✅ *GET THEM HERE: **bit.ly/3s7Qyg2**, **bit.ly/35GRnlQ**, **bit.ly/3285ene* ★ *QOTD: After changing your listening space, how did your favorite hifi gear change?* ★ *CLICK 🔝 “SHOW MORE” in the description for answers to many of your questions* ★ *RULES: Please be respectful. NO OUTSIDE LINKS, URLs, email addresses, etc.*
Did I tell you guys (Rob and Kris) that I love ya and you are *My Favorite Couples Audiophiliacs Critics* & _I can't wait till RICKY and DAVID become parts of the show._ .... I'm kidding and using a very very very old t.v. show for effect, "Ozzie and Harriet Show"
Anybody who is willing to challenge their own previous opinions based on new information is right by me. I really appreciate you guys revisiting old reviews and helping us understand new things in the process. Right on you two
The room is everything! I bought LS50's and thought they were absolute garbage until I treated my room. The change in sound signature was immense after adding carpet, heavy curtains, and GIK Acoustic panels to my room. I thought I had to upgrade to a more expensive speaker to get the sound I wanted, when in reality it was my room that needed an "upgrade".
The majority I'd say 80% of it, is getting your speakers and room to play well together. Once you have that; a good source, amp and preamp will cover the other 20%.
Love this video for two reasons: the new transition music is sweet! Second, I really like that you all are talking more about room influence on the acoustics and making a video comparing a few speakers in your former space and the new space. Great concept for a video and the new room is sharp as hell by the way!
My wife and I moved two years ago. I own the Micca RB42's and Yamaha A-S301 integrated. The attack in the kick drum lost some energy in the new place but the overall character is exactly the same. God, I just love the way this system sounds in my room. My wife feels the same way. She is surely becoming an audiophile. Great job as usual.
The room makes all the difference. My buddies and I host a monthly vinyl night at a local brewery. The first time we did it I brought the equipment from my home listening room (e.g., AB amp with no tone controls, horn-loaded full-range loudspeakers, etc.). The concrete floors, open rafter ceiling, and tile walls at the brewery caused my system to sound terrible. Now when we host vinyl night we bring old class D amps, bookshelf speakers, and a subwoofer. We're able to tailor the sound to the room much better, and I don't have to dismantle my listening room once a month :-).
I love your videos. I don’t just watch and listen to them, I study them. Always anxious for a new one to come out. I wouldn’t dare buy a piece of equipment or a speaker until you review it. And I absolutely love the wood slats on the wall. Dual purpose concept. Well done.
Andrew and Kristy. You have my respect for posting on this subject and being ready to challenge your conclusions now that you've completed the new listening space. Being ready to say I got it wrong/or right, publicly in a balanced manner requires guts, although I would possibly post the changes that have been noticed as you've done. I simply couldn't do this because my audio memory is not good enough. Keep on keeping on both, I love your posts.
After auditioning both the KLH 5's and Wharfedale Lintons, I was surprised to find some cymbals missing on a jazz cut from the Wharfedale. The cymbals were barely struck but audible on the KLH but not so on the Wharfedale. It was ever so slight in sound on the recording but that missing detail on the Linton prompted me to be won over by the 5's. Good review as always.
If Andrew and Kristi broke in the B&W 606 S2 AE, I believe their opinion of the speaker would change. I have owned these speakers for almost a year and absolutely love them. Yes, I have to agree that they are very sensitive to what room you place them in and what amp you pair them with. If you get the right combination, they sound amazing!
Definitely how your room set up makes a massive change to sound. I recently had new flooring in my room my stereo system is, removing carpet. Now the sound bounces around the room
I’m not a audiophile but love my music after watching many reviews and many of yours I purchased nr1200 and monitor silver 100 and love the whole set up. Easy punchy fun and the louder it goes the better it sounds. Love not beating myself up about is there something better all the time. Thank you for your reviews
Andrew I really appreciate you going back to test your old opinions. You’re absolutely right, the room is the biggest change for a speaker. So much respect for you going back and checking yourself!! You are one of the most honest reviewers I know. I would love to see a Polk L600 review from you in your new space, as I have owned a lot of different speakers and these blow me away with an Emotiva amp, no matter what room I try them in. Yes they are definitely power hungry and a high end (or $1500 sweet spot) receiver does not bring these speakers fully to life. Or even the Polk R700’s in this new space. I have owned KEF, wharfedale, Klipsch, and now I’m hooked on the Polk’s solid performance and build quality all around (L600😉) And yes I have owned older Polk’s as well, including the previous legendary series. I agree that the large legendary towers are complete overkill for a normal living room. Maybe they would be cool in a home movie theater? Not for me.
I think the KLH Model 5s are very special. I understand your recommendation of the Linton's took into consideration that the Linton's are less alive, especially at low volumes. I do a lot of late-night listening, and for me, the revealing nature of the speaker means it takes less volume to hear the detail. If I do turn it up, it is definitely revealing and an enjoyable experience. I am sure the Model 7 will be better, but it costs lots more. I understood your reasoning then, and your follow-up review also didn't seem happy about them. It was like you begrudgingly had to say, good speakers. What I love is how they reveal the music and the performance.
Humble request: could you do a video on linearity, frequency response, bass definition, treble harshness, warm vs cold vs forward vs neutral sound? These terms have been popping up more frequently in your videos, and I kinda get what you’re saying, but don’t have the technical background. Would LOVE if you could make a beginners video on this aspect of the hobby.
My experience wasn't really switching rooms but building a second system in a different room. My first system in this house is in the living room which is... a mess for audio. It has hardwood floors, is open to the kitchen, it has an open staircase, and it is way off center because of the way the room is laid out. All of this made me rely on using a minidsp shd with Dirac to correct for low frequencies (which were very boomy) and time domain issues. My second system is in a nearly golden ratio room with carpeted floors. It is so much easier to get speakers to sound right in this room, and I was able to do some minor room treatment (bass traps). It is a night and day difference. No booming, a wider soundstage, and a much more focused center image. It is nice to have the two rooms to see how much the room can change a speaker's sound.
Great concept love this type of content! I think an initial review / impressions vs long term revision are always helpful. I’ve always been impressed with speakers like B&W after initial demos but when I actually spend time with them the spicy tweets can get old quickly. Perceived initial resolution quickly fades to hey look at me type of treble presentation. At least for my preferences.
Thank you! I've been wondering/hoping you would revisit previously reviewed speakers in your new place. Outstanding as always and keep up the great work.
Thanks for this video, Andrew and Kristi. I discovered you the day after I ordered a pair of the B&W 607s from Crutchfield. Kristi, what you had to say about your experience listening to Alanis Morissette on them was almost word for word my experience listening to Linda Ronstadt (among others) on the Matrix 805s when I bought them 25 years ago. So I canceled my order, and I am very glad I did. I thank you. I ended up with a pair of the current Paradigm Atoms. I owned a pair of the v.2 from 2000 to 2016, and I enjoyed them. I only sold them because I’d bought a B&W Z2 wireless speaker around 2010, the sound of which gave me the best listening experience of my life. (Early in the oughts, I acquired tinnitus, and nearfield became my only enjoyable listening experience.) I also have a pair of B&W MM1s hooked up to my laptop, and that’s a good listening experience, too. The Z2 and my modem/router dropped the connection so often, I wouldn’t turn it on after a point, and I ended up selling it, too. And I’ve been thinking about a replacement for some time. So when B&W had a 15% off sale this month, I ordered a pair of 607s, my experiences at the lower end of their range having been so positive, sonically speaking. But when you said what you said, Kristi, it went straight to my heart, my brain, my ears. Non posso farlo un’altra volta. I couldn’t do it again! And when what you both had to say today in your re-review didn’t change that much, I felt heartened I’d chosen the Atoms-which seem to have doubled in size-instead. They may not be the last word in detail, but with them, I am listening to the music, not the speakers. Thanks again.
Heresy's are just absolutely amazing! Yeah, they are certainly not a "neutral" speaker. But, my God, they are the most fun speakers I've ever had! Glad to see you got them dialed in. Also, glad to see you guys have gotten things set up in the new space. Stay well, you two!
I hope that you do this for the amps that you reviewed, particularly the NAD M33. However good on you for doing this, it just continues to speak to your high integrity. Great work.
Thank you so much for making this video! The behavior of a room is something that your brain can easily just 'adapt' to, which prevents most people from even believing that any room could make a speaker sound different. It's also worth noting that almost all of your impressions IMROVED with the move, which is another convincing argument for proper room acoustics across the board.
Room makes a huge difference. I lived with Snell E-II's for quite a while...until my room became dead (heavy drapes...bigger furniture). I went Klipsch Heresy then Cornwall. However I happened on some Infinity Overture 1's and my spouse said that they could compete with the Corns. I made it my business to get a good pair of P-FR's...those infinities fit the room...all of them.
Thanks for this review. I am considering the sonus faber lumina 2’s and so your additions to your original comments were helpful, and I respect you all the more for that. Btw, your new room looks a picture and you both should be very proud of yourselves!
Room and placement. I'm still learning, but this has been my mantra. My room is very live and untreated right now. I know it needs some help, but I already know that I don't want to kill the reverb completely. I am losing some detail now and have some room modes, but the sound is still great. Looking forward to some delicately placed diffusion and absorption to dial in further. And a nice thick rug to tie the room together. Lol
Paul Klipsch wrote a paper on the position of horn loaded speakers and in that he recommended crossing the streams in front of the listener. I did this and noticed a softening of the top end. Love your channel.
I purchased the Klipsch Heresy IV's and your review aided me in that decision. They arrive tomorrow and will be replacing a pair of Polk Audio Polk Audio RTi A7 ($539.99/pair). Im looking forward to receiving them and will be powering them with a Yamaha A-S801 Integrated amp.
I really like how you and Kristy give your opinions. The biggest change was when I went from Klipsh Synergy bottom firing subs with rear ports on bass platforms to 2 SVS PB2000-pro front firing ports. Compliments my system very well and a whole lot less vibration. I am using SVS isolation pads.
Love my MA Silvers. Although I'm far from an audiophile and only have experience with half a dozen speakers to compare them with. They sounded the best to me in the Audio showroom store I bought them from and they were a British company so that sold me, as easier for warranty and parts.
I have to agree, I moved the hersey's from my father's large reflective room to my carpeted, furnished and DIY "treated" and the PA nature of the speaker calmed down a lot and I found the speaker much more full bodied and pleasant.
I have a pair of 3-way towers, some years ago I modified the passive crossover to be 2-way between the tweeter and mid driver, then I modified the input panel to allow me to biamp and externally crossover between the hi/mid and low frequency drivers. This made a HUGE improvement in the overall sound of the speakers. Using a miniDSP to do the crossover for the biamp stage, I was also able to tune the speakers to the room using RTA software and the parametric EQ in the DSP. Later I moved to a different apartment and thought I'd need to retune the cabinets, but I didn't, they still sounded great in the new space. 3 years after that I moved again into a house this time and thought well maybe this time I should retune them for the space, after a good listen I decided to leave them alone, they still sounded great and still sounded like they did in the first apartment. If it isn't broke, don't fix it they say.
I really appreciate your videos, most especially this one. I, too have recently moved house and although I knew about the room impact on SQ, I only got to experience it first hand recently. It was so obvious. Moving into a larger living space required a lot more work to dial in the sound to my taste. It’s the thing we love, so we do it. Thanks!
Would you guys consider shooting a tutorial of using REW to measure the room response? I think it would be great and allow many to understand what their room sounds like. I have almost the exact same room layout as you guys have, man that big open space to the right of the room is a challenge! I DIYed a room divider to help out
@@KristiWright how about reviewing the NAD C658 Dac/preamp. As far as I know is the only streamer/Dac/preamp that is made for stereo but also includes Dirac live room correction built in. More user friendly room correction than using REW. Just a suggestion...
Moved cross-country. Used to have a huge open floor plan main level with 20’ vaulted ceilings and I LOVED my Definitive Technology BP20s. I spent 3 months trying to find a listenable position in the new space, which is still wide open but only 10’ ceilings, and finally gave up, dumped and replaced with B&O BeoLab 8000s which sound spectacular.
It is so cool that you and your wife have such a bad ass hobby together. I am loving listening to your experiences with speakers and audio gear. Great channel! Good energy to you and you endeavors.
Loved the “re-review” off all those speakers. Awesome review, and I love the Chris comments, nice to have an other point of view. And one interesting thing is how room change the final result, and how some speakers interact more than others. I guess the cabinet front baffle play a big rule on that interaction.
I bought lumina V from your review. I always feel something is off. I tweak this and there like change cables and but acoustic panel and qrd. It gets better. And last week i bought klipsch r820f. However despise which one better. I am more enjoying listen to klipsch with very loud volume 😅
New space ,new variable people tend to forget that speakers play the room . In all reality there are no real bad speakers anymore (within said price classes we dabble with) it's more a matter of , does it fit the room , acoustics , size , what not. I am sure Andrew is aware of it too, it's just another video on the list of many
It's a great idea to revisit any opinion. I think a room is a part of the the listening experience, and I'm glad you include yours in your evaluation of a speaker. you guys continue to impress .
It took time, but we weren't nervous to hit publish. These things are what they are. There is no shame in changing one's mind or in being wrong. If I'm wrong, I admit it and do what I can to correct it. As a commentator of anything, it's important that we don't believe our word or opinion is gospel. Thanks so much for watching!
Used to have a pair of LS35As and they sounded good in my basement room. One day I played them in my double garage with an open peaked ceiling. A lot of cubicle yards. It sounded like different speakers, more like the music was happening in real space and all the different sounds had a more natural weight. Just wish I could make my stereo room work that well.
I’m in the process of building a new home. This review is what I needed to hear. I’ve been holding off on buying new gear until I move in. It’s great to re-review !!! Keep up the great work you two ! Thank you
The room is the most significant component of your sound. Full Stop! Your experience in setting up systems goes a long way to trying to get the sound that you want, and how much effort you put into it makes all the difference. Being able to do anything you want with the room to change your sound is a blessing.... But there are a lot of people who can't do much about the room.
Agree on all accounts, which is why in our latest room I knew we had to treat it, but wanted to do as little as possible to make it right. In our old room, we stuck with what I felt was a better facsimile of what everyday consumers would face. While I know that ticked-off many in the hifi community (especially folks in the press and on TH-cam) but I felt it made our content MORE relatable, because, as you said, not everyone can treat their room.
I would like to try out the new Monitor Audio Silver 100 7g speakers, they have 8in bass drivers be good for impact with movies & music. Monitor Audio usually good with detail too. Good pairing would be with Arcam, which is my favourite best sounding audio equipment
I'd be curious how the Magnat Transpuls 1500 may differ in sound in the new room as they seemed to have a good bang for the buck. However, given their size and mass, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't make the journey (and it appears as if they are now out of stock on Magnat's website). Definitely an interesting perspective! I think the worst (most memorable?) experience I had in shifting spaces was deejayin at a venue and on one song hearing the bass vanish! After additional research later, I determined that the tune had been mixed in such a way with little to no low end reverb, and presumably the speakers at the venue had been wired out of phase, and thus the baseline phase cancelled itself (or so I was able to postulate with another musician friend of mine and some plugins to simulate such conditions). Albeit, they weren't my own speakers, but deejays are often at the whims of a venue to "get things right" though I added some tools to my belt should I encounter such a situation again and will hopefully be able to at least minorly mitigate, if not fully correct such room deficiencies.
Any opinion on the Eltax Monitor PWR 1959? Enthusiast "nicoastyle hifiman" has posted several different "battles", etc., about them (en français, sorry, english captions not available I don't think), often alongside the Magnats, but I'm searching for other perspectives as well, especially regarding soundstage & imaging. No in-store listening nearby... Merci!
It's all about preference and presentation. If everyone hates the KLH MODEL 5'S I absolutely still love them. Partnering of equipment and room acoustic is key ✌
Even in the TH-cam videos watched on my iPhone 12 I can hear a difference in the room from before treatment and after, even before the move and after. It’s a bit drier now. Assuming this isn’t all in post ;-) I also really appreciate that you went back to check a few reviews. Shows integrity. Good stuff. I am finding your journey through room correction is very engaging content. You are living the trope about room, then speakers, then the rest of the chain. It’s inspiring, actually.
Agree on that. A Cornwall 4 review would be awesome. Also compared to the Heresy 4 and Forte 4.. And even better (because no one has done this video) Cornwall 3 vs Cornwall 4. This is high on my "wishlist"
I have a question - would you say the room plays more of a factor than the type of amplifier? Did the Heresy IV sound more different in your new house than they did at your old home with different amps?
I don't have to move rooms, just moving the speakers a couple of inches can totally change the tonality of a speaker. Too much toe-in can make a speaker very bright sounding and moving a stand mounted speaker up or down can make a speaker bright or dull sounding. Your average problem room, though, usually aggravates in the 60Hz to 70Hz region.
Love your content! I have a question about bass? 20 or so years ago, I went to the home of a friends grandparents. We were hanging out and she suggested we play some music and she walked me over to the stereo. It looked like a nice system, but I didn’t really think much of it. I played Modest Mouse’s “Good News for People Who Love Bad News”. I was floored. Everything sounded better. The bass was especially articulate - to the point that I felt like I was back in high school band listening to the instructor play electric bass. I had heard the album countless times through my Advent As2 towers and 15”Cerwin Vega sub. I’ve since built a better system, but I have never heard speakers do what that system 20 years ago did. I’ve spent time in hi-fi stores listening to speakers and systems that cost more than my house. These 6 figure systems still weren’t doing what I remembered. What am I doing wrong with this? Is it that hard to get accurate and live sounding bass guitar? For the life of me, I can’t remember what those speakers were. I’ve played that same album in demos and it’s just not the same.
A perfect story of room changes. Years ago my son bought a pair of AR 9's based on my recommendation. Especially since i promised him incredible low end. He was disappointed! He had more than enough power with good electronics and sources. But real lows just did not develop. I told him it was because he was in a typical Midwest 50's home with a relatively small living room. It was not possible for low frequencies to develop because of wavelength needed. He move a few years later to a place with still a small to modest but almost down the size living room. He was much happier even though only the room changed. Nothing in his system. He just bought a nice big house with an open concept living/ dining room with cathedral ceilings. Same basic electronics and speakers. He is blown away with what they can do when in a room that can handle them. To the extent that he set the switches on the crossover back to flat from the -3db he had been using on the mid and highs to boost the low end. And now that he can get further from the drivers, they blend much better. He just stopped planning on replacing them the change was so dramatic.
Hi Andrew and Kristi, I have the Heresy IVs and I acknowledge all of your comments as truth. The one aspect I don't recall you mentioning but something that does influence their sonic character, is the humidity level. We moved from a moderately humid location to a lower than average location and the sound was definitely influenced by the same. As such, I notice on rainy days that the entire spectrum is much more present, full, and warmer, while on low humidity days much less so across the board. Not to say the sound is unbecoming on low humidity days...quite the contrary. It's just that the large swings in humidity from low to high to low again is much more palpable living in a semi-arid clime than when I was not. Based upon the hints you've provided, I assume you now live in a similarly lower than average humidity location. Would be interesting for you to compare and contrast between the two extremes (normal lower humidity compared to rainy day hunidity) to see if you agree. As a revealing speaker. the Heresy IVs certainly reveal these differences as effortlessly as they do poorly recorded music relative to well recorded music. Love the new room!
I'm pleased with this direction of Re-review, as it addresses how changes in electronics and rooms has an impact on sound. Two speakers I currently own shifted in my preferences due to a room change. It was not subtle, even as I know from experience that they are both awesome to me.
Ahh the room. I think that most people really don’t take the room into consideration and spend money chasing a better sound. The treatments you installed has helped and understanding your room measurements will give us all who are consistent viewers more of a reason to keep watching this channel. I will be look back to your room treatment video and pickup a mic to also understand my room characteristics. Thanks a million.
Hello Mr Andrew, the other thing that i notice when i test speakers, is that they sound Better when you put your amp speakers settings as large speakers Full Range, and in pure direct without the Subwoofer, Because if you use the Crossover You Are Limiting the power to the speakers.
Would it be possible to show the measurements that you have taken for a speaker you are evaluating? For Example, it would probably be much easier to see, as you said, that the KLH model 5 measured flat and the B&W very much did not.
Good video, rooms do matter… In regards to the KLH, the game changer for me after figuring out placement and sub matching, was moving from the Delta Sigma DACs to the R2R Ladder, mainly the Denafrips Ares II with the Iris DDC. Analog bliss with zero fatigue. Totally transformed the listening experience.
It's good to have you back. You can't get something wrong if you give an honest opinion. Different amp or room could change an honest opinion. If you and Kristi ever review the new Primaluna hybrid EV300 integrated and hook it up to the Heresy IV, you'll get that sound back and more. I've heard it and it's a real game-changer.
The reason why the KLH’s sound signature was largely unchanged even in your new space is because it’s a sealed design - as you noted - but also because of that massive front baffle. It means the drivers are mostly interacting with the cabinet, not the room. Most speaker manufacturers abandoned large baffles after the 1980s, which avoided a lot of issues they caused, but also dramatically increased speakers’ reliance on placement within a room.
@@oldestpunkinargentina7766 The drivers are interacting with the front of the speaker itself instead of their surroundings - especially the wall behind them. Designers actually moved away from wide front baffles by the ‘90s - we knew even back in the late ‘70s that narrow front baffles and rigid column designs made for better fidelity by providing a better, less reactive environment for the drivers. It just took awhile for tastes to change - consumers resisted the new designs, which also made it difficult to include large (front facing) woofers, which were also popular in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
I need a Kristi in my life. You have no idea how special it is to have found a woman who is as passionate about this stereo/home theatre hobby as you are. Very rare.
With real estate and speaker placement, it’s location, location, location. I’m about to move from one apartment to another and will go through this experimentation again soon. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Thanks, your initial review led me to test and then buy the Lumina 2s. The mids are breathtaking and the teeeter sounds wonderfully clear and certainly not over bright in my room. I have a smallish space and the bass, without sub, is easily enough for me. Incredible sound from such a small box. Good amp helps, my Rega Elex-r drives them brilliantly.
Since many of us will never be "treating" our living rooms or wherever we listen, your original review was probably closer to what we will actually hear. That's not to say that I personally won't conduct room correction for speakers using Dirac or similar, however, springing for sound absorption is out of the question a. My wife would flip out and b. we move around every 5 years give or take. Cost prohibitive. I will still buy the Lumina II though 🙂
Recently I had some work done to my listening room: new floor shelving; removal of other speakers and equipment as your wife experienced panicked the sound was awful and in a flurry of adjustments tweaks speaker placement switching components etc. took me about two weeks to get back and I think some improvement to some of my setups I had prior but yes rooms can mess things up quite a bit especially when you're moving from one used for years to something new.
Great work, personally having the 500 7g’s …. Image was muddy when in a reflective room, once the couch paintings and diffuser was installed… these are pin point… did you experience a better image with the new room?
Pretty fantastic video. Very interesting. Sounds like the KLH fared the best. However you came about knowing the way to treat the room I think it must sound good, but definitely looks awesome. As time goes by I’d be curious if Maggie’s bounce of the wall in a good way. In any event, I love the comparisons.
Congratulations to you and Kristi on the new home. Glad you’ve pretty much figured out the room and how certain gear sounds in it. It’s all about tuning your system to suit your tastes in your new room. Best of luck to you both. You truly seem like quality people. 🙂🔊✌️🎶
Love your videos Andrew. Because of you I have an amazing pair of RP-8000Fs. And they sound spectacular in our living room. I typically turn off the Klipsch subwoofer when not watching movies. The other day I was jamming some tunes and thought, "oops, I must have left the sub on." So I check and sure enough...it is OFF. Yeah, these speakers are definitely killing the 22 year old Bose Acoustimass they replaced.
Man I'm in the tough position of choosing the monitor silver 500's and 100's or sonus fabel lumina 5. Are the silvers really that good? Wanting more detailed midrange
Interesting, and thank you for your honesty Andrew. I know that room acoustics are a substantial part of the equation when it comes to the listening experience. By changing your room acoustics, either by the addition of acoustic room treatment or DSP or both, you’re not necessarily going to improve the listening experience, you are just going to alter it. Whether or not you like the new sonic signature after the alterations, is surely down to personal preference!
it's always good to double check your own ideas. I purchased the kef meta just to see if my thoughts were off. I was so wrong about them. They are so much better than I thought. The store has them on a shelf 10 feet apart and next to the wall. They sound horrid in the store but so much better in a home. They are picky on placement though and next to a wall they are horrid.
I understand where you are coming from and as you get older you are affected by changes to your hearing and if you follow the required discipline of listening to music without using tone controls then you come to understand that it's the room that is "wrong" and you begin to rearrange the furniture looking for a way make things sound like you remember which is not necessarily better because few people have perfect auditory memory. This leads to spending money for new equipment to fit your change in your hearing or moving. I am glad to see that you were able to recognize the need for a better listening space and to act upon it.
Nice review. I was looking forward to hear what you thought about the Forte IVs in the bigger room. Looking forward to hear about the Cornwall IVs or the Klipschorns. If the Cornwall I will be very curious how it compares to the Fortes. I've been in Hong Kong for 16 years and not many Klipsch are available here. But when moving back to the States I want to have a baseline of which models to listen to when I do. Thanks.
Hey man a great video as always, I love your thoughtfulness about all of your content past present and future. Something I noticed about your recent change in recording spaces the newer videos audio is coming through a little congested, not sure if it's your room or a new mic or if it's by design in my opinion your voice sounded clearer in your old space nothing horrific just thought its worth mentioning. Keep up the good work 😁
I’m glad you have re-reviewed the KLH Model 5. I have came to the same conclusion that these things sound great no matter what room that you put them in. I suspect a lot of this is due to baffle design. Plus, I love the classic look. I am currently looking at the Klipsch Heresy for maybe an upgrade to the KLH Model 5. Same classic looks that I love.
✅ *GET THEM HERE: **bit.ly/3s7Qyg2**, **bit.ly/35GRnlQ**, **bit.ly/3285ene*
★ *QOTD: After changing your listening space, how did your favorite hifi gear change?*
★ *CLICK 🔝 “SHOW MORE” in the description for answers to many of your questions*
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Did you move to Nashville?
@@martinvegas1327 Nope.
@@martinvegas1327 I used to live in Nashville (some years ago).
@@zachariahadams I miss conversation pits.
Did I tell you guys (Rob and Kris) that I love ya and you are *My Favorite Couples Audiophiliacs Critics* & _I can't wait till RICKY and DAVID become parts of the show._
.... I'm kidding and using a very very very old t.v. show for effect, "Ozzie and Harriet Show"
Anybody who is willing to challenge their own previous opinions based on new information is right by me. I really appreciate you guys revisiting old reviews and helping us understand new things in the process. Right on you two
👍👍👍👍
The room is everything! I bought LS50's and thought they were absolute garbage until I treated my room. The change in sound signature was immense after adding carpet, heavy curtains, and GIK Acoustic panels to my room. I thought I had to upgrade to a more expensive speaker to get the sound I wanted, when in reality it was my room that needed an "upgrade".
The majority I'd say 80% of it, is getting your speakers and room to play well together. Once you have that; a good source, amp and preamp will cover the other 20%.
Absolutely agree
Love this video for two reasons: the new transition music is sweet! Second, I really like that you all are talking more about room influence on the acoustics and making a video comparing a few speakers in your former space and the new space. Great concept for a video and the new room is sharp as hell by the way!
Our pleasure!
My wife and I moved two years ago. I own the Micca RB42's and Yamaha A-S301 integrated. The attack in the kick drum lost some energy in the new place but the overall character is exactly the same. God, I just love the way this system sounds in my room. My wife feels the same way. She is surely becoming an audiophile. Great job as usual.
The room makes all the difference. My buddies and I host a monthly vinyl night at a local brewery. The first time we did it I brought the equipment from my home listening room (e.g., AB amp with no tone controls, horn-loaded full-range loudspeakers, etc.). The concrete floors, open rafter ceiling, and tile walls at the brewery caused my system to sound terrible. Now when we host vinyl night we bring old class D amps, bookshelf speakers, and a subwoofer. We're able to tailor the sound to the room much better, and I don't have to dismantle my listening room once a month :-).
I love your videos. I don’t just watch and listen to them, I study them. Always anxious for a new one to come out. I wouldn’t dare buy a piece of equipment or a speaker until you review it. And I absolutely love the wood slats on the wall. Dual purpose concept. Well done.
Wow, thank you!
Andrew and Kristy. You have my respect for posting on this subject and being ready to challenge your conclusions now that you've completed the new listening space. Being ready to say I got it wrong/or right, publicly in a balanced manner requires guts, although I would possibly post the changes that have been noticed as you've done. I simply couldn't do this because my audio memory is not good enough. Keep on keeping on both, I love your posts.
After auditioning both the KLH 5's and Wharfedale Lintons, I was surprised to find some cymbals missing on a jazz cut from the Wharfedale. The cymbals were barely struck but audible on the KLH but not so on the Wharfedale. It was ever so slight in sound on the recording but that missing detail on the Linton prompted me to be won over by the 5's. Good review as always.
If Andrew and Kristi broke in the B&W 606 S2 AE, I believe their opinion of the speaker would change. I have owned these speakers for almost a year and absolutely love them. Yes, I have to agree that they are very sensitive to what room you place them in and what amp you pair them with. If you get the right combination, they sound amazing!
Definitely how your room set up makes a massive change to sound. I recently had new flooring in my room my stereo system is, removing carpet. Now the sound bounces around the room
I’m not a audiophile but love my music after watching many reviews and many of yours I purchased nr1200 and monitor silver 100 and love the whole set up. Easy punchy fun and the louder it goes the better it sounds. Love not beating myself up about is there something better all the time. Thank you for your reviews
Andrew I really appreciate you going back to test your old opinions. You’re absolutely right, the room is the biggest change for a speaker. So much respect for you going back and checking yourself!! You are one of the most honest reviewers I know. I would love to see a Polk L600 review from you in your new space, as I have owned a lot of different speakers and these blow me away with an Emotiva amp, no matter what room I try them in. Yes they are definitely power hungry and a high end (or $1500 sweet spot) receiver does not bring these speakers fully to life. Or even the Polk R700’s in this new space. I have owned KEF, wharfedale, Klipsch, and now I’m hooked on the Polk’s solid performance and build quality all around (L600😉) And yes I have owned older Polk’s as well, including the previous legendary series. I agree that the large legendary towers are complete overkill for a normal living room. Maybe they would be cool in a home movie theater? Not for me.
I think the KLH Model 5s are very special. I understand your recommendation of the Linton's took into consideration that the Linton's are less alive, especially at low volumes. I do a lot of late-night listening, and for me, the revealing nature of the speaker means it takes less volume to hear the detail. If I do turn it up, it is definitely revealing and an enjoyable experience. I am sure the Model 7 will be better, but it costs lots more. I understood your reasoning then, and your follow-up review also didn't seem happy about them. It was like you begrudgingly had to say, good speakers. What I love is how they reveal the music and the performance.
Humble request: could you do a video on linearity, frequency response, bass definition, treble harshness, warm vs cold vs forward vs neutral sound? These terms have been popping up more frequently in your videos, and I kinda get what you’re saying, but don’t have the technical background. Would LOVE if you could make a beginners video on this aspect of the hobby.
My experience wasn't really switching rooms but building a second system in a different room. My first system in this house is in the living room which is... a mess for audio. It has hardwood floors, is open to the kitchen, it has an open staircase, and it is way off center because of the way the room is laid out. All of this made me rely on using a minidsp shd with Dirac to correct for low frequencies (which were very boomy) and time domain issues. My second system is in a nearly golden ratio room with carpeted floors. It is so much easier to get speakers to sound right in this room, and I was able to do some minor room treatment (bass traps). It is a night and day difference. No booming, a wider soundstage, and a much more focused center image. It is nice to have the two rooms to see how much the room can change a speaker's sound.
Sounds like a great A/B litmus test! Thanks for sharing!
Great concept love this type of content! I think an initial review / impressions vs long term revision are always helpful. I’ve always been impressed with speakers like B&W after initial demos but when I actually spend time with them the spicy tweets can get old quickly. Perceived initial resolution quickly fades to hey look at me type of treble presentation. At least for my preferences.
That room looks stunning. What a drastic change in the new house vs. the previous one. Cheers!
We are really happy with how it turned out. Thank you for tuning in!
Thank you! I've been wondering/hoping you would revisit previously reviewed speakers in your new place. Outstanding as always and keep up the great work.
Thanks for this video, Andrew and Kristi. I discovered you the day after I ordered a pair of the B&W 607s from Crutchfield. Kristi, what you had to say about your experience listening to Alanis Morissette on them was almost word for word my experience listening to Linda Ronstadt (among others) on the Matrix 805s when I bought them 25 years ago. So I canceled my order, and I am very glad I did. I thank you.
I ended up with a pair of the current Paradigm Atoms. I owned a pair of the v.2 from 2000 to 2016, and I enjoyed them. I only sold them because I’d bought a B&W Z2 wireless speaker around 2010, the sound of which gave me the best listening experience of my life. (Early in the oughts, I acquired tinnitus, and nearfield became my only enjoyable listening experience.) I also have a pair of B&W MM1s hooked up to my laptop, and that’s a good listening experience, too.
The Z2 and my modem/router dropped the connection so often, I wouldn’t turn it on after a point, and I ended up selling it, too. And I’ve been thinking about a replacement for some time. So when B&W had a 15% off sale this month, I ordered a pair of 607s, my experiences at the lower end of their range having been so positive, sonically speaking.
But when you said what you said, Kristi, it went straight to my heart, my brain, my ears. Non posso farlo un’altra volta. I couldn’t do it again! And when what you both had to say today in your re-review didn’t change that much, I felt heartened I’d chosen the Atoms-which seem to have doubled in size-instead. They may not be the last word in detail, but with them, I am listening to the music, not the speakers.
Thanks again.
Heresy's are just absolutely amazing! Yeah, they are certainly not a "neutral" speaker. But, my God, they are the most fun speakers I've ever had! Glad to see you got them dialed in. Also, glad to see you guys have gotten things set up in the new space. Stay well, you two!
I hope that you do this for the amps that you reviewed, particularly the NAD M33. However good on you for doing this, it just continues to speak to your high integrity. Great work.
Thank you so much for making this video! The behavior of a room is something that your brain can easily just 'adapt' to, which prevents most people from even believing that any room could make a speaker sound different.
It's also worth noting that almost all of your impressions IMROVED with the move, which is another convincing argument for proper room acoustics across the board.
Great idea guys by revisiting your old speakers. It's amazing how treating your room makes a world of difference. Great job!!!
🤗👍 ANDREW AND KRISTI…I JUST HAVE TO SAY THE NEW ROOM LOOKS 🤩🤩 FANTASTIC
Room makes a huge difference. I lived with Snell E-II's for quite a while...until my room became dead (heavy drapes...bigger furniture). I went Klipsch Heresy then Cornwall. However I happened on some Infinity Overture 1's and my spouse said that they could compete with the Corns. I made it my business to get a good pair of P-FR's...those infinities fit the room...all of them.
Thanks for this review. I am considering the sonus faber lumina 2’s and so your additions to your original comments were helpful, and I respect you all the more for that. Btw, your new room looks a picture and you both should be very proud of yourselves!
Room and placement. I'm still learning, but this has been my mantra. My room is very live and untreated right now. I know it needs some help, but I already know that I don't want to kill the reverb completely. I am losing some detail now and have some room modes, but the sound is still great. Looking forward to some delicately placed diffusion and absorption to dial in further.
And a nice thick rug to tie the room together. Lol
Amazingly I’ve spent the last week image searching for silver 100 in light oak and solid steel stands to see how they look. So THANKS !
Paul Klipsch wrote a paper on the position of horn loaded speakers and in that he recommended crossing the streams in front of the listener.
I did this and noticed a softening of the top end. Love your channel.
I purchased the Klipsch Heresy IV's and your review aided me in that decision. They arrive tomorrow and will be replacing a pair of Polk Audio Polk Audio RTi A7 ($539.99/pair). Im looking forward to receiving them and will be powering them with a Yamaha A-S801 Integrated amp.
Enjoy!!
I really like how you and Kristy give your opinions. The biggest change was when I went from Klipsh Synergy bottom firing subs with rear ports on bass platforms to 2 SVS PB2000-pro front firing ports. Compliments my system very well and a whole lot less vibration. I am using SVS isolation pads.
Complements........unless of course the subs can talk. 😋
Love my MA Silvers. Although I'm far from an audiophile and only have experience with half a dozen speakers to compare them with.
They sounded the best to me in the Audio showroom store I bought them from and they were a British company so that sold me, as easier for warranty and parts.
I have to agree, I moved the hersey's from my father's large reflective room to my carpeted, furnished and DIY "treated" and the PA nature of the speaker calmed down a lot and I found the speaker much more full bodied and pleasant.
Love this concept video. Also kudos on how much better you sound in the same space. Incredible.
I have a pair of 3-way towers, some years ago I modified the passive crossover to be 2-way between the tweeter and mid driver, then I modified the input panel to allow me to biamp and externally crossover between the hi/mid and low frequency drivers. This made a HUGE improvement in the overall sound of the speakers. Using a miniDSP to do the crossover for the biamp stage, I was also able to tune the speakers to the room using RTA software and the parametric EQ in the DSP. Later I moved to a different apartment and thought I'd need to retune the cabinets, but I didn't, they still sounded great in the new space. 3 years after that I moved again into a house this time and thought well maybe this time I should retune them for the space, after a good listen I decided to leave them alone, they still sounded great and still sounded like they did in the first apartment. If it isn't broke, don't fix it they say.
I really appreciate your videos, most especially this one. I, too have recently moved house and although I knew about the room impact on SQ, I only got to experience it first hand recently. It was so obvious. Moving into a larger living space required a lot more work to dial in the sound to my taste. It’s the thing we love, so we do it. Thanks!
Would you guys consider shooting a tutorial of using REW to measure the room response? I think it would be great and allow many to understand what their room sounds like.
I have almost the exact same room layout as you guys have, man that big open space to the right of the room is a challenge!
I DIYed a room divider to help out
Andrew has plans for something like this in the near future.
@@KristiWright how about reviewing the NAD C658 Dac/preamp. As far as I know is the only streamer/Dac/preamp that is made for stereo but also includes Dirac live room correction built in. More user friendly room correction than using REW. Just a suggestion...
Moved cross-country. Used to have a huge open floor plan main level with 20’ vaulted ceilings and I LOVED my Definitive Technology BP20s. I spent 3 months trying to find a listenable position in the new space, which is still wide open but only 10’ ceilings, and finally gave up, dumped and replaced with B&O BeoLab 8000s which sound spectacular.
Kudos for revisiting each of these speakers!
It is so cool that you and your wife have such a bad ass hobby together. I am loving listening to your experiences with speakers and audio gear. Great channel! Good energy to you and you endeavors.
Loved the “re-review” off all those speakers. Awesome review, and I love the Chris comments, nice to have an other point of view. And one interesting thing is how room change the final result, and how some speakers interact more than others. I guess the cabinet front baffle play a big rule on that interaction.
Curious to hear how your Lintons faired in your new space. Have a feeling they might be too big and wooly sounding in my tiny living room.
They did not make the trip. Sadly, they had to be sent back.
Oh darn, was looking forward to the ‘speaker of the year’ re-review.
@@jimmyt8535 Yeah, it's a bummer for sure.
I bought lumina V from your review. I always feel something is off. I tweak this and there like change cables and but acoustic panel and qrd. It gets better. And last week i bought klipsch r820f. However despise which one better. I am more enjoying listen to klipsch with very loud volume 😅
Now i use cxa81 and sf lumina v and klipsch r820f
Neat approach: looking back on your reviews IN your NEW space! Great job. Love the space and I die for those walls.
New space ,new variable people tend to forget that speakers play the room .
In all reality there are no real bad speakers anymore (within said price classes we dabble with) it's more a matter of , does it fit the room , acoustics , size , what not.
I am sure Andrew is aware of it too, it's just another video on the list of many
It's a great idea to revisit any opinion. I think a room is a part of the the listening experience, and I'm glad you include yours in your evaluation of a speaker. you guys continue to impress .
It must have taken some courage to publish this video. It shows how intellectually honest you both are. Well done.
It took time, but we weren't nervous to hit publish. These things are what they are. There is no shame in changing one's mind or in being wrong. If I'm wrong, I admit it and do what I can to correct it. As a commentator of anything, it's important that we don't believe our word or opinion is gospel. Thanks so much for watching!
Used to have a pair of LS35As and they sounded good in my basement room. One day I played them in my double garage with an open peaked ceiling. A lot of cubicle yards. It sounded like different speakers, more like the music was happening in real space and all the different sounds had a more natural weight. Just wish I could make my stereo room work that well.
I’m in the process of building a new home. This review is what I needed to hear. I’ve been holding off on buying new gear until I move in. It’s great to re-review !!! Keep up the great work you two ! Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
I’m currently building a home. This re-review has me so excited about purchasing the Model 5s.
The room is the most significant component of your sound. Full Stop!
Your experience in setting up systems goes a long way to trying to get the sound that you want, and how much effort you put into it makes all the difference. Being able to do anything you want with the room to change your sound is a blessing.... But there are a lot of people who can't do much about the room.
Agree on all accounts, which is why in our latest room I knew we had to treat it, but wanted to do as little as possible to make it right. In our old room, we stuck with what I felt was a better facsimile of what everyday consumers would face. While I know that ticked-off many in the hifi community (especially folks in the press and on TH-cam) but I felt it made our content MORE relatable, because, as you said, not everyone can treat their room.
I would like to try out the new Monitor Audio Silver 100 7g speakers, they have 8in bass drivers be good for impact with movies & music.
Monitor Audio usually good with detail too.
Good pairing would be with Arcam, which is my favourite best sounding audio equipment
That whole line is pretty great!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews
Are the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7g speakers hard to drive?
I'd be curious how the Magnat Transpuls 1500 may differ in sound in the new room as they seemed to have a good bang for the buck. However, given their size and mass, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't make the journey (and it appears as if they are now out of stock on Magnat's website). Definitely an interesting perspective! I think the worst (most memorable?) experience I had in shifting spaces was deejayin at a venue and on one song hearing the bass vanish! After additional research later, I determined that the tune had been mixed in such a way with little to no low end reverb, and presumably the speakers at the venue had been wired out of phase, and thus the baseline phase cancelled itself (or so I was able to postulate with another musician friend of mine and some plugins to simulate such conditions). Albeit, they weren't my own speakers, but deejays are often at the whims of a venue to "get things right" though I added some tools to my belt should I encounter such a situation again and will hopefully be able to at least minorly mitigate, if not fully correct such room deficiencies.
I wish we had kept them to be able to answer that question for you. It is highly unlikely we'll ever get them back.
Any opinion on the Eltax Monitor PWR 1959? Enthusiast "nicoastyle hifiman" has posted several different "battles", etc., about them (en français, sorry, english captions not available I don't think), often alongside the Magnats, but I'm searching for other perspectives as well, especially regarding soundstage & imaging. No in-store listening nearby... Merci!
It's all about preference and presentation. If everyone hates the KLH MODEL 5'S I absolutely still love them. Partnering of equipment and room acoustic is key ✌
It is largely about preference. Thanks for watching!
Even in the TH-cam videos watched on my iPhone 12 I can hear a difference in the room from before treatment and after, even before the move and after. It’s a bit drier now. Assuming this isn’t all in post ;-)
I also really appreciate that you went back to check a few reviews. Shows integrity. Good stuff.
I am finding your journey through room correction is very engaging content. You are living the trope about room, then speakers, then the rest of the chain. It’s inspiring, actually.
Hoping for a Cornwall IV review. Great video that leverages your new space with old reviews. Thanks. What a great idea to do this!
Agree on that. A Cornwall 4 review would be awesome. Also compared to the Heresy 4 and Forte 4.. And even better (because no one has done this video) Cornwall 3 vs Cornwall 4. This is high on my "wishlist"
I have a question - would you say the room plays more of a factor than the type of amplifier? Did the Heresy IV sound more different in your new house than they did at your old home with different amps?
100% the room plays more of a factor. We used the same amps on the Heresy in both locations.
Great question, helps give context
I don't have to move rooms, just moving the speakers a couple of inches can totally change the tonality of a speaker. Too much toe-in can make a speaker very bright sounding and moving a stand mounted speaker up or down can make a speaker bright or dull sounding. Your average problem room, though, usually aggravates in the 60Hz to 70Hz region.
Love your content!
I have a question about bass?
20 or so years ago, I went to the home of a friends grandparents.
We were hanging out and she suggested we play some music and she walked me over to the stereo. It looked like a nice system, but I didn’t really think much of it.
I played Modest Mouse’s “Good News for People Who Love Bad News”. I was floored. Everything sounded better. The bass was especially articulate - to the point that I felt like I was back in high school band listening to the instructor play electric bass.
I had heard the album countless times through my Advent As2 towers and 15”Cerwin Vega sub.
I’ve since built a better system, but I have never heard speakers do what that system 20 years ago did. I’ve spent time in hi-fi stores listening to speakers and systems that cost more than my house. These 6 figure systems still weren’t doing what I remembered.
What am I doing wrong with this? Is it that hard to get accurate and live sounding bass guitar? For the life of me, I can’t remember what those speakers were.
I’ve played that same album in demos and it’s just not the same.
A perfect story of room changes. Years ago my son bought a pair of AR 9's based on my recommendation. Especially since i promised him incredible low end. He was disappointed! He had more than enough power with good electronics and sources. But real lows just did not develop. I told him it was because he was in a typical Midwest 50's home with a relatively small living room. It was not possible for low frequencies to develop because of wavelength needed.
He move a few years later to a place with still a small to modest but almost down the size living room. He was much happier even though only the room changed. Nothing in his system.
He just bought a nice big house with an open concept living/ dining room with cathedral ceilings. Same basic electronics and speakers. He is blown away with what they can do when in a room that can handle them. To the extent that he set the switches on the crossover back to flat from the -3db he had been using on the mid and highs to boost the low end. And now that he can get further from the drivers, they blend much better. He just stopped planning on replacing them the change was so dramatic.
Try the NHT C-3 speakers. You'll also need at least 50+ watts the speaker represents very well. Great detail, sweet treble response and solid mid bass
Its been so interesting seeing a comparison between the different room environments!
Thank you so much, Daryl J! We appreciate you watching.
Hi Andrew and Kristi, I have the Heresy IVs and I acknowledge all of your comments as truth. The one aspect I don't recall you mentioning but something that does influence their sonic character, is the humidity level. We moved from a moderately humid location to a lower than average location and the sound was definitely influenced by the same. As such, I notice on rainy days that the entire spectrum is much more present, full, and warmer, while on low humidity days much less so across the board. Not to say the sound is unbecoming on low humidity days...quite the contrary. It's just that the large swings in humidity from low to high to low again is much more palpable living in a semi-arid clime than when I was not. Based upon the hints you've provided, I assume you now live in a similarly lower than average humidity location. Would be interesting for you to compare and contrast between the two extremes (normal lower humidity compared to rainy day hunidity) to see if you agree. As a revealing speaker. the Heresy IVs certainly reveal these differences as effortlessly as they do poorly recorded music relative to well recorded music. Love the new room!
I'm pleased with this direction of Re-review, as it addresses how changes in electronics and rooms has an impact on sound. Two speakers I currently own shifted in my preferences due to a room change. It was not subtle, even as I know from experience that they are both awesome to me.
Ahh the room. I think that most people really don’t take the room into consideration and spend money chasing a better sound. The treatments you installed has helped and understanding your room measurements will give us all who are consistent viewers more of a reason to keep watching this channel. I will be look back to your room treatment video and pickup a mic to also understand my room characteristics. Thanks a million.
Hello Mr Andrew, the other thing that i notice when i test speakers, is that they sound Better when you put your amp speakers settings as large speakers Full Range, and in pure direct without the Subwoofer, Because if you use the Crossover You Are Limiting the power to the speakers.
Would it be possible to show the measurements that you have taken for a speaker you are evaluating? For Example, it would probably be much easier to see, as you said, that the KLH model 5 measured flat and the B&W very much did not.
Good video, rooms do matter… In regards to the KLH, the game changer for me after figuring out placement and sub matching, was moving from the Delta Sigma DACs to the R2R Ladder, mainly the Denafrips Ares II with the Iris DDC. Analog bliss with zero fatigue. Totally transformed the listening experience.
Your initial review of the lumina II's, put them on my radar. Picked up a pair and am very happy with them. Thanks!
Great to hear! I know they are among Kristi's favorites especially in the new space.
It's good to have you back. You can't get something wrong if you give an honest opinion. Different amp or room could change an honest opinion. If you and Kristi ever review the new Primaluna hybrid EV300 integrated and hook it up to the Heresy IV, you'll get that sound back and more. I've heard it and it's a real game-changer.
The reason why the KLH’s sound signature was largely unchanged even in your new space is because it’s a sealed design - as you noted - but also because of that massive front baffle. It means the drivers are mostly interacting with the cabinet, not the room. Most speaker manufacturers abandoned large baffles after the 1980s, which avoided a lot of issues they caused, but also dramatically increased speakers’ reliance on placement within a room.
So wider baffles = less room interaction ? How come ?
@@oldestpunkinargentina7766 The drivers are interacting with the front of the speaker itself instead of their surroundings - especially the wall behind them. Designers actually moved away from wide front baffles by the ‘90s - we knew even back in the late ‘70s that narrow front baffles and rigid column designs made for better fidelity by providing a better, less reactive environment for the drivers.
It just took awhile for tastes to change - consumers resisted the new designs, which also made it difficult to include large (front facing) woofers, which were also popular in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
I need a Kristi in my life.
You have no idea how special it is to have found a woman who is as passionate about this stereo/home theatre hobby as you are. Very rare.
With real estate and speaker placement, it’s location, location, location. I’m about to move from one apartment to another and will go through this experimentation again soon. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Moving rooms can be the biggest upgrade (or downgrade). Enjoy the ride and thanks for watching!
I’m thinking those heresy 4 would be great on a 20” solid stand, help that boom in the bass and get the tweeter up. Seems like the way to go with them
My family grew up with KLH 5 series driven by a tube amp. Wish that I appreciated it more when I was young.
Thanks, your initial review led me to test and then buy the Lumina 2s. The mids are breathtaking and the teeeter sounds wonderfully clear and certainly not over bright in my room. I have a smallish space and the bass, without sub, is easily enough for me. Incredible sound from such a small box. Good amp helps, my Rega Elex-r drives them brilliantly.
tWeeter
so with the KLH's now $2500, Is there a better bookshelf at $2500 or less? I want KLH but the style and size may not fit my room
Since many of us will never be "treating" our living rooms or wherever we listen, your original review was probably closer to what we will actually hear. That's not to say that I personally won't conduct room correction for speakers using Dirac or similar, however, springing for sound absorption is out of the question a. My wife would flip out and b. we move around every 5 years give or take. Cost prohibitive. I will still buy the Lumina II though 🙂
Recently I had some work done to my listening room: new floor shelving; removal of other speakers and equipment as your wife experienced panicked the sound was awful and in a flurry of adjustments tweaks speaker placement switching components etc. took me about two weeks to get back and I think some improvement to some of my setups I had prior but yes rooms can mess things up quite a bit especially when you're moving from one used for years to something new.
Well it’s like visiting a place you loved ages ago and see what’s changed or not changed since that time.
I love this revisiting approach 👏 Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Will an A/V receiver drive the Lumina 2s well enough or is a beefier amp required? A/V receiver rated approx 100 watts per channel
Great work, personally having the 500 7g’s …. Image was muddy when in a reflective room, once the couch paintings and diffuser was installed… these are pin point… did you experience a better image with the new room?
Pretty fantastic video. Very interesting. Sounds like the KLH fared the best. However you came about knowing the way to treat the room I think it must sound good, but definitely looks awesome. As time goes by I’d be curious if Maggie’s bounce of the wall in a good way. In any event, I love the comparisons.
I’ve been looking at some Monitor Audio 500, but since you owned Tekton Pendragons ( I think you said previously), how do they compare?
Thanks! Glad the space is allowing better listening!
Excelent review and very interesting conversation between Andrew and Kristie. Congrats!
Congratulations to you and Kristi on the new home. Glad you’ve pretty much figured out the room and how certain gear sounds in it. It’s all about tuning your system to suit your tastes in your new room. Best of luck to you both. You truly seem like quality people. 🙂🔊✌️🎶
Love your videos Andrew. Because of you I have an amazing pair of RP-8000Fs. And they sound spectacular in our living room. I typically turn off the Klipsch subwoofer when not watching movies. The other day I was jamming some tunes and thought, "oops, I must have left the sub on." So I check and sure enough...it is OFF. Yeah, these speakers are definitely killing the 22 year old Bose Acoustimass they replaced.
Glad to hear it! Thanks for sharing!
Monitor audio sliver bookshelf are the best. No doubt
Man I'm in the tough position of choosing the monitor silver 500's and 100's or sonus fabel lumina 5. Are the silvers really that good? Wanting more detailed midrange
Interesting, and thank you for your honesty Andrew.
I know that room acoustics are a substantial part of the equation when it comes to the listening experience. By changing your room acoustics, either by the addition of acoustic room treatment or DSP or both, you’re not necessarily going to improve the listening experience, you are just going to alter it. Whether or not you like the new sonic signature after the alterations, is surely down to personal preference!
it's always good to double check your own ideas. I purchased the kef meta just to see if my thoughts were off. I was so wrong about them. They are so much better than I thought. The store has them on a shelf 10 feet apart and next to the wall. They sound horrid in the store but so much better in a home. They are picky on placement though and next to a wall they are horrid.
I understand where you are coming from and as you get older you are affected by changes to your hearing and if you follow the required discipline of listening to music without using tone controls then you come to understand that it's the room that is "wrong" and you begin to rearrange the furniture looking for a way make things sound like you remember which is not necessarily better because few people have perfect auditory memory. This leads to spending money for new equipment to fit your change in your hearing or moving. I am glad to see that you were able to recognize the need for a better listening space and to act upon it.
Nice review. I was looking forward to hear what you thought about the Forte IVs in the bigger room. Looking forward to hear about the Cornwall IVs or the Klipschorns. If the Cornwall I will be very curious how it compares to the Fortes. I've been in Hong Kong for 16 years and not many Klipsch are available here. But when moving back to the States I want to have a baseline of which models to listen to when I do. Thanks.
Hey man a great video as always, I love your thoughtfulness about all of your content past present and future. Something I noticed about your recent change in recording spaces the newer videos audio is coming through a little congested, not sure if it's your room or a new mic or if it's by design in my opinion your voice sounded clearer in your old space nothing horrific just thought its worth mentioning. Keep up the good work 😁
I just love this Video😍😍 I got the luminas based on your review and couldn't be happier. What a beautiful speaker!!!!
funny, i was thinking about a week ago ,to suggest revisiting some speakers you had reviewed before , but in the "new" room , way to go !
I’m glad you have re-reviewed the KLH Model 5. I have came to the same conclusion that these things sound great no matter what room that you put them in. I suspect a lot of this is due to baffle design. Plus, I love the classic look.
I am currently looking at the Klipsch Heresy for maybe an upgrade to the KLH Model 5. Same classic looks that I love.
KLH is better
I have the Heresy iv and love them. I also have the usual suspects also ( focal , LS/35a you name it)
I like them all. The Heresy’s are never going
Ours are never leaving either!