(and) Then There Were Three....

SCAudiophile · Nov 17, 2016

(and) Then There Were Three....or Four or...

Good Day,...looking for some urgent feedback and opinions as to direction to take for a second pair of speakers and to return to having a passive speaker not injecting an A->D->A stage with additional interconnects, power cords, etc...after my existing pre-amp. In other words, I have a great digital front-end that gets wonderful analog out of my CDs, SACDs, XRCDs, etc... and once it gets to a pre-amp that I love, I don't want to mess with that analog signal in this alternate system config and pass it straight through my amp with no other digital in the middle...

I listen to a wide range of music; pipe organ, large classical (symphony), small classical/solo works, jazz, big/swing band, guitar, trumpet, double bass, vocals, rock, prog-rock, etc....and value full frequency behavior,
dynamics as well as finesse in a speaker.

Nominal 4 ohm loads up to 8 ohms would be my preference and a match for my existing gear.

Efficient speakers that would get me as close to or below 20 Hz as possible measured IN ROOM would be my preference.

Three top contenders based upon listening, owner feedback, WAF, etc...,...please let me know what you think;

- Sonus Faber Aida (also if Lilium is very close to Aida, let me know)
- TAD Reference 1 MKII
- TIDAL Agoria
- Evolution Acoustics MMTwo

I realize price-points are varied in the above but assume used might be an option on the more expensive and we should ignore price.

Thank you!!!

JackD201 · Nov 17, 2016

Hi SC

What amps are you using and how large is your room?

I really like the TAD R1s but have limited experience with Aidas. I've not heard MMTwos.

SCAudiophile · Nov 17, 2016

Thank you Jack for responding! Amp is an Esoteric A-02 Stereo amp, could see bi-amping with 2 of these some day or moving to 2 Grandioso S1s or 4 M1s but I've biamped before with good results but am not striving to add back more complexity for the sake of only bragging rights

. Room is 19' x 25', I have system and speakers along side (long) wall so firing speakers across the 19' dimension of the room due to a sloping ceiling on other side. Firing speakers down the long axis of the room with this asymmetrical ceiling layout never struck me as wise so I've avoided it. Speaker on are on 8' centers, 3' out from back wall, about 9-10' from the typical listening position. The room has a nook on the left side with a set-in window overlooking driveway; this side is a problem, needs some treatment. Right side of the room on the other hand has a down-staircase to 1st floor and a long hall way (at least 30', then right angles plus more hallway) where my office is so bass/sub-bass frequencies have plenty of room for the wave to open but only on the right of center side of the soundstage. Pictures are here on one of my posts of my virtual system...

audioguy · Nov 17, 2016

SCAudiophile said:
Efficient speakers that would get me as close to or below 20 Hz as possible measured IN ROOM would be my preference.

Thank you!!!

In room low end response is all about the room and speaker placement -and much less about the speakers. VERY difficult to get flat-to-20HZ bass response when the speakers are located to provide imaging, focus, etc for the remainder of the spectrum. Separate subs AND some kind of sub EQ will get you in much better position to get what you want - and still not add room correction to your main speakers.

SCAudiophile · Nov 17, 2016

audioguy said:
In room low end response is all about the room and speaker placement -and much less about the speakers. VERY difficult to get flat-to-20HZ bass response when the speakers are located to provide imaging, focus, etc for the remainder of the spectrum. Separate subs AND some kind of sub EQ will get you in much better position to get what you want - and still not add room correction to your main speakers.

Thank you for the great feedback!!!

microstrip · Nov 17, 2016

SCAudiophile said:
(...) Efficient speakers that would get me as close to or below 20 Hz as possible measured IN ROOM would be my preference.

Three top contenders based upon listening, owner feedback, WAF, etc...,...please let me know what you think;

- Sonus Faber Aida (also if Lilium is very close to Aida, let me know) (...)

What is the length of your room? I had significant output down to 18 Hz using the Aida's because of the room gain of my very long room ~9.5m

And no the Lilium is not very close to the Aida's. The Aida's is more full bodied, warmer, more transparent and more refined. The Aida's are not very efficient - I would say middle efficiency. You can tri-amplify them. An overall great speaker.

SCAudiophile · Nov 17, 2016

microstrip said:
What is the length of your room? I had significant output down to 18 Hz using the Aida's because of the room gain of my very long room ~9.5m

And no the Lilium is not very close to the Aida's. The Aida's is more full bodied, warmer, more transparent and more refined. The Aida's are not very efficient - I would say middle efficiency. You can tri-amplify them. An overall great speaker.

Thank you for all of the feedback!

Room is 19' x 25', I have system and speakers along side (long) wall so firing speakers across the 19' dimension of the room due to a sloping ceiling on other side. Firing speakers down the long axis of the room with this asymmetrical ceiling layout never struck me as wise so I've avoided it. Speaker on are on 8' centers, 3' out from back wall, about 9-10' from the typical listening position. The room has a nook on the left side with a set-in window overlooking driveway; this side is a problem, needs some treatment. Right side of the room on the other hand has a down-staircase to 1st floor and a long hall way (at least 30', then right angles plus more hallway) where my office is so bass/sub-bass frequencies have plenty of room for the wave to open but only on the right of center side of the soundstage. Pictures are here on one of my posts of my virtual system...

Folsom · Nov 17, 2016

I like the MMOne and MMTHREE, but the two looks wrong to me. Can't go wrong with Seven...

I've heard the Sonus Faber's, could be good but frankly the associated equipment may not have been best match, I can't say for sure if I like them a lot. Bass seemed a bit over the top but it may not have been the speakers. I didn't think they were as revealing as other speakers.

I would not consider Tidal. Maybe the speakers are ok on their own but in full Tidal compliment the sound was fruity. Extremely colored, contorted, bizarre, flooffy.

If I can think of others to mention or talk about I will.

SCAudiophile · Nov 18, 2016

Folsom said:
I like every the MMOne and MMTHREE, but the two looks wrong to me. Can't go wrong with Seven... I

've heard the Sonus Faber's, could be good but frankly the associated equipment may not have been best match, I can't say for sure if I like them a lot. Bass seemed a bit over the top but it may not have been the speakers. I didn't think they were as revealing as other speakers.

I would not consider Tidal. Maybe the speakers are ok on their own but in full Tidal compliment the sound was fruity. Extremely colored, contorted, bizarre, flooffy.

If I can think of others to mention or talk about I will.

Thank you very much for all the feedback!

asindc · Nov 18, 2016

Tidal speakers=

rbbert · Nov 18, 2016

If you are seriously considering the EA MM2 or MM3, be sure you go with the Exact version. I'm a little surprised Jack didn't suggest a VR55 Aktiv or perhaps VR9?

SCAudiophile · Nov 18, 2016

Thank you both for your feedback!

JackD201 · Nov 18, 2016

rbbert said:
If you are seriously considering the EA MM2 or MM3, be sure you go with the Exact version. I'm a little surprised Jack didn't suggest a VR55 Aktiv or perhaps VR9?

Then there would be 5 LOL

asiufy · Nov 18, 2016

rbbert said:
If you are seriously considering the EA MM2 or MM3, be sure you go with the Exact version.

+1 on this

I understand you're on the opposite side of the country, but if you want to audition MM3 EXACTs (or MM2s, as that's easily done), we have a pair here in the store!

cheers,
alex

Leif S · Nov 18, 2016

bonzo75 · Nov 18, 2016

I will have a big report out next week of my trip to Mike L's to listen to the MM7, and I hope to listen to the MM2 and 3 soon. I will easily choose the EA over TADs, which I do not like. Also over anything else I have heard so far, though I cannot dissociate Mike's brilliant room from the speakers. I can't comment on the Tidal at all since I have not heard those, and though I have not heard the Aida, the lower Sonus Fabers I have heard had nothing that interested me - some nice midrange, but that's it.

SCAudiophile · Nov 19, 2016

asiufy said:
+1 on this

I understand you're on the opposite side of the country, but if you want to audition MM3 EXACTs (or MM2s, as that's easily done), we have a pair here in the store!

cheers,
alex

Thank you....getting some negative feedback on the size of these setups on the WAF acceptance front.

I will definitely remember your offer if things change...thank you!

SCAudiophile · Nov 19, 2016

JackD201 said:
Then there would be 5 LOL

We audio-nuts like to confuse ourselves frequently by compiling short lists, promising to remain disciplined about our review and then adding to them thus violating our own rules don't we

? I do it all the time LOL!

bonzo75 · Nov 19, 2016

If it's a WAF issue I will recommend auditioning YG Hailey or above, and Stenheim alumine 5 and the bigger floorstander, over the TAD. Asiufy does that YG, and Audio Arts in NY does the Stenheim

JackD201 · Nov 19, 2016

SCAudiophile said:
We audio-nuts like to confuse ourselves frequently by compiling short lists, promising to remain disciplined about our review and then adding to them thus violating our own rules don't we ? I do it all the time LOL!

Indeed we do

In case you find yourself veering towards doing some violating..... yeah, I think those two would be worth breaking a few rules for. LOL

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