Nearfields for audiophile listening?

Adams are cool. The only issue I have with them is port chuffing on higher SPL's.

 

Hah, I've never heard them do that- but then tend not to use them at high SPLs, if I'm honest. The sweet spot is, like with so many nearfields, pretty tight, and I am too much of a wuss to want something loud that close to my head. I can believe that they lose some of their pristine loveliness if pushed, though

 

My remarks based on casual observation around five years ago. No idea what the actual capability is; I suspect the manuals may be available for download. I like manuals: they tell us what a thing does, as opposed to brochures, which tell us what the marketing people want us to hear.

I do recall that there can be a number of presets with the Genelec system, so different settings for different audiences. But the classic audiophile listening situation is one guy in one chair in one place --- so only one mic and one set of corrections, for that specific place. Add another for when the family comes and sits on the sofa. Oh, and one for when the wife is listening from the kitchen .

I have also sat in the sweet spot of the tiniest Genelec speakers, and responded that nothing that small has any right to sound so good. But their mere computer speakers are still damned expensive for, err... computer speakers. For those with the money, who want a speaker pair to carry with the laptop, or want to sit with a speaker on each hand, well, why not! I could go for that kind of extravagance if I had the cash.

But before my hearing took a dip over the past twelve months (and a flood cost us so much: events, I theorise, not unrelated. I'm sure the stress hit my hearing and my eyesight!), I was really considering saving up for for a pair of Geithain speakers for the desktop. Would have been a couple of thousand UK pounds, which is pretty steep for something that size.

Which reminds me: did I ever post the link to the high-end studio-monitor evaluation thread on Gearslutz? One guy, seriously buying for his studio, went through, probably just about every available monitor within his specs. Beware: mouth-watering, bank-emptying stuff!

 

You didn't. https://www.gearslutz.com/board/high-end/851143-high-end-nearfield-test.html Sorry about your wallets.

 

Same for studio - one guy in his chair. However all of the leading room correction use multiple measurement points - Dirac, Trinnov and ours as well. And with digital correction you can correct for different sweetspots all at the tip of your fingers. We do at least 24 measurements and all of our clients report better accuracy with the unlimited measurement point version.

 

Yep. I recognise the link without even going there. Thanks! Nice studio, eh?

 

Sorry, forgot that you are in the trade and know about this stuff.

 

ya, sick thread. as a result I got the amphion one18 for 2 years now

 

Oh brilliant. Amphion did become a bit fotm on Gearslutz at that time, but I was inclined to believe at least some of the people that raved about it.

Your experience/impressions: Do tell!

A plus for audiophiles is that they are passive, so no need to agonise over doing away with existing amplification chain. Had even thought of combining small Amphions with my modest Cyrus integrated. Which has now found its way to my desktop as part of my no-big-wish-list system. I'm even using its headphone output

 

I liked the Amphi Two18's. They sent us a pair to our lab, because they wanted to know what our engineers thought about them. They might be onto something with their passive radiators. Treble was super detailed and thus soundstaging was also superb.

Listen, before buying, but other than that - veeery nice.

 

the one18 are incredible. the soundstage is the best ive ever heard. Ive sold them recently to my father for his studio. I then went to harbeth p3esr and atc scm7 v3. I sold the one18 for 3k and got the p3esr and scm7 for 3k for both. I find the combination of p3 and scm7 more versatile then only one18 and my subwoofer now can integrate with the one18. the one18 really do go to 40hz and my sub lowest setting is -6db at 55hz so couldnt match the amphion.

I also have to admit that I simply prefer listening to music with headphone. no matter the speaker, I find myself listening to the system more then the music. but with headphone I automatically hear more detail, better bass, more immersive sound and I fall with the music. so having super pricey speakers made no sense anymore...
I may just keep the scm7 and put the p3esr for sale and spend that money for headphones gear.

 

I'd still like to try the new cheaper "consumer" Amphion Argon 3S with passive radiator. Wonder what would be the cheapest decend amp to run it.

 

I think you may find out at RMAF next month...

 

My probably dissenting and politically incorrect view is that, whatever, the amp, if it isn't crap, will sound better through better speakers.

Yes, once I plugged in a new amp to discover that the old one had been crap, but the previous speaker upgrade with that amp had still been an improvement. So, doubting that anybody reading this thread actually has a really crap amplifier, I'd say, better-speakers-go-for-it.

Or... back to the actves and throw that [power] amp out!

 

recapped sony ta 707/808/777 are best bang for the buck, true 50lbs high end amps ( J-Fet input, Mosfet Voltage Amp and Mosfet Output stages), pretty close to what pass labs is doing now. Id put them against a 5k accuphase.

 

Anyone tried these?
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TheEggM

 

you cna find a couple of comparison between the eggs and amphion on gearslutz. overall, from people who have had both in the same room, consensus is amphion is another league.

 

Got these to try:
http://aps-company.com/en/products/coax

Love. Might even ditch my Eves. Super sharp imaging, transients and details. Obviously much less bottom than Eves but doesn't matter right now.

Maybe I'll look into making some DIY-coaxes, 1500€ should make a nice pair? Elements and cabinets could be had for 600€ or so and rest should make some pretty fancy electronics, not that these TDA7294 chipamps etc seem to limit much.. I don't even hear any active hiss! But tough call since I can't make any comparisons, how do I know I can make better than this.

Hmm I could try local Gradient 5.0 / Five too.. maybe after I see how the Schiits new amps fare..

 

Not many coax drivers for DIY available. Also implementing coax is rather tricky, less so if digital crossovers are employed.

This might be a good option to look at - http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/COAX-18.htm

 

plan on using the coaxial 15 inch Oberton CXN3562 15NCX3562 » or CX3572 in open baffle + a tweeter (soft dome scan speak revelator) . (the 3572 have "better" compression driver and will be released soon)

woofer 20hz-1khz
Compression driver tweeter 1khz-3khz
Tweeter 3khz - 20khz.