Quote Originally Posted by JonW
Hey RGA,

Thanks for the thoughts. Good points- how do I know what is accurate if I wasn't there?

I was thinking that the ATC speakers I heard were more "accurate" because the bass drum really sounded like a bass drum does in real life. Not just that thump. But it was on a recording I had never heard before. That same speaker also made a recording that I thought fine, sound quite poor. But the other songs sounded fine. So that was my basis for saying "accurate," be it correct or not.

Unfortunately, most of these speakers are being heard at different shops. I can't find one place with a full complement of speakers from each of these companies. And this must make a big difference. Heck, the Totems were run by a $750 Jolida tube amp. The B&W's by about $15,000+ of McIntosh amps. That can't be a good comparison. And I am really wondering: the incredibly tight, powerful, deep bass I heard came from the B&W 703, but it's only rated down to 38 Hz. Conversely the Totem Forest is rated as "<33 Hz" and had almost no bass at all. Is that the amp, room, placement, etc? That's probably a topic for a new thread I'll post soon.

Yes, I read the article in your signature prior to hearing any speakers. That's a pretty anitseptic approach to it all. What I'm wondering is, at least in part, is that the way to go? Or should I get what moves me right away? Or should I be concerned about what moves me now may become annoying later...?

-Jon
Well for a start it is very very difficult to hear every speaker in the same room with "fair" equipment driving it. The room and equipment can affect bass response -- how it was measured to start with and the ratings of the speakers. Many makers will provide a number such as -6db or +/-3db etc after with the low frequency -- if none is provided assume it is -10db (because it probably is)

The other thing is some speakers quite simply sound like they have more bass and can do it louder. In lieu of same room auditions you can make inferences. Many dealers carry B&W and bryston in my area and the two are a popular match. If I hear a B&W?Bryston in one shop against say a Jamo and Like the B&W better by a mile and then in shop B I listen to B&W and Dynaudio and Dynaudio is better then B&W then I am pretyt confident that Dynaudio is going to be better than the Jamo -- Even though i have not heard them side by side I have heard all three.

And to note what I was saying earlier because some take things and overblow them (sort of like I was saying with speakers). If you read the article in my signature they explain what they mean by Resolution versus Detail or grain. A speaker isn't broken down to frequency response and distortion -- if it were then most speakers would be very good even completely different designs - and it is not the case.

In the end it isn't always about trying to find the absolute best -- you won;t klive long enough to hear it all and with every combination of gear room acoustics. etc. The main job is to find something you like and will be able to listen to all day all the time and not upgrade outside of the company line.