I have spent a fair amount of time in the last 4 or 5 years listening to different speakers, all (for the most part) in the sub $30,000 price range. The initial purpose was to make an educated decision for my own purchase but eventually to determine how much one had to spend to get a speaker that was better in every single category than any other speaker in this general price range (approximately $10,000 to $30,000). Included in this list were my existing Dunlavy SC-VI’s; Maggie 20.1’s, Wilson speakers below the Maxx, Seaton Catalysts/SubMersives, Vandersteen 5’s, Avalons, Dynaudio, top of the line Aerial, Salons, and a few others I can’t remember. I did listen to the two larger Wilson speakers as well (the latest incarnation of the Maxx and Alexandria) but I will assume from the results I heard, that room setup must not have been optimal (even though I heard them both in multiple dealers/venues) since they would not have passed my criteria either. Given the rave reviews from all who have visited our fearless leader and his Alexandria’s, apparently in the right room with the right electronics they would pass my test. So does that mean that in order to be better in all categories the speakers I listed, I need to spend $150,000 on speakers and another $150,000 on amps?
When I say “every single category” I am taking about everything that we obsessed audiophiles drool over: imaging in all three dimensions, sound stage scale, mid range clarity, articulation, and transparency, bass extension, mid bass impact, upper frequency air and extension, blah, blah, blah !! Everything !!
My conclusion: Not one of these speakers was better in every single category than any of the others. Some had better midrange, others better imaging, others better midbase, some had better speed, etc.
So how much do I have to spend to get “better” and not just “different”. Based upon some additional auditioning, in my opinion, one really needs to go way north of $50,000, and even then, the “in every single category “ can be problematic. A friend has a pair of Magico Q5’s that are one of the very best speakers I have heard but even they won’t plunge the far depths of the low end.
At the most recent Axpona in Atlanta, I did get to hear the newest version of the Scaena and while I did not spend hours and hours listening, it seemed as though they might be a contender – but they are quite expensive. Importantly, they were in a room larger than any home environment listening room, so how much of what I heard was due to the fact that the room was so huge?
I have no answer but I’m curious about the observations others have on the concept of “better or just different” in regard to speakers.
