Floor standing speaker - will I ever find the right one?

eastsoutheast

Wammer
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Nov 13, 2011
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  1. No
PMC EB1i's did it for me, a genuine 19HZ bass performance, fast, dynamic, open, clear, fairly easy to drive, front ported so no issues using close to a rear wall (I do with no issues).

I have concrete floors so I am not sure if floorboards would cause problems.

Only available 2nd hand and I have only seen 1 pair come up for sale anywhere for the last 3 years. A well respected Bryston and PMC dealer told me these were the best domestic speakers PMC produced but size made them a small seller.

Happy hunting.

 

hifinutt

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phil
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  1. No
get yourself down to guildford audio and listen to those female vocals you like on some martin logans , you`ll be in for a shock , oh and they are very wife friendly

 

JeffL

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Nov 30, 2012
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http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/triangle4/cello_2.html

Another wammer below mentions Triangle Magellan range. Above is a link to a 6moons review which shows the Cello speakers in situ. Hard floors can be problematic but the Cellos have a clever little gizmo bottom front designed to Couple the enclosure to the floor and presumably helps to reduce unwanted feedback from a hard floor especially. You don't mention budget but FYI I paid about £8k new.

Recently bought these and are using in a room of about 30 sq m - a bit bigger than yours maybe, but Triangle is one of the few manufacturers who suggest suitability for rooms of different sizes - see http://www.triangle-fr.com/brochures/Magellan_en.pdf for the Magellan range brochure.

I can't compare with all the others you mention - I can;t cope with hearing more than three different designs while auditioning. But I am really happy with these guys. We listen to a lot of classical stuff as well as jazz, female vocalist and some rock from the 60s-80s. They are so communicative, elegant, balanced - dunno the right words, but they are clear without being clinical and give a really wide and deep soundstage. Your amp should be fine - apparently they work best with plenty of power and in some reviews I;ve read the Mac gets mentioned by name as a really good match. I use an MF Nuvista pre and power and the sound is sublime. There you go.

 

Pussycat

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Sep 9, 2008
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Just a thought; rear-ported floormounts need lots of room behind, normally, but you mention that floor-firing ports seem to work better. I'm going to suggest big Response ProAcs; not the originals which are rear-ported (which I have and need a longish room) but the D series which fire down. Big ProAcs are efficient (around 89db), an easy load and image/soundstage beautifully. Also lively and fast (well, my three models were). Spikes are mandatory, though.

 

Pussycat

Wammer
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Sep 9, 2008
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get yourself down to guildford audio and listen to those female vocals you like on some martin logans , you`ll be in for a shock , oh and they are very wife friendly
Now there's a thought ! I'd imagine it'd have to be the pricey Summits or close, though? Despite the sonic culture shock, it might just tick boxes with the McIntosh and the room dimensions

 

TheMinimalCriminal

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Nov 19, 2010
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http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/triangle4/cello_2.htmlAnother wammer below mentions Triangle Magellan range. Above is a link to a 6moons review which shows the Cello speakers in situ. Hard floors can be problematic but the Cellos have a clever little gizmo bottom front designed to Couple the enclosure to the floor and presumably helps to reduce unwanted feedback from a hard floor especially. You don't mention budget but FYI I paid about £8k new.

Recently bought these and are using in a room of about 30 sq m - a bit bigger than yours maybe, but Triangle is one of the few manufacturers who suggest suitability for rooms of different sizes - see http://www.triangle-fr.com/brochures/Magellan_en.pdf for the Magellan range brochure.

I can't compare with all the others you mention - I can;t cope with hearing more than three different designs while auditioning. But I am really happy with these guys. We listen to a lot of classical stuff as well as jazz, female vocalist and some rock from the 60s-80s. They are so communicative, elegant, balanced - dunno the right words, but they are clear without being clinical and give a really wide and deep soundstage. Your amp should be fine - apparently they work best with plenty of power and in some reviews I;ve read the Mac gets mentioned by name as a really good match. I use an MF Nuvista pre and power and the sound is sublime. There you go.
I will add to this that you can take Triangle's room size recommendations with a pinch of salt. For my Celius floorstanders they recommend a room around 2-3 times the size of the one they are in but it's really not a problem. They are also relatively close to the back wall (about 18" or so) and would probably be further back if there weren't a large reverberating cupboard next to them as it does play merry hell with the lower registers.

 

JeffL

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Nov 30, 2012
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Fair point on room sizes, Jon. Just added it as a bit of extra info. As you know you'll be welcome to listen if you come this way.

 

deggie

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Iwould take paui,s ...purite north...advice about the mowgan mabon speakers.........give them a call, they are a friendly bunch ,

get a pair on demo.......... they do everything well, rear ported yes, but not difficult to place/position.....im not changing mine, imo they are superb.

 

thats_not_my_naim

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Sep 6, 2011
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If you can find a set give a set of Neat MF7's a listen.

I own their smaller sibling the MFS's but the MF7's are one of the best floor standers I've heard :)

 

banjoman

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Jun 5, 2012
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Why not give as somebody else said try ProAc floorstanders.
Plus one for Proacs

I tried a wide range of floorstanders when wanting to upgrade and Proac D18s and D28s really stood out. Still loving my D28s.

 

khfm865

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May 4, 2009
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I think you should try Focal Scala Utopias. You ,issued the mid range on the 1038s - it is here with the Scalas. You liked the treble - you have that still only better. The bass is bigger and punchier with Scalas.

 

rabski

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Dec 2, 2006
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  1. No
You mailed me about the OBX and much as I think they're about as good as it gets, I'm not convinced they'd be right for you. Especially in that room.

My thougts?

ART.

Stunning in the right space and I think you have the space to suit them. Focals, with respect, not for me, and I suspect not for the OP either. Neat? Well worth a listen. I've been bowled over by some, and they do seem to work well in challenging spaces. Mowgans I haven't heard, but by their reputation, I'd definitely give them a listen.

Audio Physic also worth a try. I'm still unconvinced by the tonal range in the bass, but they can sometimes do rather special things.

Or try the Living Voice. They are quite sensitive to room and position, but get it right and they are staggeringly good.

 

Lee Henley

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Iwould take paui,s ...purite north...advice about the mowgan mabon speakers.........give them a call, they are a friendly bunch , get a pair on demo.......... they do everything well, rear ported yes, but not difficult to place/position.....im not changing mine, imo they are superb.
Heard Deggies Mabons, superb speaker for the money

 

SteveS1

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Jan 11, 2008
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Duh!
HiFi Trade?
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Why not give as somebody else said try ProAc floorstanders.
+1 really impressed by the latest D18s. Scotty's sound peachy in a room that does not have much space.

 

hifinutt

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Dec 23, 2007
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phil
HiFi Trade?
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Now there's a thought ! I'd imagine it'd have to be the pricey Summits or close, though? Despite the sonic culture shock, it might just tick boxes with the McIntosh and the room dimensions
no you can get some fantastic martin logan ethos , they are just beautiful and if you go to pogiboys site you will see he has 2 sets coming in at about half price !!!!!!

 

malcesine

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Mar 13, 2010
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Alan
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+1 for Proacs - My older Response 2.5's are superb and the D series apparantly also very good. If I had a bigger room I'm sure my 2.5's would go from from very good to sublime

However...

+2 for ML's - a different type of presentation altogether and better than anything I've ever heard - trade a wee bit of bass for a whole load of musicality and vocals like you've never heard before

Takes a lot of effort and patience to get them positioned right and the sweet spot is about 6" wide but it is soooo sweeeeeeeet !

:stereo:

 

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