A message that some of you may find useful: I'm aware of the echo in the room. I'm also aware of the sub-par audio. So why in the hell don't I fix it? The answer is easy: I'm a volunteer. This means that I earn absolutely nothing from my videos. This is a conscious decision that was designed to keep my videos as pure and as free from outside influence as possible. The compromise is that because I take away nothing from my work, I invest next to nothing into it. That includes room treatments, better lighting, camera gear, microphones, etc. This is a classic "you get what you pay for" scenario. Next, you should also know that ALL of my videos are 100% unscripted. When it comes time to film a video, I flip on the camera and begin speaking. What I get is what I get. I do this as a challenge to myself - to see if I can riff coherently about a product without rehearsal. The obvious compromise is that sometimes I will stumble over my words, or use the wrong words, or completely miss out on a thought that I was hoping to express but lost in the moment. Still, this approach keeps things raw and honest, so it's a compromise that I'm willing to take. Thanks for your attention. Hopefully this better explains why my videos are so... "Zero Fidelity". ;)
First, I enjoy your videos. They're informative and understandable. If you want to reduce the echo, you could get away with a low cost temporary solution. You can purchase a package of these and use a spray on water color to spruce the look. It's a poor man's anechoic chamber. Paint each flat with a bright color and it appears like the older JBL speakers with their bright blue or orange grills. shop.grangecoop.com/products/miller-manufacturing-eggflat30-egg-flats-30-count-package-of-12-94552.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwvqbaBRCOARIsAD9s1XCFKGF9DxhuM9fZZprr3Ek0YQbUKKBgnc-OM54fdAOBmREwiodIXNYaAoyWEALw_wcB
Who's been overly critical? I. Like these opinion and honest reviews. Some people would would complain about having to go to the lottery office to pickup.a jumbo cheque.
Hello I don’t speak English well, I am from Russia. Your videos are very good, I see their constantly. Don’t listen nobody, you are doing perfect job. Good luck. Aleksandr from Sankt Petersburg
The original Polk SDA’s are still my all time favorite speaker . The top end and mid range is just as you described and the bass was super fast clear and with no carry over to the next note . In all fairness , i haven’t heard the NEW SDA speakers so,,,, ?
The late great J. Gordon Holt always said "get the midrange right." All of these speakers do that. As you pay more, you get more bass extension, dynamics, and refinement.
@@musicman8270 Agreed. But the Female Voice is even more telling, when "auditioning" Speakers. It's in our DNA to focus on a Nurturing Female voice (Mom !) … call It a "survival instinct" if you must.
the Pioneer BS 21s and the Polk Audio T50s bow in comparison to my 21-year old Altec Lansing ACS48 computer speakers , I still have visitors to this day that are amazed at the sound of the ACS48s - and for 99 bucks (in '98) what a steal as I have used them DAILY over that time frame. I do love your channel though - I just discovered it , as I'm in my seventies now and I don't PC much. I do wish you could have been around in the 60s and 70s during the golden age of hi-fi as your commentary on that equipment would have been most appreciated.
I was very lucky enough in the late 90s to be able to work myself and bye I believe the last pair of Bang & Olufsen Penta speakers from a manufacturer of Bang & Olufsen. I'm now disabled I wouldn't even think about buying these speakers today I am glad I have them as a sound as good today as they did 20 years ago and they are built in 1989 so I still sound as good as they were in 89 today. Likely my best purchase. And I have it matched with 6500 CD and tuner. Which were a fraction of the cost of those speakers. Up where is around 6 k. What the hell was I thinking oh that's right. I was making tons of money. Running a home repair business myself. God forbid if these things go down on me..
For use with your computer or small home studio I can highly recommend the Tannoy Reveal 601a powered monitor speakers. They have a built-in amplifier for direct connection to your computer and sound very neutral and clean. They are designed for home-studio use as near-field monitor speakers. They sound surprisingly good for the average selling price and in my opinion a lot more neutral and with a better range than some competing products like the Yamaha NS10 or KrK Rokit RP 6 speakers.
I enjoy the focus on good value you bring to your reviews. It lends them credibility. While it seems obvious, the only other reviewer who I know of to focus on good value is Nemo. Anyway, thank you!
So funny story, I was outside playing around with my truck and I saw one of my neighbors(live in a condo community) taking out a pair of speakers to the trash....so I went over there and asked why, he said he didn't like them...turns out they were the Polk T50s so I. asked let me take them...so 4 years later I still have them for my frontt tower speakers to my home theater system!
theorist, I ABSOLUTELY agree! I’ve had my Double Impacts for about ten months. I sincerely doubt I will EVER replace these Tekton speakers that now grace my HiFi system!
Great, comprehensive presentation, and explanation of these four ranges of loud speakers. It seems that the Polk T50s are a very good choice for the budget music listener who wants lower frequencies from their preferred music, and their amplifier requires more a pair of speakers that can handle plenty of power! I suppose from 50 Watts, and above.
Modern 'Quad Electrostatic's'...2912's for me any day...mind you not cheap but the best rarely are...listen to a pair with your fave music and use a powerful amp/s & you will never want a pair of 'box' loudspeakers ever again....a different class to these average speakers here...respect
You are technically correct. I suppose one could get *really* pedantic by questioning whether a truly sealed speaker actually exists - as almost every dynamic driver leaks a decent amount of air.
Acoustic suspension or sealed? Heh. Again, you're not wrong. One of the consequences of shooting videos without a script is that it's easy to misspeak or worse, say something that's incorrect. I genuinely appreciate your taking the time to point out the error in this video. It'll help to keep me a little more on the A-game for future vids. Happy listening!
It would be wrong for people to think of a passive radiator design as sealed/acoustic suspension design. I did laugh to myself when you said tenured and twenty years. Since for me I think I started getting Stereo Review magazine in 1977.
Cheers!! I agree, for the money you're getting a lot of value for these PSB speakers. I have a pair of Image 5T's that I'm dying to replace with these when i get the money together. IMHO, i think Klipsch speakers are way too bright, Paradigm and Monitor Audio are also good considerations when it comes to their mid-level speakers. My 2 cents worth.
Hmmmm. Reviewing a 2011 discontinued speaker. What’s the purpose if one can’t buy it? If we move into the used market or eBay, everything changes. However the Polk T50’s are super amazing. I have owned multiple high end B&W and Magnepans and bought a pair of T50’s for my junk basement system... damn!!! They are great speakers.
I'm buying the AD Infinitum X Zanadu Supreme Signatures, similar to the famous Xerxes B905s with enhance bass ports. BTW: These are NOT the MkIIa version raved about by Fox News Weather Channel in 2001. These are upgraded. They have the latest upgraded carbon free zinc platinum platforms with silver sonic spikes and polished pro linoleum tops [I will be using them in the pool]. Best speakers under $45k, according to the Late J. Gordon Holt.
Great videos. Always makes me want to go out and try and buy! But here is my question, and maybe a subject for a video you or others could do (or have done?). I use a pair of Mission 732 tower speakers with a large Mirage sub. I always loved the sound of the Missions, and indeed they got good reviews. But though nothing seems broken I am wondering how they really compare to modern speakers. I mean, these are easily 20 years old. "In my mind" they don't seem as good as I remember them being, but rooms and amps have changed, and I am mostly streaming (hifi flac from Deezer mind you) instead of playing CDs. So I see your videos, and hear people talking about how speaker technology has evolved so much. How would they compare to the Polks in this review for example, or maybe the Elacs. Do you think I am missing a lot? If not, what would I need to spend to get that same sound I have loved for years with the Missions?
I'd love to see you review the Def Tech SM 65's? I have them and love them but would still love to see a review of them. The other one that would be awesome, just awesome would by the PSA MT-110's?
Zero Fidelity Yeah, I've also always found more value out of the used market and I assume you and many others could relate. But to say top 10 speakers, or top 5.. I think it's just not right. After a while you realize it's not all about better or worse, but just different. And that's part of the hobby, finding what kind of sound you like, and experimenting. There's really no one speaker that does all perfectly. Everything has it's pros and cons.
As I used to unceremoniously say: "It all sounds fake. It's just a matter of picking the flavor of fake that you prefer." That said, I agree with the bulk of your sentiments. I cut my teeth on the used market. It's a shame the used market isn't what it used to be - especially back when Audiogon was bustling with ads. As for this video: hopefully people notice that I left the usual "Top 5" mantra out of it. This isn't about the 'best' so much as it is about celebrating specific products that are easy to set up and easy to enjoy - even if you ultimately end up preferring something else.
Mr. Zero, have you or anyone you know listened to the Tektons with the optional Beryllium tweeter(s)? They're quite expensive, but are they worth it? I've never heard of anyone comparing the difference. Obviously the cost would indicate they are superior, but just how much, and how does the sound differ?
Love your reviews. I need your advise. I am looking to 5.1 system for my living room. I am trying to find floor standing speakers - most good ones like Elac has ports in the back - will that make a difference when placed closed to the wall or would I be better off finding speakers with port in thr front? Also looking to find something in white color. Thanks
🆘😷🦠✊🏿 “WHITE” SPEAKERS ? It is quite obvious that you are a SONIC RACIST !! I will commence with the LibTard cancel culture game plan.... Go Hillary! BLM “BLACKS LOVE MARXISM “ Just Kidding.... FOR NOW...😉 🇺🇸 PLEASE VOTE FOR DONALD J. TRUMP IN NOVEMBER 2020 ! Do NOT let the DemonCrats take more control...
"... has a charm ... the top end on this speaker's just a little bit smoother around the edges ...the 22 is technically clearer and more dynamic ..." Well, I guess this is just the sort of quantitatively reproducible and verifiable findings that we need more of. Sorry for being sarcastic. I do want to point out something about that big Tekton speaker. Putting a bunch of tweeters into a cluster like that has three primary effects. One, the acoustic radiation pattern becomes increasingly directional with increasing frequency. The goal is increase directivity at the low end of the tweeter range so that it will match the directivity of the upper end of the midrange range. But with this approach, directivity continues to increase with increasing frequency, which is sort of the opposite of what a waveguide does, i.e., a waveguide increases directivity at the low end of the tweeter's range but has minimal effect on the tweeter's directivity at very high frequency, where the tweeter is naturally more directional than is probably desirable anyway. Two, as soon as you are off-axis far enough for the distances from you to the different tweeters to differ by more than 1/4 wavelength, you start getting comb filtering effect, i.e., a whole bunch of suck-outs. Just looking at the speaker and guessing at the relative distances, this is probably going to start happening at the low end of the tweeter range, where wavelength will be about 1/2 foot, when you're about 45 degrees off-axis. For higher frequencies it will happen when you're just slightly off axis. Of course it is possible that you won't hear it. The third effect is that those two ridiculously large midrange drivers are pushed very far apart by the big array of tweeters. By the way, if those two drivers weren't so ridiculously large, the need for tweeter directivity control wouldn't be nearly as great, because the midrange drivers would not be nearly as directional as these big drivers no doubt are. Thus, they went to extreme and bizarre measures to overcome a problem that was largely of their own making. Because those two drivers are pushed so far apart, wave cancellation between the output of these two drivers will be severe in the vertical plane, at modest off-axis angles. In fact, Stereophile measured this speaker, and these problems are all plainly apparent in the 3-D plots. So even if you sit directly in front of the speaker and far enough away for all the individual wavefronts to converge into a single wavefront, the reflections from the side walls are going to be severely treble-shy, and the reflections from the ceiling and floor, especially the ceiling, are going to be trash. You'd have to go to great lengths to get it to sound smooth at the sweet spot, all for the ostensible advantage of solving the problem with the off-axis response, which it doesn't solve very well, and which is mainly a problem in the first place because those two midrange drivers are about twice as big as they should be. More often than not, designs that are highly unusual are designs that are driven by erroneous assumptions and other fundamentally bad decisions that compound one another. I just cannot find any way that the design approach taken with this speaker makes fundamental sense. But this Zero Fidelity guy obviously likes it, which suggests to me that his hearing is not sensitive to the stuff I've described. Maybe it isn't that audible. But if it isn't, an awful lot of what mainstream loudspeaker manufacturers strive to accomplish is a waste of time and expense.
Rule of thumb: better to go with a higher quality 2 way (and later add a sub) than go for a mediocre 3 way tower with a lot of compromises. A decade or so back, NHT super zeros with a sub were really glorious for the money, without the cheap speaker midbass flab.
Scott - I had a few NHT's in the past. Good stuff! I also think you bring up a valid perspective that every audiophile/audiophile to-be should consider. After all, there's something to be said for going the quality over quantity route - especially when a good two-way is thrown into the mix. That all being said, people like big sound. Especially in North America. Many people are happy to give up the benefits of a smaller two-way speaker if it means enjoying something that doles out a big rock n' roll presentation. The beauty of this hobby is that there is no definitive right or wrong way to go about it. I'm a quality over quantity guy - but objectively speaking - the numbers don't lie. Floorstanding loudspeakers outsell their bookshelf counterparts by orders of magnitude. Or at least, that's how it is in the US.
I have always had a hard-on for the Polk Audio RTi A12. They were going for $700 dollars a pair at one time? Do you think I would have been better off spending it on something else if I did decide to get them?
Alex Hristov, I’ve owned a pair of Tekton Double Impact speakers for about 10 months. They were purchased largely based on Sean’s first review (thanks, Sean!) and the literally thousands of comments on the Audiogon (Tekton Double Impact) forum page. They are relatively unfussy as to where to place them in a decent sized listening space...the bigger the better with these bad boys! Their large cabinets are a tad lively and the fact the massive ports are rear facing, the Double Impacts, like most good speakers, DO require a reasonable amount of space around them, say 2’ minimum from the front wall and 3’ minimum from sidewalls. Because they image so well and off axis SQ is quite excellent, maybe a couple degrees of toe in if not straight on. The Double Impacts are 4 ohm but extremely efficient, so ANY amp will drive them to insanely high SPL levels. I even tried my DIY 8 watt Pass Amp Camp Amp with great success even though the Pass ACA is NOT designed for 4 ohm loads. After nearly 40 years of HiFi listening and the constant search for the ideal speaker, I doubt I will EVER want to replace my Tekton speakers. Cheers.
SVS Ultra Towers $2,000 a pair are easily a tie with, or, even edges out the TEK's in over all 3D sound. If the 3D sonic superiority doesn't change your opinion? SVS Ultra's bass response will. The SVS Ultra Towers truly are a speaker that DOES NOT need a sub-woofer to fill in the Lo hz gaps. Ask any "Audiophile" or any Hi-Fi enthusiast aka (You or Me) to sit down to do a TEK vs SVS Ultra... Eyes wide open & jaw to the floor, you will side with the SVS Ultra Towers. Now, if, you're a Home Theater buff as I am? You'll be asking about the .LFE .1 channel pre-out. AVR bass management can send that info to the L-R mains (SVS Towers) & you'll be set to shake the house. But, as you know, SVS is the "best" sub-woofer Co. bar none, so you can easily throw in their $400 entry level sub for the .LFE .1 channel to soothe your soul. If you get the chance? SVS has the FREE tryout period....you should audition them. If I currently had the budget, I'd have that entire SVS line for a new ATMOS system. Only 1 speaker line may sway me away & that's the JBL Studio line like this... Pair of JBL 590 for L-R Mains 4 JBL 530's for surrounds 1 JBL 520 for Center 2 BIC F12 powered subs 450 watts Only because these DO create that "spooky" IT factor when powered up. These JBL studio's create the famous JBL wall of sound in your home! That's right. The magical cloud that envelopes you with that... "How'd JBL do that"...type of surround sound that we hear only in calibrated commercial cinemas. Anyway, there's my top 2. Thanks for the videos you post. I subscribe for a reason & that's for the no B.S. fashion you deliver. ~ peace
Hi ZF, i’ve got the Elac debut 60’s a couple of years ago and I just wondering if it’s not a problen to connect them to a parasound halo A21 amplifier..please help me to know about
I may be a little bias, but the SVS Ultra Bookshelves for $1000 are pretty good. Spend $700 on their center and you have some wiggle room for surround if you like.
Tekton is changing the game when it comes to high end speakers. Expensive, maybe, but you'll have a set of speakers to love and last a lifetime. And given shipping is included in the price is no small thing. Speakers are a bitch to ship. I do believe each speaker is around 100 pounds in this example.
I just canceled my comment to you about the echo in your room when your message about the echo in your room popped up. Very clever of you to have an automatic response to what is probably the same ole comment about your room echo. I've watched many if not most of your videos despite the echo and will continue to do so despite my petty annoyance. I like spontaneity, so keep on keeping on. And thanks for doing what you're doing. Now,.....about the insanity of my Altec A7 VOTT'S and my hearing loss and tinnitus,.......(ex rock drummer for too long)
Great guy u are :) I a world of not so good humans. By the way, have you tried the Dynaudio xeo 10 , need some great sounding music until i saved up for the Buchardt s400 :) Balanced speaker for a wide range of music . Big thanks from Sweden// Daniel
I am hoping to buy some really good speakers after a gap of 25 years....have been completely out of touch....was suggested b&w 603....how do those compare to Teckton double impact.
I'm trying to find a great pair of bookshelves for my Sonos amp. I listen to many many different genres of music so it's really hard to define. I love everything from Nas to Sinatra to Vivaldi to Phish to Coldplay to Pantera to...jeez ilove it all!!! I'm so confused! Please help! 500 bucks ish
You never discuss size, finish, proven quality of sound, etc. Except for the last speaker which I'm not familiar with, the others are Walmart brands that are so common that you can buy all of them on EBAY for not so much. If you are going north of $1500, then you should have chosen speakers that truly meet the challenge of rarefied air. There are solid high end brands available in the USA that are well supported by manufacturers that have been and will be here in the future. I don't much care for recommendations of any speaker if you are speaking to a newbie. If the person on the receiving end has experience, then discuss why one speaker is really a standout over fifteen others.
Hello Harald. The Fritz Morel 6 is a great loudspeaker and I nearly included it in this video as an 'honorable mention'. So why wasn't it featured? Because as affable as the Morel 6 is, I feel like it's distinctly warm character can be polarizing. Especially in a bracket that's jam packed with other excellent products. Don't get me wrong though, I consider the Morel 6 to represent an excellent value and frequently recommend it to other music lovers.
Hi, I've always enjoyed your reviews, even if you think you did it poorly. Thank you for doing what you do. I've buying the speakers that you recommend here. But, I would like to consult you on several hi-fi questions, like best wattage for amp to specific kinds of speakers, as in what's the general rule of thumb. It would be great if I could professionally engage you. Let me know if we could skype.
Hey Barney. Thanks for watching, The relationship between a speaker and an amplifier can get rather complex. There's no way to thoroughly address this subject in a timely fashion. The reason? There's a lot of stuff that goes into it. On the speaker side of things, you have efficiency, impedance, etc.. And on the amplifier side, you have output power, feedback, transformer size and type, circuit topology, and cap bank. There's a lot of variables to consider. What I will say is this: A lot of people focus on efficiency ratings in relation to an amplifiers output power, and while that's important, what's equally as important is a speakers impedance load. There are many speakers that are rated at 8 ohms, but will dip all the way down to 4 at certain frequencies. The lower the impedance drop, the more the amp will have to work, so to speak. Still, here are some basic guidelines worth following: If you have a speaker thats 95db efficient, and dips to maybe 6 ohms, then you should be fine with anything from 16 wpc (into 8 ohms) or higher. If the speaker dips down to 4 ohms or lower, than the 16wpc amp will need a robust power supply. This is a theme that'll play throughout this post. Another theme that you'll notice is that a lot of these power requirements hinge on the kinda power / dynamic headroom that you're hoping to achieve. Now, if you use Speakers in the 90 - 92 db range that only dip down to around 6 ohms, then they should do alright with 20wpc (into 8 ohms) or greater. Same rules apply in terms of dynamics and headroom. Speakers in the 87-89db range, which is where most reside, tend to do well with a solid 50-100 wpc. Again, this all depends on the speakers impedance load and your thirst for volume and dynamic range.
Hi... thank you so much for your time. It's really wonderful to speak to someone as passionate and audio-smart as you. I've a PhD in psychology, but many of the things that you said is outside of my knowledge. May I send you a list of things I wanna buy (amps & speakers) via email and then you guide me through it. I'll be very happy to pay for your time. Also there is a lot of hype around speaker and audio cables, and they are exorbitant in pricing! What's the intelligent approach. Again, please allow me to consult you via email or skype.
Hey Barney. Sure thing. Send me an e-mail with a list and i''ll be happy to help provide some guidance. First - check out this video that I JUST uploaded, as it will make helping you a *whole* lot easier. ruclips.net/video/Q3FFOjZ8XjA/видео.html
Hi, sorry to omit this, I've sent an email to myzerofidelity@gmail.com Hope ... if you have time reply. I'm definitely buying the ELAC Debut F6. Previously I wanted to buy Uni-fi UF5... what do you think. And... I'm thinking of pairing it with a NAD 375BEE. If you are laughing, pls educate me. What would your recommendations be for the Debut F6? Again, I would gladly pay you for an email or skype consult.
Love the questions you ask. Ok, I'll work on it and get back to you. BTW, many people review hifi stuff trying to impress people with their knowledge, and take on the stance "you don't know a lot of stuff" and they keep talking in jargons trying to impress others that they know a lot. BUT THEY FAIL TO GET TO THE POINT that makes a difference for the audience. Thank you for doing what you do, yes, you get to the "point." It's great that you provide the SPECS and let people read on their own and not bore people with it. BUT, if there are some details that would benefit the unsavvy audience, and you spell it out for them in idiot-proof language, then you are a genius!
FrakU2, short of not auditioning and taking a leap of faith buying them unheard, read the literally thousands of comments on atheism Audiogon Tekton Double Impact forum pages. The DI’s are not for everyone because their size DOES require a decent sized listening space. I’ve had mine for about 10 months. After nearly 40 years of searching for the near perfect HiFi stereo speaker, I very much doubt I will EVER replace the Tektons currently gracing my HiFi system.
@@motorradmike I have 34m2 room with kitchen (left) / living room (right). Do you think this space is enough for Tekton DI? Furthermore, I mainly listen on a lower volume, so I need speakers that can play great even on low volume. I’m from EU country and haven’t found a place where to listen to them upfront. I’m thinking about taking a gamble and ordering a piece (if they ship to Europe) togerher with NAD M10 v2 or Cambridge Audio EVO 150 integrated amplifier/streamer. I’m just a bit afraid of divisive reviews as it seems it’s just love or hate opinions - nothing in between. I just don’t wanna spend 3K+ ordering oversea and get stuck with something I won’t like. But there seems to be no other way to find out than to buy them. The speaker drivers look pretty cheap and the whole thing does not look amazing either, but I think I can live with it if it sounds as many claim. Any opinion appreciated.
@@marekgrundelIt would seem to me your listening space is plenty large for the Tekton DI’s. That said, you will want to have a minimum of 2.5 ~ 3m from the speakers to your normal listen position as they do not serve well in near field listening. My listening room is about 44m2. These could overpower your room at live concert levels. Yes, the drivers are inexpensive paper coned drivers for the mid and lower bass, silk domed tweeter and midrange drivers. Yes, the DI’s are not at all much to look at as they have the appearance of well done DIY’s. I’ve found very efficient speakers, like the Double Impacts do very well at low listening levels because dynamic swings in music do not require large power input to effect a realistic sense of satisfying music reproduction. These only need about 20 watts to be driven to their potential. The amp I’m currently using is a McIntosh MC275 Mk V, which is overkill. Preamp is a Mac C2200. My limited “streaming” is through an iPhone with an Apple Music lossless subscription through a Schiit Audio Modi Multibit V2. Truthfully there are so many very nice highly efficient speakers available to in the EU (Triangle comes to mind) that I don’t know if I’d recommend the extremely large and heavy DI’s shipped halfway across the planet because of the cost of doing so. A better Tekton option for you that I would highly recommend based on my own experience with them, might be the Lores due to their more modest size for your listening space and far less shipping and VAT costs. Best of luck to you, sir. Reach out to me anytime, Marek!
Hey Tito. If you enjoy a forward, clean, punchy presentation - then go for the UF5's. If you prefer a more relaxed (by comparison), warm presentation, - then go for the F6's.
I'll stick with my JBL ES80s. I bought them new on sale from JBL for $250 for the pair 3 years ago and they sound fine to me. The big difference came when I added a power amp to optimize their output.
I hear you Mick. To be fair, I accidentally used the word to describe two completely separate things. Tis' the consequence of being a jackass / going at this without a script. So for clarities sake, this is usually what audiophiles/ sound engineers mean when they refer to something as linear: Primary Definition: A linear component is something that's capable of producing a measurably flat (or close to flat) frequency response. This is often correlated with objective accuracy. Components that offer linear bandwidth, particularly between 20Hz to 20kHz, are useful to recording engineers because it allows them to hear exactly what's going on in their mix, hence why most studio monitors are designed to be as neutral/flat/linear as possible. It's important to note that many audiophiles also enjoy this sound, as they feel it offers a transparent window into the musical source material. Secondary Definition: A reference to when a product's voicing is balanced throughout the major frequency bands (treble, midrange, and bass). This is when the product is capable of progressing through all of the major bands without deviating in its overall voicing / tone. Obviously this definition is based more on human interpretation than sheer objectivity, but it exists because there are plenty of objectivity inaccurate hi-fi components that nonetheless manage to "speak" with one "voice". A good example of this is the ELAC F6. It's not a measurably accurate speaker, however, it's presentation is consistent from top to bottom. Hope this helps.
A message that some of you may find useful: I'm aware of the echo in the room. I'm also aware of the sub-par audio. So why in the hell don't I fix it? The answer is easy: I'm a volunteer. This means that I earn absolutely nothing from my videos. This is a conscious decision that was designed to keep my videos as pure and as free from outside influence as possible. The compromise is that because I take away nothing from my work, I invest next to nothing into it. That includes room treatments, better lighting, camera gear, microphones, etc. This is a classic "you get what you pay for" scenario.
Next, you should also know that ALL of my videos are 100% unscripted. When it comes time to film a video, I flip on the camera and begin speaking. What I get is what I get. I do this as a challenge to myself - to see if I can riff coherently about a product without rehearsal. The obvious compromise is that sometimes I will stumble over my words, or use the wrong words, or completely miss out on a thought that I was hoping to express but lost in the moment. Still, this approach keeps things raw and honest, so it's a compromise that I'm willing to take.
Thanks for your attention. Hopefully this better explains why my videos are so... "Zero Fidelity". ;)
I found it fine for audio commentary. Thanks for the post. I like the way you describe. Subscribed. :)
First, I enjoy your videos. They're informative and understandable.
If you want to reduce the echo, you could get away with a low cost temporary solution. You can purchase a package of these and use a spray on water color to spruce the look. It's a poor man's anechoic chamber. Paint each flat with a bright color and it appears like the older JBL speakers with their bright blue or orange grills.
shop.grangecoop.com/products/miller-manufacturing-eggflat30-egg-flats-30-count-package-of-12-94552.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwvqbaBRCOARIsAD9s1XCFKGF9DxhuM9fZZprr3Ek0YQbUKKBgnc-OM54fdAOBmREwiodIXNYaAoyWEALw_wcB
B & W 702 made me and the guy next to me look at other and smile w jaws on the ground
Who's been overly critical? I. Like these opinion and honest reviews. Some people would would complain about having to go to the lottery office to pickup.a jumbo cheque.
For an unscripted video done in one take, you are very eloquent and your advice is appreciated!
Hello
I don’t speak English well, I am from Russia.
Your videos are very good, I see their constantly.
Don’t listen nobody, you are doing perfect job.
Good luck.
Aleksandr from Sankt Petersburg
Александр исупов get right in there like you did. I understood what you said. This is a good channel enjoy my friend.
I AM FROM THE PLANET TEKTON AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.
Wish they were sold in Finland :((
The Polk Audio T50 are great speakers. This coming from a B&W and Magnepan owner. The dual passive radiators provides strong bass without being muddy.
Chase Vineland
polk s60 are good too
I have a pair of ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 and absolutely love them! Very nice match to the Onkyo integrated amp that I am using to drive them.
The original Polk SDA’s are still my all time favorite speaker . The top end and mid range is just as you described and the bass was super fast clear and with no carry over to the next note .
In all fairness , i haven’t heard the NEW SDA speakers so,,,, ?
The late great J. Gordon Holt always said "get the midrange right." All of these speakers do that. As you pay more, you get more bass extension, dynamics, and refinement.
Spot on, Martin!
Thats where the human voice is, and we are especially sensitive about that, its an important part of what we are, it has to be right to be real.
@@musicman8270 Agreed. But the Female Voice is even more telling, when "auditioning" Speakers. It's in our DNA to focus on a Nurturing Female voice (Mom !) … call It a "survival instinct" if you must.
@@RoaroftheTiger ohh no...I need therapy now!
@@ast-og-losta - " Know thyself." ;-)
the Pioneer BS 21s and the Polk Audio T50s bow in comparison to my 21-year old Altec Lansing ACS48 computer speakers , I still have visitors to this day that are amazed at the sound of the ACS48s - and for 99 bucks (in '98) what a steal as I have used them DAILY over that time frame. I do love your channel though - I just discovered it , as I'm in my seventies now and I don't PC much. I do wish you could have been around in the 60s and 70s during the golden age of hi-fi as your commentary on that equipment would have been most appreciated.
That last set of speakers look freaking amazing. I was driving and listening.. glanced down and was like whoa!!!!
CD Shawn, they ARE amazing! Get a pair and find out for yourself.
This was interesting and I liked his approach, if he is a salesman he sounded like a person who loves his music.
I was very lucky enough in the late 90s to be able to work myself and bye I believe the last pair of Bang & Olufsen Penta speakers from a manufacturer of Bang & Olufsen. I'm now disabled I wouldn't even think about buying these speakers today I am glad I have them as a sound as good today as they did 20 years ago and they are built in 1989 so I still sound as good as they were in 89 today. Likely my best purchase. And I have it matched with 6500 CD and tuner. Which were a fraction of the cost of those speakers. Up where is around 6 k. What the hell was I thinking oh that's right. I was making tons of money. Running a home repair business myself. God forbid if these things go down on me..
Love my Polk T50s! It was pretty cool to see them on your list.
I've go some Joseph Audio Infinite Slope model 2's....I've had em for years...and I love them.
For use with your computer or small home studio I can highly recommend the Tannoy Reveal 601a powered monitor speakers. They have a built-in amplifier for direct connection to your computer and sound very neutral and clean. They are designed for home-studio use as near-field monitor speakers. They sound surprisingly good for the average selling price and in my opinion a lot more neutral and with a better range than some competing products like the Yamaha NS10 or KrK Rokit RP 6 speakers.
Love going back to the beginnings for a second or third watch! Thanks Sean! 🙏
I enjoy the focus on good value you bring to your reviews. It lends them credibility. While it seems obvious, the only other reviewer who I know of to focus on good value is Nemo. Anyway, thank you!
Klipsch Forte III and Cornwall III, please! I would like to see your review on them... Thanks!
Steve Guttenberg said the Cornwalls will make YOUR speakers sound small, all except the Focal Grand Utopia EM's probably. ;)
You are doing a great service for us free. I think these prices are per pair not each speaker. Anyway love the channel. Thank you.
So funny story, I was outside playing around with my truck and I saw one of my neighbors(live in a condo community) taking out a pair of speakers to the trash....so I went over there and asked why, he said he didn't like them...turns out they were the Polk T50s so I. asked let me take them...so 4 years later I still have them for my frontt tower speakers to my home theater system!
One man's trash is another man's treasure.
Another great review! Thanks Sean!
So happy to see Tekton Design on this list. They make some asbolutely AMAZING speakers.
theorist, I ABSOLUTELY agree! I’ve had my Double Impacts for about ten months. I sincerely doubt I will EVER replace these Tekton speakers that now grace my HiFi system!
Great, comprehensive presentation, and explanation of these four ranges of loud speakers. It seems that the Polk T50s are a very good choice for the budget music listener who wants lower frequencies from their preferred music, and their amplifier requires more a pair of speakers that can handle plenty of power! I suppose from 50 Watts, and above.
Modern 'Quad Electrostatic's'...2912's for me any day...mind you not cheap but the best rarely are...listen to a pair with your fave music and use a powerful amp/s & you will never want a pair of 'box' loudspeakers ever again....a different class to these average speakers here...respect
Chris Storrier I
FYI the polks have two passive radiators. So sealed is a misstatement since a PR acts like a the port.
You are technically correct. I suppose one could get *really* pedantic by questioning whether a truly sealed speaker actually exists - as almost every dynamic driver leaks a decent amount of air.
The amount of leakage in an acoustic suspension design is inconsequential where as a port and passive radiator serve the exact same purpose.
Acoustic suspension or sealed? Heh. Again, you're not wrong. One of the consequences of shooting videos without a script is that it's easy to misspeak or worse, say something that's incorrect. I genuinely appreciate your taking the time to point out the error in this video. It'll help to keep me a little more on the A-game for future vids. Happy listening!
It would be wrong for people to think of a passive radiator design as sealed/acoustic suspension design. I did laugh to myself when you said tenured and twenty years. Since for me I think I started getting Stereo Review magazine in 1977.
But at least with passive radiator so you don't get chuffing and port noise.
Sean, I do believe you DID answer on which Speaker @ " upwards of $2,000". It's when You suggested the 'BS-21'... Yes, The Harbeth … your welcome. ;)
Whoa, that escalated quickly!
I think you really missed it by not including the $1k-2k category.
PSB Imagine 2xt at $1500 CAD. You should give those a review. Excellent speakers for the money from a legendary Canadian Paul Barton.
Cheers!! I agree, for the money you're getting a lot of value for these PSB speakers. I have a pair of Image 5T's that I'm dying to replace with these when i get the money together. IMHO, i think Klipsch speakers are way too bright, Paradigm and Monitor Audio are also good considerations when it comes to their mid-level speakers. My 2 cents worth.
Those T50s are nice
Hmmmm. Reviewing a 2011 discontinued speaker. What’s the purpose if one can’t buy it? If we move into the used market or eBay, everything changes. However the Polk T50’s are super amazing. I have owned multiple high end B&W and Magnepans and bought a pair of T50’s for my junk basement system... damn!!! They are great speakers.
I have a pair Kef R700 and love them they do need a bit of power though
How would the Tektrons compare with older designs such as the AR58, Advents, JBL L100 and Pioneer HPM100s
$1,000-$3,000? Magnepan .7 + bass panel, no brainer. Honorable mention: Vandersteen 1Ci and a Velodyne sub
I'm buying the AD Infinitum X Zanadu Supreme Signatures, similar to the famous Xerxes B905s with enhance bass ports. BTW: These are NOT the MkIIa version raved about by Fox News Weather Channel in 2001. These are upgraded. They have the latest upgraded carbon free zinc platinum platforms with silver sonic spikes and polished pro linoleum tops [I will be using them in the pool]. Best speakers under $45k, according to the Late J. Gordon Holt.
I cannot imagine the Tektons being better than the Blumenhofer Fun 13 at the same price point. Worth a comparison!
Why no sound clips? I love hearing my iPads speakers. 😊
BECAUSE HE'S A NARCISSIST
Even cheap $100 bluetooth speaker can produce far better than $1000 ipad pro
Great videos. Always makes me want to go out and try and buy! But here is my question, and maybe a subject for a video you or others could do (or have done?). I use a pair of Mission 732 tower speakers with a large Mirage sub. I always loved the sound of the Missions, and indeed they got good reviews. But though nothing seems broken I am wondering how they really compare to modern speakers. I mean, these are easily 20 years old. "In my mind" they don't seem as good as I remember them being, but rooms and amps have changed, and I am mostly streaming (hifi flac from Deezer mind you) instead of playing CDs. So I see your videos, and hear people talking about how speaker technology has evolved so much. How would they compare to the Polks in this review for example, or maybe the Elacs. Do you think I am missing a lot? If not, what would I need to spend to get that same sound I have loved for years with the Missions?
How about the Sony SS-CS3?
That Tekton triggers my Trypophobia
humnaset reading that word triggers me
humnaset, do it. You will NOT be disappointed with the Tekton Double Impacts!
Magnepan 0.7 with rel t7 or double impacts?
How does the tekton double impacts sound compared to the klipsch rf-7¡¡¡?.
I'd love to see you review the Def Tech SM 65's? I have them and love them but would still love to see a review of them. The other one that would be awesome, just awesome would by the PSA MT-110's?
Are you ever going to review the Airmotiv T2s, or anything from Goldenear?
There's way too many speakers too do something like this. But good job.
Agreed. In a way, this is a good thing as it means there's damn near something for everyone nowadays.
Zero Fidelity Yeah, I've also always found more value out of the used market and I assume you and many others could relate. But to say top 10 speakers, or top 5.. I think it's just not right. After a while you realize it's not all about better or worse, but just different. And that's part of the hobby, finding what kind of sound you like, and experimenting. There's really no one speaker that does all perfectly. Everything has it's pros and cons.
As I used to unceremoniously say: "It all sounds fake. It's just a matter of picking the flavor of fake that you prefer." That said, I agree with the bulk of your sentiments. I cut my teeth on the used market. It's a shame the used market isn't what it used to be - especially back when Audiogon was bustling with ads. As for this video: hopefully people notice that I left the usual "Top 5" mantra out of it. This isn't about the 'best' so much as it is about celebrating specific products that are easy to set up and easy to enjoy - even if you ultimately end up preferring something else.
I would love the Elacs, but they are power hungry.
I just found a mint pair of the pioneer speakers with stands for $30.00 dollars for the set!! On craigslist, lmao! Production date April 2012..lol
Watkins Gen 4 from Kingsport, TN, research them...especially the reviews!
Mr. Zero, have you or anyone you know listened to the Tektons with the optional Beryllium tweeter(s)? They're quite expensive, but are they worth it? I've never heard of anyone comparing the difference. Obviously the cost would indicate they are superior, but just how much, and how does the sound differ?
LOL Pioneer BS 21. What a name
Love your reviews.
I need your advise. I am looking to 5.1 system for my living room. I am trying to find floor standing speakers - most good ones like Elac has ports in the back - will that make a difference when placed closed to the wall or would I be better off finding speakers with port in thr front?
Also looking to find something in white color.
Thanks
Monitor 70s are good , I bought a pair for 400 . I used to have them as front towers ,now I use the for rears
🆘😷🦠✊🏿 “WHITE” SPEAKERS ? It is quite obvious that you are a SONIC RACIST !!
I will commence with the LibTard cancel culture game plan.... Go Hillary!
BLM “BLACKS LOVE MARXISM “
Just Kidding.... FOR NOW...😉
🇺🇸 PLEASE VOTE FOR DONALD J. TRUMP IN NOVEMBER 2020 !
Do NOT let the DemonCrats take more control...
"... has a charm ... the top end on this speaker's just a little bit smoother around the edges ...the 22 is technically clearer and more dynamic ..." Well, I guess this is just the sort of quantitatively reproducible and verifiable findings that we need more of. Sorry for being sarcastic. I do want to point out something about that big Tekton speaker. Putting a bunch of tweeters into a cluster like that has three primary effects. One, the acoustic radiation pattern becomes increasingly directional with increasing frequency. The goal is increase directivity at the low end of the tweeter range so that it will match the directivity of the upper end of the midrange range. But with this approach, directivity continues to increase with increasing frequency, which is sort of the opposite of what a waveguide does, i.e., a waveguide increases directivity at the low end of the tweeter's range but has minimal effect on the tweeter's directivity at very high frequency, where the tweeter is naturally more directional than is probably desirable anyway. Two, as soon as you are off-axis far enough for the distances from you to the different tweeters to differ by more than 1/4 wavelength, you start getting comb filtering effect, i.e., a whole bunch of suck-outs. Just looking at the speaker and guessing at the relative distances, this is probably going to start happening at the low end of the tweeter range, where wavelength will be about 1/2 foot, when you're about 45 degrees off-axis. For higher frequencies it will happen when you're just slightly off axis. Of course it is possible that you won't hear it. The third effect is that those two ridiculously large midrange drivers are pushed very far apart by the big array of tweeters. By the way, if those two drivers weren't so ridiculously large, the need for tweeter directivity control wouldn't be nearly as great, because the midrange drivers would not be nearly as directional as these big drivers no doubt are. Thus, they went to extreme and bizarre measures to overcome a problem that was largely of their own making. Because those two drivers are pushed so far apart, wave cancellation between the output of these two drivers will be severe in the vertical plane, at modest off-axis angles. In fact, Stereophile measured this speaker, and these problems are all plainly apparent in the 3-D plots. So even if you sit directly in front of the speaker and far enough away for all the individual wavefronts to converge into a single wavefront, the reflections from the side walls are going to be severely treble-shy, and the reflections from the ceiling and floor, especially the ceiling, are going to be trash. You'd have to go to great lengths to get it to sound smooth at the sweet spot, all for the ostensible advantage of solving the problem with the off-axis response, which it doesn't solve very well, and which is mainly a problem in the first place because those two midrange drivers are about twice as big as they should be. More often than not, designs that are highly unusual are designs that are driven by erroneous assumptions and other fundamentally bad decisions that compound one another. I just cannot find any way that the design approach taken with this speaker makes fundamental sense. But this Zero Fidelity guy obviously likes it, which suggests to me that his hearing is not sensitive to the stuff I've described. Maybe it isn't that audible. But if it isn't, an awful lot of what mainstream loudspeaker manufacturers strive to accomplish is a waste of time and expense.
Can you tell me how to get more affable charm in my mid-range?
Rule of thumb: better to go with a higher quality 2 way (and later add a sub) than go for a mediocre 3 way tower with a lot of compromises. A decade or so back, NHT super zeros with a sub were really glorious for the money, without the cheap speaker midbass flab.
Scott - I had a few NHT's in the past. Good stuff! I also think you bring up a valid perspective that every audiophile/audiophile to-be should consider. After all, there's something to be said for going the quality over quantity route - especially when a good two-way is thrown into the mix.
That all being said, people like big sound. Especially in North America. Many people are happy to give up the benefits of a smaller two-way speaker if it means enjoying something that doles out a big rock n' roll presentation. The beauty of this hobby is that there is no definitive right or wrong way to go about it. I'm a quality over quantity guy - but objectively speaking - the numbers don't lie. Floorstanding loudspeakers outsell their bookshelf counterparts by orders of magnitude. Or at least, that's how it is in the US.
Scott Lowell 1
I have always had a hard-on for the Polk Audio RTi A12. They were going for $700 dollars a pair at one time? Do you think I would have been better off spending it on something else if I did decide to get them?
I own a pair of the Elac F6 is it worth upgrading to Tektons? Tektons that are under $1000
What about the Tekton Pendragon at just under 2 grand? I'm a hifi noob, but these seem like pretty clear standouts at just under 2 grand.
Question about the Tektons - I've read that they are extremely sensitive to placement/setup. Would you say this is correct?
Alex Hristov, I’ve owned a pair of Tekton Double Impact speakers for about 10 months. They were purchased largely based on Sean’s first review (thanks, Sean!) and the literally thousands of comments on the Audiogon (Tekton Double Impact) forum page. They are relatively unfussy as to where to place them in a decent sized listening space...the bigger the better with these bad boys! Their large cabinets are a tad lively and the fact the massive ports are rear facing, the Double Impacts, like most good speakers, DO require a reasonable amount of space around them, say 2’ minimum from the front wall and 3’ minimum from sidewalls. Because they image so well and off axis SQ is quite excellent, maybe a couple degrees of toe in if not straight on. The Double Impacts are 4 ohm but extremely efficient, so ANY amp will drive them to insanely high SPL levels. I even tried my DIY 8 watt Pass Amp Camp Amp with great success even though the Pass ACA is NOT designed for 4 ohm loads. After nearly 40 years of HiFi listening and the constant search for the ideal speaker, I doubt I will EVER want to replace my Tekton speakers. Cheers.
SVS Ultra Towers $2,000 a pair are easily a tie with,
or, even edges out the TEK's in over all 3D sound.
If the 3D sonic superiority doesn't change your opinion?
SVS Ultra's bass response will.
The SVS Ultra Towers truly are a speaker that DOES NOT
need a sub-woofer to fill in the Lo hz gaps.
Ask any "Audiophile" or any Hi-Fi enthusiast aka (You or Me)
to sit down to do a TEK vs SVS Ultra...
Eyes wide open & jaw to the floor, you will side with the SVS Ultra Towers.
Now, if, you're a Home Theater buff as I am?
You'll be asking about the .LFE .1 channel pre-out.
AVR bass management can send that info to the L-R mains (SVS Towers)
& you'll be set to shake the house.
But, as you know, SVS is the "best" sub-woofer Co. bar none, so you can easily
throw in their $400 entry level sub for the .LFE .1 channel to soothe your soul.
If you get the chance?
SVS has the FREE tryout period....you should audition them.
If I currently had the budget, I'd have that entire SVS line for a new ATMOS system.
Only 1 speaker line may sway me away & that's the JBL Studio line like this...
Pair of JBL 590 for L-R Mains
4 JBL 530's for surrounds
1 JBL 520 for Center
2 BIC F12 powered subs 450 watts
Only because these DO create that "spooky" IT factor when powered up.
These JBL studio's create the famous JBL wall of sound in your home!
That's right.
The magical cloud that envelopes you with that...
"How'd JBL do that"...type of surround sound that we hear only in calibrated
commercial cinemas.
Anyway, there's my top 2.
Thanks for the videos you post.
I subscribe for a reason & that's for the no B.S. fashion you deliver.
~ peace
Have you listened to v2 of the F6’s ?
Hi ZF, i’ve got the Elac debut 60’s a couple of years ago and I just wondering if it’s not a problen to connect them to a parasound halo A21 amplifier..please help me to know about
Hi Sean, I enjoy watching all your videos. I want to spend $2,500 on bookshelf speakers. What would you recommend? Hope to hear back from you.
I may be a little bias, but the SVS Ultra Bookshelves for $1000 are pretty good. Spend $700 on their center and you have some wiggle room for surround if you like.
I'm here for sound clips, Wait!
Tekton is changing the game when it comes to high end speakers. Expensive, maybe, but you'll have a set of speakers to love and last a lifetime. And given shipping is included in the price is no small thing. Speakers are a bitch to ship. I do believe each speaker is around 100 pounds in this example.
Good stuff! Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
The Elac and polk looks similar :-D
I just canceled my comment to you about the echo in your room when your message about the echo in your room popped up. Very clever of you to have an automatic response to what is probably the same ole comment about your room echo. I've watched many if not most of your videos despite the echo and will continue to do so despite my petty annoyance. I like spontaneity, so keep on keeping on. And thanks for doing what you're doing.
Now,.....about the insanity of my Altec A7 VOTT'S and my hearing loss and tinnitus,.......(ex rock drummer for too long)
Great guy u are :) I a world of not so good humans. By the way, have you tried the Dynaudio xeo 10 , need some great sounding music until i saved up for the Buchardt s400 :) Balanced speaker for a wide range of music . Big thanks from Sweden// Daniel
I see a pair of Harbeths Compact 7s. What are your thoughts on those speakers?
I am hoping to buy some really good speakers after a gap of 25 years....have been completely out of touch....was suggested b&w 603....how do those compare to Teckton double impact.
I really like your videos
Are those Wharfdale Linton Heritage Speakers?
I'm trying to find a great pair of bookshelves for my Sonos amp. I listen to many many different genres of music so it's really hard to define. I love everything from Nas to Sinatra to Vivaldi to Phish to Coldplay to Pantera to...jeez ilove it all!!! I'm so confused! Please help! 500 bucks ish
How about the ESS AMT LE-2 or The AMT RM-2?
Tektons are badass,but impossible to find them in UK...Sad...
No emotiva t towers?
I wasn't expecting alot from the Airmotiv T1+ but I was a bit taken back with them. You'd be hard pressed to find a better speaker for $699 pr.
hello zero fidelity, please give me your feedback regarding dynaudio emit m30? i can get a pair used by 1100 USD, does it worth it?
You never discuss size, finish, proven quality of sound, etc. Except for the last speaker which I'm not familiar with, the others are Walmart brands that are so common that you can buy all of them on EBAY for not so much. If you are going north of $1500, then you should have chosen speakers that truly meet the challenge of rarefied air. There are solid high end brands available in the USA that are well supported by manufacturers that have been and will be here in the future. I don't much care for recommendations of any speaker if you are speaking to a newbie. If the person on the receiving end has experience, then discuss why one speaker is really a standout over fifteen others.
Are the new 2.0 F6.2 as good as these ELACs?TIA~
Good stuff, as always :-)
How about the Fritz Morel 6 at $1650?
You were raving about them quite recently :)
Hello Harald. The Fritz Morel 6 is a great loudspeaker and I nearly included it in this video as an 'honorable mention'. So why wasn't it featured? Because as affable as the Morel 6 is, I feel like it's distinctly warm character can be polarizing. Especially in a bracket that's jam packed with other excellent products. Don't get me wrong though, I consider the Morel 6 to represent an excellent value and frequently recommend it to other music lovers.
Thx, makes sense :)
Better than Klipsch forte 3s?
What do you think about Klipsch RF 82 ii 's ?
Golden ear triton two’s
No under armour cap ?
The polk T50's are not a sealed design, it's a single 6.5 with 2 6.5 passive radiators.
What about the elac f5
Do a review on the hated Bose 901!
Hi, I've always enjoyed your reviews, even if you think you did it poorly. Thank you for doing what you do. I've buying the speakers that you recommend here. But, I would like to consult you on several hi-fi questions, like best wattage for amp to specific kinds of speakers, as in what's the general rule of thumb. It would be great if I could professionally engage you. Let me know if we could skype.
Hey Barney. Thanks for watching, The relationship between a speaker and an amplifier can get rather complex. There's no way to thoroughly address this subject in a timely fashion. The reason? There's a lot of stuff that goes into it. On the speaker side of things, you have efficiency, impedance, etc.. And on the amplifier side, you have output power, feedback, transformer size and type, circuit topology, and cap bank. There's a lot of variables to consider.
What I will say is this: A lot of people focus on efficiency ratings in relation to an amplifiers output power, and while that's important, what's equally as important is a speakers impedance load. There are many speakers that are rated at 8 ohms, but will dip all the way down to 4 at certain frequencies. The lower the impedance drop, the more the amp will have to work, so to speak. Still, here are some basic guidelines worth following:
If you have a speaker thats 95db efficient, and dips to maybe 6 ohms, then you should be fine with anything from 16 wpc (into 8 ohms) or higher. If the speaker dips down to 4 ohms or lower, than the 16wpc amp will need a robust power supply. This is a theme that'll play throughout this post. Another theme that you'll notice is that a lot of these power requirements hinge on the kinda power / dynamic headroom that you're hoping to achieve.
Now, if you use Speakers in the 90 - 92 db range that only dip down to around 6 ohms, then they should do alright with 20wpc (into 8 ohms) or greater. Same rules apply in terms of dynamics and headroom.
Speakers in the 87-89db range, which is where most reside, tend to do well with a solid 50-100 wpc. Again, this all depends on the speakers impedance load and your thirst for volume and dynamic range.
Hi... thank you so much for your time. It's really wonderful to speak to someone as passionate and audio-smart as you. I've a PhD in psychology, but many of the things that you said is outside of my knowledge. May I send you a list of things I wanna buy (amps & speakers) via email and then you guide me through it. I'll be very happy to pay for your time. Also there is a lot of hype around speaker and audio cables, and they are exorbitant in pricing! What's the intelligent approach. Again, please allow me to consult you via email or skype.
Hey Barney. Sure thing. Send me an e-mail with a list and i''ll be happy to help provide some guidance. First - check out this video that I JUST uploaded, as it will make helping you a *whole* lot easier. ruclips.net/video/Q3FFOjZ8XjA/видео.html
Hi, sorry to omit this, I've sent an email to myzerofidelity@gmail.com Hope ... if you have time reply. I'm definitely buying the ELAC Debut F6. Previously I wanted to buy Uni-fi UF5... what do you think. And... I'm thinking of pairing it with a NAD 375BEE. If you are laughing, pls educate me. What would your recommendations be for the Debut F6? Again, I would gladly pay you for an email or skype consult.
Love the questions you ask. Ok, I'll work on it and get back to you. BTW, many people review hifi stuff trying to impress people with their knowledge, and take on the stance "you don't know a lot of stuff" and they keep talking in jargons trying to impress others that they know a lot. BUT THEY FAIL TO GET TO THE POINT that makes a difference for the audience. Thank you for doing what you do, yes, you get to the "point." It's great that you provide the SPECS and let people read on their own and not bore people with it. BUT, if there are some details that would benefit the unsavvy audience, and you spell it out for them in idiot-proof language, then you are a genius!
THERE ARE SPEAKERS FOR DIGITAL HOME THEATER..........THERE ARE SPEAKERS FOR THE 2 CHANNEL, TURN TABLE......RECORDS....AS IN THE 50'S-80'S........
Nice Harbeths tucked away there...
Just took a look at the Tekton Design website. These really are a steal. They don't do cheap there. I would love to hear them though.
FrakU2, short of not auditioning and taking a leap of faith buying them unheard, read the literally thousands of comments on atheism Audiogon Tekton Double Impact forum pages. The DI’s are not for everyone because their size DOES require a decent sized listening space. I’ve had mine for about 10 months. After nearly 40 years of searching for the near perfect HiFi stereo speaker, I very much doubt I will EVER replace the Tektons currently gracing my HiFi system.
@@motorradmike I have 34m2 room with kitchen (left) / living room (right). Do you think this space is enough for Tekton DI? Furthermore, I mainly listen on a lower volume, so I need speakers that can play great even on low volume. I’m from EU country and haven’t found a place where to listen to them upfront. I’m thinking about taking a gamble and ordering a piece (if they ship to Europe) togerher with NAD M10 v2 or Cambridge Audio EVO 150 integrated amplifier/streamer. I’m just a bit afraid of divisive reviews as it seems it’s just love or hate opinions - nothing in between. I just don’t wanna spend 3K+ ordering oversea and get stuck with something I won’t like. But there seems to be no other way to find out than to buy them. The speaker drivers look pretty cheap and the whole thing does not look amazing either, but I think I can live with it if it sounds as many claim. Any opinion appreciated.
@@marekgrundelIt would seem to me your listening space is plenty large for the Tekton DI’s. That said, you will want to have a minimum of 2.5 ~ 3m from the speakers to your normal listen position as they do not serve well in near field listening. My listening room is about 44m2. These could overpower your room at live concert levels. Yes, the drivers are inexpensive paper coned drivers for the mid and lower bass, silk domed tweeter and midrange drivers. Yes, the DI’s are not at all much to look at as they have the appearance of well done DIY’s. I’ve found very efficient speakers, like the Double Impacts do very well at low listening levels because dynamic swings in music do not require large power input to effect a realistic sense of satisfying music reproduction. These only need about 20 watts to be driven to their potential. The amp I’m currently using is a McIntosh MC275 Mk V, which is overkill. Preamp is a Mac C2200. My limited “streaming” is through an iPhone with an Apple Music lossless subscription through a Schiit Audio Modi Multibit V2. Truthfully there are so many very nice highly efficient speakers available to in the EU (Triangle comes to mind) that I don’t know if I’d recommend the extremely large and heavy DI’s shipped halfway across the planet because of the cost of doing so. A better Tekton option for you that I would highly recommend based on my own experience with them, might be the Lores due to their more modest size for your listening space and far less shipping and VAT costs. Best of luck to you, sir. Reach out to me anytime, Marek!
What about the Treadstone mountain horns with the Ferengi 500 amp?
Hi. Would you recommend getting the ELAC C5 center speaker? I have a pre A/V receiver.
Sure. Especially if its to compliment other ELAC speakers.
Why the bed in your reviewing room?
would 18m^2 count as a big or a small room?
By European standards, it is medium, best to have a bookshelf speakers on stands.....depends!
Debut f6 or uni- fi uf5?
Hey Tito. If you enjoy a forward, clean, punchy presentation - then go for the UF5's. If you prefer a more relaxed (by comparison), warm presentation, - then go for the F6's.
I'll stick with my JBL ES80s. I bought them new on sale from JBL for $250 for the pair 3 years ago and they sound fine to me. The big difference came when I added a power amp to optimize their output.
The reason why the Elac rolls off the highs at 15k is because this is the way human ears are made to hear music!!
lol
Yes, when you're a 55 year old man like me 😂
Hi, what is your thoughts on these floor-standing speakers: Airmotiv T1 vs Fluance Signature Series Hi-Fi vs ELAC Uni-fi UF5? Thanks!
I’ve heard the term “linear” many times regarding sound reproduction. Not sure exactly what that means.
I hear you Mick. To be fair, I accidentally used the word to describe two completely separate things. Tis' the consequence of being a jackass / going at this without a script. So for clarities sake, this is usually what audiophiles/ sound engineers mean when they refer to something as linear:
Primary Definition: A linear component is something that's capable of producing a measurably flat (or close to flat) frequency response. This is often correlated with objective accuracy. Components that offer linear bandwidth, particularly between 20Hz to 20kHz, are useful to recording engineers because it allows them to hear exactly what's going on in their mix, hence why most studio monitors are designed to be as neutral/flat/linear as possible. It's important to note that many audiophiles also enjoy this sound, as they feel it offers a transparent window into the musical source material.
Secondary Definition: A reference to when a product's voicing is balanced throughout the major frequency bands (treble, midrange, and bass). This is when the product is capable of progressing through all of the major bands without deviating in its overall voicing / tone. Obviously this definition is based more on human interpretation than sheer objectivity, but it exists because there are plenty of objectivity inaccurate hi-fi components that nonetheless manage to "speak" with one "voice". A good example of this is the ELAC F6. It's not a measurably accurate speaker, however, it's presentation is consistent from top to bottom.
Hope this helps.
iain schmaloer wow i have another meaning of linear so i must be right
Actually Iain is completely accurate.