HeyWaj10
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Hi Jeff,
Thanks so much for the thorough reply. I'll try answering in order:
The "mainstream" speakers I've tested to date include: B&W 803D, Aerial Acoustics 5T, Vandersteen 1c, Martin Logan ESL, Elac Debut B6 (previously owned), Magnepan 0.7, and various offerings from PSB, Paradigm, and Monitor Audio. The best reference level speakers I've heard to date are Aerial 20T (demo) and Vandersteen Model 5A Carbons (thorough session with a family friend).
The majority of the models I've auditioned over time come up short in terms of the soundstage. realism, and finer resolution. Sure, many of them can produce a nice center image with pretty well defined instruments. However, they often lack in the ability for me to pick out and "chew" on specific instruments or layers within the music. My preference in listening is less about all out "rocking out" and more about me being able to peer into the sound field and focus on various elements at a time. I have a pretty good set of ears, and I'm picky :)
Additionally, I get really excited when the system can convey that organic texture to the guitars with a little bit of crunch when called for. To clarify, I'm not looking for a colored sound, rather I want the system to convey what the artist has recorded and the guitar tones that they choose for a particular album/track. That said, I still expect the speakers to be able to kick in the midbass and "drive" the rhythm with some snap.
Many of the standard offerings out there either have tweeters that roll off too much, hiding a lot of the recording, or they get shouty/beemy/harsh. I guess I'm looking for a sort of Goldilocks type of HF range. In line with that, most of my listening is probably in the 80-90db loudness range...with occasional peak sessions above that when feeling groovy.
Lastly, I'm in NC, USA...getting ready for Florence!
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