some Sierra Luna's for my rear speakers I'll be running the wires for those from the entertainment stand up behind the TV alongside the lone power cable on the right, then out the right side from behind the TV, along the side wall and then back wall to the speakers in the same circuit trace fashion. I'll be splitting the audio cables and running them as 4 separate traces instead of two to help maintain the look.
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Dec 15, 2017 09:34
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I think it looks cool...
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Dec 15, 2017 16:23
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Didn't even paint the smoke alarm black. Shame.
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Dec 15, 2017 19:58
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