Hey Thomas. By watching this vd, i learned that you come across as a very respectful person, regarding other humans in this community, so thx for that. I mean, it's not all that common, to hear this humble talk you providing here. They way you carefully explain some of the issues regarding to HI-FI, and without any form of "i know better", beside the great knowledge you have. Pretty neat and very respectful. Cheers from Denmark
Thomas is too nice! So nice, you cannot even roast him - said little Jay from "the next best thing" and Sean from "Zero Fidelity agreed! And they are not so far in distance from the truth! Thomas is one, if not the nicest Person on youtube, but also a man with a great sense of responsibility and I think this comes along with his empathic personality! This paired with a good foundation of knowledge about HiFi stuff makes him to one of my favorite youtube-channel sensei! In one of his videos his little son showed up! OMG! That boy has the same wide and powerful grin as the "Avatar" from the Anime. And I think a boy with such an appearance must have a good father! Sorry, but from time to time I must let these things out of my head lol! I am happy that I live now and in Austria, so I can enjoy my life-although I am quite old and disabled now. The internet is my window to the world and Personalities like our Thomas here are the reason for that. I can gain entertainment, knowledge, and humor due to humans like him, humans that make a great job in reviewing audio-gear, and a great job in representing their results to us! And it doesn´t cost me a dime...
This video's best quote "you never shop for what you don't know". Thomas's years of trial and error can help the rest of us save time and money. But most importantly make us understand that frustration is inevitable but it's about the journey.
don't let the haters get you down tom most of us love your honesty and knowledge . you can't please everyone some people just like to complain keep up the good work man
👍👍👍. This video really hit home HONEST OBJECTIVE MODEST........and this makes it very ENJOYABLE Your room is looking VERY GOOD Keep up your good work 😊
I think that you did a great job with this. We appreciate your honesty. It gets more difficult to actually preview speakers all the time which makes channels like yours all the more valuable.
True that. In 1979 I bought a pair of Essex 312 speakers that were so-so grade, but I audition them next to a pair of more expensive Pioneer HPM -100s and preferred the sound of the cheaper pair more. Whatever makes you happy.
its been while since I have heard a sincere honest person I this audio speaker keep up tha\e great work you do I will be listening to you and experience godspeed
A good video on speaker buying. Very lucid, sir. I would agree that people should buy the best speakers they can afford as they make the biggest difference in the sound you will hear. Some important criteria for good speakers?? Bass response to at least 40Hz (+/- 3dB) for good low frequency heft or foundation. Balanced lows and highs for flat (as much as possible) response. Open, airy well dispersed highs and good transient response. Good power handling, good stereo imaging and reasonable size/weight. Remember that with all speaker systems there will be trade-offs. The location of your hifi is critical too. Rooms can suffer from standing waves and room nodes which will reek havoc with sound. A very useful video for speaker shopping.
Perfect explanation it made me see more clear how the correct Input/Parameter(s) & personal taste (definition) combined, should be used in order to proceed with a correct selection ... Once again thanks Alex
Man finally a video where i can get to understand what you are after and your personal taste and analogy when i whatch your videos. Now i get you and dont need to bother you with Emails that i wanted to send you a few times allredy 😀. Thank you Thomas for all the videos,you have hellped me alot with this video to understand you and then what you allways explain in your viedos.
thanks for the useful perspective on buying speakers. a while ago i got some really damaged monitor audio gs60's which are great after repair with a vast sound stage and sparkling highs. they aren't my favorite kind of sound signature but i do like them for their detail and spacious style. i recently got a pair of dynaudio bm5a mk1's and if i play them both simultaneously, i get a good bit of the natural sound i was missing in the upper midbass. your tinkering with adding a super tweeter reminded me of that somewhat successful experiment of mine. thanks for sharing your videos
“It (the Elac) can go low but lacks the punch.” This is a perfect statement. That’s why spec sheets are only good as a guide. Just because a speaker is listed as being able to achieve a certain frequency, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will have the impact that you might expect. That is why you must audition.
So Sorry, I have to reupload again because the sound demo clip was out of sync in the version 2 video. For those who have seen the version 2 already, nothing to see here. I read EVERY single comments from the other video so thank you for all who have commented. I also wanted to mention that I did not take down the first video because of any negativity from any viewers but rather I 100% agree with the fact that for a video like this, it's not the time to go into specifics. Thanks again everyone for the support and I feel really happy that you all enjoy my content. I JUST ordered another microphone as the one i bought sucks.
Hi Thomas. Just want to say that I love your channel and found this video extremely useful. As an amateur audiophile this kind of personal insight based on your own experience along the years is very interesting and informative to me. This hobby has a lot of depth and there´s a lot to learn. Thank you!
Thanks for you perspective Thomas-for me I think another factor is price and availability in your area. I bought the B&W 685 S2 ($480) because they were good quality speaker going at a great price -yes they have metal dome tweeters that can sound harsh but this can be mitigated. I matched them with a valve pre amp and changed out the cables and now they are smooth detailed with a great sound stage so I thing synergy has a big part to play. Oh and please dont dumb down your channel just because you might get some haters by restricting your content to only positive reviews. Trolls are unhappy people who get fulfillment by putting others down-nothing you do will change that- ignore them!
Simple, honest and down to earth thoughts about hifi. I can really identify myself with your approach and subjectiveness on taste aspects. The whole 'what's the best?' Speaker, amp, source thing is just so deceiving. Thanks for the videos, I hope you keep them comming.
Your a very intelligent man that thinks practically = that's the combination that got my attention. Then I see that you are considerate of others and generally seem to be a nice person. You are setting a fine example and I thank you. Also your opinions make good sense to me - I will looking at your other efforts as well. Audio is a fantastic hobby and I love the meeting of interesting people that it at times seems to be conducive of. Thanks again.
Thanks Don, I wanted to have good and smart conversation in the comment section of my youtube channel. So I spend a lot of time thinking and raise questions in my videos.
A superb video in all aspects....so instead of one perfect pair of speakers...I now need 3! Thanks much!!....hopefully the 107/2’s can share some space with the 1028 beii’s
I’ve been in love with the KEF LS50’s and R3’s. Now this review has totally changed my mind... I’m ordering the S400 and quite possibly the S300 for my master bedroom 🤗
Actually it should not change your mind, If you LOVE kef LS50s and R3, then that is your kind of sound and you should be looking for those kind of speakers. For example, focal, B&W, Monitor audio and so forth. The S300 and S400 is not the same kind of sound. Although they are phenonemal, they are not for everyone and especially you have identified yourself as a KEF LS50 lover.
hi Thomas i am your audience from China, I have been watching video for quite while. Currently I am planning to buy a pair of Harbeth Compact 7es together with Naim Supernait 2 amp. I am not sure it is a good match. In local dealer they all recommend Sugden AZ21 to match Harbeth. I am not quite sure about this match. There is very few store offering audition. what is your opinion.
I very much appreciate your categories as everyone seems to want you to buy what they like. This will help me evaluate & then assess what I want in the future. I am always looking for & trying to buy best value/best bang for the buck for me as much of the "audiophile" equipment is beyond my means. ~Ten years ago, I listened to a lot of speakers locally and bought the precursor to the Joseph Audio Perspective at 1/3 the price as they were coming out with the new model and sold me the old demo pair. I listened to the highend Golden Ear in a Home Studio mock-up at a Mid/High End audio store and I thought they sounded absolutely horrible like muffled behind a wall - My assumption to myself was they must not be broken in and was shocked this store would setup the High end Golden Ears in there top room to demo without breaking them in and making sure they sounded at least decent. My son who does live sound and some studio work may not agree with my choices but after this video I feel I can rationally tell him why.
Great thoughts. A couple bad reviews can ruin a companies rep. While that could only be the reviewers point of view or tastes. So true unless it's in our own listening space there's no telling how it can sound. I started with entry horns that I thought I liked as a kid. Then after a couple months listening at home found I don't like horns altogether.
Sometimes the most economical path is the upgrade route. In an era where top quality capacitors like Daelund are costing close to a thousand dollars, obviously all but the most expensive speakers have to compromise and use economy caps. Any speaker 20 years old could benefit from an upgrade just due to cap deterioration. A decent poly cap for $10 will surpass what most older mid priced speakers came with. I was a sceptic about caps until I recently upgraded to a really good cap (used for compression driver protection on a Triamped system) and a veil was lifted. As big an improvement to clarity and definition as my last dac upgrade for way less money. Good capacitors can make a huge difference. I have a diy component speaker system (JBL pro drivers: self contained drivers so upgrade able components are easily incorporated ) that cost about $2000 in parts and compares with any big price systems I have heard. I have been evolving this driver arrangement since 1976 , only the 2405's (ultra high driver) are original. Thanks for great reviews Thomas. I enjoy your honest approach.
Thomas, I am an old musician and audiophile, and in my life I have almost everything seen and heard and you are on the right path... and thank you for your love and effort towards the audio world. As for the question "Which speaker (or part of the equipment) to buy?", the answer can be reduced to three key points: budget, taste or preference and listening (which you said). As for the "hi end" of the audio, a person must first reach it, (best way is step by step = equipment, development of hearing, training of ears and experience) and then to search for finesses, as much as the budget permits. Nowadays, it can be said that around 10,000 $ (or Euro) is the lower limit = first step for the system to joining the world of hi end audio... Maybe someone will not agree with that, but it is like it is... And when you're finally in the ''hi end'', it's not nice to say that something can blow away something else, because as I said before, that are just finesses ... and definitely tastes. At the end (not hi end), after years of love and training, it will take no more than a few minutes or a couple of songs to immediately see the character of the system, part of the equipment, speakers etc. and if everything is ok or not, to continue to listening and evaluating (or not), whether it is a ''hi end'' or any other level. Cheers!
Thanks for commenting. The topic is very broad and I understand what you are saying. I wish I can make a longer video to touch on everything. I have a friend who can tell the strength of a system in a few minutes too. Most people including me cannot, I think it has to be someone who have a lot of experience and talent to do it, which mostly you have. If you look at my video on amazing sound on a budget, I did mentioned the difference between highend and budget is simply refinement.
Thomas, You are the guy. Thank you once again for your channel: the ability to see and hear a large number of different equipment, especially speakers, the way of thinking and concluding (solving the problem = first asking the right questions, etc.), the number of relevant opinions...In the audio, like in the life, I-you can always hear and learn something new.
Well Thomas, a while back you told me that there was a substantial difference between the Zu Dirty Weekends and the Omen Mk2 speakers. I have had the DWs for about a year and just recently traded up to the Omen Mk IIs. (I would be lying if I said your advice wasn't one of the deciding factors). Just wanted to say you were 100% correct. I received my new Omens yesterday and after the first song it was clear I had made the right call. Thanks for all the great videos. (Don't be too hard on yourself. Remember, you are doing "US" a favor by sharing your experience and opinions.) Cheers! 👽🖖"Na-nu"
I get what your saying very educational video on speakers I believe your right you have to experience the sound signature of the speakers for yourself I've bought 14 sets of speakers so far this year and since 1988 I can't count how many speaker's sets I've owned but they are mostly pre 1k speakers and for me and my ear opion my Kefs and my Pioneer HPM 100s with new hi-end crossovers sound the best so far for the diminishing return I truly believe finding synergy with all components and speakers can create an awesome sound experience, thanks again Thomas I appreciate your input I've been trying to build a system under 4k that sounds amazing it's tuff finding that synergy I truly believe the Pre-amp is as important as the speakers !! I use 5 different amps for testing and all are solid state can't believe after 31 years of being a passionate music/Audio enthusiast I've never owned tubes !! I may try out the Schiit freya pre-amp but then I got to find good tubes to my taste ehaaa it's not the destination but the journey that's so fun !! thanks again Thomas well done !!!!!!
Thanks for the feedback. Wow, 14 sets of speakers this year??? Yeah tubes is definitely something all audiophiles should try at least once. It's like Chinese food, if you never tried it, try it at least once to see if you might like it.
If you’re a super serious audiophile, it helps to understand the science and engineering behind speaker design and room acoustics. Metal tweeters can have a bright sound due to resonance or from HOM off of a waveguide horn being used with it. It is possible to have a metal high frequency driver that avoids this or use something to help game the HOMs created by reflections in the waveguide/horn. Klipsch is actually doing this with a silicone layer in their RP horns, Earl Geddes used a type of acoustic foam in his waveguides. Bass is nearly always impacted by the room below 200 hz. You can achieve amazing in-room bass with cheap subwoofers integrated properly and spread out. Trying to do so through room EQ can work, but is not ideal since it’s not fixing a problem, just adjusting the problem so it sounds okay from a single location. Turn your head or move to the side and it won’t work. Using two speakers to cover the entire frequency range can be done, but you’re adding additional power requirements, room treatment requirements, expense, and usually giving up substantial quality. Controlling the directivity of the sound within the speaker design is crucial and you must get speakers which accurately represent proper dynamic range. You never realize how much compression exists within a modern set of speakers until you hear truly great designs. Power compression exists to a degree in most drivers because it can’t dissipate heat quickly enough. If you don’t see these factors addressed in your speakers, they’re probably not going to be great.
I work in a hi-fi store and I always tell my customers, although some want to go for bare minimum and some top of the line, that is all about the experience at the end of the day. It's not about having the most expensive. It's about what clicks with you and your taste. It's that feeling after making the purchase and honey moon phase when all you want to do is finish anything you have to complete for the rest of the day and then go sit down and enjoy your music. Also, side note. Are you familiar with the speaker Brand DALI (Danish). They are an amazing company. I have realised that not many people in America are familiar with it. Keep up the good work. Loving the videos.
Thanks for the long comment and I agree. DALI, yeah I am aware of them but never tried them I think someone once told me they have similar sound signature to KEF and Focals?
One definitely does not "need" a $30.000+ system but it's nice to have if you have a space for a proper setup & means to fund it ;) Great video as always! Thanks T.
Whew! I'm glad you re-uploaded. I noticed the original was taken down and was worried. I want to refer to this video when in discussion with the many "heated" discussions about which speaker is best. This is such a great conceptual answer, much like most of your videos and I appreciate them for that. But I was still curious about your love/hate relationship with the Double Impacts.
Oh no, I don't have an issue with Double impact specifically. ( I just used it as an example as I just happen to have a recent story to use) It is one of those speakers who has impacted me deeply and the way spanish harlem played on it was just beautiful. My so call 'hate' is not hate but rather I like speakers that have 'long decay' as opposed to natural sounding and accurate. So ANY speakers who fall in that category is simply not a speaker that I like to keep as my final speaker. However, I still love to have it in my room for a while. Having said that, taste can change, as I mature more and more on my audio journey, I might be searching for that kind of sound. So some speakers that I group into that natural sounding type of speakers are Harbeth and Sonus faber. As you know those are incredible speakers too but just not my taste. Despite it being not my taste, I enjoy them, love to own them for short term and have been blown away by them. Make sense?
@@ThomasAndStereo Yes, Thank you again for your thoughtful answer. It is to say that you can recognize it as a great speaker in it's own right and yet each person has a bias to massage the sound one way or the other from center. That many speakers are "center" and yet not perfect for everyone. You're a good guy. Keep doing these please. I like the sincerity of your observations.
Yup, to say that my way is the only way, and that speakers that I like are the only good speakers is ridiculous. I hope the video will give people something to think about and we can all live happily ever after together :)
Hi Thomas, I am enjoying your content very much. I think speaker reviews would be beneficial for people that don't have access to audition them. You could state your listening preferences/bias as you do the review. It's kind like sound demos on youtube. The scope of the speaker is lost through youtube's compression, but it's still fun to listen to
Thomas, as with others, we aren't going to give the long winded comments that we previously posted, but, you did a nice video and made a lot of excellent points. I would simply offer the advice to others who may be adverse to high end audio, use those components to your advantage, even if it is not feasible for you to purchase. You can go into a high end audio studio, listen to a lot of different music and develop a benchmark for what you want to get within your budget. The point is, that you may not know what you are looking for until you've heard really good equipment. It is true that a 5k system can very closely approach the sound quality of much more expensive gear. I've had friends listen to one of my setups that cost about 8k, then take them to a studio with 60k setup B&W and McIntosh and they think mine is better. To me, I know the 60k system is slightly better, but most people wouldn't. The value for sound quality is definitely in my favor, but I got good deals on used amps and deals on speakers plus I did my homework on pairing amps with speakers. Don't underestimate the importance of room acoustics either. Thomas, you just keep getting better.
Thanks Taz, comments like yours are really helpful for others to understand and I am glad that my youtube channel has gathered so many audiophiles to offer their advices.
Thanks for sharing your audiophile journey. Taking a lot of good pointer... I like musical speakers that's why I keep my tannoy and also have top mount tweeter. Beryllium tweeter and like it a lot can't get enough of those higher end. Who needs natural sounding speaker.... 😂 now I got me tube preamp not the high end baby steps who knows I might like it and invest in a really good one. Thanks you sir... Keep it up.
@@robbur1730 I have the 638 not in hi end category but very close... Maybe next year I will upgrade to eaton. For now I am tube rolling on my new tube preamp... And damm this is addicting. Happy listening...
Great Video and love your explanation of how you evaluate speakers. Also, you are the first to point out how various tweeters have different sound signatures. I’ve had speakers with metal domes, loved the sparkle but I always found them fatiguing, now I know why. I was wondering how you classify single driver speakers with no crossovers, high sensitivity. I am mostly interested in the Omega brand (affordable) do you know where I can listen to a pair locally (proud to be a Montrealer!)
Thanks! I don't think there is a dealer here in Montreal for Omega. I had the Omega TS2R before, meh. I have the Omega super 8 now, email me if you want to drop by to listen to them during the day. I think they need to be classified in their own category, still thinking about that one. turbotan@gmail.com
Hopefully, "good enough" would be a Speaker within your budget . And still sound "realistic" enough to your ear (really your Brain). So realistic, that your brain would suspend reality eg. the speakers fade into the background ie. the Brain is "fooled" to ignore the Speakers; the Music, NOT the Speakers then become the center of attraction. Good Luck and "good hunting" !
Love your presentation. Was very helpful. I couldn't get my finger around the different types of speakers and what they offered. Not sure if I missed something but what do the different cone types do? Maybe doing a categorization on amps would be awesome. I think they make a difference too. Parasound seems to be dark, Rotel bright, Marantz warm, etc.
Thanks, I did not explain the different type of material and what it does. The video will be way too long if I did. Ah, the amp categorization...interesting idea :)
@@ThomasAndStereo Perhaps a different video dedicated to woofers? 😅 Sorry I'm so liberal w/ your type. I appreciate your perspective. If you're able to. Yeah I think the system combination is important too and I know you share that perspective. It's important not to lose what you gained from your speakers w/ the wrong electronics. Thanks!
I'm 61 years old and have loved good sound since I was 17, I grew up reading Stereo Review and Audio magazines. What I enjoyed is each issue gave advice on what to look for in different components. The one piece of advice I followed through the years is to go and listen. Whether it be amplifiers, speakers, source components, listen to all different price ranges. Even though you know some you can't afford, find what it is you like in the sound and get the most of that sound in what you can afford. Thought your advise was good and will help people in finding what they like.
But how would one be able to "go and listen?" Where is a place that lets you listen to different speakers? I live in Jacksonville, FL and the only place I've seen that has speaker demonstrations is Best Buy, however they don't have a good selection to demo, only 2 or 3 speakers. The rest are not hooked up and you can't try before you buy.
This was a very interesting video Thomas and I can say that expensive speakers generally out perform affordable speaker generally. That's my experience anyway. I had a lovely pair of Proac response 3.8 and they had some serious low down grunt even at low volume. Sadly had to sell them and bought a pair of KEF Q55.2, and even though they are a pretty good speaker for £650 they are no match for the Proac's at around £4800. That wee Onix amp looks very nice for the money and clearly both shocked and humbled you. I have a Qinpu A1 OX amp which is built in China and it can give amps three times it's price a thumping. Great video my friend.
@@ThomasAndStereo Not sure that you will like them as they are on the more natural sounding side of things. The 3.8's were very bass orientated though down to around 20-30 htz I believe. You must try them, what's 1 extra speaker when you have owned 40 :-D
As for the clothes moving argument I think its worth it but for another reason. If you have a system that is so resolving it can detect a detail like that, then imo it will do a much better job resolving the actual musical detail. So the moving clothes may simply be a metric for how well a system performs in terms of resolving detail.
I too have owned quite a few speakers, including Genesis Vs, Accoustat 3+3s, Reference 3As, Magnepan 3.5s, and for the last 2 years Emerald Physics KCIIs with Clarity cap and Wireworld internal wiring upgrades: MSRP $1999 + 2 upgrades @ $500= $2999. These play big with an incredible soundstage. Thy have a huge WAF, are extremely efficient (94dB) and joyfully play all types of music. Being open baffle, you are not paying for a box that often is the cause of sonic problems, especially in < $10,000 speakers
I never tried open baffle but have been impressed by them at audio show and my friend once had one. I always wanted to try Magnepan after I heard my friends Quad. I am hoping they can deliver close to Quad performance for a reasonable price.
Good video and delivery. There are also factors that you speak to somewhat, but after speakers and system are bought, really diving deep before giving up, and making sure audio system settings are correct, speakers are placed correctly in room (thru trial and error and getting it wrong on purpose to find out what sounds right), and acoustic room treatment, and the sonics of any particular piece of music. Then, after you have tried everything to ability and satisfaction, making a judgment about sound. I have the Andrew JOnes Pioneer 5.1 system and after such trial and error have made them sound pretty overall terrific for the room they are in and the type of listening I do, mostly near field, 6-8ft. away, at avg. 80-90 dbs, jazz and rock so that great recordings sound great and bad recordings sound bad. Sometimes recordings are just muddy, etc. Would more expensive equipment sound better? Probably. But I also could probably not have done better at my price point which came in at under $1k and fills the 20x30' room with so much sound that I can't even turn it up past sony av receiver 40 volume usually. It gets too loud for my ears. Not into super loud music. I also spent $400 on 10 2'x4'x1" acoustic sound tiles to knock out reflection, etc. Now I can hear the speakers and not the room.
Whatever sounds best to you + whatever you can afford = the speaker you should buy. Anyone claiming one brand over another is just pushing their own personal preference. Sound is too subjective to definitively claim a best overall. The variables of the intended use and room acoustics also come into play and can turn a top 10 list on its head.
I agree so much! After owning at least 10 to 15 speakers when I was younger - I finally found a speaker I loved. I have owned them for almost 40 years! I know there are better speakers out there - BUT they do and sound what I like. I hope I never have to replace them as I don't know what I would buy! There are so many good ones out there!
Hi Thomas, if you were to create a Christmas-hamper of 6 budget speakers to show off the widest range of different sound presentations on the market, then which speakers would you include? And what categories of presentations/sounds are most important to cover? I’m looking to buy such a ‘hamper’ so that I can learn what I like best. And I don’t mind buying discontinued/2nd hand. Are the following a good starting point? 1. Horn/V-shaped (Klipsch RP-400M?) 2. Open baffle (LRS or MMG?) 3. Neutral/laid-back (Uni-Fi UB52?) 4. Warm/rich (Wharfedale Denton 85th or Diamond 11.2?) 5. Cool/Bright (B&W, Focal?) 6. Detailed (LS50?)
It is so great to have this video to everyone!! you can do A/B speakers comparison so your comment is very important to anyone who interested in music!! I believe the ELAC behind you possibly the best speakers in your room :) because I own one of them
Hi Thomas ! Haven't heard of you a while long. How are you doing. I'm currently living in JP and lately listened some speakers AB test in a shop. When I was listening different speakers, it remained me of your thoughts of apple and orange theory. That's a very brilliant thinking because I feel how you feel. Speakers are not able to compare to each other but you pick the ones you love by ears. That's end of my story. Today I mainly tried Tannoy xt, Mission Lx, Dali spektor played by the same amplifier. They are totally different fruits that remain me of what you said. You pick what you want to eat, nothing good or bad. Tannoy vocal is very laid back, British sound but Hugh soundstage doesn't impressive me because elac for me is better 😅 I'm looking for a movie and bass music speaker, narrowed to dali and mission. Missions has more bass and dali clarity is better. Those are apple, orange, and banana. Dali is best budget speaker made in Denmark. Listen closely to your video, budget elac definitely airy taste but still not as smooth as dynaudio. If elac tweeter is with dynaudio woofers in same case, I'm pretty sure it's the best beast in 21century 🤗 Look forward your new reviews
Sorry for the late reply. I read this comment a while ago but never got a chance to reply. I REALLY appreciate you taking the time to let me know and really nice to read a long comment like this.
I am struggling with this issue myself. I can not decide which speaker to buy. I did a demo of Sonus Faber Sonetto III, KEF R7 , Dali opticon 6 and Dynaudio evoke 30. They are in fairly similar price points but they sound totally different. I have learned that a pair of speakers can not do everything. You have to make a choice and sacrifice somewhere. Does anyone have a preference to my suggestions? I use Musical Fidelity amp and Rega Apollo CD player. Thomas is right, deciding can be a problem.
Great video. I’m sure you saved a lot of newbies some time and heartache. Just wondering also what your thoughts are on Canton speakers in general. They don’t seem to get much attention but I hear good things about them. In particular what are your thoughts on the Anniversary A45 & A55 and Vento series and their differences?
Ahh! ... many comments were wiped out in the transition process! Mine was far too long to repeat Thomas :-) ..in essence, I brought up the synergy between speakers and the amplifiers that drive them. If the 'marriage' is no good, the speaker under test will never sound good. That was the summation of what I wrote in a much lengthier answer. Keep up the good work!
Yes, I read all the comments and that topic alone is a whole video. The thing with synergy is that there is no real formula for it. I can say Audio research matches well with bel Canto for example but there are like millions of possible combination out there which makes it a difficult topic.
@@ThomasAndStereo LOL!.. yes indeed! There's no formula of what works with what, that's why I described it as 'a can of worms' for the aspiring audiophile. Best advice to a purchaser is to listen to a combination of amp and speakers as a 'matching pair' rather than just a speaker. ...or else, take one's amplifier to the shop and then see/hear what speakers sound good with that. Listening to speakers at dealerships with any amplifier is really not giving a true and accurate picture of the speakers capabilities.
Thomas you hit this one out of the park. There is no best speaker because there are too many variables. I have been through a fair share of speakers as well and I can tell you it is taste and acoustic dependent. You might hear a speaker that sounds great at the dealers showroom, for me it was the Kef ls50, but sound horrible in your room, paired with your components. System synergy is extremely important. This is why you can’t put a price on it. We all have different ears as well. I believe in listening to stuff in your budget, then listening beyond your budget so that you can judge, what you would miss or live without. I did this with my latest speaker and I’m quite happy with my choice. Happier than I have been in a long time. Thomas review the speakers you don’t like because someone might find what they are looking for by looking at your dislikes, which might be great for someone else. You are right Thomas, exposure to different stuff is everything, you just can’t beat experience and listening. In the states a company named Radio Shack, use to sell super theaters, I still have a pair around some place, they were great with some speakers and horrible with others.
Another well thought out comment Sid. It;s too bad you don't live close by, I am pretty sure you will be impressed with the KEF LS50 at my place. My only worry is if I talked about stuff I don't like, people might not be able to see past my opinion and be negatively influenced by it. It would be nice if people are ok with me just introducing products and evaluate it objectively. Sadly, my channel is built based on my journey as opposed to a review channel. The stage is already set. So the second I don't mention I like it, people will be asking why in the comments.
Thomas & Stereo Well said Thomas and you are right. I’m just the kind of person, just like you that I have to know for myself. Experience is the one thing in life that can never be taken from you.
I also had the Onix A125 which I spoke about in the Elac video. It's too bad the company no longer exist so you can't buy it. I probably will mention that amp in a future video as my friend is comparing it seriously against his mcintosh setup.
@@ThomasAndStereo "It's too bad the company no longer exist" What do you mean? Onix are back in business since they won the case against the company which illegally used the brand "Onix" until 2014 (perhaps you're referring to this lot?).
Hi Thomas great channel and I'm enjoying how you analyse speakers. I used to own a horn speaker ie. Triangle Quartet. I like everything about it in terms of speed, bass and lifely sound with very good resolution for about USD$4000, however I feel that the top end gets too sharp to my ears despite pairing with a Hybrid Amp (BFA Tulip). Eventually I sold the speaker and after few years of hiatus I'm back into home audio as a hobby again. What would you recommend if I'm looking for this type of sound character but do not wish to have too sharp top end?
You are looking at 3 different type of speakers. KEF - harddome, Elac, softdome, S400 with waveguide. I would pay attention to how they produce the top end especially the S400. The S400 is really different than the other 2 and I find the S400 really shines when you sit back and push the volume (you need the space)and let the soundstage impress you. Kef would be all about the details and probably will have the weakess bass.
Hi Thomas, 1.) how do you define sweet and warm sounding? How would they different to you? 2.) Also have you come across with paring buzz? Meaning when I pair power amp with a different brand pre amp, when I turn them on they can bring few scary buzz(or noise) to the speaker, without any sound playing. That is really scary. I am not sure if pairing the same brand will avoid such issues. 3.) Lastly can a solid state power amp or preamp sounds sweet? I don't feel you have cover system that sound sweet (other than tubes, yeah of course, they can sound sweet... but what if I don't want to deal with tubes...)
Here, here, Thomas.. Giving the sonus Faber cremonas a spin at the moment, the ob1s, are under the stairs, , iam tempted to start hoarding,, love it all, cheap and expensive,.. .. Regards Antony Regards Antony
Yep, indeed one needs to spend time on the equipment. Even after 5 years, sometimes i still find myself exploring various combinations (from listening modes to speaker placement) and sometimes it works, even for awhile. But i enjoyed this journey of discovery. Question, how important do you rate room correction/equalizer and room treatment (absorption/diffusion) ?
Well, recently I made a video on the Quad 989, pioneer s3ex and a highend DIY speaker. The room was treated and it's really an eye opener. I just bought a bunch of absorption and diffusion panels, ready to treat my room. For room correction, I don't have a lot of experience. However, I made a video on the Lyngdorf 3400 and my friend told me it makes a big difference.
Thank you, for imparting your knowledge on us. Personally, I was beginning to allow other people's opinions direct me towards one way or another. I became obsessed with finding a sound that was as close to the source as possible. Though, I can't honestly tell anyone how the artist attended their music to sound. I over thought it, spent too much time and money searching for accuracy. You helped to simplify my journey. I will simply find an affordable set-up that gives me joy. It should be about what is coming out of the speakers . Good job!
Hi Thomas, Love your videos. Need your advice though on a best speaker match for the Rega Brio R (not enough research content in the web to help me out). I'm more of a neutral guy, and while I love my speakers to have a little bit of base, neutrality is still king. TIA
Check out my video on what is the best speaker? I have never heard the Rega so I don't know what kind of sound it has. If it is dark, then speakers like KEF and focal are good match for example.
I think it's totally fine to sway us one way or another based on your true feelings, perspective, experience and biases. I don't think you should over analyze what your audience thinks because you will never make them all happy no matter how your approach is or how you review your equipment. I enjoy a truthfully down and dirty honest review. Straight forward with no fluff or politically correct stuff. I think your viewers would appreciate that. This is why Paul from PS Audio is so successful with his presentation. I like and enjoy your style. Just my two cents worth buddy...😊
Great informative video covering some basics for newbies like me! Wondering if you could point me in the right direction, I prefer the sound of bright clinical sounding speakers (metal tweeters?). Could you advise what brands I should be looking at for a clean, bright and clinical sound? Thanks.
I wish for deep rich articulated base that goes low enough, a sweet and detailed midrange , good integration between mid bass and mid range, and finally aa detailed but unharsh tweeter with a clear and non syballint treble
Thanks for sharing this, Thomas. I've been watching your videos recently and I really enjoy your thoughtful reviews. As a self-admitted neophyte and someone who is just starting to assemble a serious hi-fi system, I think one of the things that gets overlooked in these discussions of speakers and amplifiers and various other circuit components is the actual source of the music, i.e. where the music is coming from. With the exception of a few audio CDs, most of my music is downloaded from iTunes. I suspect that might be the case for a lot of people starting out. For people like us, is there any real prospect of getting audiophile grade sound out of our source material? Are you familiar with (or have any experience of) affordable circuit components/amplifiers/DACs that will hook up specifically to an iPhone/iPod and enrich the native output to the point where it can create can engaging 3-dimensional listening experience?
Thanks for commenting. I think sometimes we don't really have a choice. If our source is itunes, then so be it. What I noticed with highly compressed format, bass is always a bit thin. I don't know the quality of itunes. Sure, higher end dacs do sound richer and more analog but if budget does not permit, instead of working on the DAC, I would tune my system to be warm sounding. In that way, if my source is 'thin' sounding, it will balance out. I actually spend a lot of time now listening to youtube music and it works fine as long as I know how to tune my system.
Thanks, Thomas! Yes, I’ve found that when I run my iTunes music through the USB port on my Marantz CD6006 player, it definitely sounds more warm and engaging.
What a great way to understanding speaker's, thank you. On Polk website they have Lism 703 bookshelf speaker's at 50% off , I have 19' x 11' room I will be using a pair of RSL 10" subs. What's your opinion on the 703?
If you listen to live jazz in a bar or open spaces sitting close to the musicians, your understanding of live versus recorded music will have clarity. Then go out and decide which speaker can recreate the live feeling . Do not have a closed mind . Also your room is 98% . Once you have the right room in terms of the harmonics and reflection of the midrange and tweeter domes , you are far closer to nirvana than just spending money and upgrading . As beauty is to the eye of the beholder it's your ear that will judge not someone else.
Thomas, Please do a video on which USB laptop output digital to analog converter you think is best. It just seems with today's technology, storing and streaming music on my laptop makes sense - But, the laptop headphone jack output is lacking. Thanks
I never tried the Audioquest dragonfly but heard good things about it. Have you look into that? One day I will make a video on dacs, just need to find time.
Really interesting video. As a musician (Bass player) who writes and records...ive often wondered what exactly are "audiophiles" looking for ( hearing for?) You see I record using 18" speakers in one cab and 4x10 in the other..bi amped. I have never seen a home setup using big speakers..and there is a big difference between 18, 15 and 10" speakers especially to my tone..We also tend to mix using flat response reference speakers. So nothing gets unnaturally bass heavy. So if you actually want to hear what I hear as a composer then a pair of Yamaha HS7 powered speakers will do.... This sounds a bit provocative but isn't meant to be..I am genuinely interested in what you are hoping to hear or find...or is it just the fun of collecting gear....now that I can understand with my ever growing bass collection...lol
The only thing I look for is it pleasing to my ears. I don't look to reproduce anything. I don't care about neutrality. Just when I play music, does it move me, does it make me happy. You have to understand I am not a musician so I don't have a point of reference like all musicians. Thanks for commenting.
Hey Thomas. By watching this vd, i learned that you come across as a very respectful person, regarding other humans in this community, so thx for that. I mean, it's not all that common, to hear this humble talk you providing here. They way you carefully explain some of the issues regarding to HI-FI, and without any form of "i know better", beside the great knowledge you have. Pretty neat and very respectful. Cheers from Denmark
Totally agree
Thomas is too nice! So nice, you cannot even roast him - said little Jay from "the next best thing" and Sean from "Zero Fidelity agreed!
And they are not so far in distance from the truth! Thomas is one, if not the nicest Person on youtube, but also a man with a great sense of responsibility and I think this comes along with his empathic personality! This paired with a good foundation of knowledge about HiFi stuff makes him to one of my favorite youtube-channel sensei! In one of his videos his little son showed up! OMG! That boy has the same wide and powerful grin as the "Avatar" from the Anime. And I think a boy with such an appearance must have a good father!
Sorry, but from time to time I must let these things out of my head lol!
I am happy that I live now and in Austria, so I can enjoy my life-although I am quite old and disabled now. The internet is my window to the world and Personalities like our Thomas here are the reason for that. I can gain entertainment, knowledge, and humor due to humans like him, humans that make a great job in reviewing audio-gear, and a great job in representing their results to us! And it doesn´t cost me a dime...
This video's best quote "you never shop for what you don't know". Thomas's years of trial and error can help the rest of us save time and money. But most importantly make us understand that frustration is inevitable but it's about the journey.
don't let the haters get you down tom most of us love your honesty and knowledge . you can't please everyone some people just like to complain keep up the good work man
Thanks for sharing your insights, Thomas. Resonates with me. Kudos!
The most useful and informative speaker related video I've seen so far.
👍👍👍. This video really hit home
HONEST
OBJECTIVE
MODEST........and this makes it very
ENJOYABLE
Your room is looking VERY GOOD
Keep up your good work 😊
It's all good Thomas ,you do a wonderful job on a very subjective subject ,everyone is looking for the oasis , great topic 😊😊
Love your videos Thomas! Keep them coming.
I think that you did a great job with this. We appreciate your honesty. It gets more difficult to actually preview speakers all the time which makes channels like yours all the more valuable.
Thanks Richard, I am glad I get to meet a lot of people who are passionate about audio thru this channel.
@@ThomasAndStereo Can I have your email please?
Love this kind of true videos that mixed with experience
Keep doing this man 👏🏼👏🏼
True that. In 1979 I bought a pair of Essex 312 speakers that were so-so grade, but I audition them next to a pair of more expensive Pioneer HPM -100s and preferred the sound of the cheaper pair more.
Whatever makes you happy.
EXACTLY!!!! Its all about personal preference.
its been while since I have heard a sincere honest person I this audio speaker keep up tha\e great work you do I will be listening to you and experience godspeed
great work
Good enquiring sensibilities you have Thomas.. loving your curiosity for all things audio... Thank for your contributions
Thanks for the feedback. Appreciate it.
Very thoughtful and well informed. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Thomas,
I love your reviews, your channel. You're humble and try to give a balanced view and it is appreciated. Keep being you.
I am so glad I stumbled upon your video! I'm not in the market for speakers per se, but I love your analysis!
Thanks for dropping by.
A good video on speaker buying. Very lucid, sir. I would agree that people should buy the best speakers they can afford as they make the biggest difference in the sound you will hear. Some important criteria for good speakers?? Bass response to at least 40Hz (+/- 3dB) for good low frequency heft or foundation. Balanced lows and highs for flat (as much as possible) response. Open, airy well dispersed highs and good transient response. Good power handling, good stereo imaging and reasonable size/weight. Remember that with all speaker systems there will be trade-offs.
The location of your hifi is critical too. Rooms can suffer from standing waves and room nodes which will reek havoc with sound. A very useful video for speaker shopping.
Perfect explanation it made me see more clear how the correct Input/Parameter(s) & personal taste (definition) combined, should be used in order to proceed with a correct selection ...
Once again thanks
Alex
Man finally a video where i can get to understand what you are after and your personal taste and analogy when i whatch your videos. Now i get you and dont need to bother you with Emails that i wanted to send you a few times allredy 😀. Thank you Thomas for all the videos,you have hellped me alot with this video to understand you and then what you allways explain in your viedos.
thanks for the useful perspective on buying speakers. a while ago i got some really damaged monitor audio gs60's which are great after repair with a vast sound stage and sparkling highs. they aren't my favorite kind of sound signature but i do like them for their detail and spacious style. i recently got a pair of dynaudio bm5a mk1's and if i play them both simultaneously, i get a good bit of the natural sound i was missing in the upper midbass. your tinkering with adding a super tweeter reminded me of that somewhat successful experiment of mine. thanks for sharing your videos
Thanks for the comment.
I love your craziness about speakers man.love you videos too.you r every gud human being.
“It (the Elac) can go low but lacks the punch.” This is a perfect statement. That’s why spec sheets are only good as a guide. Just because a speaker is listed as being able to achieve a certain frequency, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will have the impact that you might expect. That is why you must audition.
So Sorry, I have to reupload again because the sound demo clip was out of sync in the version 2 video. For those who have seen the version 2 already, nothing to see here. I read EVERY single comments from the other video so thank you for all who have commented. I also wanted to mention that I did not take down the first video because of any negativity from any viewers but rather I 100% agree with the fact that for a video like this, it's not the time to go into specifics. Thanks again everyone for the support and I feel really happy that you all enjoy my content. I JUST ordered another microphone as the one i bought sucks.
There's a Billy Joel/Barry White song that is pertinent to you, so 'Don't go changing...'
Do reviews speak your mind but expose your bias up front
Hi Thomas. Just want to say that I love your channel and found this video extremely useful. As an amateur audiophile this kind of personal insight based on your own experience along the years is very interesting and informative to me. This hobby has a lot of depth and there´s a lot to learn. Thank you!
thks for looking into a new mic cus u sound really muffled
You are TRULY WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK 🤗
Really appreciate Rick for taking the time to let me know. It made my day.
Thanks for you perspective Thomas-for me I think another factor is price and availability in your area. I bought the B&W 685 S2 ($480) because they were good quality speaker going at a great price -yes they have metal dome tweeters that can sound harsh but this can be mitigated. I matched them with a valve pre amp and changed out the cables and now they are smooth detailed with a great sound stage so I thing synergy has a big part to play.
Oh and please dont dumb down your channel just because you might get some haters by restricting your content to only positive reviews. Trolls are unhappy people who get fulfillment by putting others down-nothing you do will change that- ignore them!
Hi Nick,, what kind of cables did you upgrade to? I am wondering how much you actually have to spend before you find a difference in the sound?
Thanks
Simple, honest and down to earth thoughts about hifi. I can really identify myself with your approach and subjectiveness on taste aspects. The whole 'what's the best?' Speaker, amp, source thing is just so deceiving. Thanks for the videos, I hope you keep them comming.
Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it.
Your a very intelligent man that thinks practically = that's the combination that got my attention. Then I see that you are considerate of others and generally seem to be a nice person. You are setting a fine example and I thank you. Also your opinions make good sense to me - I will looking at your other efforts as well. Audio is a fantastic hobby and I love the meeting of interesting people that it at times seems to be conducive of. Thanks again.
Thanks Don, I wanted to have good and smart conversation in the comment section of my youtube channel. So I spend a lot of time thinking and raise questions in my videos.
A superb video in all aspects....so instead of one perfect pair of speakers...I now need 3! Thanks much!!....hopefully the 107/2’s can share some space with the 1028 beii’s
I’ve been in love with the KEF LS50’s and R3’s. Now this review has totally changed my mind... I’m ordering the S400 and quite possibly the S300 for my master bedroom 🤗
Actually it should not change your mind, If you LOVE kef LS50s and R3, then that is your kind of sound and you should be looking for those kind of speakers. For example, focal, B&W, Monitor audio and so forth. The S300 and S400 is not the same kind of sound. Although they are phenonemal, they are not for everyone and especially you have identified yourself as a KEF LS50 lover.
I always appreciate your candor.
Very nice post Thomas, great open minded thinking.
hi Thomas i am your audience from China, I have been watching video for quite while. Currently I am planning to buy a pair of Harbeth Compact 7es together with Naim Supernait 2 amp. I am not sure it is a good match. In local dealer they all recommend Sugden AZ21 to match Harbeth. I am not quite sure about this match. There is very few store offering audition. what is your opinion.
I very much appreciate your categories as everyone seems to want you to buy what they like. This will help me evaluate & then assess what I want in the future. I am always looking for & trying to buy best value/best bang for the buck for me as much of the "audiophile" equipment is beyond my means. ~Ten years ago, I listened to a lot of speakers locally and bought the precursor to the Joseph Audio Perspective at 1/3 the price as they were coming out with the new model and sold me the old demo pair. I listened to the highend Golden Ear in a Home Studio mock-up at a Mid/High End audio store and I thought they sounded absolutely horrible like muffled behind a wall - My assumption to myself was they must not be broken in and was shocked this store would setup the High end Golden Ears in there top room to demo without breaking them in and making sure they sounded at least decent. My son who does live sound and some studio work may not agree with my choices but after this video I feel I can rationally tell him why.
I guess people taste is very important. There is also the issue with synergy. It can make a speaker sound good or bad. Thanks.
Great thoughts. A couple bad reviews can ruin a companies rep. While that could only be the reviewers point of view or tastes.
So true unless it's in our own listening space there's no telling how it can sound. I started with entry horns that I thought I liked as a kid. Then after a couple months listening at home found I don't like horns altogether.
Wow, so professional video. A lot to learn. Thanks
Sometimes the most economical path is the upgrade route. In an era where top quality capacitors like Daelund are costing close to a thousand dollars, obviously all but the most expensive speakers have to compromise and use economy caps. Any speaker 20 years old could benefit from an upgrade just due to cap deterioration. A decent poly cap for $10 will surpass what most older mid priced speakers came with. I was a sceptic about caps until I recently upgraded to a really good cap (used for compression driver protection on a Triamped system) and a veil was lifted. As big an improvement to clarity and definition as my last dac upgrade for way less money. Good capacitors can make a huge difference. I have a diy component speaker system (JBL pro drivers: self contained drivers so upgrade able components are easily incorporated ) that cost about $2000 in parts and compares with any big price systems I have heard. I have been evolving this driver arrangement since 1976 , only the 2405's (ultra high driver) are original. Thanks for great reviews Thomas. I enjoy your honest approach.
Thomas, I am an old musician and audiophile, and in my life I have almost everything seen and heard and you are on the right path... and thank you for your love and effort towards the audio world. As for the question "Which speaker (or part of the equipment) to buy?", the answer can be reduced to three key points: budget, taste or preference and listening (which you said). As for the "hi end" of the audio, a person must first reach it, (best way is step by step = equipment, development of hearing, training of ears and experience) and then to search for finesses, as much as the budget permits. Nowadays, it can be said that around 10,000 $ (or Euro) is the lower limit = first step for the system to joining the world of hi end audio... Maybe someone will not agree with that, but it is like it is... And when you're finally in the ''hi end'', it's not nice to say that something can blow away something else, because as I said before, that are just finesses ... and definitely tastes. At the end (not hi end), after years of love and training, it will take no more than a few minutes or a couple of songs to immediately see the character of the system, part of the equipment, speakers etc. and if everything is ok or not, to continue to listening and evaluating (or not), whether it is a ''hi end'' or any other level. Cheers!
Thanks for commenting. The topic is very broad and I understand what you are saying. I wish I can make a longer video to touch on everything. I have a friend who can tell the strength of a system in a few minutes too. Most people including me cannot, I think it has to be someone who have a lot of experience and talent to do it, which mostly you have. If you look at my video on amazing sound on a budget, I did mentioned the difference between highend and budget is simply refinement.
Thomas, You are the guy. Thank you once again for your channel: the ability to see and hear a large number of different equipment, especially speakers, the way of thinking and concluding (solving the problem = first asking the right questions, etc.), the number of relevant opinions...In the audio, like in the life, I-you can always hear and learn something new.
Very informative! Thanks for sharing.
interesting looking super tweeter...look forward to your review on that
Well Thomas, a while back you told me that there was a substantial difference between the Zu Dirty Weekends and the Omen Mk2 speakers. I have had the DWs for about a year and just recently traded up to the Omen Mk IIs. (I would be lying if I said your advice wasn't one of the deciding factors).
Just wanted to say you were 100% correct. I received my new Omens yesterday and after the first song it was clear I had made the right call.
Thanks for all the great videos. (Don't be too hard on yourself. Remember, you are doing "US" a favor by sharing your experience and opinions.)
Cheers! 👽🖖"Na-nu"
Nice, congrats on your upgrade!
I get what your saying very educational video on speakers I believe your right you have to experience the sound signature of the speakers for yourself I've bought 14 sets of speakers so far this year and since 1988 I can't count how many speaker's sets I've owned but they are mostly pre 1k speakers and for me and my ear opion my Kefs and my Pioneer HPM 100s with new hi-end crossovers sound the best so far for the diminishing return I truly believe finding synergy with all components and speakers can create an awesome sound experience, thanks again Thomas I appreciate your input I've been trying to build a system under 4k that sounds amazing it's tuff finding that synergy I truly believe the Pre-amp is as important as the speakers !! I use 5 different amps for testing and all are solid state can't believe after 31 years of being a passionate music/Audio enthusiast I've never owned tubes !! I may try out the Schiit freya pre-amp but then I got to find good tubes to my taste ehaaa it's not the destination but the journey that's so fun !! thanks again Thomas well done !!!!!!
Thanks for the feedback. Wow, 14 sets of speakers this year??? Yeah tubes is definitely something all audiophiles should try at least once. It's like Chinese food, if you never tried it, try it at least once to see if you might like it.
If you’re a super serious audiophile, it helps to understand the science and engineering behind speaker design and room acoustics.
Metal tweeters can have a bright sound due to resonance or from HOM off of a waveguide horn being used with it. It is possible to have a metal high frequency driver that avoids this or use something to help game the HOMs created by reflections in the waveguide/horn. Klipsch is actually doing this with a silicone layer in their RP horns, Earl Geddes used a type of acoustic foam in his waveguides.
Bass is nearly always impacted by the room below 200 hz. You can achieve amazing in-room bass with cheap subwoofers integrated properly and spread out. Trying to do so through room EQ can work, but is not ideal since it’s not fixing a problem, just adjusting the problem so it sounds okay from a single location. Turn your head or move to the side and it won’t work. Using two speakers to cover the entire frequency range can be done, but you’re adding additional power requirements, room treatment requirements, expense, and usually giving up substantial quality.
Controlling the directivity of the sound within the speaker design is crucial and you must get speakers which accurately represent proper dynamic range. You never realize how much compression exists within a modern set of speakers until you hear truly great designs. Power compression exists to a degree in most drivers because it can’t dissipate heat quickly enough. If you don’t see these factors addressed in your speakers, they’re probably not going to be great.
Now this is awesome! 💿❤️❤️❤️❤️
I work in a hi-fi store and I always tell my customers, although some want to go for bare minimum and some top of the line, that is all about the experience at the end of the day. It's not about having the most expensive. It's about what clicks with you and your taste.
It's that feeling after making the purchase and honey moon phase when all you want to do is finish anything you have to complete for the rest of the day and then go sit down and enjoy your music.
Also, side note. Are you familiar with the speaker Brand DALI (Danish). They are an amazing company. I have realised that not many people in America are familiar with it.
Keep up the good work. Loving the videos.
Thanks for the long comment and I agree.
DALI, yeah I am aware of them but never tried them I think someone once told me they have similar sound signature to KEF and Focals?
One definitely does not "need" a $30.000+ system but it's nice to have if you have a space for a proper setup & means to fund it ;)
Great video as always! Thanks T.
Thanks, sure can get great sound even with a $800 system.
This is a very good video.Thank you.
Can’t wait for your review of that super tweeter of yours! Sounds like a great idea!
Ah, sorry I sold it so there will not be a review on it.
Thanks for the audio lessons. I appreciate your efforts. I'm learning a lot from you.
Whew! I'm glad you re-uploaded. I noticed the original was taken down and was worried. I want to refer to this video when in discussion with the many "heated" discussions about which speaker is best. This is such a great conceptual answer, much like most of your videos and I appreciate them for that. But I was still curious about your love/hate relationship with the Double Impacts.
Oh no, I don't have an issue with Double impact specifically. ( I just used it as an example as I just happen to have a recent story to use) It is one of those speakers who has impacted me deeply and the way spanish harlem played on it was just beautiful. My so call 'hate' is not hate but rather I like speakers that have 'long decay' as opposed to natural sounding and accurate. So ANY speakers who fall in that category is simply not a speaker that I like to keep as my final speaker. However, I still love to have it in my room for a while. Having said that, taste can change, as I mature more and more on my audio journey, I might be searching for that kind of sound. So some speakers that I group into that natural sounding type of speakers are Harbeth and Sonus faber. As you know those are incredible speakers too but just not my taste. Despite it being not my taste, I enjoy them, love to own them for short term and have been blown away by them. Make sense?
@@ThomasAndStereo Yes, Thank you again for your thoughtful answer. It is to say that you can recognize it as a great speaker in it's own right and yet each person has a bias to massage the sound one way or the other from center. That many speakers are "center" and yet not perfect for everyone. You're a good guy. Keep doing these please. I like the sincerity of your observations.
Yup, to say that my way is the only way, and that speakers that I like are the only good speakers is ridiculous. I hope the video will give people something to think about and we can all live happily ever after together :)
Happy Birthday Thomas
I enjoy your vidios, keep it up
Thanks Collin, appreciate it.
Hi Thomas, I am enjoying your content very much. I think speaker reviews would be beneficial for people that don't have access to audition them. You could state your listening preferences/bias as you do the review. It's kind like sound demos on youtube. The scope of the speaker is lost through youtube's compression, but it's still fun to listen to
Yeah, unfortunately many people don't have access to listen to them especially overseas.
Well said Thomas about speakers
Thomas, as with others, we aren't going to give the long winded comments that we previously posted, but, you did a nice video and made a lot of excellent points. I would simply offer the advice to others who may be adverse to high end audio, use those components to your advantage, even if it is not feasible for you to purchase. You can go into a high end audio studio, listen to a lot of different music and develop a benchmark for what you want to get within your budget. The point is, that you may not know what you are looking for until you've heard really good equipment. It is true that a 5k system can very closely approach the sound quality of much more expensive gear. I've had friends listen to one of my setups that cost about 8k, then take them to a studio with 60k setup B&W and McIntosh and they think mine is better. To me, I know the 60k system is slightly better, but most people wouldn't. The value for sound quality is definitely in my favor, but I got good deals on used amps and deals on speakers plus I did my homework on pairing amps with speakers. Don't underestimate the importance of room acoustics either. Thomas, you just keep getting better.
Thanks Taz, comments like yours are really helpful for others to understand and I am glad that my youtube channel has gathered so many audiophiles to offer their advices.
Thanks for sharing your audiophile journey. Taking a lot of good pointer... I like musical speakers that's why I keep my tannoy and also have top mount tweeter. Beryllium tweeter and like it a lot can't get enough of those higher end. Who needs natural sounding speaker.... 😂 now I got me tube preamp not the high end baby steps who knows I might like it and invest in a really good one. Thanks you sir... Keep it up.
Have fun with the tube preamp. If you have a decent one, it will add something to your system.
hi! what Tannoy do you have?
@@robbur1730 I have the 638 not in hi end category but very close... Maybe next year I will upgrade to eaton. For now I am tube rolling on my new tube preamp... And damm this is addicting. Happy listening...
IT MAKES MY DAY........KNOWING THAT 👍
Great Video and love your explanation of how you evaluate speakers. Also, you are the first to point out how various tweeters have different sound signatures. I’ve had speakers with metal domes, loved the sparkle but I always found them fatiguing, now I know why. I was wondering how you classify single driver speakers with no crossovers, high sensitivity. I am mostly interested in the Omega brand (affordable) do you know where I can listen to a pair locally (proud to be a Montrealer!)
Thanks! I don't think there is a dealer here in Montreal for Omega. I had the Omega TS2R before, meh. I have the Omega super 8 now, email me if you want to drop by to listen to them during the day. I think they need to be classified in their own category, still thinking about that one. turbotan@gmail.com
Hopefully, "good enough" would be a Speaker within your budget . And still sound "realistic" enough to your ear (really your Brain). So realistic, that your brain would suspend reality eg. the speakers fade into the background ie. the Brain is "fooled" to ignore the Speakers; the Music, NOT the Speakers then become the center of attraction. Good Luck and "good hunting" !
Love your presentation. Was very helpful. I couldn't get my finger around the different types of speakers and what they offered.
Not sure if I missed something but what do the different cone types do?
Maybe doing a categorization on amps would be awesome. I think they make a difference too. Parasound seems to be dark, Rotel bright, Marantz warm, etc.
Thanks, I did not explain the different type of material and what it does. The video will be way too long if I did. Ah, the amp categorization...interesting idea :)
@@ThomasAndStereo Perhaps a different video dedicated to woofers? 😅 Sorry I'm so liberal w/ your type. I appreciate your perspective. If you're able to.
Yeah I think the system combination is important too and I know you share that perspective. It's important not to lose what you gained from your speakers w/ the wrong electronics. Thanks!
Thank you for being truthful.
I'm 61 years old and have loved good sound since I was 17, I grew up reading Stereo Review and Audio magazines. What I enjoyed is each issue gave advice on what to look for in different components. The one piece of advice I followed through the years is to go and listen. Whether it be amplifiers, speakers, source components, listen to all different price ranges. Even though you know some you can't afford, find what it is you like in the sound and get the most of that sound in what you can afford. Thought your advise was good and will help people in finding what they like.
But how would one be able to "go and listen?" Where is a place that lets you listen to different speakers? I live in Jacksonville, FL and the only place I've seen that has speaker demonstrations is Best Buy, however they don't have a good selection to demo, only 2 or 3 speakers. The rest are not hooked up and you can't try before you buy.
This was a very interesting video Thomas and I can say that expensive speakers generally out perform affordable speaker generally. That's my experience anyway. I had a lovely pair of Proac response 3.8 and they had some serious low down grunt even at low volume. Sadly had to sell them and bought a pair of KEF Q55.2, and even though they are a pretty good speaker for £650 they are no match for the Proac's at around £4800. That wee Onix amp looks very nice for the money and clearly both shocked and humbled you. I have a Qinpu A1 OX amp which is built in China and it can give amps three times it's price a thumping. Great video my friend.
Thanks Steve. I always wanted to try Proac.
@@ThomasAndStereo Not sure that you will like them as they are on the more natural sounding side of things. The 3.8's were very bass orientated though down to around 20-30 htz I believe. You must try them, what's 1 extra speaker when you have owned 40 :-D
As for the clothes moving argument I think its worth it but for another reason. If you have a system that is so resolving it can detect a detail like that, then imo it will do a much better job resolving the actual musical detail. So the moving clothes may simply be a metric for how well a system performs in terms of resolving detail.
Honesty is all that matters my friend. Thanks.
You gotta check out Reference 3a DiCapo be 2's..
I love mine.
I too have owned quite a few speakers, including Genesis Vs, Accoustat 3+3s, Reference 3As, Magnepan 3.5s, and for the last 2 years Emerald Physics KCIIs with Clarity cap and Wireworld internal wiring upgrades: MSRP $1999 + 2 upgrades @ $500= $2999. These play big with an incredible soundstage. Thy have a huge WAF, are extremely efficient (94dB) and joyfully play all types of music. Being open baffle, you are not paying for a box that often is the cause of sonic problems, especially in < $10,000 speakers
I never tried open baffle but have been impressed by them at audio show and my friend once had one. I always wanted to try Magnepan after I heard my friends Quad. I am hoping they can deliver close to Quad performance for a reasonable price.
I've always had a thing for the looks of horned and otherwise unusual tweeters but the best sounding ones to me are soft-domed... 🤔
Good video and delivery. There are also factors that you speak to somewhat, but after speakers and system are bought, really diving deep before giving up, and making sure audio system settings are correct, speakers are placed correctly in room (thru trial and error and getting it wrong on purpose to find out what sounds right), and acoustic room treatment, and the sonics of any particular piece of music. Then, after you have tried everything to ability and satisfaction, making a judgment about sound. I have the Andrew JOnes Pioneer 5.1 system and after such trial and error have made them sound pretty overall terrific for the room they are in and the type of listening I do, mostly near field, 6-8ft. away, at avg. 80-90 dbs, jazz and rock so that great recordings sound great and bad recordings sound bad. Sometimes recordings are just muddy, etc. Would more expensive equipment sound better? Probably. But I also could probably not have done better at my price point which came in at under $1k and fills the 20x30' room with so much sound that I can't even turn it up past sony av receiver 40 volume usually. It gets too loud for my ears. Not into super loud music. I also spent $400 on 10 2'x4'x1" acoustic sound tiles to knock out reflection, etc. Now I can hear the speakers and not the room.
Well said and thanks for commenting. For me, the bass trap made a big difference.
Whatever sounds best to you + whatever you can afford = the speaker you should buy.
Anyone claiming one brand over another is just pushing their own personal preference. Sound is too subjective to definitively claim a best overall. The variables of the intended use and room acoustics also come into play and can turn a top 10 list on its head.
I agree so much! After owning at least 10 to 15 speakers when I was younger - I finally found a speaker I loved. I have owned them for almost 40 years! I know there are better speakers out there - BUT they do and sound what I like. I hope I never have to replace them as I don't know what I would buy! There are so many good ones out there!
Hi Thomas, if you were to create a Christmas-hamper of 6 budget speakers to show off the widest range of different sound presentations on the market, then which speakers would you include?
And what categories of presentations/sounds are most important to cover?
I’m looking to buy such a ‘hamper’ so that I can learn what I like best. And I don’t mind buying discontinued/2nd hand.
Are the following a good starting point?
1. Horn/V-shaped (Klipsch RP-400M?)
2. Open baffle (LRS or MMG?)
3. Neutral/laid-back (Uni-Fi UB52?)
4. Warm/rich (Wharfedale Denton 85th or Diamond 11.2?)
5. Cool/Bright (B&W, Focal?)
6. Detailed (LS50?)
It is so great to have this video to everyone!! you can do A/B speakers comparison so your comment is very important to anyone who interested in music!! I believe the ELAC behind you possibly the best speakers in your room :) because I own one of them
Those speaker bass go really low and it can shake my house. Will need to do a video on it one day.
Hi Thomas ! Haven't heard of you a while long. How are you doing. I'm currently living in JP and lately listened some speakers AB test in a shop. When I was listening different speakers, it remained me of your thoughts of apple and orange theory. That's a very brilliant thinking because I feel how you feel. Speakers are not able to compare to each other but you pick the ones you love by ears. That's end of my story. Today I mainly tried Tannoy xt, Mission Lx, Dali spektor played by the same amplifier. They are totally different fruits that remain me of what you said.
You pick what you want to eat, nothing good or bad. Tannoy vocal is very laid back, British sound but Hugh soundstage doesn't impressive me because elac for me is better 😅
I'm looking for a movie and bass music speaker, narrowed to dali and mission. Missions has more bass and dali clarity is better. Those are apple, orange, and banana. Dali is best budget speaker made in Denmark.
Listen closely to your video, budget elac definitely airy taste but still not as smooth as dynaudio. If elac tweeter is with dynaudio woofers in same case, I'm pretty sure it's the best beast in 21century 🤗
Look forward your new reviews
Sorry for the late reply. I read this comment a while ago but never got a chance to reply. I REALLY appreciate you taking the time to let me know and really nice to read a long comment like this.
wow those Elacs look amazing!
I am struggling with this issue myself. I can not decide which speaker to buy. I did a demo of Sonus Faber Sonetto III, KEF R7 , Dali opticon 6 and Dynaudio evoke 30. They are in fairly similar price points but they sound totally different. I have learned that a pair of speakers can not do everything. You have to make a choice and sacrifice somewhere. Does anyone have a preference to my suggestions? I use Musical Fidelity amp and Rega Apollo CD player. Thomas is right, deciding can be a problem.
Great video. I’m sure you saved a lot of newbies some time and heartache. Just wondering also what your thoughts are on Canton speakers in general. They don’t seem to get much attention but I hear good things about them. In particular what are your thoughts on the Anniversary A45 & A55 and Vento series and their differences?
I never heard those but Canton seems to sound like Focal and B&W speakers.
Pick what you love and love what you picked. If you can''t be with the one you love, love the one you're with. I guess it works for speakers too lol.
Ahh! ... many comments were wiped out in the transition process!
Mine was far too long to repeat Thomas :-)
..in essence, I brought up the synergy between speakers and the amplifiers that drive them.
If the 'marriage' is no good, the speaker under test will never sound good.
That was the summation of what I wrote in a much lengthier answer.
Keep up the good work!
Yes, I read all the comments and that topic alone is a whole video. The thing with synergy is that there is no real formula for it. I can say Audio research matches well with bel Canto for example but there are like millions of possible combination out there which makes it a difficult topic.
@@ThomasAndStereo LOL!.. yes indeed! There's no formula of what works with what, that's why I described it as 'a can of worms' for the aspiring audiophile.
Best advice to a purchaser is to listen to a combination of amp and speakers as a 'matching pair' rather than just a speaker.
...or else, take one's amplifier to the shop and then see/hear what speakers sound good with that.
Listening to speakers at dealerships with any amplifier is really not giving a true and accurate picture of the speakers capabilities.
Thomas you hit this one out of the park. There is no best speaker because there are too many variables. I have been through a fair share of speakers as well and I can tell you it is taste and acoustic dependent. You might hear a speaker that sounds great at the dealers showroom, for me it was the Kef ls50, but sound horrible in your room, paired with your components. System synergy is extremely important. This is why you can’t put a price on it.
We all have different ears as well. I believe in listening to stuff in your budget, then listening beyond your budget so that you can judge, what you would miss or live without. I did this with my latest speaker and I’m quite happy with my choice. Happier than I have been in a long time. Thomas review the speakers you don’t like because someone might find what they are looking for by looking at your dislikes, which might be great for someone else. You are right Thomas, exposure to different stuff is everything, you just can’t beat experience and listening. In the states a company named Radio Shack, use to sell super theaters, I still have a pair around some place, they were great with some speakers and horrible with others.
Another well thought out comment Sid. It;s too bad you don't live close by, I am pretty sure you will be impressed with the KEF LS50 at my place. My only worry is if I talked about stuff I don't like, people might not be able to see past my opinion and be negatively influenced by it. It would be nice if people are ok with me just introducing products and evaluate it objectively. Sadly, my channel is built based on my journey as opposed to a review channel. The stage is already set. So the second I don't mention I like it, people will be asking why in the comments.
Thomas & Stereo Well said Thomas and you are right. I’m just the kind of person, just like you that I have to know for myself. Experience is the one thing in life that can never be taken from you.
Fantastic video. Thanks a lot!
Now I’m intrigued by the Onix A55 amp you referenced. Any chance you can do a review of that amp? Thanks again.
I also had the Onix A125 which I spoke about in the Elac video. It's too bad the company no longer exist so you can't buy it. I probably will mention that amp in a future video as my friend is comparing it seriously against his mcintosh setup.
@@ThomasAndStereo "It's too bad the company no longer exist"
What do you mean? Onix are back in business since they won the case against the company which illegally used the brand "Onix" until 2014 (perhaps you're referring to this lot?).
Would like to hear your opinion on Definitive Technology d9.
I've tried a lot of different speakers and I like kefs the most
Hi Thomas great channel and I'm enjoying how you analyse speakers. I used to own a horn speaker ie. Triangle Quartet. I like everything about it in terms of speed, bass and lifely sound with very good resolution for about USD$4000, however I feel that the top end gets too sharp to my ears despite pairing with a Hybrid Amp (BFA Tulip). Eventually I sold the speaker and after few years of hiatus I'm back into home audio as a hobby again. What would you recommend if I'm looking for this type of sound character but do not wish to have too sharp top end?
Well focal and KEF but careful equipment matching is the key. I had both of them and I got pretty good at it.
Hello Thomas! I'mm thinking of trying Burchardt S400 against Elac Adante AS-61 and the new Kef R3. Any advise will be much appreciated!
You are looking at 3 different type of speakers. KEF - harddome, Elac, softdome, S400 with waveguide. I would pay attention to how they produce the top end especially the S400. The S400 is really different than the other 2 and I find the S400 really shines when you sit back and push the volume (you need the space)and let the soundstage impress you. Kef would be all about the details and probably will have the weakess bass.
Great job.
Hi Thomas, 1.) how do you define sweet and warm sounding? How would they different to you? 2.) Also have you come across with paring buzz? Meaning when I pair power amp with a different brand pre amp, when I turn them on they can bring few scary buzz(or noise) to the speaker, without any sound playing. That is really scary. I am not sure if pairing the same brand will avoid such issues. 3.) Lastly can a solid state power amp or preamp sounds sweet? I don't feel you have cover system that sound sweet (other than tubes, yeah of course, they can sound sweet... but what if I don't want to deal with tubes...)
Here, here, Thomas.. Giving the sonus Faber cremonas a spin at the moment, the ob1s, are under the stairs, , iam tempted to start hoarding,, love it all,
cheap and expensive,.. ..
Regards Antony
Regards Antony
Yep, indeed one needs to spend time on the equipment. Even after 5 years, sometimes i still find myself exploring various combinations (from listening modes to speaker placement) and sometimes it works, even for awhile. But i enjoyed this journey of discovery. Question, how important do you rate room correction/equalizer and room treatment (absorption/diffusion) ?
Well, recently I made a video on the Quad 989, pioneer s3ex and a highend DIY speaker. The room was treated and it's really an eye opener. I just bought a bunch of absorption and diffusion panels, ready to treat my room. For room correction, I don't have a lot of experience. However, I made a video on the Lyngdorf 3400 and my friend told me it makes a big difference.
Excellent vid I enjoy the talking very much. A question you tried ATC active speakers? especially the SCM40 or 50 with the very famous mid?
Thanks, no , I never tried ATC. I did a video on a DIY speaker that my friend used the ATC driver for mid range, really really nice.
Thank you, for imparting your knowledge on us. Personally, I was beginning to allow other people's opinions direct me towards one way or another. I became obsessed with finding a sound that was as close to the source as possible. Though, I can't honestly tell anyone how the artist attended their music to sound. I over thought it, spent too much time and money searching for accuracy. You helped to simplify my journey. I will simply find an affordable set-up that gives me joy. It should be about what is coming out of the speakers . Good job!
Thanks for the kind words. In my Schitt Loki video, I did touch on this again.
Hi Thomas, Love your videos. Need your advice though on a best speaker match for the Rega Brio R (not enough research content in the web to help me out). I'm more of a neutral guy, and while I love my speakers to have a little bit of base, neutrality is still king. TIA
Check out my video on what is the best speaker? I have never heard the Rega so I don't know what kind of sound it has. If it is dark, then speakers like KEF and focal are good match for example.
I think it's totally fine to sway us one way or another based on your true feelings, perspective, experience and biases. I don't think you should over analyze what your audience thinks because you will never make them all happy no matter how your approach is or how you review your equipment. I enjoy a truthfully down and dirty honest review. Straight forward with no fluff or politically correct stuff. I think your viewers would appreciate that. This is why Paul from PS Audio is so successful with his presentation. I like and enjoy your style. Just my two cents worth buddy...😊
Thanks buddy. Appreciate the feedback. Yeah, fortunately I have nothing to sell so i can keep it real.
THANK YOU VERRY HONEST
Great informative video covering some basics for newbies like me! Wondering if you could point me in the right direction, I prefer the sound of bright clinical sounding speakers (metal tweeters?). Could you advise what brands I should be looking at for a clean, bright and clinical sound? Thanks.
Thanks. Look at Focal, KEF, Monitor Audio, Klipsch to start of with.
Thomas & Stereo Thanks. Also like how responsive you are to your viewers.
Yes review more speakers!
I wish for deep rich articulated base that goes low enough, a sweet and detailed midrange , good integration between mid bass and mid range, and finally aa detailed but unharsh tweeter with a clear and non syballint treble
you can't afford it
Thanks for sharing this, Thomas. I've been watching your videos recently and I really enjoy your thoughtful reviews. As a self-admitted neophyte and someone who is just starting to assemble a serious hi-fi system, I think one of the things that gets overlooked in these discussions of speakers and amplifiers and various other circuit components is the actual source of the music, i.e. where the music is coming from. With the exception of a few audio CDs, most of my music is downloaded from iTunes. I suspect that might be the case for a lot of people starting out. For people like us, is there any real prospect of getting audiophile grade sound out of our source material? Are you familiar with (or have any experience of) affordable circuit components/amplifiers/DACs that will hook up specifically to an iPhone/iPod and enrich the native output to the point where it can create can engaging 3-dimensional listening experience?
Thanks for commenting. I think sometimes we don't really have a choice. If our source is itunes, then so be it. What I noticed with highly compressed format, bass is always a bit thin. I don't know the quality of itunes. Sure, higher end dacs do sound richer and more analog but if budget does not permit, instead of working on the DAC, I would tune my system to be warm sounding. In that way, if my source is 'thin' sounding, it will balance out. I actually spend a lot of time now listening to youtube music and it works fine as long as I know how to tune my system.
Thanks, Thomas! Yes, I’ve found that when I run my iTunes music through the USB port on my Marantz CD6006 player, it definitely sounds more warm and engaging.
What a great way to understanding speaker's, thank you. On Polk website they have Lism 703 bookshelf speaker's at 50% off , I have 19' x 11' room I will be using a pair of RSL 10" subs. What's your opinion on the 703?
Oh, this is something I am actually actively promoting on my community page. Look for my 2 post on my community page.
25:00 "Choosing a speaker is a compromise." Well stated. "It's hard to find a speaker that has everything amazing."
Thomas I just heard the Klipsch Cornwall and they were awesome. Please demo them and give your take on them
That is a horn design right? You like horn speakers?
If you listen to live jazz in a bar or open spaces sitting close to the musicians, your understanding of live versus recorded music will have clarity. Then go out and decide which speaker can recreate the live feeling . Do not have a closed mind . Also your room is 98% . Once you have the right room in terms of the harmonics and reflection of the midrange and tweeter domes , you are far closer to nirvana than just spending money and upgrading . As beauty is to the eye of the beholder it's your ear that will judge not someone else.
Very well said
Thomas, Please do a video on which USB laptop output digital to analog converter you think is best. It just seems with today's technology, storing and streaming music on my laptop makes sense - But, the laptop headphone jack output is lacking. Thanks
I never tried the Audioquest dragonfly but heard good things about it. Have you look into that? One day I will make a video on dacs, just need to find time.
Really interesting video. As a musician (Bass player) who writes and records...ive often wondered what exactly are "audiophiles" looking for ( hearing for?) You see I record using 18" speakers in one cab and 4x10 in the other..bi amped. I have never seen a home setup using big speakers..and there is a big difference between 18, 15 and 10" speakers especially to my tone..We also tend to mix using flat response reference speakers. So nothing gets unnaturally bass heavy. So if you actually want to hear what I hear as a composer then a pair of Yamaha HS7 powered speakers will do.... This sounds a bit provocative but isn't meant to be..I am genuinely interested in what you are hoping to hear or find...or is it just the fun of collecting gear....now that I can understand with my ever growing bass collection...lol
The only thing I look for is it pleasing to my ears. I don't look to reproduce anything. I don't care about neutrality. Just when I play music, does it move me, does it make me happy. You have to understand I am not a musician so I don't have a point of reference like all musicians. Thanks for commenting.