That was badazz Ron thank you ! Sounded great HD6xxx HP Ifi signature hpamp 6xxx button triggered ! 😆 lol me dac ? Ifi zen blue aptX HD Bargain file ! Oh world best cables RCA
The klipsch are by far the best value for money, the improvements between the heresy and the other speakers are noticeable, but also expected with the x5 costing more than double. A more appropriate comparison would have been with the larger klipsch Cornwall or even the JBL l100. At the end of the day though they all sound different and may all excel in different areas. One thing you don't talk about is actually living with the speakers, most of us would not be able to have spatial speakers in our room, for lack of space unfortunately. That kind of limits the target market a lot, whereas more traditional speakers can work better in difficult rooms. The heresy for example can benefit from being closer to the wall. I restored an original pair and ran them with a 12w Heathkit amp, glorious sound. My incoming dynaudio heritage special will sound magical too with my 390 but in a totally different way. We all have our likes, but if I use food as a comparison, I wouldn't want to eat my favorite food forever because I'd get sick of it. One of the joys of the audio game is switching stuff out and getting that excitement over and over again. We get to save some money and do some of that through you, so thank you! If I ever have a room large enough to consider open baffle I will definitely try them, especially the GR research stacked H frame subwoofers. Cheers
Donald, I couldn’t agree more. This beats pages of words trying to describe how something sounds. New Record Day is revolutionizing high end audio reviewing and I love it. I broke out my Sennheiser HD800’s for this and it was good advice as I’ve not used them in quite a while. NRD, keep up the great work you’re doing and continued success to you and your channel. G.
@@GerardSheridan Agreed. Good stuff here. Also check out the "Live Test" videos on *TheAlphaAudio* RUclips channel. Their latest video is a live performer recorded in the studio and then immediately listen back to the performance on 3 different studio monitor loudspeakers in the same room...including ATC SCM40, Dutch & Dutch 8C, and Grimm Audio LS1a.
Quick comparison of my favorite part of the bass track: 8:22 Revel $&^÷*#* 16:22 Klipsch Heresy 25:28 Concept 500 33:27 M3 Sapphire 41:47 X5 The X5 gets the best piano but adds an amplified quality to the magic the M3 does with the bass. Randy's awesome. Thanks
Sapphires sound amazing. Klipsch was a little more congested sounding but the way they reproduce piano performance; dynamics, touch and feel is the most realistic to me.
The Q Acoustics sounded the best of all the "Box" speakers, but both the Spatial speakers are phenomenally better than any of the conventional speakers in this group. The Spatial's have great speed and reveal the texture of the instruments. The X-5s are unbelievable!
Revel 6:39 : track 1 10:19 track 2 Klipsch : 14:38 track 1 18:25 track 2 Concept 500 23:45 track 1: 27:15 track 2 Sapphire : 31:44 track 1 35:21 track 2 X5 : 40:04 track 1 43:22 : track 2 The volume on the X5 is higher, so they will sound better by default, after volume matching it's much less clear which is better. Open a window for each speaker align the tracks, volume match then switch between them. I presume the volume difference was there in the room as well. Reverse the volume and the other speakers sound better than the X5. :( A suggestion - start each speaker test with a test tone that you can volume match to correct for this sort of thing, it's very difficult to do by ear with actual music. A question - why are the X5 only semi-active? They are very sensitive and it would seem easy to add a small amplifier for the tweeter/midrange.
Hey Craig, all the speakers are carefully level matched using pink noise and a decibel meter. Then again, when brought to final cut I’m using a decibel meter and making sure every single speaker is as close as possible. It’s a ton of extra work but I think it’s important. What possible is you are hearing a clarity in a specific bandwidth, typically up higher that’s perceived as louder.
@@Newrecordday2013 Well switching to playing this through my speakers the X5 are at least 3dB louder than all the others on my meter. It's very noticeable to the ear too, so I'm not sure what's going on. Perhaps worth including the pink noise tone for 2-3 seconds in the videos? Don't get me wrong m8, the X5 seem amazing and because of you will probably be my next upgrade. For the moment I'm loving my Concept 300s. :) You are doing great work, one of the most honest and hard working reviewers on RUclips.
Thanks man! Dude... throw some headphones on! You haven’t heard anything yet! Knowing you are playing this back on your speakers, all level matching gets a little hard to predict. It’s possible your hearing your own room gain exciting one speaker more than the other.
@@Newrecordday2013 I listened first with headphones, but the X5 sounded louder, so I switched to speakers to check. To be honest I think all these speakers are excellent, not all of the same character to be sure, but fine examples of their kind.
I'm hearing the same thing as Craig did though on my speaker. It was obviously louder with the X5 by quite a bit, or maybe because the X5 just have that much more of a presence in the piano range it's jumping out more compared to the others
I Will admit, I was skeptical. Piano is probably the most difficult to reproduce in the spectrum. I was blown away with the X5s. That price range will never be in my budget, but thank you for letting us experience it with you. Thank you.
You do realize the experience you had here is of your very own speakers, and not any of the ones in the video. You were Blown Away, but then you would be even more so if you played the CD, a better recording than this yt stream, on your own system.
Folks, I’m late to this party. After seeing the amount of effort put into this demo, this was instant subscription material. Randy let me hear the differences that words simply cannot describe! Here’s my triple take: 1. I did not realize with my ears what the bass was doing until the Concept 500s revealed the truth. For a box speaker, that was an ear opening experience; however, 2. The Spatial Sapphires ruled the day for me on the bass sample. I’ve played in bluegrass bands (yeah, I know…a hi fidelity wonderland) for a large part of my life and the Sapphires hit the resonance and timbre of those big doghouse bass tones that I’m used to hearing. That was about the most faithful reproduction of sound that I have ever heard; however, 3. The X5s absolutely floored me with the piano sample. Holy ebony and ivory Batman. I sold pianos to pay my way through college. I’ve been fortunate to play Steinway, Concert Yamaha’s, Kawai, Bosendorfer Imperial’s (extra keys on bottom end), and I’ve heard stellar concert pianists try out our products…and…well…the X5s had me believing a piano was in the room. So, what does one do to get the best of both worlds? My ears will forever now want the Sapphire bass and the X5 piano. Buy half a set of each? Put the Sapphire on the left and the X5 on the right? The Holy Grail of speakers has to be out there somewhere merging the two sounds of what I just heard. Then you just watch. I know my luck. The new “find” will suck at woodwinds or vocals. The impossible quest is “impossible” for a reason. Until then, the excitement is in the chase. I hope “Randy” stays with us to help slay the windmills. Great job young man with your presentation. I look forward to exploring your videos and chasing dragons.
By far, the best sound demo I have heard. I played this video using Mac + external Dac and connected to my secondary dedicated music system. Boy, was I in for a ride.
I actually opened 5 seperate tabs (1 for each speaker) in my browser and queued each to the start of the bass and piano sections and then played them in alternating 5 second intervals. No headphones cuz i don't have any good ones but using some semi-decent speakers here. 1. The Spatial X5 or M3 are the tops, but I would have to hear them in person to tell which is truly best. I worry the X5's would be fatiguing in the treble region. I personally play instruments in real life and in my opinion these hands down captured the most accurate tonality of them without a doubt. 2. This might go against what others are saying here but I found the Q Acoustics Concept 500 to be the next best in this lineup. 3. For me the Klipsch Heresy and the Revel 226BE are last place. Which is better than the other... I don't really care, I'm more interested in the best, and I'll let others argue which is which regarding these two. Thank you for inspiring me to finally make some of my own open baffle speakers (after many years of putting it off) Ron, you're a great man.
man!!! a loooooot of work to put this video together! chapeau! total respect...what dedication!! loved the sound clips! just ordered one of Vasilic's albums! exquisite sound engineering! listened to these clips a million times... my preferred speakers were (very surprisingly!): 1. Q acoustics concept 500 (unbelievable honest sound with infinite texture! beautiful, sublime integration. they don't grab you initially but on the long run, i could listen forever to these speakers) 2. X5 (unrivaled clarity, airy. wonderful "you're there" feeling listening to them. i can imagine: totally unforgiving of even the slightest imperfection) 3. Revel F226BE (similar sound signature to the Q acoustics; perhaps a bit more "relaxed" laid back sound; a bit less dry than the Q acoustics? like the Q acoustics, not a speaker that grabs you initially ...but they are just a joy to listen to) 4. Spatial Sapphire M3 (similar sound signature to the X5, but X5 are better on all registers. the sapphires lack texture compared to the 3 above. bass seems a tiny tiny bit "unruly"/slow? on the very low bottom) 5. Klipsch heresy IV (they are nice...but man, they are not even close to any of the other speakers; big "black hole" in the mids! ...and many other issues). wish i could afford the Q acoustics, the Revels, or the X5s .... but now i know what one day i would LOVE to own! ..before i go deaf! thanks Ron!! what a joy this video!
Each one of these speakers is a winner. If they weren't heard side by side or back to back in this comparison, every one sounded great. The Spatial's are a truly unique presence to listen to. Thanks for a great "in home" demo, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
The X5s definitely have an enormous dynamic range, and considerable attack when the pianist hits those keys. Having spent too much time in my youth at jazz clubs and bars, I always thought that was something that was impossible to reproduce in audio (I worked at a high end HiFi shop at the time, and we actually had this exact discussion). The piano sounds perfect in timber, and the hammer and strings are clearly audible. The decay is also amazing. Yet there's something I like about the M3s. While the X5 is clearly more accurate and realistic, the M3 has the same amount of detail, but is just a bit more relaxed. Perhaps it's a symptom of aging, but I guess I prefer the more relaxed presentation to the aggressive realism of the X5s. How sad is it that I've come to this? I used to drink my coffee black, but now I like a little sweetener in my Cup of Joe....
The Sapphires have the morst beautifully smooth and powerful sound I gave ever heard in a speaker. Is it possible to be in love with a speakers sound? :)
That microphone setup is amazing! This is the first youtube speaker demo that I've actually found useful! With a good set of headphones it seems like I can definitely hear what these sound like in your room. If you keep using this binaural head for recordings you'll have to pay more attention to what you do while recording. Every time you took a deep breath, moved slightly on the couch or scratched your beard I found myself whipping my head to the left to see what was over there! :) The X5's and Sapphires are amazing! These are the first speakers I've heard that I'd actually consider buying verses building my own. Nice work on this video!
I play the electric bass so I'm always listening out for the bass line in any piece of music. There was no comparison in my mind that Bass on the M3 Sapphires far outshone that of the other speakers in terms of clarity, texture and depth and speed. There was no overhang on any of the bass notes, only the sustain of the note on the string and the body resonance of the double bass. The muted notes stopped when they were supposed to stop. When the bass was played with the piano you could hear the intention of the bass player and both musicians sounded like they were playing together as a team, especially when the bass player was playing a rapid series of notes. Every single bass note was defined and clear. The Piano also sounded more natural. The Bass on the X5’s was tight but not as deep and also there seemed to be too much bite and emphasis to the bow striking the strings which was distracting and ultimately tiring. The piano initially sounded exciting with the best attack and dynamics and you could easily hear the resonance of the instrument but again this was ultimately tiring to listen too after a while. Too much boom and muddiness of bass notes with the other speakers which masked a lot of detail, especially on the Q Acoustics Concept 500. I totally agree with you on the bass of the M3 Sapphires. You presented a wonderful demonstration and it was easy to hear the difference between all the speakers.
The Revels prove that accurate and true can be sterile. To be fair, Heresy was very impressive given the competition here and certainly has the edge as a "lifestyle" product. The Q's are the Revels after a few espressos. The difference between the two Spatial speakers is what surprised me the most. The Sapphires sound laid back compared to the X5s. Best representation of back-to-back I've heard...
WOW! Great work. The Spatials clear winners with no box but I am an Apogee FR ribbon user so no box is my bias (but I do love my klipsch’s as well). I actually think the Sapphires may actually be quicker and more dynamic than the X5s. Maybe it’s just my headphones limitation. Maybe the synergy of drivers. What is remarkable is that as soon as you hit either of the Spatials you can practically here the bridge on the bass move..:). Just amazing. The X5s clearly accelerate past the Sapphires regarding reverb decay and capturing real piano (and bass). Much more realistic picking up mic bleed, string decay, reverb carry over, etc. Really well done, Ron.
The Spatials really do have some magic going on. But the Q Acoustics surprised me, the gulf between them and the Spatials wasn't gigantic in terms of the music reaching out and touching me. Klipsch and Revels nice enough but lacking that bit of magic. Top work Ron. Now if you can find us some unicorn speakers that I can fit in my miniscule room please 😀
After researching for a while and auditions I bought last week the Q acoustic 500. It’s an amazing speaker. I connect it to my Naim a Uniti Atom and the sound is just amazing! The bass reflection is close to a sub feeling with chest punch... clear - warm - dynamic and outstanding imaging...every penny worth...
Great video, Ron! That was a lot of work! Thanks, I enjoyed it. Best Piano: X5 Best Bass: Saphires. Although....The way the X5's let you hear the room where the recording was made is mesmerizing. I said before, your recording of the original Saphire review was the best sound on RUclips ever. The Neumann Dummy takes it up another notch! --Listening on GR X-Statiks with all upgrades, Twin dual 12" GR/Rhithmik OB servo subs, Roku stick+
Are all speaker test volume matched? Doesn't sound like it, the for example the last speakers are much louder. Vastly gives a different perception of the sound.
Thanks Ron for taking the time to show all these speakers one after another. Although this is not my music, I did appreciate the job the speakers were doing especially while playing the bass and piano together. I can say that the 2nd track on the X5's was in a class by itself, the Sapphires were really close. I didn't like how the Concept 500 handled it at all and I thought the Klipsch handled the piano better but the Revel handled the bass better and I wasn't expecting that. Remember that I am an old man with bad hearing and not great headphones, so what do I know.
I'd have to go with the Sapphires based on this video. It's really impressive how much bass they are achieving from an open baffle design. I could get lost in that sound.
My favorite NRD video ever! I think this style of shootout review is what viewers crave. “Randy is quite the tool” lol! More shootouts like this if possible! Wishing the NRD family a happy holiday!
Great work Ron, thanks for taking the time to make this happen, I couldn't wait to get home and hear this. X-5 or X-3, IMHO they crush the competition at levels much higher than even the ones you compared them with here, no doubt. Clayton is a humble man, definitely a master at his art, these speakers put the instruments>in>the>room.
All this is well and good, which one rock n rolls though? e.g. you put on... dunno, Iron Maiden's 1st album, do you want to switch it off and go back to piano and bass or do you want to crank it? That is the question.
Nothing sounds and images like a horn. Plus the low distortion and big dynamic sound. I love my Forte I that I recently recapped and sealed the cabinets. I love the sound of the phenolic mids and highs which sound more laid back compared to the newer titanium stuff. I got a pair of Tekton double impacts on the way I hope I actually love them more than the klipsch.
@@sergeysmelnik For me, it should be life in the sound that engages, but at the same time be comfortable to listen to and 4th generation of Klipsch has done a lot right there. Jbl also has some similar ones, but personally I have not heard them, and they also cost around 5000 $ more. But I also like Tekton especially well, because they also have good life in the sound to be speakers that do not have horns. For my part, Cube audio 8 "are the best speakers that do not have horns for me, in that room, with the type of equipment used in that case. But they still get a little more dead in the sound compared to horn speakers. At the same time there are also many different factors that affect the sound, such as the room, how they is placed in the room, the equipment with which they are paired, even the cables, so for that reason it still becomes difficult to say which speaker, amplifier, DAC, CD player, etc. one likes best. Do not misunderstand me, because it is not meant as criticism, but you have found your sound, and it is wonderful and enjoy them.
Yes I totally get that. I've often thought that every audiophile needs a Klipsch at some stage of their life. In the same way every car nut needs an Italian classic like an Alfa Romeo. It's not about clinical brilliance, it's about passion & character.
Wow, that was the most fun I have had online listening in a few months. Well done Ron. You definitely need to find a way to keep Randy around. While listening to the X5s at around 41:30 through 41:37 I thought my ears were playing tricks on me because I heard a baby crying in the background, but someone else mentioned they heard it too. Glad my hearing is still in tact.
The Quality of the binaural-recording is absolutely amazing. I wish a lot more RUclipsr/review Channels for Speakers and audio-components would use this microphone-system! Excellent work, keep it up! :)
Great video!!!! The format is really cool and I hope the crowd funding goes well so you can purchase the Binaural microphone to keep as a tool in your arsenal! These are all pretty damn good speakers. I think the Spatial open baffle still edges out the others as they have no bloat/resonance/overhang to the sound.
Question, why are the speakers so close to the couch/listeners? If you're too close, isn't that just a little too much "in your face"? I'm not bashing you, just really curious. Thanks brother.
Excellent format, commentary, sound and the best of all, beautiful music, wow! I enjoyed this one very much. I love the Heresy and the Spatial. You are gifted Ron. Thanks for doing this. PS, I want Randy's job LOL!
Wow, the best demo recording by far on my headphones. I am 74 years old and this was the first time I could easily tell the difference between speakers. Great demo music. Some male and female vocals would be nice too. Great.
Great demo! I've been on the fence between Klipsch Forte IV and Open Baffle Speakers. Ron, the difference is amazing! The music used to demonstrate the performance of the speakers was perfect in the way that it illustrate the quickness and precision of the instruments. After hearing this comparison, I'm going for the Spatial Audio M3. I wish I had the bread for the X5 but the M3 can hold it's own.
@@el34glo59 That's my problem! I have such an eclectic taste in music that making a decision on which speaker to purchase is very difficult. I currently have the B&W 685 S2 but what to get something that has a little more depth and presence. I'm also very restricted with placement because of the room configuration. I'll keep reading and watching reviews before I take the plunge.
Yes yes yes. We are all fully aware of the drawbacks of online comparisons, yet in this example you failed to use the strongest and most beneficial quality of said online and edited comparison. Audio memory is incredibly short which I’m sure you know. The first 30 seconds of this video dolls out multitudes more data to your listeners than the entire rest of the video. You can level match and switch between all the speakers instantaneously. Could you redo this and just continue on with the first 30 seconds? Perhaps even repeat short 5 second passes of interesting pieces of the music that really illustrate the differences.
I agree. It pains me to say it, giving the fine job you did, Ron, and I thank you. But regular people like me and others, can't retain the memory of the sound long enough to have a fine comparison. So switching mid-song many times between the various speakers is the best thing.
Couldn't agree more, as it isn't exactly a fare comparison in A-B fashion. Then again some defects will 'show up' after spending a while with equipment.
Wow. Have listened to this so many times and appreciate each speaker more and more. I was able to differentiate the subtle texture characteristics of each more on my LaScallas than any of my others I have. The open baffle design definitely has some exemplary definition in some areas and does IMHO separate them from the others. Everyone will have their favorites for overall listing and room acoustics. The Concept 500 really stands out more to me now and seems have more of a blend of the strengths Sapphires and Klipsch. Thanks again for such a thorough and quality job of producing this
I enjoyed the presentation, but it appears that all the speakers have the same spot, and we all know optimal speaker placement is different with each model. They appear to be too close to Randy from this view. And I know from experience that Heresys need space from the listening spot to sound their best. From this perspective, I think the Spatial X5's sound most like real music. I have Spatials & Klipsch & enjoy both.
What Klipsch do you have? I have Forte iis with all the upgrades possible. And I'm looking to upgrade my speakers. Idk what to go with. Need some good efficiency. 30 WPC tube amp. But don't want to spend $4000. Is there anything you can recommend? Something with good dynamics but maybe slightly better quality than the klipsch if that makes any sense? Clear, details with some dynamics. Good imaging. Etc. Realism. Maybe disappear a little bit more. I know I'm asking alot but I'm willing to buy used and I'm just trying to find a klipsch alternative and running in circles. If can be slightly smaller than the Forte iis. The room isn't large anyway. And not a lot of treatment in the room. Thanks for any help
For me the revel and q-accoustics sound the most natural. I think what you call the box sound is the body of the Instruments for my ears. I love the comparison of these very different speakers and the binaural recordings. Keep up the good work!
The Revels sound better than expected. The x5 sounds the most complete. Very cool Ron! The Klipsch sound slightly thin on upper mids and top. The Q500 seems less open. I would probably be happier with the X5 or even the Sapphires. 1. X5 2. Sapphires 3. Revel 4. Q 500 5. Klipsch
Great session Ron! I grabbed my OLLO AUDIO S4 MK1 headphones and connected them to my Marantz PM7000N and the Samsung TV over optical. I must say Ron, what a great audition room you have, an inspiration for us all and Randy-das Nuemann Kopf is doing its job with highest fidelity. As for the two speaker designs boxed and unboxed for me the winners is unboxed period. However for most us out there the room size is the biggest factor being not be able accommodate open baffle, sadly but physics is physics. Then a pair boxed just have to do the job. I own a pair of Concept 500 and for me they were the best sounding of the three boxed contenders. Both the Revel and Heresy had bloated bass. An honorable third place for the Concept 500. The winner is the Spatial X5 and the piano was the real deal here no comparison from the others. Hm, I need a bigger room!
Listening to these with my X-LS late at night on my U-Frame 8" servo subs, I'm really impressed how well the binural audio works! And the differences between each speaker is really distinct, esp in that opening bass clip!
M3 for the gigantic soundstage. X5 for realism. Klipsch was warm and friendly but got muddled and started tripping over itself. Q reached out and grabbed me but the instrument separation seemed confined. Revel was sterile and a bit dull. M3 for the win for me. Thanks Ron! Great video.
Ron, thanks so much for this! It had to take a crapload of time. When you asked "Do you hear the box?" I was like well....a bit.... I have Electrostat hybrids that present similarly in the mids and highs. The transmission line bass is powerful, but NOT as nuanced as this! Yes! I did hear the box! Until the Spatials played. Then I figured out what was NOT box! Amazing! So easy to hear even over You Tube! I understand why people feel the levels weren't matched. On first blush it sounds this way, but after a couple runs you can see that what we think is SPL. is actually MORE. More information, not louder information, if that makes sense?? Once again, thanks for this! BTW- Go ahead and start that Go Fund to keep Randy. I'll toss some bones your way.
I know I’m late, but yeah, this was a proper demo (as good as it can be when delivered over YT after being transcoded and god knows what else). Sounded good and I could hear obvious differences between the different models. The funny thing is, as I progressed through the examples, I kept thinking “well, that sounds great, but so did the last”. But then when I rewound and re-listened after the Spatial models, I realized they sounded much better. I heard significant box coloration, at least in the Revel and the Klipsch (the latter is unsurprising, but disappointing, given I’ve been considering a pair), and I did not love feeling like I was sitting in the balcony when the Heresy was playing. But it’s a much less expensive speaker, anyway. If you were trying to make a point with the open baffle speakers, I think you did. With these selections they outperformed the others, and the last ones were best (I think). This is coming from a Maggie lover so it’s not surprising that I like the boxless sound, though I’m “stuck” with box speakers in my current place. Anyway, I’m going to hunt down this music and check it out on my Naim Uniti Star/KEF R3 setup and see how it compares. Thanks for the comparison! Edit: IMHO the original piano recording was too spread in the stereo field to be a great listening test. To me it made it hard to judge since pianos don’t usually take up the room. Maybe it’s just me.
Thanks for this excellent presentation NRD. For me it was half way through the M3S that I found my foot tapping and body was generally joining in the party. Nothing up to that moment - This carried on throughout the X5's as well. That says all. Would like to hear the comp live... Greetings to one and All
I love your comparisons in this video! But these same tones became my inspiration to build my own speakers! I got sick of having ultra high end speakers come in and out of my house and leaving me unsatisfied!( Many Apogee's,Cabasse, Legacy,Dynaudio,Pro Ac,Magnapans,Alon IV's,...should I continue?) I still have and enjoy small British monitors like Rogers LS35a's,Celestion Sl 6si's,DL 6's,300's,model 3's, Epos, B&W's,Linn Index's,Quad ESL 57's( the Audiophile Benchmark for transparency) Klipsch Belle's, Klipsch HBR Hereseys.It took me two years to build my speakers.Goal to to achieve the transparency of the Quad's,with the Punchiness of the Heresy's I did it focusing on female vocals and piano.the hardest sounds to recreate electronically.( Had my living room covered with the best drivers out there).
Thanks Ron, fantastic comparison video. Absolute next level. All of the speakers were amazing, the Spatials just more so. I listen to a piano everyday and the Spatials get closer to replicating the sound then the others. I was pleasantly surprised with how balanced the Klipchs were.
Ron, thanks for the tremendous effort that went into making this demo. Especially important during these times when it is more difficult to listen to new speakers in person. Because of the pandemic, we have been spending more time at home, listening to our systems and wanting to upgrade. This makes your work even for critical. That ALL the speakers sounded great is a testament to how good your room is! Congratulations! I honestly think most of us would be happy with any of the speakers if we had your room. One comment I agree with (from another post) is that placing every speaker in the same location doesn’t make sense, yet you did so for the video. I know why you did: trying to remove as many variables from the equation as possible so the trolls couldn’t nit-pick. But you are a strong proponent of proper speaker setup, so there is an inconsistency between this and how you conducted the demo. I have placed an order with Clayton for the M3 Sapphires (yesterday) based mostly on your in depth review and your interview with Clayton. I also read and listened to everything else available, but your reviews are so good that I am willing to purchase speakers without first listening to them in my room. I will confess that I placed the order prior to listening to the shootout. Thanks for the efforts! They are appreciated.
No contest the X5 is the winner here.... question: us the demo level matched? As you know a 97 db/w/m will play louder than the Revel lower efficiency... Thanks! 🙋
the Spatial' s are more than just speakers, they are an experience. I'm guessing that a pair of X3's would bring even more to the X experience (not that the X5's are in any way short) but oh man, they would (will) have me going back through every album, every tune, every song I ever loved just to hear them through new ears. I can't wait. Ron, thank you, not just for this shootout, but for introducing me to the world of open baffle speakers - they have it all. So, M or X - think I want both.
Most Open Baffle speakers will give you that open spatial sound you can not get from boxed spkrs. The X5s have an advantage over most open baffles in that the tweeter is mounted on a waveguide hence gives you an extra dimension of speed.
@@yttean98 ok, good to know. It is just as Ron do say, it's not even close, it is night and day. The other point I would add, once you have heard it, you can't un-hear it and so you are left knowing just how good music can sound even in the most modest-sized rooms (and low-level listening as Ron has also mentioned) I'm already sold - match these to a great DAC and/or cartridge/phono stage and the rewards will be mind-boggling
I have a pair of older hersey speakers circa 1980ish. I was shocked by the bass your example provided. Same general texture as my old ones, just way deeper. Guess the port does make a big difference. I use my subs as stands to elevate the mid range driver to ear level. I have had great success with imaging using this method.
Firstly, this is an awesome demo. This is the way speaker demos should be. Secondly, the Spatials's were very good but impractical for me. I'm happy with my Concept 500's which did, IMHO, a great job as well.
Thanks Ron for this! Regardless of how useful or not sound clips are in the speaker decision making process, it's always fun! And your recording is great fun, good quality, and great sample of speakers. Thanks for doing this!
Wow that binaural mic is incredible. I think you're onto something huge with binaural shootouts. The Spatial X5's were my favorite though a couple others were very close. The X5's air motion transformers did it for me. Incredible attack. So fast and defined. The X5's make it difficult to go back to a boxed speaker.
This is a fantastic exploration of high end speaker sound.Im more of a home theater/music person so I was really impressed by the Concept 500 and the fact that Q Acoustic has a line of center channel speakers so one could build a home theater around the concept 500. The X5s were clearly the best sounding music speakers I have ever heard. Would love to build a home theater around them but that is not what they were created for. Maybe someday the company will take a shot at open baffle home theater. Ron, you are such a detailed and amazing reviewer and who would have thought you are also damn funny and entertaining with Randy.
I’m shocked! I expected the Spacial Audio’s would be a cut above, but damn. The bass string percussions were exciting on both the M3 and X3, but that piano with the X3 just came alive and bloomed. This binaural microphone setup provides an amazing demonstration not rivaled anywhere on RUclips that I’ve heard.
Sapphires for the stand up bass were incredible. X5s hands down for the piano. I may have to take this open baffle stuff seriously. This by far is the best test I've heard yet without having to sell my kid for speakers.
Ron - Thank you. This was clearly a lot of work and it is greatly appreciated. Also thanks for exposing us to this musician . . . cant wait to play his catalogue through my system.
Wow! X5s just went to the top of my Christmas list. In fact, everything else on that list just got crossed off - by necessity! The most significant difference, to me, aside from that piano is that, with both of the Spatial Audio Lab models, the bass is far more precise and less boomy. And the decay on the piano. I grew up with parents who played our piano all the time. THAT is what a piano sounds like. Thanks so much Ron.
Me too. I've had open baffles in the past and like them a lot. But once you parse out their amazing soundstaging abilities, you can start to detect trouble managing crossover regions and overall tonal presentation. In other words, the spectacular drivers become distracting from the music. Those 500s are long-term music partners to these ears, and sonically pretty damn good.
Moved from M3's to X3's and it has been another great step. The detail and layering are something I never knew existed. Never going back to box speakers.
Late to this party but a new gold standard (avec Randy) for YT reviews. As of Aug 2023, neither Spatial Audio Lab link goes anywhere. Their website has one pic of the Q6, no mention of M3 or X5 -- they look like a startup company. Re: the shootout, Revel seemed blameless but also bloodless, sterile -- I was aware above all of listening to a speaker demo. The Heresy suffered here, not sure why, but to my ears came off as boomy, nasal, hollowed out -- and, contrary to expectation, boxy. The Q 500 was when I became aware that jazz was a thing in this demo, bass & piano playing actual music together. That revelation only got better via Spatial Audio Lab, X5 the last shooter standing. But how much are they and where do you get them? Maybe an update?
Thanks, Ron. That was a great experiment. I've got M3 Turbo S's in my listening room and have been considering the M3 Sapphires...now I need to consider the X-5's. Your little experiment just cost me an additional $2K. Keep up the great reviews.
Wow! I don’t think I saw that coming! There’s really a difference in tone, texture and clarity in bass, mid bass and to my ear, the high end. No contest in my opinion. Spatial Audio hands down. Thanks again for the demo, Ron!
Usually it is dynamics and scale that makes a concert piano sound realistic. That is not a problem for any big speaker, especially with horn loaded treble. I am more impressed by the nice timbre of the Q-Acoustics! I bet vocals are more natural on it than on the others.
Good Gosh the Spatial’s to me sound incredible…. Thanks for doing this - I would have never considered open baffle until now.. plus made by hand in Utah is another strong selling point.
The Spatial speakers sound quite colored. Bigger sound than the Klipsch, but they swallow every note. A friend had a pair, for only a few months. I auditioned them as well, at Spatial. They just weren't for me. Thanks for all of your effort here. Much appreciated!
Fantastic comparison, great job, Ron! Outstanding sound. The binaural experience was incredible. I "felt" and heard you walking around my room. :-) And the listening experience is superb. Unusually good quality audio on YT. The Spatials are on a different league. But the QAcoustics was good! The Heresies are very enjoyable but just a bit resonant and boomy. (Piano was good, though!) If I hadn't heard the others I would have said that the Revels were very, very good.
A great comparison. Binaural does an amazing job. This is by far the best comparison of this type I've ever seen/heard. What about the columns themselves? Definitely two open baffles - sapphire and X5s are a class better than the rest. First of all, compared to the "boxers", there are no such - clearly audible in comparison - colorations and resonances. All speakers in the housing have a characteristic coloration - something like an added soundboard of an acoustic guitar. When you only listen to regular speakers, you don't realize it. This video shows it clearly and distinctly. Also, texture differentiation is better and it sounds natural with open baffle. Less experienced listeners, however, may perceive the colored sound from the cabinets as better, while it is only flashy distorted. no hesitation - open baffle plays more honestly, naturally and shows real colors and textures. As for the indication of sapphire vs X5 - I have no opinion. one more sound sample with drums and vocals would be nice. The X5 seem to sound more distinct, louder and with more filling of the lower midrange, but I am not convinced that this will not take revenge on other recordings and it will not turn out that the presentation of the sapphire is more correct and universal.
The X5's sound so open and realistic, out of the box. the second favorite was the Sapphires with a great dynamic range. Both the X5's and Sapphire I see myself listing too for a long time. the others I believe I would get fatigued. They were all great and fun to listen. Thanks for the experience.
![COLOMBIA vs. CHILE [4-0] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 10](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/TDjN4W3yy1k/mqdefault.jpg)
Just a heads up! The two black subwoofers seen in the corners are not connected or used in this video. Thanks!
you said the subs are on with the X5 ?
btw thanks for the video ,, amazing work
@@hassabsaeed9993 The X5s bottom woofers are powered subs. That’s what I was referring to. Thanks!
That was badazz Ron thank you ! Sounded great HD6xxx HP Ifi signature hpamp 6xxx button triggered ! 😆 lol me dac ? Ifi zen blue aptX HD Bargain file ! Oh world best cables RCA
The klipsch are by far the best value for money, the improvements between the heresy and the other speakers are noticeable, but also expected with the x5 costing more than double. A more appropriate comparison would have been with the larger klipsch Cornwall or even the JBL l100. At the end of the day though they all sound different and may all excel in different areas. One thing you don't talk about is actually living with the speakers, most of us would not be able to have spatial speakers in our room, for lack of space unfortunately. That kind of limits the target market a lot, whereas more traditional speakers can work better in difficult rooms. The heresy for example can benefit from being closer to the wall. I restored an original pair and ran them with a 12w Heathkit amp, glorious sound. My incoming dynaudio heritage special will sound magical too with my 390 but in a totally different way. We all have our likes, but if I use food as a comparison, I wouldn't want to eat my favorite food forever because I'd get sick of it. One of the joys of the audio game is switching stuff out and getting that excitement over and over again. We get to save some money and do some of that through you, so thank you! If I ever have a room large enough to consider open baffle I will definitely try them, especially the GR research stacked H frame subwoofers. Cheers
by far the best DEMO I've heard on youTube I wish all demos had comparison's like this. Kudos to you and Randy
Hey thanks!
Donald, I couldn’t agree more. This beats pages of words trying to describe how something sounds. New Record Day is revolutionizing high end audio reviewing and I love it. I broke out my Sennheiser HD800’s for this and it was good advice as I’ve not used them in quite a while. NRD, keep up the great work you’re doing and continued success to you and your channel. G.
@@GerardSheridan
Agreed. Good stuff here. Also check out the "Live Test" videos on *TheAlphaAudio* RUclips channel. Their latest video is a live performer recorded in the studio and then immediately listen back to the performance on 3 different studio monitor loudspeakers in the same room...including ATC SCM40, Dutch & Dutch 8C, and Grimm Audio LS1a.
@@GerardSheridan agree totally and he needs to shout loud about this as the new standard in recording and review of Hi-Fi equipment.
Quick comparison of my favorite part of the bass track:
8:22 Revel $&^÷*#*
16:22 Klipsch Heresy
25:28 Concept 500
33:27 M3 Sapphire
41:47 X5
The X5 gets the best piano but adds an amplified quality to the magic the M3 does with the bass.
Randy's awesome. Thanks
Sapphires sound amazing. Klipsch was a little more congested sounding but the way they reproduce piano performance; dynamics, touch and feel is the most realistic to me.
no klipsch fan here,but indeed the piano on the klipsch was breathtaking realistic!!
The Q Acoustics sounded the best of all the "Box" speakers, but both the Spatial speakers are phenomenally better than any of the conventional speakers in this group. The Spatial's have great speed and reveal the texture of the instruments. The X-5s are unbelievable!
Revel
6:39 : track 1
10:19 track 2
Klipsch :
14:38 track 1
18:25 track 2
Concept 500
23:45 track 1:
27:15 track 2
Sapphire :
31:44 track 1
35:21 track 2
X5 :
40:04 track 1
43:22 : track 2
The volume on the X5 is higher, so they will sound better by default, after volume matching it's much less clear which is better. Open a window for each speaker align the tracks, volume match then switch between them. I presume the volume difference was there in the room as well. Reverse the volume and the other speakers sound better than the X5. :(
A suggestion - start each speaker test with a test tone that you can volume match to correct for this sort of thing, it's very difficult to do by ear with actual music.
A question - why are the X5 only semi-active? They are very sensitive and it would seem easy to add a small amplifier for the tweeter/midrange.
Hey Craig, all the speakers are carefully level matched using pink noise and a decibel meter. Then again, when brought to final cut I’m using a decibel meter and making sure every single speaker is as close as possible. It’s a ton of extra work but I think it’s important. What possible is you are hearing a clarity in a specific bandwidth, typically up higher that’s perceived as louder.
@@Newrecordday2013 Well switching to playing this through my speakers the X5 are at least 3dB louder than all the others on my meter. It's very noticeable to the ear too, so I'm not sure what's going on. Perhaps worth including the pink noise tone for 2-3 seconds in the videos?
Don't get me wrong m8, the X5 seem amazing and because of you will probably be my next upgrade. For the moment I'm loving my Concept 300s. :)
You are doing great work, one of the most honest and hard working reviewers on RUclips.
Thanks man! Dude... throw some headphones on! You haven’t heard anything yet! Knowing you are playing this back on your speakers, all level matching gets a little hard to predict. It’s possible your hearing your own room gain exciting one speaker more than the other.
@@Newrecordday2013 I listened first with headphones, but the X5 sounded louder, so I switched to speakers to check. To be honest I think all these speakers are excellent, not all of the same character to be sure, but fine examples of their kind.
I'm hearing the same thing as Craig did though on my speaker. It was obviously louder with the X5 by quite a bit, or maybe because the X5 just have that much more of a presence in the piano range it's jumping out more compared to the others
I Will admit, I was skeptical. Piano is probably the most difficult to reproduce in the spectrum. I was blown away with the X5s. That price range will never be in my budget, but thank you for letting us experience it with you. Thank you.
Thanks for the comment! Appreciate it!
Never say never. 👍
This Neumans mikes are the best of the best ! That's why it sound to us all soooo gooood.
I liked the klipsch when it came to piano
You do realize the experience you had here is of your very own speakers, and not any of the ones in the video. You were Blown Away, but then you would be even more so if you played the CD, a better recording than this yt stream, on your own system.
You win the trophy for the best sounding audio in RUclips history
Folks, I’m late to this party. After seeing the amount of effort put into this demo, this was instant subscription material. Randy let me hear the differences that words simply cannot describe!
Here’s my triple take:
1. I did not realize with my ears what the bass was doing until the Concept 500s revealed the truth. For a box speaker, that was an ear opening experience; however,
2. The Spatial Sapphires ruled the day for me on the bass sample. I’ve played in bluegrass bands (yeah, I know…a hi fidelity wonderland) for a large part of my life and the Sapphires hit the resonance and timbre of those big doghouse bass tones that I’m used to hearing. That was about the most faithful reproduction of sound that I have ever heard; however,
3. The X5s absolutely floored me with the piano sample. Holy ebony and ivory Batman. I sold pianos to pay my way through college. I’ve been fortunate to play Steinway, Concert Yamaha’s, Kawai, Bosendorfer Imperial’s (extra keys on bottom end), and I’ve heard stellar concert pianists try out our products…and…well…the X5s had me believing a piano was in the room.
So, what does one do to get the best of both worlds? My ears will forever now want the Sapphire bass and the X5 piano. Buy half a set of each? Put the Sapphire on the left and the X5 on the right?
The Holy Grail of speakers has to be out there somewhere merging the two sounds of what I just heard. Then you just watch. I know my luck. The new “find” will suck at woodwinds or vocals. The impossible quest is “impossible” for a reason. Until then, the excitement is in the chase. I hope “Randy” stays with us to help slay the windmills.
Great job young man with your presentation. I look forward to exploring your videos and chasing dragons.
The binaural mic head thing is amazing! These were VERY good recordings.
By far, the best sound demo I have heard. I played this video using Mac + external Dac and connected to my secondary dedicated music system. Boy, was I in for a ride.
I actually opened 5 seperate tabs (1 for each speaker) in my browser and queued each to the start of the bass and piano sections and then played them in alternating 5 second intervals.
No headphones cuz i don't have any good ones but using some semi-decent speakers here.
1. The Spatial X5 or M3 are the tops, but I would have to hear them in person to tell which is truly best. I worry the X5's would be fatiguing in the treble region. I personally play instruments in real life and in my opinion these hands down captured the most accurate tonality of them without a doubt.
2. This might go against what others are saying here but I found the Q Acoustics Concept 500 to be the next best in this lineup.
3. For me the Klipsch Heresy and the Revel 226BE are last place. Which is better than the other... I don't really care, I'm more interested in the best, and I'll let others argue which is which regarding these two.
Thank you for inspiring me to finally make some of my own open baffle speakers (after many years of putting it off) Ron, you're a great man.
I agree with you on your impressions. I believe we are hearing the same things.
man!!! a loooooot of work to put this video together! chapeau! total respect...what dedication!! loved the sound clips! just ordered one of Vasilic's albums! exquisite sound engineering!
listened to these clips a million times...
my preferred speakers were (very surprisingly!):
1. Q acoustics concept 500 (unbelievable honest sound with infinite texture! beautiful, sublime integration. they don't grab you initially but on the long run, i could listen forever to these speakers)
2. X5 (unrivaled clarity, airy. wonderful "you're there" feeling listening to them. i can imagine: totally unforgiving of even the slightest imperfection)
3. Revel F226BE (similar sound signature to the Q acoustics; perhaps a bit more "relaxed" laid back sound; a bit less dry than the Q acoustics? like the Q acoustics, not a speaker that grabs you initially ...but they are just a joy to listen to)
4. Spatial Sapphire M3 (similar sound signature to the X5, but X5 are better on all registers. the sapphires lack texture compared to the 3 above. bass seems a tiny tiny bit "unruly"/slow? on the very low bottom)
5. Klipsch heresy IV (they are nice...but man, they are not even close to any of the other speakers; big "black hole" in the mids! ...and many other issues).
wish i could afford the Q acoustics, the Revels, or the X5s .... but now i know what one day i would LOVE to own! ..before i go deaf!
thanks Ron!! what a joy this video!
Regarding the piano, the Q Acoustics Concept 500s had it.. seamless, transparent and coherent to the max :) Sounded the most 'natural' to me!
Each one of these speakers is a winner. If they weren't heard side by side or back to back in this comparison, every one sounded great. The Spatial's are a truly unique presence to listen to. Thanks for a great "in home" demo, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
The X5s definitely have an enormous dynamic range, and considerable attack when the pianist hits those keys. Having spent too much time in my youth at jazz clubs and bars, I always thought that was something that was impossible to reproduce in audio (I worked at a high end HiFi shop at the time, and we actually had this exact discussion).
The piano sounds perfect in timber, and the hammer and strings are clearly audible. The decay is also amazing.
Yet there's something I like about the M3s. While the X5 is clearly more accurate and realistic, the M3 has the same amount of detail, but is just a bit more relaxed. Perhaps it's a symptom of aging, but I guess I prefer the more relaxed presentation to the aggressive realism of the X5s.
How sad is it that I've come to this? I used to drink my coffee black, but now I like a little sweetener in my Cup of Joe....
The Sapphires have the morst beautifully smooth and powerful sound I gave ever heard in a speaker. Is it possible to be in love with a speakers sound? :)
That microphone setup is amazing! This is the first youtube speaker demo that I've actually found useful! With a good set of headphones it seems like I can definitely hear what these sound like in your room. If you keep using this binaural head for recordings you'll have to pay more attention to what you do while recording. Every time you took a deep breath, moved slightly on the couch or scratched your beard I found myself whipping my head to the left to see what was over there! :)
The X5's and Sapphires are amazing! These are the first speakers I've heard that I'd actually consider buying verses building my own. Nice work on this video!
Spatial all the way. The fact that one can tell the difference over a cheap cell phone speaker can speak volumes.
I didn’t even think it was a contest the spatials were fat and also phat!
Watching this on iPhone 12 Pro Max and I’m blowned away.
Yeah now try some rock and see what happens.
So far the best sound demo ever congratulations Ron you blow out off the park
I play the electric bass so I'm always listening out for the bass line in any piece of music.
There was no comparison in my mind that Bass on the M3 Sapphires far outshone that of the other speakers in terms of clarity, texture and depth and speed.
There was no overhang on any of the bass notes, only the sustain of the note on the string and the body resonance of the double bass.
The muted notes stopped when they were supposed to stop.
When the bass was played with the piano you could hear the intention of the bass player and both musicians sounded like they were playing together as a team, especially when the bass player was playing a rapid series of notes. Every single bass note was defined and clear. The Piano also sounded more natural.
The Bass on the X5’s was tight but not as deep and also there seemed to be too much bite and emphasis to the bow striking the strings which was distracting and ultimately tiring. The piano initially sounded exciting with the best attack and dynamics and you could easily hear the resonance of the instrument but again this was ultimately tiring to listen too after a while.
Too much boom and muddiness of bass notes with the other speakers which masked a lot of detail, especially on the Q Acoustics Concept 500.
I totally agree with you on the bass of the M3 Sapphires.
You presented a wonderful demonstration and it was easy to hear the difference between all the speakers.
Completely agree (I'm also a bass player)
The Revels prove that accurate and true can be sterile. To be fair, Heresy was very impressive given the competition here and certainly has the edge as a "lifestyle" product. The Q's are the Revels after a few espressos. The difference between the two Spatial speakers is what surprised me the most. The Sapphires sound laid back compared to the X5s. Best representation of back-to-back I've heard...
Nailed it. Perfect summary.
For me, the Spatial Audio (both) are the clear leaders here. The tactility, detail, air, and realism is head and shoulders above the rest.
@@nicoras8803
Here on youtube smartass - through an excellent binaural mic setup.
WOW! Great work. The Spatials clear winners with no box but I am an Apogee FR ribbon user so no box is my bias (but I do love my klipsch’s as well). I actually think the Sapphires may actually be quicker and more dynamic than the X5s. Maybe it’s just my headphones limitation. Maybe the synergy of drivers. What is remarkable is that as soon as you hit either of the Spatials you can practically here the bridge on the bass move..:). Just amazing. The X5s clearly accelerate past the Sapphires regarding reverb decay and capturing real piano (and bass). Much more realistic picking up mic bleed, string decay, reverb carry over, etc. Really well done, Ron.
The Spatials really do have some magic going on. But the Q Acoustics surprised me, the gulf between them and the Spatials wasn't gigantic in terms of the music reaching out and touching me. Klipsch and Revels nice enough but lacking that bit of magic. Top work Ron. Now if you can find us some unicorn speakers that I can fit in my miniscule room please 😀
Q Acoustics were a surprise to me as well. Expected more from Revel.
Totally agree ..planning to get the q500 ..
After researching for a while and auditions I bought last week the Q acoustic 500. It’s an amazing speaker. I connect it to my Naim a Uniti Atom and the sound is just amazing! The bass reflection is close to a sub feeling with chest punch... clear - warm - dynamic and outstanding imaging...every penny worth...
Love the 500s!
Great video, Ron! That was a lot of work! Thanks, I enjoyed it.
Best Piano: X5
Best Bass: Saphires. Although....The way the X5's let you hear the room where the recording was made is mesmerizing. I said before, your recording of the original Saphire review was the best sound on RUclips ever.
The Neumann Dummy takes it up another notch!
--Listening on GR X-Statiks with all upgrades, Twin dual 12" GR/Rhithmik OB servo subs, Roku stick+
Are all speaker test volume matched? Doesn't sound like it, the for example the last speakers are much louder. Vastly gives a different perception of the sound.
Thanks Ron for taking the time to show all these speakers one after another. Although this is not my music, I did appreciate the job the speakers were doing especially while playing the bass and piano together. I can say that the 2nd track on the X5's was in a class by itself, the Sapphires were really close. I didn't like how the Concept 500 handled it at all and I thought the Klipsch handled the piano better but the Revel handled the bass better and I wasn't expecting that. Remember that I am an old man with bad hearing and not great headphones, so what do I know.
Awesome Tony! Appreciate you jumping in here and sharing your thoughts!
I'd have to go with the Sapphires based on this video. It's really impressive how much bass they are achieving from an open baffle design. I could get lost in that sound.
Man, the Spatials just kick ass. Wow. Killer sound. (Im sure that's the technical term for it...)
The binaural panning is a nice twist to sound demo vids. Great job NRD. 👍
Thanks buddy
My favorite NRD video ever! I think this style of shootout review is what viewers crave. “Randy is quite the tool” lol! More shootouts like this if possible! Wishing the NRD family a happy holiday!
Great work Ron, thanks for taking the time to make this happen, I couldn't wait to get home and hear this.
X-5 or X-3, IMHO they crush the competition at levels much higher than even the ones you compared them with here, no doubt.
Clayton is a humble man, definitely a master at his art, these speakers put the instruments>in>the>room.
Depends on the music you're playing honestly
All this is well and good, which one rock n rolls though? e.g. you put on... dunno, Iron Maiden's 1st album, do you want to switch it off and go back to piano and bass or do you want to crank it? That is the question.
Exactly
Awesome video! Glad to see some Klipsch Heritage in the mix! They’re not the most accurate but they may just be the most fun.
Could we expect a review on a Heritage model from you? Not sure they’re your cup of tea, but would be cool to hear your impressions.
I like the dynamics of Klipsch. They do not have the most correct sound, but I just like this sound character.
@@dougg1075 Yes, I have them too. Music should be heard, not analyzed, and there the 4th generation of Klipsch does a very good job.
Nothing sounds and images like a horn. Plus the low distortion and big dynamic sound. I love my Forte I that I recently recapped and sealed the cabinets. I love the sound of the phenolic mids and highs which sound more laid back compared to the newer titanium stuff. I got a pair of Tekton double impacts on the way I hope I actually love them more than the klipsch.
@@sergeysmelnik For me, it should be life in the sound that engages, but at the same time be comfortable to listen to and 4th generation of Klipsch has done a lot right there. Jbl also has some similar ones, but personally I have not heard them, and they also cost around 5000 $ more. But I also like Tekton especially well, because they also have good life in the sound to be speakers that do not have horns. For my part, Cube audio 8 "are the best speakers that do not have horns for me, in that room, with the type of equipment used in that case. But they still get a little more dead in the sound compared to horn speakers. At the same time there are also many different factors that affect the sound, such as the room, how they is placed in the room, the equipment with which they are paired, even the cables, so for that reason it still becomes difficult to say which speaker, amplifier, DAC, CD player, etc. one likes best. Do not misunderstand me, because it is not meant as criticism, but you have found your sound, and it is wonderful and enjoy them.
Yes I totally get that. I've often thought that every audiophile needs a Klipsch at some stage of their life. In the same way every car nut needs an Italian classic like an Alfa Romeo. It's not about clinical brilliance, it's about passion & character.
@@sdemosi agree
Wow, that was the most fun I have had online listening in a few months. Well done Ron. You definitely need to find a way to keep Randy around. While listening to the X5s at around 41:30 through 41:37 I thought my ears were playing tricks on me because I heard a baby crying in the background, but someone else mentioned they heard it too. Glad my hearing is still in tact.
The Quality of the binaural-recording is absolutely amazing. I wish a lot more RUclipsr/review Channels for Speakers and audio-components would use this microphone-system! Excellent work, keep it up! :)
So interesting to hear all the differences Ron. Great job in presentation btw! Making me rethink wanting Wilsons ;)
Thanks Randy. Really appreciate you going the extra mile for us. Best speaker review on RUclips. Live in Gilbert, AZ.
Great video!!!! The format is really cool and I hope the crowd funding goes well so you can purchase the Binaural microphone to keep as a tool in your arsenal!
These are all pretty damn good speakers. I think the Spatial open baffle still edges out the others as they have no bloat/resonance/overhang to the sound.
the Spatial's sound so good.
Question, why are the speakers so close to the couch/listeners? If you're too close, isn't that just a little too much "in your face"? I'm not bashing you, just really curious. Thanks brother.
Great question Kris! I’d encourage you to check this out. ruclips.net/video/CyTkwkK8ON0/видео.html
Excellent format, commentary, sound and the best of all, beautiful music, wow! I enjoyed this one very much.
I love the Heresy and the Spatial. You are gifted Ron. Thanks for doing this.
PS, I want Randy's job LOL!
Wow, the best demo recording by far on my headphones. I am 74 years old and this was the first time I could easily tell the difference between speakers. Great demo music. Some male and female vocals would be nice too. Great.
Great demo! I've been on the fence between Klipsch Forte IV and Open Baffle Speakers. Ron, the difference is amazing! The music used to demonstrate the performance of the speakers was perfect in the way that it illustrate the quickness and precision of the instruments. After hearing this comparison, I'm going for the Spatial Audio M3. I wish I had the bread for the X5 but the M3 can hold it's own.
What you listen to matters too. Remember that.
@@el34glo59 That's my problem! I have such an eclectic taste in music that making a decision on which speaker to purchase is very difficult. I currently have the B&W 685 S2 but what to get something that has a little more depth and presence. I'm also very restricted with placement because of the room configuration. I'll keep reading and watching reviews before I take the plunge.
Ron, you need to splice 15 seconds of each speaker playing the same music one right after the other for a better comparison
You hit the nail on the head...but still, we aren't hearing the speakers in person and set up for each speaker's best listening position.
Yes yes yes. We are all fully aware of the drawbacks of online comparisons, yet in this example you failed to use the strongest and most beneficial quality of said online and edited comparison. Audio memory is incredibly short which I’m sure you know. The first 30 seconds of this video dolls out multitudes more data to your listeners than the entire rest of the video.
You can level match and switch between all the speakers instantaneously.
Could you redo this and just continue on with the first 30 seconds?
Perhaps even repeat short 5 second passes of interesting pieces of the music that really illustrate the differences.
I agree. It pains me to say it, giving the fine job you did, Ron, and I thank you. But regular people like me and others, can't retain the memory of the sound long enough to have a fine comparison. So switching mid-song many times between the various speakers is the best thing.
Couldn't agree more, as it isn't exactly a fare comparison in A-B fashion. Then again some defects will 'show up' after spending a while with equipment.
i jumped on the tracks to get a sense of what you mention, worked pretty well.
One the best sound demos on youtube ever!!!! SUPER!!! Thank You!!!
Wow. Have listened to this so many times and appreciate each speaker more and more. I was able to differentiate the subtle texture characteristics of each more on my LaScallas than any of my others I have. The open baffle design definitely has some exemplary definition in some areas and does IMHO separate them from the others. Everyone will have their favorites for overall listing and room acoustics. The Concept 500 really stands out more to me now and seems have more of a blend of the strengths Sapphires and Klipsch. Thanks again for such a thorough and quality job of producing this
Thank you for the kind comment!
Appreciate your reply, you have inspired so many young men and women with respect to finding true fidelity and their journey in all price points
I enjoyed the presentation, but it appears that all the speakers have the same spot, and we all know optimal speaker placement is different with each model. They appear to be too close to Randy from this view. And I know from experience that Heresys need space from the listening spot to sound their best. From this perspective, I think the Spatial X5's sound most like real music. I have Spatials & Klipsch & enjoy both.
What Klipsch do you have? I have Forte iis with all the upgrades possible. And I'm looking to upgrade my speakers. Idk what to go with. Need some good efficiency. 30 WPC tube amp. But don't want to spend $4000. Is there anything you can recommend? Something with good dynamics but maybe slightly better quality than the klipsch if that makes any sense? Clear, details with some dynamics. Good imaging. Etc. Realism. Maybe disappear a little bit more. I know I'm asking alot but I'm willing to buy used and I'm just trying to find a klipsch alternative and running in circles.
If can be slightly smaller than the Forte iis. The room isn't large anyway. And not a lot of treatment in the room. Thanks for any help
For me the revel and q-accoustics sound the most natural. I think what you call the box sound is the body of the Instruments for my ears. I love the comparison of these very different speakers and the binaural recordings. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for listening, appreciate the comment
Thank you Ron! 👍 Great experience in listening in your room with that bunch of speakers. For me the X5 sounded realistic as „live“.
Would have liked to hear the Klipsch cornwalls insted of the hershey, have to say, X5’s for the win .Very good comparison video Ron, thank you.
Agreed, a better match and price point.
Well you will get even MORE cabinet resonance. But you will gain bass extension.
The Revels sound better than expected. The x5 sounds the most complete. Very cool Ron! The Klipsch sound slightly thin on upper mids and top. The Q500 seems less open. I would probably be happier with the X5 or even the Sapphires.
1. X5
2. Sapphires
3. Revel
4. Q 500
5. Klipsch
Glad you enjoyed!
@@Newrecordday2013 hearing the Sapphires on a different system, I am thinking that's the way to go
Great session Ron! I grabbed my OLLO AUDIO S4 MK1 headphones and connected them to my Marantz PM7000N and the Samsung TV over optical. I must say Ron, what a great audition room you have, an inspiration for us all and Randy-das Nuemann Kopf is doing its job with highest fidelity. As for the two speaker designs boxed and unboxed for me the winners is unboxed period. However for most us out there the room size is the biggest factor being not be able accommodate open baffle, sadly but physics is physics. Then a pair boxed just have to do the job. I own a pair of Concept 500 and for me they were the best sounding of the three boxed contenders. Both the Revel and Heresy had bloated bass. An honorable third place for the Concept 500. The winner is the Spatial X5 and the piano was the real deal here no comparison from the others. Hm, I need a bigger room!
Listening to these with my X-LS late at night on my U-Frame 8" servo subs, I'm really impressed how well the binural audio works! And the differences between each speaker is really distinct, esp in that opening bass clip!
M3 for the gigantic soundstage. X5 for realism. Klipsch was warm and friendly but got muddled and started tripping over itself. Q reached out and grabbed me but the instrument separation seemed confined. Revel was sterile and a bit dull. M3 for the win for me. Thanks Ron! Great video.
Thanks James!
This is where I’m at the m3s were me all day.
Yeah the klipsch is definitely not slow
Klipsch was good, Q’s were surprisingly really good but the Spacial’s were simply amazing both, very nice job Ron.
Ron, thanks so much for this! It had to take a crapload of time. When you asked "Do you hear the box?" I was like well....a bit.... I have Electrostat hybrids that present similarly in the mids and highs. The transmission line bass is powerful, but NOT as nuanced as this! Yes! I did hear the box! Until the Spatials played. Then I figured out what was NOT box! Amazing! So easy to hear even over You Tube!
I understand why people feel the levels weren't matched. On first blush it sounds this way, but after a couple runs you can see that what we think is SPL. is actually MORE. More information, not louder information, if that makes sense??
Once again, thanks for this!
BTW- Go ahead and start that Go Fund to keep Randy. I'll toss some bones your way.
I know I’m late, but yeah, this was a proper demo (as good as it can be when delivered over YT after being transcoded and god knows what else). Sounded good and I could hear obvious differences between the different models. The funny thing is, as I progressed through the examples, I kept thinking “well, that sounds great, but so did the last”. But then when I rewound and re-listened after the Spatial models, I realized they sounded much better. I heard significant box coloration, at least in the Revel and the Klipsch (the latter is unsurprising, but disappointing, given I’ve been considering a pair), and I did not love feeling like I was sitting in the balcony when the Heresy was playing. But it’s a much less expensive speaker, anyway.
If you were trying to make a point with the open baffle speakers, I think you did. With these selections they outperformed the others, and the last ones were best (I think). This is coming from a Maggie lover so it’s not surprising that I like the boxless sound, though I’m “stuck” with box speakers in my current place. Anyway, I’m going to hunt down this music and check it out on my Naim Uniti Star/KEF R3 setup and see how it compares.
Thanks for the comparison!
Edit: IMHO the original piano recording was too spread in the stereo field to be a great listening test. To me it made it hard to judge since pianos don’t usually take up the room. Maybe it’s just me.
Thanks for this excellent presentation NRD. For me it was half way through the M3S that I found my foot tapping and body was generally joining in the party. Nothing up to that moment - This carried on throughout the X5's as well. That says all. Would like to hear the comp live... Greetings to one and All
I love your comparisons in this video! But these same tones became my inspiration to build my own speakers! I got sick of having ultra high end speakers come in and out of my house and leaving me unsatisfied!( Many Apogee's,Cabasse, Legacy,Dynaudio,Pro Ac,Magnapans,Alon IV's,...should I continue?) I still have and enjoy small British monitors like Rogers LS35a's,Celestion Sl 6si's,DL 6's,300's,model 3's, Epos, B&W's,Linn Index's,Quad ESL 57's( the Audiophile Benchmark for transparency) Klipsch Belle's, Klipsch HBR Hereseys.It took me two years to build my speakers.Goal to to achieve the transparency of the Quad's,with the Punchiness of the Heresy's I did it focusing on female vocals and piano.the hardest sounds to recreate electronically.( Had my living room covered with the best drivers out there).
What are building? :)
Thanks Ron, fantastic comparison video. Absolute next level. All of the speakers were amazing, the Spatials just more so. I listen to a piano everyday and the Spatials get closer to replicating the sound then the others. I was pleasantly surprised with how balanced the Klipchs were.
Ron, thanks for the tremendous effort that went into making this demo. Especially important during these times when it is more difficult to listen to new speakers in person. Because of the pandemic, we have been spending more time at home, listening to our systems and wanting to upgrade. This makes your work even for critical.
That ALL the speakers sounded great is a testament to how good your room is! Congratulations! I honestly think most of us would be happy with any of the speakers if we had your room.
One comment I agree with (from another post) is that placing every speaker in the same location doesn’t make sense, yet you did so for the video. I know why you did: trying to remove as many variables from the equation as possible so the trolls couldn’t nit-pick. But you are a strong proponent of proper speaker setup, so there is an inconsistency between this and how you conducted the demo.
I have placed an order with Clayton for the M3 Sapphires (yesterday) based mostly on your in depth review and your interview with Clayton. I also read and listened to everything else available, but your reviews are so good that I am willing to purchase speakers without first listening to them in my room. I will confess that I placed the order prior to listening to the shootout. Thanks for the efforts! They are appreciated.
No contest the X5 is the winner here.... question: us the demo level matched? As you know a 97 db/w/m will play louder than the Revel lower efficiency...
Thanks! 🙋
the Spatial' s are more than just speakers, they are an experience. I'm guessing that a pair of X3's would bring even more to the X experience (not that the X5's are in any way short) but oh man, they would (will) have me going back through every album, every tune, every song I ever loved just to hear them through new ears. I can't wait. Ron, thank you, not just for this shootout, but for introducing me to the world of open baffle speakers - they have it all. So, M or X - think I want both.
Most Open Baffle speakers will give you that open spatial sound you can not get from boxed spkrs. The X5s have an advantage over most open baffles in that the tweeter is mounted on a waveguide hence gives you an extra dimension of speed.
@@yttean98 ok, good to know. It is just as Ron do say, it's not even close, it is night and day. The other point I would add, once you have heard it, you can't un-hear it and so you are left knowing just how good music can sound even in the most modest-sized rooms (and low-level listening as Ron has also mentioned) I'm already sold - match these to a great DAC and/or cartridge/phono stage and the rewards will be mind-boggling
@@deadpeoplestuff5686 I know cos I built myself a few different pairs using different types of drivers in the past 5 yrs.
I have a pair of older hersey speakers circa 1980ish. I was shocked by the bass your example provided. Same general texture as my old ones, just way deeper. Guess the port does make a big difference. I use my subs as stands to elevate the mid range driver to ear level. I have had great success with imaging using this method.
Firstly, this is an awesome demo. This is the way speaker demos should be. Secondly, the Spatials's were very good but impractical for me. I'm happy with my Concept 500's which did, IMHO, a great job as well.
Wow very good work on your part re recording, video as well. The Head sure did its job! Nice.
Thanks Ron for this! Regardless of how useful or not sound clips are in the speaker decision making process, it's always fun! And your recording is great fun, good quality, and great sample of speakers. Thanks for doing this!
Thank you, it is the most experienced experience possible on RUclips. I wish they all used your standard.
Revel for the first track for double bass and X5 for piano.
Wow that binaural mic is incredible. I think you're onto something huge with binaural shootouts. The Spatial X5's were my favorite though a couple others were very close. The X5's air motion transformers did it for me. Incredible attack. So fast and defined. The X5's make it difficult to go back to a boxed speaker.
Is it live or is it mem-or-X5
Beginning of piano track
Revel F226BE - 9:58 (10:15) (12:10) Heresy - 18:24 (20:19) Concept 500 - 27:13 (29:08)
Spatial M-Sapphire - 35:20 (37:15) Spatial X5 - 43:22 (45:17)
This is a fantastic exploration of high end speaker sound.Im more of a home theater/music person so I was really impressed by the Concept 500 and the fact that Q Acoustic has a line of center channel speakers so one could build a home theater around the concept 500. The X5s were clearly the best sounding music speakers I have ever heard. Would love to build a home theater around them but that is not what they were created for. Maybe someday the company will take a shot at open baffle home theater. Ron, you are such a detailed and amazing reviewer and who would have thought you are also damn funny and entertaining with Randy.
The Revels are #1. The Q Acoustics sounds like a very forgiving and pleasant speaker based on this recording anyway.
I’m shocked! I expected the Spacial Audio’s would be a cut above, but damn. The bass string percussions were exciting on both the M3 and X3, but that piano with the X3 just came alive and bloomed. This binaural microphone setup provides an amazing demonstration not rivaled anywhere on RUclips that I’ve heard.
Sapphires for the stand up bass were incredible. X5s hands down for the piano. I may have to take this open baffle stuff seriously. This by far is the best test I've heard yet without having to sell my kid for speakers.
Ron - Thank you. This was clearly a lot of work and it is greatly appreciated. Also thanks for exposing us to this musician . . . cant wait to play his catalogue through my system.
Not on a good headphone rig...
Wow... one of the best sound demos I've seen.
I asked you about the X5 on another video, question answered. BTW you keep taking your reviews to a new level.
This video was fun to hear and watch, thank you Ron.
The h390 had the Klipsch’s singing! Excellent synergy between the two!
Wow! X5s just went to the top of my Christmas list. In fact, everything else on that list just got crossed off - by necessity! The most significant difference, to me, aside from that piano is that, with both of the Spatial Audio Lab models, the bass is far more precise and less boomy. And the decay on the piano. I grew up with parents who played our piano all the time. THAT is what a piano sounds like. Thanks so much Ron.
I preferred the Concept 500s, which had a seamless, coherent sound.
I totally agree
Me too. I've had open baffles in the past and like them a lot. But once you parse out their amazing soundstaging abilities, you can start to detect trouble managing crossover regions and overall tonal presentation. In other words, the spectacular drivers become distracting from the music.
Those 500s are long-term music partners to these ears, and sonically pretty damn good.
Moved from M3's to X3's and it has been another great step. The detail and layering are something I never knew existed. Never going back to box speakers.
Late to this party but a new gold standard (avec Randy) for YT reviews. As of Aug 2023, neither Spatial Audio Lab link goes anywhere. Their website has one pic of the Q6, no mention of M3 or X5 -- they look like a startup company. Re: the shootout, Revel seemed blameless but also bloodless, sterile -- I was aware above all of listening to a speaker demo. The Heresy suffered here, not sure why, but to my ears came off as boomy, nasal, hollowed out -- and, contrary to expectation, boxy. The Q 500 was when I became aware that jazz was a thing in this demo, bass & piano playing actual music together. That revelation only got better via Spatial Audio Lab, X5 the last shooter standing. But how much are they and where do you get them? Maybe an update?
X4 is for 2024
Thanks, Ron. That was a great experiment. I've got M3 Turbo S's in my listening room and have been considering the M3 Sapphires...now I need to consider the X-5's. Your little experiment just cost me an additional $2K. Keep up the great reviews.
Pleasure is all mine!
That was fun! Thanks for posting this. Now I’m going to try and sell one of my kidneys to buy the X5’s.
Hahahaha! Who needs kidneys?!
Wow! I don’t think I saw that coming! There’s really a difference in tone, texture and clarity in bass, mid bass and to my ear, the high end. No contest in my opinion. Spatial Audio hands down. Thanks again for the demo, Ron!
Usually it is dynamics and scale that makes a concert piano sound realistic.
That is not a problem for any big speaker, especially with horn loaded treble.
I am more impressed by the nice timbre of the Q-Acoustics!
I bet vocals are more natural on it than on the others.
They all sound amazing -- but I like the Klipsch overall.
You saved the best speaker for last. Nice!! Loved it & great job! 👍👍
I could hear your stomach rumble! Randy is fabulous! What a great way to present speaker reviews on RUclips✌🏼
Good Gosh the Spatial’s to me sound incredible…. Thanks for doing this - I would have never considered open baffle until now.. plus made by hand in Utah is another strong selling point.
The Spatial speakers sound quite colored. Bigger sound than the Klipsch, but they swallow every note. A friend had a pair, for only a few months. I auditioned them as well, at Spatial. They just weren't for me. Thanks for all of your effort here. Much appreciated!
Fantastic comparison, great job, Ron! Outstanding sound. The binaural experience was incredible. I "felt" and heard you walking around my room. :-) And the listening experience is superb. Unusually good quality audio on YT.
The Spatials are on a different league. But the QAcoustics was good!
The Heresies are very enjoyable but just a bit resonant and boomy. (Piano was good, though!)
If I hadn't heard the others I would have said that the Revels were very, very good.
A great comparison. Binaural does an amazing job. This is by far the best comparison of this type I've ever seen/heard. What about the columns themselves? Definitely two open baffles - sapphire and X5s are a class better than the rest. First of all, compared to the "boxers", there are no such - clearly audible in comparison - colorations and resonances. All speakers in the housing have a characteristic coloration - something like an added soundboard of an acoustic guitar. When you only listen to regular speakers, you don't realize it. This video shows it clearly and distinctly. Also, texture differentiation is better and it sounds natural with open baffle. Less experienced listeners, however, may perceive the colored sound from the cabinets as better, while it is only flashy distorted. no hesitation - open baffle plays more honestly, naturally and shows real colors and textures. As for the indication of sapphire vs X5 - I have no opinion. one more sound sample with drums and vocals would be nice. The X5 seem to sound more distinct, louder and with more filling of the lower midrange, but I am not convinced that this will not take revenge on other recordings and it will not turn out that the presentation of the sapphire is more correct and universal.
Now THIS..... is an audio demo! Nice work Ron
Thank you so much for all the effort put into this demo. Best by far of any review. Keep it short and simple. ..Klipsch
The X5's sound so open and realistic, out of the box. the second favorite was the Sapphires with a great dynamic range. Both the X5's and Sapphire I see myself listing too for a long time. the others I believe I would get fatigued. They were all great and fun to listen. Thanks for the experience.