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EQUIPMENT FORUMS >> SE34I.5 >> Speaker recommendations
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Message started by danielehrenworth on 08/11/21 at 22:36:32

Title: Speaker recommendations
Post by danielehrenworth on 08/11/21 at 22:36:32

Hey all! Loving my Decware Rachel but finding my 90db speakers just ain’t cutting it for volume. Wondering if anyone here has a good suggestion for some floor standers around $1500 for the pair.

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by Donnie on 08/11/21 at 22:56:17

http://www.caintuckaudio.com/

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by Tony on 08/12/21 at 20:46:12

I really agree with the call Randy recommendation, better yet use the link. I am the happy owner of his speakers and recommend them highly.

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by danielehrenworth on 08/13/21 at 14:11:31

Any thoughts on Klipsch or other speaker systems that are easier to acquire?

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by CAJames on 08/13/21 at 15:05:36

Seems like lots of Decware owners, like me, get good results with Omega speakers:

https://omegaloudspeakers.com

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by hdrider on 08/13/21 at 21:02:10

In agreement with CAJames. Love the magic our Decware system makes with our Omega's. I have heard great things about the Betsy's but very set on the speakers Louis made us. Keep us posted on your adventures Daniel. Having sold Klipsch and owned some, there are better options out there unless you are going to go Heritage and get some updated crossovers. Happy listening, Chris.

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by danielehrenworth on 08/14/21 at 16:03:29

Thanks guys. That’s high praise for Louis speakers. I have my eye on a pair of Junior 8 XRS speakers. Does anyone have any experience with them?

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by Audionumber3 on 08/14/21 at 18:57:01

I had a pair of super XRS 3 and now own the super XRS 8. Don't have a decware amp yet but, I ordered one in January.

Here's my summary of the differences of the two:
XRS 3 are amazingly fast and transparent sounding speakers. Problem is they lack upper bass/low mids. About 150hz to 250hz. Not good unless you use a healthy amount of front wall reinforcement, which would sacrifice soundstage. If pulled out into the room, the soundstage and imaging are outstanding. But again, voices will sound thin because of that missing frequency region.

XRS 8 are not as fast or transparent sounding but are still very good. Only problem is they are very sensitive to speaker position and their highs are very directional. Took me months to figure out how to set them up properly. Overall, I find the XRS 8 to be a better balanced speaker and sounds great with rock and more dynamic types of music. The sensitivity also allows them to play noticeably louder than the XRS 3s.

I think the Junior XRS 8s would be the safe bet.

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by kulafu on 08/15/21 at 22:05:43

From my personal experience, I can IHMO say the the Caintuck O/B faired much better than my Klipsch Heresy IIIs. I do have La Scala's and Cornwall IIs in storage and since my better half refuses to let me lug these big speakers to the second floor into our future home, the Caintuck O/Bs so far fit the bill and also perhaps the "Tube Tots" Steve is working on....Most definitely portable...Lol ;). The Omega's are tempting as well.
Bob

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by danielehrenworth on 08/28/21 at 19:34:46

Thanks for all the recos. I wasn’t too impressed with the single driver speakers for the music I enjoy and went with the Klipsch Heresy IVs. Love them!

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by Lin on 08/28/21 at 20:46:56

Excellent choice, enjoy! 8-)

PS I think you went over budget. ;)

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by iwillfindyou2112 on 08/29/21 at 16:54:25

Sending you a PM

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by iwillfindyou2112 on 08/29/21 at 16:55:50

Daniel, sending you a pm

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by chapsjon on 02/11/22 at 19:57:22

Daniel, can you give a little more information on the Klipsch Heresy IVs? Which Decware amp are you using with them?
Comparison to other speakers?

Thank you. I am on the waiting list for a, SE84UFO and thinking I may way want to use it as main system instead of in bedroom as I currently do with my SE84C+. In order to do so, I'll need more efficient speakers, so wondering what would work best and whether this is the direction I want to go.

Thanks,

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by danielehrenworth on 02/26/22 at 20:50:35

Sure! Happy to help. I've lived with them for 6 months + so I have a bit of an insight into them....I think.

So the Heresy 4s are great speakers for the system....buuuut....they are not great if you are just using the Rachael as an intergrated amp. There are a number of additional components you need to really make it sing. Using the Heresy 4s with the Rachael as an integrated amp will sound flat, tinny, and not nearly enough bass.

The good news is that there are easy and not too expensive fixes. First and foremost....PREAMP!!! A preamp is a must. I repeat...A PREAMP IS A MUST! The Decware CSP3 preamp is probably great (haven't tried it) but if you're on a budget then I would highly recommend the Schiit Freya+ preamp in tube mode.

Second, you will definitely need some EQ. Especially for some bass boosts. If you're a vinyl listener then I would recommend the Schiit Lokius or Loki+. Boost that bass and welcome to heaven.

For digital listeners I would super duper highly recommend the Minidsp DDRC-22D + UMIK-1. This little gadget will improve every part of your digital system by 1000% and is definitely necessary for bass boosts, curve corrections, and a bit of a top-end roll off if that's your thing. When you turn it off and turn it on again while listening, you will be amazed at the difference it makes. My wife said she finally understands audiophilia having heard the a/b difference.

If you aren't interested in kitting out your system as mentioned above I'm not sure the Heresy 4s are the speakers I would recommend. The Decware amp line, for the most part, seems to be built for single driver speakers which aren't really everyones tastes (including mine). If you are interested in just doing source -> Rachael -> speakers, and if this were me buying all over again, the most interesting and well suited (non-single driver) speaker would be the Tekton Perfect SET 15 speakers. If I were doing this all over again that's where I would start. Priced well and specifically made for low-wattage amps.

Hope that helps. DM me if you have any more questions.

Dan

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by piezoman on 02/26/22 at 21:46:51

Quote:

I think the Junior XRS 8s would be the safe bet.

I have them, and they're phenomenal. Vocals are crazy insane off the charts realistic, most frequencies very revealing, full, and pretty satisfying. But they still require subwoofer reinforcement, which I did with the omega deephemp 8.

Unfortunately I had anemic substandard 3.2w power with the Taboo Mk IV w/25th mods in my small room. Aurally it was nice, but still too thin overall. Alot was left on the table. So I'm fixing that nonsense with a Torii MK V w/25th mods. The Taboo however is incredible with headphones, which is what it was designed for in the first place...duh...the fact that its set for for speakers as well is actually only secondary and not its main calling sign....and it shows.

Brad

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by Lon on 02/26/22 at 21:58:58

Well to be accurate, a bit of history: the Taboo was designed first for speakers, then later with the Mk III modified to also really work well with headphones.

I use my Taboo Mk IV with the Anniversary mods with HR-1s (not the most efficient of speakers in the line-up) in a rather large room and get plenty of volume, more than I need, and with the ZROCK2 and the ZBIT taking advantage of balanced output of my source and a CSP3 with the mods I get phenomenal non-thin sound. So we all have different results, tastes, ears etc.

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by chapsjon on 03/07/22 at 02:33:29

Hello Dan,
Sorry I'm just now seeing your reply. Thank you for your detailed and informative response. It is very helpful. I am a little surprised at the thinness given the Heresy efficiency, but that's why I asked. I do have a pre so it is not a problem for me to get some weight and density by riding the gain.

Since I still have quite some time on the waitlist, I will probably end up waiting and seeing how my current speakers work. But I will also be on the lookout for used Heresy's and the Minidsp DDRC-22D + UMIK-1. I hardly ever listen to digital, but this may warm things up a bit for me and change my opinion.

Thanks again, Jon.

Title: Re: Speaker recommendations
Post by RossQ on 06/18/23 at 02:03:11

Hi Dan

I have a Rachael and Schiit Freya plus and looking to EQ to boost the bass and low mids. I know it might not be as versatile but would the ZROCK2 be a good match compared to the Lokius. Agree with comments on single driver speakers. They work great with certain styles of music (like sparse music) but not others, like dense, complex music.

Cheers
Ross