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Thread: B&W 703 Floorstanders

  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by RGA
    Though there is nothing laid back about the J or E. The superior dynamics require that they project a less laid back sound than the dry overly polite and restrained presentation of the 705.
    But then the Quads have no pulse either so it's not a big surprise.
    If the B&W 703 is described as "upfront", I wonder what the J or E are in relation to the 703, upfront or laidback,or is it schizophrenic , more laidback and more upfront than the 703 at the same time . By the way, a laidback speaker can have huge dynamics, different xteristics.

    PS: I see that you have moved on from the Genelecs and the ELACs, to the Quads, you are doing a good job, keep up the good work .

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by StanleyMuso
    to a certain extent I was playing Devil's Advocate. I do agree with you that, for what you get, the 700s and above are overpriced. I managed to get mine at 30% discount at an end of year sale, otherwise, I would not have paid full price. However, generally, don't you think that most esoteric hi-fi is overpriced? Is a Krell, or a Bryston, or a Halcro amp really worth the asking price?
    I don;t get into price discussions too much because price is subjective in that if one speaker gives you good sound and costs say $2500.00 and the next speaker gives you a 10% improvement and costs $8,000.00 then so long as the improvement is there then it is up to you decide on the importance of that improvement. I also don't generally like % improvements because that is a meaningless term outside of an analogy on internet forums. If I can say that a Krell at $70k is better than bryston's best at 10K then it's better -- the issue of overpriced for me comes into play when you pay way more and get IMO worse or no better sound.

    When i had my Sugden A48b which was 2k new but which I bought used for a few hundred and running my speakers and a very modest cd player for a grand total of at new prices of around $6k US and then listening to the Wilson Sophia Krell and levinson set-up which runs more than $50kUS closer to $60K if it was better even by 2% then I would say hey that is one heck of a premium to pay for that 2% improvement but that;s up to you. That 2% could be the difference between fatigue inducement and not and so that may be very critical. I would merely call the system overpriced because it in no way bested what I had in my home so I scratch my head and think "well it ain't about how much you spend but on the design you spend it on"

  3. #28
    RGA
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    Quote Originally Posted by theaudiohobby
    If the B&W 703 is described as "upfront", I wonder what the J or E are in relation to the 703, upfront or laidback,or is it schizophrenic , more laidback and more upfront than the 703 at the same time . By the way, a laidback speaker can have huge dynamics, different xteristics.

    PS: I see that you have moved on from the Genelecs and the ELACs, to the Quads, you are doing a good job, keep up the good work .
    The J and E discern more differences in the recordings across the recordings I have used - who says the 703 is upfront -- bright maybe, but upfront? Though I did not get bright from them - lack of cohesion that makes the ear focus on the tweeter yes but the actual treble response is no worse than most metal tweeters with their artificial and wholly audible ringing - but B&W advertises at great length how each of their new models fixes their old models in the ringing department - which means they always admit their tweeters ring like a dinner bell and how they try to "fix it" and of course the fix is always YOU the buyer needing to pay more and more to get a half decent treble.

    This poster is yet another one to add to the B&W's are overpriced and incredibly fatiguing in some manner or other and I made a big mistake getting them group. But at least he can admit it -- I can. If they are so great why don't you put your money where your mouth is sell the speakers you have and settle on the B&W N801 or N802?

    If they were truly that good you'd buy them. Asking about getting rid of your Quads for another Quad is obvious -- you know they suck but you can't admit it. Your ego is paper thin.

  4. #29
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    Let's leave out the B&Ws for a minute...

    Quote Originally Posted by RGA
    Asking about getting rid of your Quads for another Quad is obvious -- you know they suck but you can't admit it. Your ego is paper thin.
    Let's leave out the B&Ws for a minute.

    The joke about the Quads is just about wearing thin, care to express your experience about the Quads at your dealer in detail? Following your story, sometime ago you listened to a pair of USED ESL-63s at your dealers, What was the setup? Did you ever consider that a pair of used ESL-63 might have ended up at the dealer because they were defective? When asked by LongtimeQuadowner to listen to the Quads at his place, why did you not take up the offer? He told you that he listened to the 20K AN-E at your dealer Soundhounds in all "Audio Note" super rig and came away preferring the Quads, cos they (the Quad's that is) were more open sounding and and as a result invited you on more one occasion to listen to the Quads at his place, you did not take up any of those offers yet you are content to bitterly criticize this selfsame pair of speakers that you have NEVER heard at every opportunity. You even have the audacity to make derogatory comments about other peoples opinion of this selfsame speaker that you have NEVER heard.

    The same applies to the Genelec 8040 and the ELACs, as of this writing you have NEVER heard any of these speakers, yet you feel obliged at every opportunity to put your two pence worth of bitter criticism. A while back when someone asked after suitable Quad ESL alternatives, you recommended the AN-K saying it has the transparency of Quads and the dynamics of horns, how did you arrive at that opinion when you have NEVER heard the Quad ESL? The are many things I could use you to describe your behaviour and many of them are not complimentary, your behaviour sometimes borders on lunacy, I have yet to come across another person who is so desperate for validation and approval as you are and anytime you did not receive it, you seem to take leave temporary leave of your senses, describing you as a schizophrenic character is complimentary.

  5. #30
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    Just as a tip from me to you in all friendlyness and respect TAH but have you ever asked yourself how it is possible for one man to have such a huge amount of audio stores in his area that dont get tired of a non-purchasing person to walk in there everyday to listen to their speakers? Or how those dealers carry every speaker that is discussed on these forums with measurements and cut down remarks? Or how its possible for him to be able to supposely measure the most rarerest and most soldomly used speakers there are? I stopped reading and trying to discuss this, people are much smarter then that.

    Flo
    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

  6. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Florian
    Just as a tip from me to you in all friendlyness and respect TAH but have you ever asked yourself how it is possible for one man to have such a huge amount of audio stores in his area that dont get tired of a non-purchasing person to walk in there everyday to listen to their speakers? Or how those dealers carry every speaker that is discussed on these forums with measurements and cut down remarks? Or how its possible for him to be able to supposely measure the most rarerest and most soldomly used speakers there are? I stopped reading and trying to discuss this, people are much smarter then that.

    Flo

    I agree with you Flo. , I wonder which dealer measures speakers that he sells so that he can cut them down at next opportunity or satisfy the known tire-kicker.

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    Actually, I was also wondering

    Quote Originally Posted by Florian
    Just as a tip from me to you in all friendlyness and respect TAH but have you ever asked yourself how it is possible for one man to have such a huge amount of audio stores in his area that dont get tired of a non-purchasing person to walk in there everyday to listen to their speakers? Or how those dealers carry every speaker that is discussed on these forums with measurements and cut down remarks? Or how its possible for him to be able to supposely measure the most rarerest and most soldomly used speakers there are? I stopped reading and trying to discuss this, people are much smarter then that.

    Flo
    how some people, unless they are involved in the field professionaly, could possibly expose themselves to so much equipment? I have been interersted in audio since I was a child when I first tried to connect a small record player to my parents' ancient valve radio. I live in a small city and every hi-fi shop in the city now knows me. I have to restrain myself from visiting them too often out of pure ambarrasment. After all, I am not a wealthy man, and can only upgrade so often, so I don't want to impose myself on these hard working folk too much when I am only "tyre kicking". Usually, the time frame between when I first become interested in something and actually buying it is quite long, because I am a cautious fella and do a lot of consumer research, as well as auditioning. I can't help feeling guilty about wasting these good folks' time. As much as I would like to experience all that wonderful equipment around , I don't have the opportunity in terms of venues which stock them, and also time. That's why I appreciate so much the good advice from all the knowledgeable folk who are willing to share their experiences in these forums. Please keep it coming - I love to share your experiences even if I don't always agree with them. And believe me, your good advice has often opened my eyes.

  8. #33
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    Well, I didn't read all...

    Quote Originally Posted by Florian
    Just as a tip from me to you in all friendlyness and respect TAH but have you ever asked yourself how it is possible for one man to have such a huge amount of audio stores in his area that dont get tired of a non-purchasing person to walk in there everyday to listen to their speakers? Or how those dealers carry every speaker that is discussed on these forums with measurements and cut down remarks? Or how its possible for him to be able to supposely measure the most rarerest and most soldomly used speakers there are? I stopped reading and trying to discuss this, people are much smarter then that.

    Flo
    ...30 posts, but this touches on something I have thought about.

    The word "experience". This is why I left that line in the profile blank... experience in what? Driving yourself to a store and listening to a stereo? In that case, I have almost 30 years! That word implies one has expertise in an area... err, we don't, really. O.K., maybe SOME of us do, maybe someone actually in the field, but I think the vast majority of us simply enjoy listening to music on a better than average stereo... that's all.

    I feel lucky to have 10 or 15 "high-end" stores within a 40 mile radius. There's also NYC if one feels like fighting for a parking spot, or taking mass transit. No matter how many different brands I will ever hear, I would never make assumptions about how a particular piece CAN sound. This is only because I know a speaker, for eg., can sound WILDLY different at your house vs. the store demo. The good news is it usually sounds better at home.

    And the terms "bright" and "detail"... they get misused as well. I'll save that for another time :^)

    Rant over, thanks!

  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by theaudiohobby
    Let's leave out the B&Ws for a minute.

    The joke about the Quads is just about wearing thin, care to express your experience about the Quads at your dealer in detail? Following your story, sometime ago you listened to a pair of USED ESL-63s at your dealers, What was the setup? Did you ever consider that a pair of used ESL-63 might have ended up at the dealer because they were defective? When asked by LongtimeQuadowner to listen to the Quads at his place, why did you not take up the offer? He told you that he listened to the 20K AN-E at your dealer Soundhounds in all "Audio Note" super rig and came away preferring the Quads, cos they (the Quad's that is) were more open sounding and and as a result invited you on more one occasion to listen to the Quads at his place, you did not take up any of those offers yet you are content to bitterly criticize this selfsame pair of speakers that you have NEVER heard at every opportunity. You even have the audacity to make derogatory comments about other peoples opinion of this selfsame speaker that you have NEVER heard.

    The same applies to the Genelec 8040 and the ELACs, as of this writing you have NEVER heard any of these speakers, yet you feel obliged at every opportunity to put your two pence worth of bitter criticism. A while back when someone asked after suitable Quad ESL alternatives, you recommended the AN-K saying it has the transparency of Quads and the dynamics of horns, how did you arrive at that opinion when you have NEVER heard the Quad ESL? The are many things I could use you to describe your behaviour and many of them are not complimentary, your behaviour sometimes borders on lunacy, I have yet to come across another person who is so desperate for validation and approval as you are and anytime you did not receive it, you seem to take leave temporary leave of your senses, describing you as a schizophrenic character is complimentary.
    I never said anything bad about the sound of either Elac or Genelec -- we were discussing measured response at that time and the measured response didn't impress me and I and others explained why -- that does not at all mean that I won;t like them if I heard them in person.

    As for the ESl 63 I said that i would give them another try and I accepted longtimeQuadowners invite but he started making excuses about moving to a new place and that the system would not be as good as it could be - well most systesm are in rooms that are not perfect but a big part of a decent speaker is to sound good in less than ideal rooms and set-ups -- The AN E after all in blind listening sessions at Hi-fi choice is placed in BAD position in a room that is very poor for that speaker and it still outperformed much of the competition enough for them to buy them. So in a less than ideal set-up I expect and DEMAND that rooms not be held as an excuse for lousy sound. Commercial Electronics does nto sell used speakers that are defective - the equipment was SS (Bryston and Arcam was on the shelf). The room was roughly 19 X 17 with an open hall on one side - this is also where I heard proac's big floorstander several months later (which was vastly better).

    I would gladly listen to Longtime quad owners 57 - but JNR had the 57 stacked for 30 years and went to the AN E with no regrets. The 57 I'm told has less bass than the 63 which already has very little -- so with regards to longtimequadonwer I would really like to have both speakers in the same room at the same time.

    In fact if you would like to make a friendly wager we could run an independant preference based blind listening session with the Quad (any model) any amplifier versus just say AN J/Spe/OTO/3.1 one boxed player. If you're willing I may be able to get the services of 20 Professionally trained Jazz musicians to attend an all day listening session - two equal rooms of your choosing in one of the local hotels here. It would run about $500.00Cad to get the listeners - being students paying them $30.00 each to spend a day listening to tunes they may bite. An additional $100.00 for lunch for them. I'd certainly go in half on this. I would be willing to bet that no less that 80% would choose the AN set-up. With your engineering degree you surely could set-up the room and speakers better than me. I can only afford one hotel for one day so it would only give me a couple hours to set up the room -- you can have as much time as you need and I will allow you to use any room treatment or graphic EQ you wish - I get to use neither and can only earball the sound.

    We will use the same music in both rooms that run the entire gambit classical to triphop dance etc. Listeners at the end of the day fill in the card as to which room they liked better and why. Both rooms systems will be darkened out so no one can see the gear and both rooms will be played to the same volume level based off a 1khz test tione at a distance of 6-8 feet - say 75db - 85. Simple. I can provide further details if I get some interest on your end. There is no way to PROVE a subjective experience but with professionally trained independant musicians it's sure more credible than OWNERS of the set-ups in question.

  10. #35
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    If you're willing I may be able to get the services of 20 Professionally trained Jazz musicians to attend an all day listening session - two equal rooms of your choosing in one of the local hotels here. It would run about $500.00Cad to get the listeners - being students paying them $30.00 each to spend a day listening to tunes they may bite. An additional $100.00 for lunch for them. I'd certainly go in half on this. I would be willing to bet that no less that 80% would choose the AN set-up.
    I would accept that in a second if i were in the US or Canada. Run the Quads with a all Silvaweld setup and play life instruments from either MA Recordings or first pressings of the Matthaeus Passion from Phillips. I know the J and it wont stand a chance in acurate reproduction against the quad.

    Just my humble opinion.
    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

  11. #36
    RGA
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    Confusion?

    I have three main dealers I have purchased from - how is that tire kicking? Some dealers are willing to spend the time because they are interested in music reproduction -- Soundhounds is the only one I know of in BC. Commercial Electronics on Burrard street is probably the biggest dealer in Western Canada and is a two division shop catering to pros and consumers. Getting a Quad is relatively rare I should guuess and that is likely why it would be so interesting to check out. I knwo two Commercial Electronics people fairly well - they have a staff of about 50 or more. The salesman I knew well left and now runs his own shop and is a rare dealer that is out to make the customer happy and not sell you something unless he's sure you will like it. Rare indeed. And he left as their top selling B&O rep. he never had to lie -- he would tell the B&O buyer that it's not the best sounding but it looks good. (I overheard him)

    The other fellow is the C.E. purchasing Agent so I also have some knowledge of how grossly overpriced certain things happen to be. As for panels they do sell Martin Logan. The ML Odyssey and Prodigy. (I purchased about $5k worth of gear from)

    The other dealer, Hi-fi Center, I have purchased the 302, Senn 600, Arcam Delta 290 from off the top of my head. So no tire kicking there..

    And Soundhounds most of the rest.

    I also typically avoid weekends when I go so it's not like they're busy. Soundhounds is a 3.5 hour return trip for me so it expected that I will spend more than 10 minutes in there. I call or e-mail ahead of time. They treat customers the way all other dealers SHOULD treat them but often don't. hell when I go down there they are the ones who say you gotta try this or that and start lugging stuff around for me to listen to (and not just AN btw). And when you're moving around B&W 800 Diamonds and 70lb amps and Maggies then that's quite impressive compared to some dealers who grown about moving a Totem model 1.

    My experience with gear is not as varied as some imply. I have not heard eveyr speaker from eveyr line. My largest listening experience line of that which I do not own is B&W and Paradigm when it comes to hours on them and model numbers from them heard...more so than my Wharfedales.

    I have heard "certain" models from many others over the years with a great variation in set-up and time spent with them -- it usually does not take me long to figure out which side of the fence the speaker or system will fall for me. Where possible I will listen in the nearfield to alleviate room boundry issues and I won't concentrate a great deal at all on bass because that often requires more of the room. The AN K I took home despite its bass being a bit boomy in the showroom. A problem that is and can be a function of positioning room acoustics. Had it been any other dealer I would have been more distrustful but given the other's speakers far mroe serious problems which cannot ever be fixed by a room or positioning it was not hard.

    When I go to Soundhounds I spend pretty much the entire day's operating hours there. They have customers who come a few days a week to talk try out new things and tweak whatever gadget they have and mostly to listen to some music. They were even generous enough to allow me to go with their sales staff and fly down to the CES in Vegas. Soundhounds has a lot of gear but they have also gotten rid of a lot of gear just over the last 5 years I have know that store -- they also bring in speakers for customers who are CURIOUS about the competition. For instance one customer like the AX two better than anything they carried but was curious about Epos -- Soundhounds bought the Epos to compare side by side for the customer knwoing how hard it is to hear the speakers in the SAME location in the same room with the same or complimentary gear. This epos purchase nullifies any profit he would get on the AX Two because he's now stuck with a one off speaker he has to sell as used. The thinking is that that customer may have more money one day and when one day comes they'll come back.

    That is how I had gotten access to the Epos and after listening side by side -- Soundhounds won't be picking up Epos.

    Other audiophile customers who don't post on the net are a great source of information as well.

    I would like to comment on many others like the Klispch reference but I have only heard one model set-up well -- the rest are in a local London Drugs with terrible acoustics and terrible equipment running it side by side with all the other Klipsch and Jamo speakers. I avoid talking about such speakers as much as possible because all i can say is model A sounded better than B in this awful room with crap equipment so who cares? Model b could very well sound better than A in a normal decent room properly positiioned.

    Dealer showrooms are generally well set-up. -- Soundhounds big open room is not condusive to optimal placement and both the AN E/Sec Silver and the B&W N801 (until they replaced it for the E/Sec) sounded very good. No corners, and the speaker no where near a wall is actually as bad a position as the E/Sec can possibly put in any room -- and yet it was mistaken for live music. The N801 this room would be ideal ten fett from any side wall - 5 feet from the back wall and at least 20 foot ceiling.

  12. #37
    RGA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Florian
    I would accept that in a second if i were in the US or Canada. Run the Quads with a all Silvaweld setup and play life instruments from either MA Recordings or first pressings of the Matthaeus Passion from Phillips. I know the J and it wont stand a chance in acurate reproduction against the quad.

    Just my humble opinion.
    Ahh it's the j last time you said the K so now we're just picking and choosing what you've heard. Anyway, this is for all kinds of recordings not one that happens to sound decent on one kind of speaker -- good speakers perform across the gambit -- that inludes heavey rock at reasonable decibal levels to get the juices going -- therefore Aerosmith's Pump or something like Rage Against the Machine will be used. I have no problem with any choice in classical or Jazz -- both set-ups will play the same music but good speakers don't fall apart because it's not getting an acoustic instrument. Though I am happy with any acoustic instrument especially piano. And drums, or tympanni or double bass etc I would certainly be excited to use.

  13. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by RGA
    Ahh it's the j last time you said the K so now we're just picking and choosing what you've heard.
    Before you get overexcited, I said I OWNED the AN-Ks not Florian.

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by theaudiohobby
    Before you get overexcited, I said I OWNED the AN-Ks not Florian.
    Thank you! At least someone read it and remembers.

    Cheers

    Flo

    PS: I am not here to argue RGA, just that i would accept that offer in a second. Even against the E
    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

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    The crux of the matter is...

    Quote Originally Posted by RGA
    I never said anything bad about the sound of either Elac or Genelec -- we were discussing measured response at that time and the measured response didn't impress me and I and others explained why -- that does not at all mean that I won;t like them if I heard them in person.

    As for the ESl 63 I said that i would give them another try and I accepted longtimeQuadowners invite but he started making excuses -- SNIP

    I would gladly listen to Longtime quad owners 57 - but JNR had the 57 stacked for 30 years and went to the AN E with no regrets. The 57 I'm told has less bass than the 63 which already has very little -- so with regards to longtimequadonwer I would really like to have both speakers in the same room at the same time.

    In fact if you would like to make a friendly wager -SNIP.
    First off, The wager is pointless as the logistics are totally off, I live in London, UK and you live British Columbia, Canada. It is not going happen.

    It tickles me when you talk about measurements, why? Because you have demonstrated and time and again that you do not understand how to read them, the most glaring howler being your inability to tell an in-room corrected FR plot from an aneichoic one. Also Audio Note hardly has any speaker measurements published anywhere, so you commenting on any speaker based on measurements is a bit of a joke. I will spare your blushes and not pull your old posts, but most of your remarks about the ELACs were not based on any measurements whatsoever.

    On Jnr, he did NOT own a pair of stacked Quads for 30 years. Neither does he give any details of his system when he owned them as the stacked Quads were long gone by the Audio Notes arrived, and in the intervening period he tried several other speakers. Moreso, from his own account he did not get optimal sound out of the ESLs either. Even so, He got rid of the stacked Quads when got married due to space limitations not poor sound quality.
    Quote Originally Posted by Jnr
    Thirty-one years of trying to fine a satisfying speaker The first speakers I owned were stacked Advents then I heard a pair of quad 57s and I had to have them. So for a few years I tried to fine something better that would also give me volume and bass. I purchased a second pair and stacked them. I tried without success to add a sub.

    Then I got married and we moved and there was no place for the monoliths so I begin down the line of mini monitors.
    I tried Spenders, Rogers, Clestions, Spicas, and some others that I don?t remember
    The except above clearly reveals that you have grossly misinterpreted Jnr's comments, However, the cruz of matter is the still that you persistly make comments on speakers that you have NOT heard. Needless to say your experience with Quads is very limited, so please refrain from commenting on them. And as a matter of courtesy, try to be more measured in comments about speakers you have not personally heard.

    By the way I thought I will point in you in direction of some of JNR recent comments on CDPs
    Quote Originally Posted by Jnr
    I own a sony 777es with the VSEI levan 4.5 mod and most of the Kern mods. For over a year I listen to Audio Note Dacs four or five days a week. If you are asking about one of the players I would pass, though I have not heard the new player, I don't think it is out yet. Starting with the 2 balanced dac on up(if you use their best transport) there is something about the ANs that certain people fall in love with and love above all other digital. Personaly I like SACDs better and am thank with the VSEI mods they better the AN DACs but I have good friends who would dissagree with me.
    Guess the name of one of my current SACDPs..,While at it, check out my amplifier. Forget the wager, the logistics are unrealistic, I wonder why you suggested it , but note that there is more than one way to good sound.

    Your comments about showroom listening I will bite another day...
    Last edited by theaudiohobby; 12-03-2005 at 08:31 PM. Reason: Additional comments

  16. #41
    RGA
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    Yes my saleguy at Soundhounds never got his panels (quads and maggie 20's) working right either and the main reason they dumped Martin Logan is that they kept getting returned. Seems nobody sets them up right or can which is why longtimequad owner won't let me listen.

    The anechoic measurement means next to nothing - what matters is the in room measurement at the listening position. It makes sense to use a 1 meter anechoic measurement because they more or less control the variable - but it is totally useless in practical terms when purchasing the speaker - we don't listen in anechoic chambers with test tones. We lsiten to music usually at distances of an equalateral triangle or further back and that is where it ought to be measured.

    Audiophile magazine has a full frequency response measurement with a full waterfall plot time domain and distortion inforrmation on axis and off axis - 2002 it was done on the E. Hi-fi Choice describes the measurements in enough detail to be useful. Peter Q claimed on the kits forum that the speaker is -6db at 75degrees off axis. All you would have to do is phone up an AN dealer and they will bring the E to your house -- you can then perform all the measurements yourself.

    Stereophile reviewer Peter Van Wellinsword(sp?) owns the old basic E so perhaps in some back issue the measurements may have been done there (I am not a Stereophile subscriber so I do not know) - or even the Snell models.

    My notes on Elac were from reviews -- you posted a negative quote on the AN E (despite being given an award from them and despite being their reference tool) so I in turn pointed out several of their comments on the Elac speaker - they claimed the speaker was cold and analytical and not very musical.

    Florian way back said the speaker he heard was the K and then has changed that to the J over the last several arguments. I like the K more than you TAH but quite frankly I did move on from them. Your entire knowledge of audio note rests on a copper wired version of the AN K being run on a non AN system (and I asked you at the time of owning them for the serial numbers and you refused to provide the information). I first heard AN on their equipment - and it makes a difference even if you're in the all amps sound the same camp. At a recent shootout I can point to five people who after hearing the K/SPE would call the speaker bright leaning (being driven wih Oddysey) and nobody would call them treble deficient. The K/L you apparently had is not a speaker I have owned nor is it one that I have heard from Audio Note so I don't know what it sounds like. The J/L is more subdued than the J/Spe and didn't have the resolution in the treble. The AN K is a significant step down from the J or E. Considering the internal volume jumps three times, an entirely different tweeter from an entirely different company is used, an entirely different woofer from a different company and a different surround material is used and being ported as opposed to being sealed I don;t really think you have any worthwhile comment to make on this company.

    The England Canada issue is a $500.00 return flight - if I lose I'd pay that. Unfortunately, such a challenge is a waste of time because unless I get 100% of the listeners I still lose. if just one person chooses the other system then that means the argument could be made that well see that one person had better hearing or is a true golden ear. And if I win people will say big deal you beat an old no longer made speaker.

    Hi-fi Center in Vancouver is an off-shoot of Soundhounds so perhaps I can get something going between Quads NEW top of the line panel and the AN E/LX. These owners know eachother quie well having worked together for years.

    As for JNR - you are quite welcome to read anything the way you wish to as you often do. Well I'm gone from here for a while so to the original poster I would suggest listening for yourself and good luck with whatever you buy. Trusting magazines and posters like TAH and the end result will be owning speakers like the B&W 703 - and your ears are more than capable of realizing who NOT to take the word of when shopping.

  17. #42
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    Exit the thread and cover your face in shame

    The bottom line remains, you made extensive comments about speakers you have not listened to.Your comments about the Quads were over the top and you yet have never heard them. As for JNR, you misinterpreted his post. Next time, if you have not heard a speaker, keep quiet. Your comments about anechoic measurements simply demonstrate your ignorance about measurements in general, we do not listen in anechoic chambers but room contribution can be predicted and derived from the aneichoic measurements, hence their importance. By the way, I am not the one trashing every speaker under the sun.

    Exit the thread and cover your face in shame , you have been making grandiose statements about a speaker you have never heard, You misconstrued a review, a regular occurence with you, which is a pity, considering that you have a BA in English!
    Last edited by theaudiohobby; 12-03-2005 at 09:32 PM.

  18. #43
    Forum Regular gonefishin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BillyB
    Any other B&W 703 owners out there? In my system they have been a huge disappointment. I find them to be very bright and edgy. The FST midrange seems to be too out front especially on vocals.I actually like the woofers and tweeter in the 703.The FST is one of B&W's claims to fame.I have mid priced Rotel components.Are the 703's simply too good for my equipment, or did B&W design a speaker with way too much top end.I listen to raggy rock and pop CD's at a fairly high volume which doesn't help, but my previous speakers were much more forgiving without the listener fatigue I get with the 703's.If you own them I'd love to hear what you think of them. Even though I paid almost $3000 for them, I'd be lying If I said they were a good purchase.Ironically I almost bought the much more laid back 9nt's the 703 replaced. I should have paid much closer attention to the differences between the two.
    ,,,
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  19. #44
    Forum Regular gonefishin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BillyB
    Any other B&W 703 owners out there? In my system they have been a huge disappointment. I find them to be very bright and edgy. The FST midrange seems to be too out front especially on vocals.I actually like the woofers and tweeter in the 703.The FST is one of B&W's claims to fame.I have mid priced Rotel components.Are the 703's simply too good for my equipment, or did B&W design a speaker with way too much top end.I listen to raggy rock and pop CD's at a fairly high volume which doesn't help, but my previous speakers were much more forgiving without the listener fatigue I get with the 703's.If you own them I'd love to hear what you think of them. Even though I paid almost $3000 for them, I'd be lying If I said they were a good purchase.Ironically I almost bought the much more laid back 9nt's the 703 replaced. I should have paid much closer attention to the differences between the two.

    ,,,
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  20. #45
    Forum Regular gonefishin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BillyB
    Any other B&W 703 owners out there? In my system they have been a huge disappointment. I find them to be very bright and edgy. The FST midrange seems to be too out front especially on vocals.I actually like the woofers and tweeter in the 703.The FST is one of B&W's claims to fame.I have mid priced Rotel components.Are the 703's simply too good for my equipment, or did B&W design a speaker with way too much top end.I listen to raggy rock and pop CD's at a fairly high volume which doesn't help, but my previous speakers were much more forgiving without the listener fatigue I get with the 703's.If you own them I'd love to hear what you think of them. Even though I paid almost $3000 for them, I'd be lying If I said they were a good purchase.Ironically I almost bought the much more laid back 9nt's the 703 replaced. I should have paid much closer attention to the differences between the two.

    ,,,
    dan
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  21. #46
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    Dan what are you trying to say?

  22. #47
    Forum Regular gonefishin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BillyB
    Any other B&W 703 owners out there? In my system they have been a huge disappointment. I find them to be very bright and edgy. The FST midrange seems to be too out front especially on vocals.I actually like the woofers and tweeter in the 703.The FST is one of B&W's claims to fame.I have mid priced Rotel components.Are the 703's simply too good for my equipment, or did B&W design a speaker with way too much top end.I listen to raggy rock and pop CD's at a fairly high volume which doesn't help, but my previous speakers were much more forgiving without the listener fatigue I get with the 703's.If you own them I'd love to hear what you think of them. Even though I paid almost $3000 for them, I'd be lying If I said they were a good purchase.Ironically I almost bought the much more laid back 9nt's the 703 replaced. I should have paid much closer attention to the differences between the two.




    Any luck BillyB?


    Whatcha thinking?


    I could understand if you have a reluctance to order speakers that are only available on-line....or site unheard. But there are some nice "smaller" brands that are good performers. But they could be sooo hard to find for an audition. BUT. But if you do some searches...you could sometimes find an audio board that has a number f members with that said speaker. Of this group...there may be someone that lives in your area that would be more than happy to give you an audition.

    So don't discount some of the smaller brands...or internet only brands right away.



    What brands do you have in the audio shops near you. Also, as was mentioned before...there could always be some used proacs in your future

    happy travels,

    dan



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  23. #48
    Forum Regular gonefishin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BillyB
    Any other B&W 703 owners out there? In my system they have been a huge disappointment. I find them to be very bright and edgy. The FST midrange seems to be too out front especially on vocals.I actually like the woofers and tweeter in the 703.The FST is one of B&W's claims to fame.I have mid priced Rotel components.Are the 703's simply too good for my equipment, or did B&W design a speaker with way too much top end.I listen to raggy rock and pop CD's at a fairly high volume which doesn't help, but my previous speakers were much more forgiving without the listener fatigue I get with the 703's.If you own them I'd love to hear what you think of them. Even though I paid almost $3000 for them, I'd be lying If I said they were a good purchase.Ironically I almost bought the much more laid back 9nt's the 703 replaced. I should have paid much closer attention to the differences between the two.



    Quote Originally Posted by theaudiohobby
    Dan what are you trying to say?

    I'm trying to say...don't ya wish we all had the opportunity to listen and try every speaker we would want.

    Audio forums such as this can put you in contact with not only others in your area with similar intrest. But some also may have audio clubs in your area. Where you not only get exposer to new (and different) components...but many times visits, seminars or demonstrations by industry professionals.

    It may help...it may not...but there's a good chance it may be fun as well


    dan
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  24. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by theaudiohobby
    The bottom line remains, you made extensive comments about speakers you have not listened to.Your comments about the Quads were over the top and you yet have never heard them. As for JNR, you misinterpreted his post. Next time, if you have not heard a speaker, keep quiet. Your comments about anechoic measurements simply demonstrate your ignorance about measurements in general, we do not listen in anechoic chambers but room contribution can be predicted and derived from the aneichoic measurements, hence their importance. By the way, I am not the one trashing every speaker under the sun.

    Exit the thread and cover your face in shame , you have been making grandiose statements about a speaker you have never heard, You misconstrued a review, a regular occurence with you, which is a pity, considering that you have a BA in English!
    What the hell are you talking about - I HAVE heard the Quad 63. Misconstrued what review? - JNR's?, Hi Fi choice? The review from Hi-fi Choice on Elac is stated right there. FACT JNR bought the Audio Note E/SE and bottom line is that this IS the speaker of his choice and IS the speaker he owns as of today's date as i just replied to him. Your dancing around the fact anywhich way you can - cannot deny that fact. Not that his choice is gospel as I'd probably be in the "group that disagrrees with him" on the cd replay since I have directly heard both the 777ES and the SCD1 and at that time the system was set-up by Sony themselves to demonstrate how wonderful the technology was (at Commercial Electronics where they know more about system set-up than some hack on a forum ever would). But he is hardly the only one -- I know of a number of people who've had panels and now own AN speakers - but then it's not terribly surprising i just find out when all the panels pour into Soundhounds used section that yes they traded them in for AN.

    Ohh and the 802D you love so much came out pretty lousy in the Stereophile measurements section -- upper mid problem treble concern and a hint at brightness. Gee what a surprise that i said the same thing several months ago and you go one a tirade that it was the amps fault. Stereophile is very good at covering for the problems (after all without their advertising the rag would be out of business) so they say to make sue the room is dead blah blah blah. Always an excuse for their speakers.

    And I'm still waiting for you to put your money behind the B&W logo -- trade all your speakers in and get one. Why? Not good enough for you to own right? Recommend what YOU would personally stand behind.

    I don't care if you like Quad -- I get why people like it - it imprints a certain presentation on recordings that some will find holographioc. I personally just find it hollow.

  25. #50
    Forum Regular Florian's Avatar
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    Lets all buy Audio Note speakers and praise them till we die so we can trash this idiotic advertising non-fact based thread once and for all. Moderator? Please send this thread down the drain.
    Lots of music but not enough time for it all

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