Breaking into the high end with speakers….?

hearhere

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Essentially you are introducing a high pass filter to your system. That's quite a nice feature to lean on.
I guess so. My amp Settings also offers Tone Controls though I like these less as turning down the bass will attenuate lower-mid frequencies too. For friendly neighbour relations, ditching very low bass altogether offers a good solution as the sound loses little of it's overal quality.
 
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Seibassman

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I looked at and ended up buying second hand speakers so that I could get my "end" speakers. After auditioning many speakers at various dealers in a similar price range to yours I asked one dealer to let me hear a pair of Kudos titan 606s new £11,400 as a treat. They were powered by a Moon integrated amp listening to a Heed Oblisk cdt and also a Moon streamer. I was completely blown away and after some searching got an immaculate second hand pair of Kudos 606s for £6800. I know slightly more than your budget but do not discount second hand gear from a reputable source. I had a 14 day trial at home with a full refund if they did not work in my home. I kept them and I could jot be happier.
 
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hearhere

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I looked at and ended up buying second hand speakers so that I could get my "end" speakers. After auditioning many speakers at various dealers in a similar price range to yours I asked one dealer to let me hear a pair of Kudos titan 606s new £11,400 as a treat. They were powered by a Moon integrated amp listening to a Heed Oblisk cdt and also a Moon streamer. I was completely blown away and after some searching got an immaculate second hand pair of Kudos 606s for £6800. I know slightly more than your budget but do not discount second hand gear from a reputable source. I had a 14 day trial at home with a full refund if they did not work in my home. I kept them and I could jot be happier.
Well done. I think that's a very good choice. Used speakers can often be had for bargain prices, although often sellers are asking what they believe they are worth, but can't achieve it, so an offer may well bear fruit. Dealers generally don't want used speakers (too much effort to collect, store, demonstrate, deliver) so sellers usually have to sell privately.
 

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Much as I agree about using a sub or subs, the combination of top-floor appartment, neighbours and subs is likely to end badly.

The vast majority of us have to live with compromises when it comes to volume and bass, so above all I would be looking (and listening) very carefully to things that work well at low or very low volumes, as well as sounding good on the occasions you can let rip.
Very sound advice from Richard..
I would advise against panels as they are tough to drive and can be unreliable - and if they have to be repaired you are on the top floor. Besides you ask for speakers that will last a long time. They are not unrivalled in SQ terms in my view.

Its the matchup between the amp and speaker that's the important bit to get right.

I wouldn't rule out kit DIY speakers.
The Troels Graveson website is a mine of information. In particular 'Loudspeaker 111 (or is it 3?). This has an 18sound midrange horn and driver which review extremely well. Ive had a good experience with their Jantzen TQWT model.

If you plump for more conventional 'High Street' fayre then, for your money, a Heil air motion transformer tweeter is mandatory.

Finally, these days, it seems, decoupling from the floor via compression springs is the way to go, rather than coupling via spikes, especially in a flat.

Jack NSM
 

Hifimad1

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It’s an open plan living space with kitchen. The listening space is approx 3m x 3m.

Kitchen is behind the sofa.

The speakers fill the room well at the moment, definitely no issues in that regard in my opinion.
Raidho would be my first call. If these are going to last you into the future You should look at getting the best quality drivers for your money. Some expensive speakers with large fancy cabinets can take up a large chunk of the manufacturing cost and so limited when it comes to driver technology . A large three way floor stander has to spread the cost of manufacture to include a large well finished cabinet plus three drivers as apposition to a small cabinet and just two drivers. This leaves more available design budget. A 3m x3m room suggests high quality stand mounts would sound better than larger floor standing speakers. The latest Sonus Faber Heritage series are superb too !
 
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hearhere

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A large three way floor stander has to spread the cost of manufacture to include a large well finished cabinet plus three drivers as apposition to a small cabinet and just two drivers.
Sorry, couldn't agree less! If the room is big enough for floor standers (and the OP's is), get these. They don't need to be large Many take no more floor space than stand-mounts) and they don't need 3 drivers but the better ones do.

However I agree that nice speakers require high quality enclosures and these are cosrly. That's good reason for getting speakers that provide the bass you need, rather than increase to your enclosure cost by adding subs. If you go the stand-mount on stands (never attractive), yes they are less costly, but they are likely to lack the bass most people want, so you soon start thinking of adding subs. Look at the result - smsll speakers on ugly and costly stands, more costly enclosures (subs are never attractive), more amps, more drivers, more cables, less floor space, less easy to set up properly. Get good speakers in the first place that look nice, sound great, provide the bass you need and you'll be happy.
 

The_Krell

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Hifi Corner in Edinburgh would appear to have a good range of speakers including panels, Dali, ATC and Klipsch. Take your amp down there and demo a few - it should help to guide you in the direction you prefer.

I would strongly recommend budgeting for some speaker isolation,ideally Townshend, as this will not only help hugely with noise transmission downstairs but also allow the speakers to perform at their best.

I had some dealings with them in the past, obviously can only comment on the person I dealt with but he was a great guy, no sell just a genuine interest in kit and stuff. Happy to loan out an AV receiver and I live 400m away. When I returned it in person the wife got seriously bored with the kit chat that ensued for ages.

Have a chat with a few dealers, explain your situation and take it from there. It's pretty easy to twig who's there to help and who just wants to move product.
 

The_Krell

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Sorry, couldn't agree less! If the room is big enough for floor standers (and the OP's is), get these. They don't need to be large Many take no more floor space than stand-mounts) and they don't need 3 drivers but the better ones do.

However I agree that nice speakers require high quality enclosures and these are cosrly. That's good reason for getting speakers that provide the bass you need, rather than increase to your enclosure cost by adding subs. If you go the stand-mount on stands (never attractive), yes they are less costly, but they are likely to lack the bass most people want, so you soon start thinking of adding subs. Look at the result - smsll speakers on ugly and costly stands, more costly enclosures (subs are never attractive), more amps, more drivers, more cables, less floor space, less easy to set up properly. Get good speakers in the first place that look nice, sound great, provide the bass you need and you'll be happy.
I would disagree with the sub comment. A good sub adds so much more than bass. Adds air/depth/ambience to a recording.

I've seen some very sexy subs...hmmm maybe I have a problem ;)

As an example Rel subs have self contained amp so you're looking at 1 power lead and 1 cable from amp to sub.

Keep an open mind and listen to as much as you can and enjoy the experience.
 
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Dogwithnotail

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Just to give some idea, I can listen at 90-100dB without complaints. It’s the super low stuff that causes problems rather than the volume.

I live in a Georgian town house built circa 1820.
Just to give some idea, I can listen at 90-100dB without complaints. It’s the super low stuff that causes problems rather than the volume.

I live in a Georgian town house built circa 1820.
If it’s the low (bass) frequencies causing the issues the noise is likely to be propagated as vibration through the structure of the house.
Speaker isolation feet (such as Townshend seismic pods) should help this massively.

Good luck with your hunt!
 

Hifimad1

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Yes, wouldn’t recommend hanging Wilsons on the wall 😜
Have you heard Wilson speakers,every pair I have heard have had issues with bass definition . Seems they are designed for USA ’wooden’ built homes so they voice them accordingly with lots of low (boomy) bass! Very overrated imho.
 

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1. I would only buy after trying them in your room.
2. Great speakers have a nasty habit of showing up all the rest of your stuff, be prepared to spend a lot more to get them working.
3. Good luck.

3 x 3m, got to be stand mounts with an adjustable sub. My opinion of course.
 
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TIU

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It's well worth trawling through the used/ex-demo sections of dealer's websites. I got my Marantz PM11S2 that way. Most will offer you a fair part ex price too. With a reputable dealer you know the transaction will be safe and reliable.
 
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hearhere

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1. I would only buy after trying them in your room.
2. Great speakers have a nasty habit of showing up all the rest of your stuff, be prepared to spend a lot more to get them working.
3. Good luck.

3 x 3m, got to be stand mounts with an adjustable sub. My opinion of course.
The OP says in his opening post "Room is small-ish at 8 metres by 8 metres...", later expanded to indicate an L-shaped room with the listening area (sofa to speaker wall) of about 3 x 3 m. [OP - Please correct me if I'm misinterpreted your description and photos]

Yes, I agree 100% with your Point 1. I've lost out badly by reading reviews, asking questions (such as the OP has here) and listening at dealer showrooms, only to find the expensive new speakers just don't like my room one bit!

Not so sure about Point 2, though speaker performance may be improved with better amps, but a smaller improvement compared with vice versa - where a better speakers will make a much bigger improvement. They do need to work happily together though. Point 3 - absolutely, though perhaps less luck needed than getting organised with home demos!
 
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It Cost How Much!?!

Twisted
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The OP says in his opening post "Room is small-ish at 8 metres by 8 metres...", later expanded to indicate an L-shaped room with the listening area (sofa to speaker wall) of about 3 x 3 m. [OP - Please correct me if I'm misinterpreted your description and photos]

Yes, I agree 100% with your Point 1. I've lost out badly by reading reviews, asking questions (such as the OP has here) and listening at dealer showrooms, only to find the expensive new speakers just don't like my room one bit!

Not so sure about Point 2, though speaker performance may be improved with better amps, but a smaller improvement compared with vice versa - where a better speakers will make a much bigger improvement. They do need to work happily together though. Point 3 - absolutely, though perhaps less luck needed than getting organised with home demos!
I have seen so many people do what you suggest and come a cropper and end up swapping source, amps for a couple of years.
 

The_Krell

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Have you heard Wilson speakers,every pair I have heard have had issues with bass definition . Seems they are designed for USA ’wooden’ built homes so they voice them accordingly with lots of low (boomy) bass! Very overrated imho.
Personally I love them to bits but that's just me. Never heard a bad pair.
 

The_Krell

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So another "off the wall idea"....the KEF LS50 Meta's when paired up with a very good rel sub get some very very good reviews. Yes you'd probably end up spending more on the sub but its always worth listening to different approaches. After all that's part of why hi-fi is so much fun.
 

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