Having been away from audio for a long time, I am now looking to
upgrade from KEF 104ab, an speaker, probably similar to Spendor and
Rogers models. I would prefer a floorstander, but not much larger
footprint than my present speakers (ie, no Quads or Maggies). This is
for 2-channel stereo, not home theater.

Please suggest suitable brands and models. Friends have suggeted
Spendor, Proac and Dynaudio. However, I am confused by various "series"
within a brands (don't recall that happening when I shopped last time
but could just be my faulty memory!), eg, should I be looking at
Contour or something else in dynaudio?

All comments and advice appreciated.

In article , Newbie
wrote:

Having been away from audio for a long time, I am now looking to
upgrade from KEF 104ab, an speaker, probably similar to Spendor and
Rogers models. I would prefer a floorstander, but not much larger
footprint than my present speakers (ie, no Quads or Maggies). This is
for 2-channel stereo, not home theater.

Please suggest suitable brands and models. Friends have suggeted
Spendor, Proac and Dynaudio. However, I am confused by various "series"
within a brands (don't recall that happening when I shopped last time
but could just be my faulty memory!), eg, should I be looking at
Contour or something else in dynaudio?

All comments and advice appreciated.

Manufacturer websites should help you sort out the relative aims of the
different model series. You want something that can go more or less
where your old speakers went? The Contour series has a floorstander. The
other brands mentioned are worth investigating.

Stephen

PS Quad makes dynamic floorstanders, too.

Manufacturer websites should help you sort out the relative aims of the
different model series.

Thanks Stephen. I have glanced at web sites but they never say "Our
Concerto series is for serious music lovers and Sonata series for
newscasts"! Every description, even of lower items is rosy. I can't
always cut through that maze. It is best to get advice from other
audiophiles.

You want something that can go more or less where your old speakers
went?

They should of course improve upon the 104ab's, significantly,
otherwise why change? However, they'd be for serious classical music if
that is what you meant. Space limitations prevent me considering much
larger models. I also don't want to bother with stands anymore. Hence
floorstanders with small/moderate footprint.

PS Quad makes dynamic floorstanders, too.

Thanks.

In article , Newbie
wrote:

Manufacturer websites should help you sort out the relative aims of the
different model series.

Thanks Stephen. I have glanced at web sites but they never say "Our
Concerto series is for serious music lovers and Sonata series for
newscasts"! Every description, even of lower items is rosy. I can't
always cut through that maze. It is best to get advice from other
audiophiles.

Good point! You might choose different speakers for the heft of an
orchestra and the thump of dance music even if the technical demands are
similar.

You want something that can go more or less where your old speakers
went?

They should of course improve upon the 104ab's, significantly,
otherwise why change? However, they'd be for serious classical music if
that is what you meant. Space limitations prevent me considering much
larger models. I also don't want to bother with stands anymore. Hence
floorstanders with small/moderate footprint.

It's hard to say if anything would be better than what you have. A
friend of a friend classical listener has Sonus-Faber speakers. Another
speaker with classical appeal is the Allison Three, but that requires
corner placement.

I suffer along with Quads! but they do take up some room.

Stephen

"Newbie" wrote in message
...
Having been away from audio for a long time, I am now looking to
upgrade from KEF 104ab, an speaker, probably similar to Spendor and
Rogers models. I would prefer a floorstander, but not much larger
footprint than my present speakers (ie, no Quads or Maggies). This is
for 2-channel stereo, not home theater.

Please suggest suitable brands and models. Friends have suggeted
Spendor, Proac and Dynaudio. However, I am confused by various "series"
within a brands (don't recall that happening when I shopped last time
but could just be my faulty memory!), eg, should I be looking at
Contour or something else in dynaudio?

All comments and advice appreciated.

My choice would be for Dynaudio and Proac since they use the top 2 drivers
made IMO Dynaudio uses it own brand and Proac uses drivers sourced from
Scan-Speak.

An alternative that would give you at least as much bang for your buck, is
to look into kit speakers. There are several that require nothing more than
a screwdriver to assemble. Of these my personal favorite is the Thor which
uses drivers from a company by the name of SEAS. They are available through
www.madisound. you can find complete details and a review of hits speaker
which was designed by Joe D'appolito, one of the foremost designers in the
business. If you're looking to spend in the neighborhood of $1500.00 U.S.
they are worth a look.

Good Luck with whatever you choose.

Michael McKelvy wrote:

My choice would be for Dynaudio and Proac since they use the top 2
drivers made

Do you know which series within each model would be best to look at?
Maybe I have been out of this game for too long but the situation
confuses me. For example, Dynaudio site has Audience, Contour,
Confidence, and Evidence! Every write-up is superlative, leaving no
hint of what is the series aimed at. If you know Dynaudio (or proac)
range, please help!

Michael McKelvy wrote:

My choice would be for Dynaudio and Proac since they use the top 2
drivers made

Do you know which series within each model would be best to look at?
Maybe I have been out of this game for too long but the situation
confuses me. For example, Dynaudio site has Audience, Contour,
Confidence, and Evidence! Every write-up is superlative, leaving no
hint of what is the series aimed at. If you know Dynaudio (or proac)
range, please help!

On Wed, 27 Oct 2004 04:06:44 GMT, Newbie wrote:

Michael McKelvy wrote:

My choice would be for Dynaudio and Proac since they use the top 2
drivers made

Do you know which series within each model would be best to look at?
Maybe I have been out of this game for too long but the situation
confuses me. For example, Dynaudio site has Audience, Contour,
Confidence, and Evidence! Every write-up is superlative, leaving no
hint of what is the series aimed at. If you know Dynaudio (or proac)
range, please help!

The 'basic' Audience series has some excellent speakers, the 52SE in
particular being a fine unit. Pair it with a good sub such as a REL
Stadium, and you won't go far wrong. If you prefer a floorstander,
then the bigger Spendors are superbly natural, as are the Proac
Response series.

--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

Newbie wrote:

Having been away from audio for a long time, I am now looking to
upgrade from KEF 104ab, an speaker, probably similar to Spendor and
Rogers models. I would prefer a floorstander, but not much larger
footprint than my present speakers (ie, no Quads or Maggies). This is
for 2-channel stereo, not home theater.

Please suggest suitable brands and models. Friends have suggeted
Spendor, Proac and Dynaudio. However, I am confused by various "series"
within a brands (don't recall that happening when I shopped last time
but could just be my faulty memory!), eg, should I be looking at
Contour or something else in dynaudio?

All comments and advice appreciated.

I would advise a Sonus Faber. They get their drivers from dynaudio,
scanspeak, etc. Their work is *very* high quality and *very* good
looking. Although loyal to the source (ie, "hifi") their philosophy of
the human ear being the "strictest judge" and that they see home audio
reproduction as an end in itself, and as a form of artistic expression
by itself makes them stand out from all the rest, IMHO. You will get
very sweet and musical sounds when matched with the appropriate gear.

Two more advises:

1) Ignore the "all cd players, amps, speakers, wires, etc, sound the
same" type of borgs lurking around here. Just believe in your own ears.

2) Steer away from sonus faber if you are mostly into heavy metal, hard
rock, etc angry type of music.

In article ,
Fella wrote:
1) Ignore the "all cd players, amps, speakers, wires, etc, sound the
same" type of borgs lurking around here. Just believe in your own ears.

I'd love to know who you think reckons all speakers sound the same?
I've never seen this in print anywhere - the writer would be laughed out
of court.

I'd caution against just relying on your ears without a reference. The
room used for listening in has a far greater influence on the final sound
than any competent amp or CD etc. So what may sound fine in a shop at a
quick audition may well disappoint at home.

Also, IMHO, apart from maximum SPL, a competent speaker should be equally
at home with any type of music - and speech. If a speaker sounds
'impressive' on one type of music more than another, it's a poor design.

--
*A woman drove me to drink and I didn't have the decency to thank her

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.