So now what ? (query re active speakers)

[Mal Thomas]

Long story short: power amp died (probably old age) don't want to spend
good money for repairs - wanted to take opportunity to get a new one.

Anyway, decided initially to wait, save some money, then hit the internet
and local shops.

But in the mean time I needed to play music..I mean it's what we do right ?

So anyway, the wife and I lumped the Cerwin Vega's off their stands in the
lounge and moved my Fostex PM2's (active) off the iMac and placed them on
the stands. I hooked them up to the valve pre-amp and used iTunes (of all
things) via an Airport Express and an external DAC.

Well bugger me, the sound I'm listening to now is mind-blowing. The
soundstage is wide, deep, I have detail coming out of every musical orifice
so much so that my world has been turned upside down ;-) Now the Fostex
only have an 8" LF driver so I had to boost the LF a bit using the EQ on the
iMac to put some timbre and richness into the sound..but even so, Wow !

Now...this has got me thinking, rather than dump a load of cash on a new
power amp, I am wondering whether I should look for a decent pair of
floorstanding Active speakers. A quick look around Google hasn't turned up
much yet.

Is this because large floor mounted active speakers don't have a market or
am I simply not looking hard enough ??

Budget is about $3k-5K aussie dollars.

Cheers
Mal
Oz

[Eeyore]

Mal Thomas wrote:

> Long story short: power amp died (probably old age) don't want to spend
> good money for repairs - wanted to take opportunity to get a new one.
>
> Anyway, decided initially to wait, save some money, then hit the internet
> and local shops.
>
> But in the mean time I needed to play music..I mean it's what we do right ?
>
> So anyway, the wife and I lumped the Cerwin Vega's off their stands in the
> lounge and moved my Fostex PM2's (active) off the iMac and placed them on
> the stands. I hooked them up to the valve pre-amp and used iTunes (of all
> things) via an Airport Express and an external DAC.
>
> Well bugger me, the sound I'm listening to now is mind-blowing. The
> soundstage is wide, deep, I have detail coming out of every musical orifice
> so much so that my world has been turned upside down ;-) Now the Fostex
> only have an 8" LF driver so I had to boost the LF a bit using the EQ on the
> iMac to put some timbre and richness into the sound..but even so, Wow !
>
> Now...this has got me thinking, rather than dump a load of cash on a new
> power amp, I am wondering whether I should look for a decent pair of
> floorstanding Active speakers. A quick look around Google hasn't turned up
> much yet.
>
> Is this because large floor mounted active speakers don't have a market or
> am I simply not looking hard enough ??
>
> Budget is about $3k-5K aussie dollars.

Not sure if you'll find them there but the best sounding speakers I've found in
ages are these.
http://www.pmc-speakers.com/

PMC = professional monitor company. They make home and studio models, passive
and active IIRC. They are just stunning.

Graham

[Mal Thomas]

On 3/01/09 4:51 AM, in article , "Eeyore"
> wrote:

>
>
> Mal Thomas wrote:
>
>> Long story short: power amp died (probably old age) don't want to spend
>> good money for repairs - wanted to take opportunity to get a new one.
>>
>> Anyway, decided initially to wait, save some money, then hit the internet
>> and local shops.
>>
>> But in the mean time I needed to play music..I mean it's what we do right ?
>>
>> So anyway, the wife and I lumped the Cerwin Vega's off their stands in the
>> lounge and moved my Fostex PM2's (active) off the iMac and placed them on
>> the stands. I hooked them up to the valve pre-amp and used iTunes (of all
>> things) via an Airport Express and an external DAC.
>>
>> Well bugger me, the sound I'm listening to now is mind-blowing. The
>> soundstage is wide, deep, I have detail coming out of every musical orifice
>> so much so that my world has been turned upside down ;-) Now the Fostex
>> only have an 8" LF driver so I had to boost the LF a bit using the EQ on the
>> iMac to put some timbre and richness into the sound..but even so, Wow !
>>
>> Now...this has got me thinking, rather than dump a load of cash on a new
>> power amp, I am wondering whether I should look for a decent pair of
>> floorstanding Active speakers. A quick look around Google hasn't turned up
>> much yet.
>>
>> Is this because large floor mounted active speakers don't have a market or
>> am I simply not looking hard enough ??
>>
>> Budget is about $3k-5K aussie dollars.
>
> Not sure if you'll find them there but the best sounding speakers I've found
> in
> ages are these.
> http://www.pmc-speakers.com/
>
> PMC = professional monitor company. They make home and studio models, passive
> and active IIRC. They are just stunning.
>
> Graham
>
Appreciate the opportunity to drool over these, Graham but with prices at
around GBP28,000 - they are slightly out of my reach !
But yeesh, yeah from what I have read, they sound good (er, well, you know
what I mean !)

I've had a bit more of a look around - nothing much has turned up down here
that I can find. Even less likely to find a local dealer who'll have
anything to audition either. So I think I'll probably stick with the more
traditional passive type. As I said in my OP, it was just an idle thought.

So....off to Google we go...


Cheers
Mal
Oz

[Eeyore]

Mal Thomas wrote:

> "Eeyore" > wrote:
>
> > PMC = professional monitor company. They make home and studio models, passive
> > and active IIRC. They are just stunning.
>
> Appreciate the opportunity to drool over these, Graham but with prices at
> around GBP28,000 - they are slightly out of my reach !
> But yeesh, yeah from what I have read, they sound good (er, well, you know
> what I mean !)

They make smaller ones too ! Totally affordable on your budget.

Graham

[Mal Thomas]

On 2/02/09 12:04 PM, in article , "Eeyore"
> wrote:

>
>
> Mal Thomas wrote:
>
>> "Eeyore" > wrote:
>>
>>> PMC = professional monitor company. They make home and studio models,
>>> passive
>>> and active IIRC. They are just stunning.
>>
>> Appreciate the opportunity to drool over these, Graham but with prices at
>> around GBP28,000 - they are slightly out of my reach !
>> But yeesh, yeah from what I have read, they sound good (er, well, you know
>> what I mean !)
>
> They make smaller ones too ! Totally affordable on your budget.
>
> Graham
>
Cheers Graham, since posting, decided to replace the Amp (Rotel RB-1070);
local dealer had some good deals going - not in the league of my dearly
departed Accuphase, but definitely not too shabby either. Looking, (as
soon as I find a local dealer for an audition) at the B&W 683's as a
possible pairing. Yeah I know the speakers should probably have come first,
but the Amp was too good an opportunity to pass.

Appreciate your time.

Cheers
Mal
Oz