Speaker upgrade confusion

[adamct]

Grainger,

You answered my questions and then some! Thanks a ton. And I would love to take you up on your offer, but I am up in the wilds of Connecticut, so not close to anywhere except maybe Boston.

The Orcas definitely have my attention. If I can find the time to finish my S.E.X., I will likely take your advice. I might still wind up building a speaker kit just for the fun of it, but the Orcas would fit perfectly in my bedroom with the S.E.X....

Best,
Adam

[Grainger49]

Drive, Fly, I'll feed you steak and Bourbon.  I get out of my contract the end of this month and will be off for 4-8 weeks.  Offer stands.

[adamct]

One more note: thanks for pointing out the ability to mark posts "unread"! I've been longing for something like that, and I never realized it was right in front of me! [forehead slap]

Best regards,
Adam

[bobster]

Oooohhh.  SEX in the bedroom   

[earwaxxer]

Drive, Fly, I'll feed you steak and Bourbon.  I get out of my contract the end of this month and will be off for 4-8 weeks.  Offer stands.

Ok - everyone meet at Granger's! Now that would be a time!

[adamct]

I actually think that would be a ton of fun. One of these days we'll have to get together...

[Gerry E.]

Hi Adam:

If you want to hear OBs without traveling too far, you are welcome to hear mine.  I'm about 10 miles south of Hartford, not far from I-91. 

Of course I'm biased but I think my OBs sound pretty good.   

Gerry

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi27.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc157%2Fgerrye123%2Fsystem1_zpsf3d56240.jpg&hash=b0eda924ebc6b382de4b49f505e9c21ae52733c3)

(https://forum.bottlehead.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi27.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc157%2Fgerrye123%2Fsystem3_zpsf34f1168.jpg&hash=fd52aaccfd4e1d2c6f80bfe5a1c29d8eaf8bdbbf)

[earwaxxer]

See, ... thats where my insecurities start coming out! When I think about other people whose experience/judgement I actually respect. What if the dont like the sound of my years of endless tweaks? One of those... Yea, thats good..... can you turn it down a little?...  I dont think that would happen. Its just an irrational fear. One of many I'm afraid.... (Greg.. dont start!).

[Chris]

And local or local enough Audio clubs.. When I moved to Orlando, I found and attended the monthly Space Coast Audio Society meetings.. It was great and heard loads of stuff. 1 one of the guys was a dealer, so it was extra great.. New stuff all the time...

[glynnw]

You will never know if you like a speaker until you hear it and even then, long term listening may change your mind.  I recently went to Lone Star Audio Fest in Dallas and was able to hear 20 -30 different speakers in a few hours.  Surprisingly, speaker type didn't predict good sound.  Some box speakers had a nice wide open sound.  As for building speakers, the actual driver is critical to the sound.  I built some Basszilla spkrs and was underimpressed and it took several hot summer months to build them.  Then I tried a cheaper single driver (Fostex FE206e) in a simple piece of MDF  (took abt an hour) and liked it better.  So no simple answers.  When you find a speaker you like, spend the time on the rest of the gear and enjoy.
  I have been enjoying my current home made open baffles speakers for a couple of years, but I get worried that I am not hearing correctly or some such.  So I recently bought a pair of Maggie 1.7s and an Emotiva XPA2 amp and spent a month comparing them to my Paramount/open baffles.  Both sound nice - large open sound, but I have finally settled on sticking with my old system.  The Maggies give me a very accurate view of the artist in the recording venue, complete with hall sounds where recorded - my old system doesn't give me all the hall sounds and spatial cues, but it places the performers in my room, a view I prefer.  But the only way I could find this out was to pony up the dough and try them out long term at home. Hopefully I'll recoup most of my costs when I resale them.  I look on the loss as rent for toys. Do you live where you can hear systems at friends? Join a club.  I started a club in Michigan at one time just to do this and it worked out great -  grew to over 20 members before I moved back to Louisiana.  Unfortunately in NE Louisiana I have only 2 friends who are into audio and no stores, so I have to spend money to meet my goals.  I am going to RMAF in October as one of my few ways to hear new things.

Again, you cannot know what it sounds like and if you like it until YOU hear it.

[earwaxxer]

Thanks glynnw - interesting post, and observations... I have to go to some shows and "network". I'll be part time soon. Some flexibility!

[4krow]

  I'm not jealous, as I have been fortunate enough to done as much as I have in audio. Having said that, I have never attended an audio fest. THAT is the one thing left on the list, and Denver is within reach. Unfortunately, this is my year to have some medical issues and pay them off, so the list waits.
  Eric, there is SO much more to audio than changing little caps! I'm putting you on the BOSE mailing list as punishment.

[earwaxxer]

Ohh!... you should talk Greg! --- with all your cute little shiny nobs and all! At least I do the "manly" stuff!

[4krow]

  OUCH! Maan, well now you've done it. I have to call my entire team of psychiatrists and schedule a few sessions. Thanks a lot, EARIC.

[Mike B]

Speakers are the most challenging thing in audio.  Everyone has a different opinion.  There are always compromises to be made.  Personal preferences and just how much space you have.

I always liked the "flat response" thing.  Everyone designs for a flat response.  What if your ears aren't flat?  The older you get the less you hear.

What sounds good to a guy that worked all his life in a manufacturing plant may well be a bit bright to his teenage daughter.