The moon on a stick? A post-GRF speakers question...

[enbee23]

I will be moving house in the nearish future and won't have space for my R-GRFs for a while. I am thinking about possible alternative speakers and would like to pick the Wam collective brain on this one...

Here's what I've come up with so far:

Floorstanders as there will be whizzy small people about the place.

"WAF" not important but a reasonably sensible footprint is. Something old and mad and even a bit battered would be fine as long as it sounds right.

Amp friendly load characteristics and med-high sensitivity required.

Must be able to communicate scale and power of the music. I don't want speakers that sound like a bottleneck or that turn all music into a miniature portrait painting - I already have decent small standmounts for that.

Conversely, must also have control and resolution. I've had Harbeths, Yamaha NS1000M and Merlin VSM in the past so I am partial to clean, as long as it still sounds like music.

Happy to consider "alternative" stuff like horns, OBs or home built.

I am forced to compromise on footprint and am indifferent to appearance and style. The sound has to make it worthwhile! To make it difficult, I'm going to pin the budget at £750 and less would be fine.

Suggestions welcome please

 

[speedysteve]

That is the moon on a stick...

You are open to horns - a multi way sculpture / climbing frames for the small people when you are not listening - have to up the budget a bit though.

 

[russ abbott - royds broth]

Zu's?

Forget that,they will be double your budget. :doh:

Triangles?

Not everyones cup of tea,but i enjoyed the ones i had.

 

[HoopsOnToast]

There are the B-Grade Zu speakers on eBay (Direct from Zu) that might be on budget after tax/import duty.

Odd ball, Kef Reference 104/2 seem to meet all the requirements.

 

[deggie]

A tall order....but ,some pre owned vandersteen,s...or the kef r 104/2 may suit,

tannoy hpd,...but getting expensive now..............good luck.

 

[speedysteve]

Oooh. What about narrow GRF-R's?

 

[AmDismal]

Did you hear my Lampizators at Scalford? You could try building something like that - well within budget. They are floor standers, sure, but little fingers can only reach the (less fragile) bass units.

 

[enbee23]

That is the moon on a stick...You are open to horns - a multi way sculpture / climbing frames for the small people when you are not listening - have to up the budget a bit though.

I was thinking more horn in a box type speakers rather than full on climbing frame efforts like yours

Zu's?Forget that,they will be double your budget. :doh:

Triangles?

Not everyones cup of tea,but i enjoyed the ones i had.

I've enjoyed the Zus and Triangles I've heard but didn't come away wanting any of them. No disrespect intended to their various owners!

There are the B-Grade Zu speakers on eBay (Direct from Zu) that might be on budget after tax/import duty.Odd ball, Kef Reference 104/2 seem to meet all the requirements.

Zus, see above. Hadn't though of the KEFs, had always thought speakers like that would be fairly low efficiency and complex of crossover. Will investigate!

A tall order....but ,some pre owned vandersteen,s...or the kef r 104/2 may suit,tannoy hpd,...but getting expensive now..............good luck.

I've got a pair of HPDs in my GRFs I'm planning to hang on to them if I can possibly do so.

Oooh. What about narrow GRF-R's?

Are you building some? :nerves:

Did you hear my Lampizators at Scalford? You could try building something like that - well within budget. They are floor standers, sure, but little fingers can only reach the (less fragile) bass units.

:bulb: I heard them twice. First time in the Gun Room I think and then again in another room but don't think you were with them? I thought they sounded great. What do they need in terms of room placement and amplification? And, who owns your old ones?

 

[budgetblown]

Kef 104/2's would do it. Loved mine, love my main speakers better so they had to go. But obtainable from £200 a pair upwards.

 

[HoopsOnToast]

KEF 104/2s are 92dB/2m (~95dB/1m) and easy resistive 4 Ohm load for an amplifier.

They do have a very complex crossover but Mid-Treble integration is VERY good.

 

[AmDismal]

The Lampz need a foot at least behind, but are not bad, doesn't need to be completely out in the room. They are very amp friendly, my 2.8W SET was fine - they are an easy load and 96dB/W - but they did respond to a bit more power. I sold them to a guy on here username Sovereign, not seen him around much; I think he wanted them to be a bit less DIY than they were, in terms of finish etc!

 

[SergeAuckland]

I too would suggest the KEF 104/2s, or possibly 107s although these are rare.

Alternatively some larger actives like Meridian DSP5000s which should be in budget or DSP6000s which might need a little more, or one of my favourites, the John Bowers Active 1.

S

 

[hearingisbelieving]

Well I am biased but my T+A's seem to fit the bill - except for the floorstanding bit but at 25KGs each and with some blutack added to the equation wont be going anywhere fast.

They pop up on German eBay every now and again and will come in around half your budget even with shipping.

I have never even thought about changing my speakers in the 5 years I have owned them!

 

[enbee23]

The Lampz need a foot at least behind, but are not bad, doesn't need to be completely out in the room. They are very amp friendly, my 2.8W SET was fine - they are an easy load and 96dB/W - but they did respond to a bit more power. I sold them to a guy on here username Sovereign, not seen him around much; I think he wanted them to be a bit less DIY than they were, in terms of finish etc!

I'm reading through your build thread now, lots of info to take in. I'm not convinced that these would be physically small enough, sadly. I have suitable amps and a tolerance for the home made though :^

I too would suggest the KEF 104/2s, or possibly 107s although these are rare.Alternatively some larger actives like Meridian DSP5000s which should be in budget or DSP6000s which might need a little more, or one of my favourites, the John Bowers Active 1.

S

I've owned Meridian D600s in the past and whilst admirable in many ways, that isn't an avenue I want to go down. Not least because I have nice amps and want to use them

Well I am biased but my T+A's seem to fit the bill - except for the floorstanding bit but at 25KGs each and with some blutack added to the equation wont be going anywhere fast.They pop up on German eBay every now and again and will come in around half your budget even with shipping.

I have never even thought about changing my speakers in the 5 years I have owned them!

Long term ownership is always a good sign. Not familiar with T+A, more to investigate!

Thanks for all the replies, some food for thought there. Keep them coming!

 

[KeithL]

Cheviots on 12 inch stands.

 

[Sovereign]

The Lampz need a foot at least behind, but are not bad, doesn't need to be completely out in the room. They are very amp friendly, my 2.8W SET was fine - they are an easy load and 96dB/W - but they did respond to a bit more power. I sold them to a guy on here username Sovereign, not seen him around much; I think he wanted them to be a bit less DIY than they were, in terms of finish etc!

Hi there, yes I still have the Lampez open baffles, they haven't moved anywhere since I bought them, I'm a very satisfied customer indeed!

I have never heard such out of the 'out of the box' sound, very holographic and very well balanced. I've been through a fair few speakers and these ones have stayed put for maybe two years and they will be staying put for quite a while longer. I have powered them with both valve and solid state and they have always adapted well.

I was going to put the xovers in a nice box and mount them on the floor, but that is still a project for the future.

 

[enbee23]

Hi there, yes I still have the Lampez open baffles, they haven't moved anywhere since I bought them, I'm a very satisfied customer indeed!I have never heard such out of the 'out of the box' sound, very holographic and very well balanced. I've been through a fair few speakers and these ones have stayed put for maybe two years and they will be staying put for quite a while longer. I have powered them with both valve and solid state and they have always adapted well.

I was going to put the xovers in a nice box and mount them on the floor, but that is still a project for the future.

Looks like I'll be building my own then, if I go down the Lampi route :^

 

[Sovereign]

Not unless you offer me 5K

 

[AmDismal]

Glad you're so happy with them

Nick, I reckon you could scale them down easily - slightly smaller baffle for the bass, and a much smaller one for the mid and tweeter. Be easy to knock up some diagrams if you're interested in giving it a bash :^