Even better than not having a fireplace grill is not having a fireplace at all between speakers. There are videos that talk about how they affect the sound. I’ve covered mine with stand alone room treatments . Huge improvement
I personally prefer your previous style of video from the office with different sections of video for bass, mid, treble, etc. where you reference songs we can go and listen to ourselves and try to hear what you are describing on our speakers.
That looks like the worst treated room I have ever seen for listening to music with all the uneven corners reflections and the upstairs but that's how most people actually have their setup.
This month I replaced my long standing Paradigm Prestige 15b and invested in a pair of KEF R3 Meta Granted much more expensive but the best sounding speaker I have ever heard. Agonized over this decision but confident I made the right one!!
ive always thought Paradigm has been a company who sits in that sweet spot of performance and value, yes you can spend alot more or alot less but Paradigm has always built solid performing speakers
@@carravagio16 Loved my Paradigms for five years. They served me well. The KEF R3 Meta is on a whole other level. Perhaps the best shed mount speaker going under $5K. I am really enjoying them.
If you feel confident then you did , to many people want to be told or guided what to buy, and you don't know if they have the same taste as you. So trust your own judgement over some guy with kids toys and a steel fireplace grill shaking all over the place who thinks Godsmack is heavy metal
I got some of these recently upgrading from some Q Acoustics bookshelf speakers using a Yamaha 501 amplifier with smsl u1 dac wiim pro and topping p50 linear power supply and I must say I like these speakers they don't seem as boomy and my bookshelves and it feels like the sound is truer and I don't feel like the sound is coming from speakers with these. I also try them on my home theater system and use them as front right and left and I have an Onkyo receiver that can do the vocal spread across the front and when I turn that up a little about halfway it really makes the vocals come alive and I feel like I am having a better experience than I do in a movie theater. Because of the arrangement of the living room I can't really put them towards the wall where the screen is so I have them positioned about a metre away from the couch angled in to the sides so they're standing in the middle of the living room in front of the couch but it makes a really nice soundstage for both music and watching movies I feel I just went in the settings and adjusted the speaker distance so everything is in sync and I think for now I'm going to leave them like this I'm just waiting for the amplifier switch to come so I can connect my HiFi system and my surround sound system to them at the same time and just flick the toggle switch depending on what I want to do I think it looks a lot better too because now I can get rid of two sets of bookshelf speakers if these will do double duty using an amp switch amp switch
I had a pair of Emotiva T-zero that blew my mind. Used them for years. My son has them now. Still rocking. Emotiva speakers got the Special Sauce. Love ‘em’!!
Towers are so much more fun for me, than bookshelves. Also a sub can add so much even for big towers. Randy I know you have been asked lots but you really should review a CerwinVega! SL15 or XLS215. You get allot for the price. They would get your house shaking to another level. I still recommend a sub though
I'm still rocking a set of original T1s I got for $499 when they cleared them out for the + line, idunno, 8-10 years ago now. I can't best them for the money w/o lots of effort buying and testing and I've really had no impetus to try. I would like to hear an A/B to the new gens, though.
I want the 5g a pair version, but the wife wants a the bookshelfs and a sub. She is worried that the towers are they right size for little hands to put their hands right through a driver. 😂. I said we can always use a shock collar. 😂😂😂 So happy wife happy life probably will have to settle with the bookshelfs. Once I can though I will get me some huge nice towers.
Always entertaining. Thanks for the video and review. One thing to note: the music does not sound as good to us as it did to you while you were recording. While I enjoy seeing your reactions to what you are hearing, shorter cuts while music is playing would improve the experience for us.
Nice review. I purchased the Mofi Sourcepoint 10 speakers about a month ago. Paired with a Yamaha a-s2200. I’ve had my svs sub turned off since. No need at all for the sub any longer. I love big speakers. lol.
Today I took delivery of my XT1s and XC1 in part because: I always wanted the last gen - love the look and they are 3-way - center channel issues kept me on the fence I wasn't vibing with my current KEFq150s as LCR (with subs) This video The 20% off holiday sale I only have room for 7.5" wide speakers (don't ask, it's a hassle) as mains, so options are limited; last towers I had were ELAC unifi 2.0s, I missed them terribly after downsizing; it was down to these and the ELAC Debut 3.0s (the 2-way center made me pass). Almost went for the XC2 but it would have probably been overkill as the XC1 is pretty substantial (and I am not filling a massive room. Audyssy calibrated with a Denon S760h, 2x SVS 1000pros and 4 SVS elevations for front height and surrounds...they're very impressive (also much larger visually than I thought, even with measuring). First time listening to a ribbon tweeter (in a tower, previoulsy demo'd MartinLogan Motion SLM XL, they sucked) can really tell the difference at lower volumes, very detailed highs. Ran them 'full range/large' with no subs to see how they'd do...had to keep checking to make sure my subs were off, as these dig pretty deep/deep enough for music. Movie-wise big wide soundstage, great dialogue from the center (this was my biggest peeve with the q150s, using a single q150 as a center just didn't dig deep enough. A massive step up from the KEFq150s, which sounded hollow and shrill, even with a sub (nice soundstage tho) as well as the Klipsch RP600M-IIs I was running back to back (A-B'ing with the KEF to see which to get rid of first).
Randy, just in case you see this comment, highly suggest you listen to The Ghost in the Shell soundtrack when you demo speakers, I put this on with the xt1s and was really taken aback!
I'm enjoying this style of video. I like that you mix up the style. Your videos get better every year. I'm eyeing a pair of XT3's for my room. Trying to decide between the SourcePoint 888's or these. I have an XPA-DR2 to hook them up to as well.
I have last generations T-zero+ and i was not expecting the amount of thump they supply in my relatively large room. Its almost comical. And for $350...its a no brainier. Now im interested in these and how much more they could do for 3x the price.
Well, Randy, I've been with you since day 1 and I preferred, by far, the older way to review just about everything. A little humor is always welcome bur reviews should be more detailed, as you did back in the day. There is no point to constantly show your phone with the decibels level or hearing what music you're listening to for a few seconds, we cannot judge speakers and/or amps from the sound that comes off TH-cam. I don't know why the changes but I'm not crazy about it.
I like music camples coming through the speakers. I can tell a difference between speakers. I can hear spikes and dips and a basic sound signature if there is one.
Because he paid off they all do it. You tube don’t care about truth just people watching it. You notice that these TH-camr they never I mean never give bad reports. Think about it for one thing Iam 70 yrs old trust me what young people I don’t used your own Ears
How do they compare to their predecessors? I have the T2+ and the PT2/A2 combo. Just curious what I missed out on. I got my whole setup for around $1400 to my door.
Brilliant idea! Pairing these speakers with the amps that they probably were tested with in the lab is logical. Also, Track Tribe has some non copyrighted music on TH-cam and some of their music is very good.I like to test speakers with Walking on The Moon by The Police.
I definitely prefer tower speakers over bookshelf. There are sounds produced by the enclosure that are hard to replicate, at least with budget friendly bookshelfs soeakers. I love Q accoustics they are fun but precise. I'm curious about the sound signature of this Emotivas.
I know it’s beside the point of the video, but I’m with ya on that 75db thing. I find 65 db to be a really good spot for critical listening, and then 75 is plenty loud for rocking out!
Randy I ran across something you might like. A youtuber Micheal Beeny form New Zealand broke down Class D TPA3255 amplifier with 48 volt supply.. The video is listed as TPA3255 Class D amplifier and SMPS part 1. It is about 29 minutes long and talks about amp and power supply. He breaks it down and takes it apart. This is like looking at a great car then looking at the engine in it and appreciate its design an operation to get the performance. By the way the TPA3255 chip is actually under the heat sink and he does remove it to show you the chip. He does to the electronics what you do the performance of the stereo devices
Hi Randy. To deal with the unwanted resonance consider stuffing the port with Dacron, or similar. Another option is to to stuff the ports with straws. Both will tighten the bass and smooth the impedance but not really affect the bass much. Often the change in bass is subtle and enough to control the bass driver(s).
how can speakers like that handle super low frequencies?. i have dual 12 inch tower speakers and i like feeling the frequencies lower than 20 hertz. ive even modded my amplifiers with larger coupling capacitors between stages so the low cutoff is 2 hertz instead of 20. the only downside is it takes almost a second for the amp to bias when turned on. but i leave it on so all the capacitor stay charged.
Randy your listening room in this video appears to be larger than 500 square feet. Were the XT1's a good fit to fill that space? Would you recommend the XT1 for a space between 450-500 square feet with a sloped ceiling that reaches 16 feet high or would the XT2 be a better fit? If you were going to keep these in that space would you pair them with the XC1 or XC2 center channel?
Hi Randy, I tried the Douk audio VU3 two Amplifier speaker switched on your recommendation. I have a McIntosh mc352 amp and a pair of class D monoblocks that I can’t decide on which sounds better to me. I will run the 352 for a while, then switch out the class D amps. The class D has tighter bass, more pinpoint instrument separation the McIntosh has smother more wrap some lovings arms around you kind of sound. I thought the Douk would be a great aid in comparing the two. Well with no way to adjust the volume from one amp to the other it did not work out, also there was a lot of cross talk between the two amps. I sent the Douk back a couple of days later. Thanks for your reviews, fun to watch!
Must be that no one was home😎 I bought Arendal 1961 towers for $1350 delivered and know I haven’t seen the best of them yet. Interesting to weigh folded tweeter to sensitive options. I sent back a NADM10V2 went back to my old Node 2 with Ayima A07 mono amps (stock op amps) to “hold me over” and was shocked at how good it sounded. Corporations need to smell the coffee.
That lineup has to sound good for all I know. Double amplifiers must give the speakers power in abundance and dynamics that blow one sideways. Kind of funny that Emotiva can be bought in Sweden. Some brands may be difficult or impossible to find. Hope this lineup becomes your new "reference" to compare against.
WOW! Even through my crappy PC speakers, they sound amazingly clear! I do not know much about speakers at all,but these are great! Sadly I cant ever get them..
Randy, You say that the Emotiva speakers have a lot of clarity, but I'm finding that my T-Zero towers(4 ohm) are a bit dull and lifeless. The cymbal shimmer just isn't lasting, the vocals are held back, the bass is weak. I have them on an Emotiva A2-mini from a MC1 processor. I've tried my other amps (including the Onkyo 636 AVR) and it seems like these speakers do a little better on my early 90's 2 channel amp, but doesn't sound as good as you describe. Maybe the Emotiva speakers are just "flat" in output and that's what I'm hearing. I'd like to hear your finding when A-B tested with your Sonus Faber speakers. Not a fair test, but...... close in price. I think it's time I gather my other speakers for a Saturday of trials. That should be fun - well maybe.
(Edited) The t-zero is not a 3 way speaker and is emotivas least preforming tower. All the rest are better. But when you consider that the t-zero's were just sold for what, $350 a pair new? It's hard to complain. They are still easily on par with other speakers in that price range and even besting many of them.
@@Casey.S. Correct and thanks. It's a so-called 2.5 way gimmick. Affordability is where I'm at. Dead broke. Trying to do the best with what I have. I wish I could buy or build better but not in the cards these day, likely never. All the best.
I have T-zeros on a Fosi V3/SU-1/Wiim Mini and love them. I'm not an Audio Phil though. They were referbs shipped for $300 and the best deal in Audio IMO.
@@mattmiller4978 All of my Emotiva gear are referb buys. Gotta like a bargain! And, I do like the speakers. They play day and night both music and movies (7.2.4) . However, there's just something that seems off. I've run EmoQ, done REW, EQ by ear, etc... Just can't explain the very odd difference in voices when I happen to be watching a TH-cam video on the TV and on my phone thru the speaker. Seems like the phone is clearer. Maybe it's just my old ears. For the lack of bass my subs pick up there - nicely.
After 23 years, in 2023 I bought thin-film AMT ribbon tweeter speaker GoldenEar BRX and I love them so much that I bought a 3rd one as the center speaker for the home teater. source=Apple Music lossless
Hmmmm, just spent about $1,200 on a pair of Revel M106s. Can't say I'm sold on tower speakers in general, but at this price point these would probably be the ones I try out.
Hi there happy memorial day I have the original T1 and I bought them when they were being phased out for the next generation so I got a great deal loving them. I was just wondering yeah opinion on the new ones if it would be worth replacing also if the Q acoustics all my speakers are Emotiv 7.1. Appreciate the opinions thanks.
Wish home audio equalizers were still being made for those of us who can't afford the expensive equipment haha... Maybe one day I'll save up some money for a quality system like this 🙂
There are a bunch of EQ options. If a PC is your source Equaliser APO with the Peace interface is an amazing box of high quality EQ tools for free. If that isn't enough, it takes VST2 plugins, many of which are also free. I use the Voxengo MSED plugin to add a little stereo width to some albums. If you need to push other sources through it, Wiim have some EQ functionality (either 4 bands of parametric or 10 band graphic) among a bunch of other goodies starting at not a lot for the Wiim Mini. Side Note: Details of the Wiim Ultra go public on May 9th. Then there are options from Schitt Loki, Fosi SK01, Douk EQ5 etc but they offer less than you're likely to have on the DbX. By the time you get to the price of a MiniDSP 2X4 HD or better, you might be at the point where changing speakers or amp is the way to go instead. MiniDSP suff has some great use cases but EQ alone isn't really one of them.
Provided you’ve got budget for the required calibrated microphone, access to a laptop, and ability to insert a little black box ahead of amp stage, the combo of REW and the 2x4 HD can definitely tune up a lot of things - but a less cluttered room helps things, too.😂
On a different note, I just bought a pr based your review, n my wants n limitations. You went from Fosi amps to the Emo Basx A1 n rejoiced at the diff. Wondering if utilizing 2x A2's and bi-amping was a thought/option? Judging by your joy, not needed?
I'm a huge fan of AMT tweeters. I love the Dayton Audio AIR speakers; for the price, they're hard to beat, although their upper mids leave something to be desired. But those tweeters...
You did look a little startled there for a second when that music hit Randy. I did chuckle a bit at that. I do like a straightforward life with this hardware approach. I'm really liking the looks of those speakers. Still trying to find a justification to order the V3 monos still but those Emotivas would be a better choice if I just HAD to order these Emotive speakers, right?
If to compare this speakers with bowers & Wilkins formation duo, I know it's completely different speakers, but ...if will buy emotiva what I loose if even loose ? About Bluetooth and streaming and including amp, for me interesting lvl of clarity and scene ?
Nice video. I’ll trial these but I’m leaning towards q acoustic 5020 bookshelves. Maybe the 5050 floors. I think it’ll be the tweeter for me. My ear likes a traditional tweeter sound. Thanks!
Can someone help me compile a complete list of items I will need to support these speakers? Including amp etc. I want to use it for my television also.
You should check out the Eminent Technology LFT-8b speakers. At $3200 a pair, they sound better than speakers 5X the price. Made in Tallahassee, Florida.
I have a Sony STR-DH590 5.2ch Home Theater AV Receiver. rated 145W per channel (5 channels) (6ohms, 1kHz, 1ch THD 0.9%). Would this be able to drive these speakers? Thanks
Love these reviews! They seem to perform well for having smaller drivers. Do you think a large bottom end driver offers more flexibility? No replacement for displacement?
Another nice one Randy thanks! So it sounds like the new norm for $1k speakers is kinda like the new norm for $300 amps, they actually do compete with stuff that cost several times the price not that long ago. Good news for those of us who will probably never spend more that $1k on a pair of speakers or a few hundo on an amp.
I know its going to be difficult to say, now you're using those monoblocks, but how do you think these speakers compare with the wharfedale evo 4 range? Also, what are you listening to at 10:50?
Some feed back on what I heard. I'm running the Sony SSCS5. Powered by two Fosi Audio TB10A on mono. With my source being S.M.S.L. M100. So I listen to they same songs on Tidal and then referred back to your video to hear the difference. The biggest thing that could really hear is how much space between each instrument. What where you using to power the speakers?
Thanks for putting out entertaining and informative reviews. Very helpful.
Whoa! Thanks, man! That’s incredible.
I love hearing the music while you talk about your findings. It makes it easier to follow your thoughts
My parents suddenly wanted to do a theater a couple weeks ago. I had them buy 4 of these XT1s plus their largest center channel ;)
That's nice of you,
I wish I grew up with money
Even better than not having a fireplace grill is not having a fireplace at all between speakers. There are videos that talk about how they affect the sound. I’ve covered mine with stand alone room treatments . Huge improvement
The TV over the top of the fireplace is the coup de Grace.
Yes, a fireplace can destroy the sound for every hifi fanatic!
What if the speakers are set at least two to three feet away from the fireplace at either side?
Just bought the XPA-DR2, THE XDA DAC and the XT3, and it sounds amazing 🤩
Thanks for the review and love the new format 😊
I personally prefer your previous style of video from the office with different sections of video for bass, mid, treble, etc. where you reference songs we can go and listen to ourselves and try to hear what you are describing on our speakers.
Agreed, there's a distinct decline in information in Randy's new format.
Definitely me too!
This is not a review. This is "I'm playing some music and then I have feelings, won't you share the moment with me?"
I miss the "Oonnn the baaaackk" too
That looks like the worst treated room I have ever seen for listening to music with all the uneven corners reflections and the upstairs but that's how most people actually have their setup.
This month I replaced my long standing Paradigm Prestige 15b and invested in a pair of
KEF R3 Meta
Granted much more expensive but the best sounding speaker I have ever heard. Agonized over this decision but confident I made the right one!!
ive always thought Paradigm has been a company who sits in that sweet spot of performance and value, yes you can spend alot more or alot less but Paradigm has always built solid performing speakers
The KEFs sound so clean...
@@williamdavies1192
Indeed!!
@@carravagio16
Loved my Paradigms for five years. They served me well. The KEF R3 Meta is on a whole other level. Perhaps the best shed mount speaker going under $5K.
I am really enjoying them.
If you feel confident then you did , to many people want to be told or guided what to buy, and you don't know if they have the same taste as you. So trust your own judgement over some guy with kids toys and a steel fireplace grill shaking all over the place who thinks Godsmack is heavy metal
I got some of these recently upgrading from some Q Acoustics bookshelf speakers using a Yamaha 501 amplifier with smsl u1 dac wiim pro and topping p50 linear power supply and I must say I like these speakers they don't seem as boomy and my bookshelves and it feels like the sound is truer and I don't feel like the sound is coming from speakers with these. I also try them on my home theater system and use them as front right and left and I have an Onkyo receiver that can do the vocal spread across the front and when I turn that up a little about halfway it really makes the vocals come alive and I feel like I am having a better experience than I do in a movie theater. Because of the arrangement of the living room I can't really put them towards the wall where the screen is so I have them positioned about a metre away from the couch angled in to the sides so they're standing in the middle of the living room in front of the couch but it makes a really nice soundstage for both music and watching movies I feel I just went in the settings and adjusted the speaker distance so everything is in sync and I think for now I'm going to leave them like this I'm just waiting for the amplifier switch to come so I can connect my HiFi system and my surround sound system to them at the same time and just flick the toggle switch depending on what I want to do I think it looks a lot better too because now I can get rid of two sets of bookshelf speakers if these will do double duty using an amp switch amp switch
I had a pair of Emotiva T-zero that blew my mind. Used them for years. My son has them now. Still rocking. Emotiva speakers got the Special Sauce. Love ‘em’!!
Can you post the SPL meter app you are using in the description.
Decibel X
Towers are so much more fun for me, than bookshelves. Also a sub can add so much even for big towers. Randy I know you have been asked lots but you really should review a CerwinVega! SL15 or XLS215. You get allot for the price. They would get your house shaking to another level. I still recommend a sub though
Selling my CV setup right now
I've heard, and even own nice bookshelf speakers.
I agree with you, towers just bring a different overall different sound.
Wait! Now I'm going back through towers... Q Acoustics or these, with A10 Classic?
both lol
Awesome! I just ordered a pair of Airmotiv XT1 and the center XC1 for my little living room setup. Sounds like a great bang for the buck!
So, how do you like the XT1's? It's been seven months. What are you driving them with?
Yes please tell what you think thanks in advance.
I'm still rocking a set of original T1s I got for $499 when they cleared them out for the + line, idunno, 8-10 years ago now. I can't best them for the money w/o lots of effort buying and testing and I've really had no impetus to try. I would like to hear an A/B to the new gens, though.
Curious how these would be rated against the SVS Ultra towers.
I want the 5g a pair version, but the wife wants a the bookshelfs and a sub. She is worried that the towers are they right size for little hands to put their hands right through a driver. 😂. I said we can always use a shock collar. 😂😂😂 So happy wife happy life probably will have to settle with the bookshelfs. Once I can though I will get me some huge nice towers.
Difference is the SVS gives you a much cleaner and more open YOU ARE THERE sound.
The other difference is that the ultra towers are literally three times the price. $1499 each
What app is that hes showing on his phone?
Always entertaining. Thanks for the video and review. One thing to note: the music does not sound as good to us as it did to you while you were recording. While I enjoy seeing your reactions to what you are hearing, shorter cuts while music is playing would improve the experience for us.
Nice review. I purchased the Mofi Sourcepoint 10 speakers about a month ago. Paired with a Yamaha a-s2200. I’ve had my svs sub turned off since. No need at all for the sub any longer. I love big speakers. lol.
I have the source point 10’s also absolutely incredible how hard they hit !! Maybe next year they will come out with the 101010 version
@@MotownAudioabsolutely. They totally remind me of a throwback speaker. They just provide that thump that most speakers do not contain these days.
The new 888’s look really nice
Anyone remember what app that Randy's using here? Also the non-triggering music used?
I really enjoy the new style of reviews, feels more interactive and fun seeing your real time reactions.
Me personally I’m digging the new format. I like how your presenting it with music but not only that the variety
Today I took delivery of my XT1s and XC1 in part because:
I always wanted the last gen - love the look and they are 3-way - center channel issues kept me on the fence
I wasn't vibing with my current KEFq150s as LCR (with subs)
This video
The 20% off holiday sale
I only have room for 7.5" wide speakers (don't ask, it's a hassle) as mains, so options are limited; last towers I had were ELAC unifi 2.0s, I missed them terribly after downsizing; it was down to these and the ELAC Debut 3.0s (the 2-way center made me pass). Almost went for the XC2 but it would have probably been overkill as the XC1 is pretty substantial (and I am not filling a massive room.
Audyssy calibrated with a Denon S760h, 2x SVS 1000pros and 4 SVS elevations for front height and surrounds...they're very impressive (also much larger visually than I thought, even with measuring). First time listening to a ribbon tweeter (in a tower, previoulsy demo'd MartinLogan Motion SLM XL, they sucked) can really tell the difference at lower volumes, very detailed highs.
Ran them 'full range/large' with no subs to see how they'd do...had to keep checking to make sure my subs were off, as these dig pretty deep/deep enough for music. Movie-wise big wide soundstage, great dialogue from the center (this was my biggest peeve with the q150s, using a single q150 as a center just didn't dig deep enough.
A massive step up from the KEFq150s, which sounded hollow and shrill, even with a sub (nice soundstage tho) as well as the Klipsch RP600M-IIs I was running back to back (A-B'ing with the KEF to see which to get rid of first).
Randy, just in case you see this comment, highly suggest you listen to The Ghost in the Shell soundtrack when you demo speakers, I put this on with the xt1s and was really taken aback!
I'm enjoying this style of video. I like that you mix up the style. Your videos get better every year.
I'm eyeing a pair of XT3's for my room. Trying to decide between the SourcePoint 888's or these. I have an XPA-DR2 to hook them up to as well.
What is that SPL Audio Spectrum app you are using?
Thanks for sharing! What is the app you are using to test the speakers?
What’s the frequency display app that Randy is using on his phone?
@rarf,,,,,, that's something an "audiophile " would do .
I like this new, dynamic review style. Especially, sharing the SPL/dB levels 🔊😤
I have last generations T-zero+ and i was not expecting the amount of thump they supply in my relatively large room. Its almost comical. And for $350...its a no brainier. Now im interested in these and how much more they could do for 3x the price.
Well, Randy, I've been with you since day 1 and I preferred, by far, the older way to review just about everything. A little humor is always welcome bur reviews should be more detailed, as you did back in the day. There is no point to constantly show your phone with the decibels level or hearing what music you're listening to for a few seconds, we cannot judge speakers and/or amps from the sound that comes off TH-cam. I don't know why the changes but I'm not crazy about it.
Well said.
I like music camples coming through the speakers. I can tell a difference between speakers. I can hear spikes and dips and a basic sound signature if there is one.
Because he paid off they all do it. You tube don’t care about truth just people watching it. You notice that these TH-camr they never I mean never give bad reports. Think about it for one thing Iam 70 yrs old trust me what young people I don’t used your own Ears
I want to know what that app is he's using on his phone can someone please tell me
So many all meter apps out there. Just look for one. There’s a ton fur both Android and iPhone.
“Extra clarity” meaning elevated upper midrange/ high frequency range..
Any measurements out there on these ?
Nice to see you having fun! It was like us all being there with you.
What kind of DB meter are you using?
How do they compare to their predecessors? I have the T2+ and the PT2/A2 combo. Just curious what I missed out on. I got my whole setup for around $1400 to my door.
Like the fact your living room is similar to mine. Yet loudspeakers sound pretty darn good. These look to be a good value.
Thanks Randy. I love it when you show the phone db meter as LOUD and clear are my primary priorities (along with balanced, natural and effortless).
Brilliant idea! Pairing these speakers with the amps that they probably were tested with in the lab is logical. Also, Track Tribe has some non copyrighted music on TH-cam and some of their music is very good.I like to test speakers with Walking on The Moon by The Police.
What app are you using for RTA / SPL meter on your phone?
Love your videos! Can you tell me what SPL Meter app you are using?
What app are you using? Great review
I definitely prefer tower speakers over bookshelf. There are sounds produced by the enclosure that are hard to replicate, at least with budget friendly bookshelfs soeakers. I love Q accoustics they are fun but precise. I'm curious about the sound signature of this Emotivas.
Randy has def turned me into an emotiva guy, I'm considering the airmotiv xt3 and or Sonus faber Lumina II Amator Bookshelf Speakers
Emotiva makes a Great speaker they really don't get the credit they deserve just my opinion I just got the xb2 and love them ..!!
How do you like these compared to the T2+ that you reviewed?
Nice to hear some songs in addition to the usual low/mid/high commentary
What app is on your phone?
what about on the back???
I know it’s beside the point of the video, but I’m with ya on that 75db thing. I find 65 db to be a really good spot for critical listening, and then 75 is plenty loud for rocking out!
Can't get them in Canada😢. Would like to hear a review of the Polk ES60'S as an alternative.
Randy I ran across something you might like. A youtuber Micheal Beeny form New Zealand broke down Class D TPA3255 amplifier with 48 volt supply.. The video is listed as TPA3255 Class D amplifier and SMPS part 1. It is about 29 minutes long and talks about amp and power supply. He breaks it down and takes it apart. This is like looking at a great car then looking at the engine in it and appreciate its design an operation to get the performance. By the way the TPA3255 chip is actually under the heat sink and he does remove it to show you the chip. He does to the electronics what you do the performance of the stereo devices
Hi Randy. To deal with the unwanted resonance consider stuffing the port with Dacron, or similar. Another option is to to stuff the ports with straws. Both will tighten the bass and smooth the impedance but not really affect the bass much. Often the change in bass is subtle and enough to control the bass driver(s).
what app are you using to display the frequency response? thanks!!
I like all the sound deadening material around the room and on the balustrade😂
how can speakers like that handle super low frequencies?. i have dual 12 inch tower speakers and i like feeling the frequencies lower than 20 hertz. ive even modded my amplifiers with larger coupling capacitors between stages so the low cutoff is 2 hertz instead of 20. the only downside is it takes almost a second for the amp to bias when turned on. but i leave it on so all the capacitor stay charged.
What app is he using?
I like this new format and actual music.. keep it up
Sounds like a great speaker
Actually got a good deal for T3+ for 1K for the pair. Wish me luck
Please let us Know what you think Please 🙏🙏 thanks in Advanced my friend 👍😊
Randy your listening room in this video appears to be larger than 500 square feet. Were the XT1's a good fit to fill that space? Would you recommend the XT1 for a space between 450-500 square feet with a sloped ceiling that reaches 16 feet high or would the XT2 be a better fit? If you were going to keep these in that space would you pair them with the XC1 or XC2 center channel?
Hi Randy, I tried the Douk audio VU3 two Amplifier speaker switched on your recommendation. I have a McIntosh mc352 amp and a pair of class D monoblocks that I can’t decide on which sounds better to me. I will run the 352 for a while, then switch out the class D amps. The class D has tighter bass, more pinpoint instrument separation the McIntosh has smother more wrap some lovings arms around you kind of sound. I thought the Douk would be a great aid in comparing the two. Well with no way to adjust the volume from one amp to the other it did not work out, also there was a lot of cross talk between the two amps. I sent the Douk back a couple of days later. Thanks for your reviews, fun to watch!
I have this same problem. Randy can you give us a tutorial on how to A/B amps as opposed to integrated amps?
Randy, what is the DB app you use?
Randy could you review any apps you run across like your DB app on your phone just a idea. Thank You.
Been looking forward to hearing your review - thanks!!! Very tempting...
Now that you are reviewing floorstanders, how about a comparison with the similarly priced polk r700s?!
The r700 is $2200 a pair..more than double the 999 a pair for these.the xt3 by emotiva,at $2000 a pair would be the equal to the r700 by comparison.
I wish there was a comparison with the Emotiva xt3 and Polk R700, those are the two im interested in. Can only buy one pair
Hey Randy,how do these compair to the Svs-Pinnacles?
How do these compare to the T2+ u tested 3 years ago
Must be that no one was home😎 I bought Arendal 1961 towers for $1350 delivered and know I haven’t seen the best of them yet. Interesting to weigh folded tweeter to sensitive options. I sent back a NADM10V2 went back to my old Node 2 with Ayima A07 mono amps (stock op amps) to “hold me over” and was shocked at how good it sounded. Corporations need to smell the coffee.
Same speakers on a Rotel amp and I gotta say I love them. Saving for some Tektons but I'm definitely happy now!
That lineup has to sound good for all I know. Double amplifiers must give the speakers power in abundance and dynamics that blow one sideways. Kind of funny that Emotiva can be bought in Sweden. Some brands may be difficult or impossible to find. Hope this lineup becomes your new "reference" to compare against.
How many watts were you throwing at these?
Although listening to a speaker via TH-cam and multiple recording/playback devices is in no way representative or accurate, I like it.
We are happy to report that you’ve been promoted to first general of the B Hole Patrol. Thank you for your service, sir.
WOW! Even through my crappy PC speakers, they sound amazingly clear! I do not know much about speakers at all,but these are great! Sadly I cant ever get them..
For comparison, I would love to hear you review the new CSS Audio's Critons 3tdx, those are monsters....
Will you be reviewing any of Emotiva's new center speakers?
Randy, You say that the Emotiva speakers have a lot of clarity, but I'm finding that my T-Zero towers(4 ohm) are a bit dull and lifeless. The cymbal shimmer just isn't lasting, the vocals are held back, the bass is weak. I have them on an Emotiva A2-mini from a MC1 processor. I've tried my other amps (including the Onkyo 636 AVR) and it seems like these speakers do a little better on my early 90's 2 channel amp, but doesn't sound as good as you describe. Maybe the Emotiva speakers are just "flat" in output and that's what I'm hearing. I'd like to hear your finding when A-B tested with your Sonus Faber speakers. Not a fair test, but...... close in price.
I think it's time I gather my other speakers for a Saturday of trials. That should be fun - well maybe.
(Edited) The t-zero is not a 3 way speaker and is emotivas least preforming tower. All the rest are better. But when you consider that the t-zero's were just sold for what, $350 a pair new? It's hard to complain. They are still easily on par with other speakers in that price range and even besting many of them.
@@Casey.S. Correct and thanks. It's a so-called 2.5 way gimmick. Affordability is where I'm at. Dead broke. Trying to do the best with what I have. I wish I could buy or build better but not in the cards these day, likely never.
All the best.
I have T-zeros on a Fosi V3/SU-1/Wiim Mini and love them. I'm not an Audio Phil though. They were referbs shipped for $300 and the best deal in Audio IMO.
@@mattmiller4978 All of my Emotiva gear are referb buys. Gotta like a bargain! And, I do like the speakers. They play day and night both music and movies (7.2.4) . However, there's just something that seems off. I've run EmoQ, done REW, EQ by ear, etc... Just can't explain the very odd difference in voices when I happen to be watching a TH-cam video on the TV and on my phone thru the speaker. Seems like the phone is clearer. Maybe it's just my old ears. For the lack of bass my subs pick up there - nicely.
What's that app you keep showing
Spl meter. Shows db .
@rockroll9513 what's with the graph though. Cool
After 23 years, in 2023 I bought thin-film AMT ribbon tweeter speaker GoldenEar BRX and I love them so much that I bought a 3rd one as the center speaker for the home teater.
source=Apple Music lossless
Hmmmm, just spent about $1,200 on a pair of Revel M106s. Can't say I'm sold on tower speakers in general, but at this price point these would probably be the ones I try out.
This was a cool video and review. Very engaging and psuedointeractive.
What Decibel Meter App are you using on your phone?
What audio software are you using? Thanks for your very informative videos.
Emotiva is one of the great American audio companies, they're all but impossible to beat for value, huge bang for the buck.
Hi there happy memorial day I have the original T1 and I bought them when they were being phased out for the next generation so I got a great deal loving them. I was just wondering yeah opinion on the new ones if it would be worth replacing also if the Q acoustics all my speakers are Emotiv 7.1. Appreciate the opinions thanks.
Paradigm monitor SE 6000F might be a good comparison.
Wish home audio equalizers were still being made for those of us who can't afford the expensive equipment haha... Maybe one day I'll save up some money for a quality system like this 🙂
@gonzobeyondo I'll have to look that up. Thanks! Right now I have a Pro equalizer from DBX. While it does the job pretty well, it's an eyesore haha.
Schiit makes EQs.
There are a bunch of EQ options. If a PC is your source Equaliser APO with the Peace interface is an amazing box of high quality EQ tools for free. If that isn't enough, it takes VST2 plugins, many of which are also free.
I use the Voxengo MSED plugin to add a little stereo width to some albums.
If you need to push other sources through it, Wiim have some EQ functionality (either 4 bands of parametric or 10 band graphic) among a bunch of other goodies starting at not a lot for the Wiim Mini.
Side Note: Details of the Wiim Ultra go public on May 9th.
Then there are options from Schitt Loki, Fosi SK01, Douk EQ5 etc but they offer less than you're likely to have on the DbX.
By the time you get to the price of a MiniDSP 2X4 HD or better, you might be at the point where changing speakers or amp is the way to go instead. MiniDSP suff has some great use cases but EQ alone isn't really one of them.
Provided you’ve got budget for the required calibrated microphone, access to a laptop, and ability to insert a little black box ahead of amp stage, the combo of REW and the 2x4 HD can definitely tune up a lot of things - but a less cluttered room helps things, too.😂
@@Corndog642 they do, but they do not provide enough EQ bands. 6 is not nearly enough; I'm looking for 10-15.
Try putting a blanket or quilt over fire guard! It should stop or reduce the problem!
I’m sure his wife will love that.
On a different note, I just bought a pr based your review, n my wants n limitations. You went from Fosi amps to the Emo Basx A1 n rejoiced at the diff. Wondering if utilizing 2x A2's and bi-amping was a thought/option? Judging by your joy, not needed?
I'm a huge fan of AMT tweeters. I love the Dayton Audio AIR speakers; for the price, they're hard to beat, although their upper mids leave something to be desired. But those tweeters...
You did look a little startled there for a second when that music hit Randy. I did chuckle a bit at that. I do like a straightforward life with this hardware approach.
I'm really liking the looks of those speakers. Still trying to find a justification to order the V3 monos still but those Emotivas would be a better choice if I just HAD to order these Emotive speakers, right?
If to compare this speakers with bowers & Wilkins formation duo, I know it's completely different speakers, but ...if will buy emotiva what I loose if even loose ?
About Bluetooth and streaming and including amp, for me interesting lvl of clarity and scene ?
Nice video. I’ll trial these but I’m leaning towards q acoustic 5020 bookshelves. Maybe the 5050 floors. I think it’ll be the tweeter for me. My ear likes a traditional tweeter sound. Thanks!
Can someone help me compile a complete list of items I will need to support these speakers? Including amp etc. I want to use it for my television also.
You should check out the Eminent Technology LFT-8b speakers. At $3200 a pair, they sound better than speakers 5X the price. Made in Tallahassee, Florida.
Putting a theather room, but the damn bookshelves are always sold out. I have no idea what i can match the front stage with.....
I have a Sony STR-DH590 5.2ch Home Theater AV Receiver. rated 145W per channel (5 channels) (6ohms, 1kHz, 1ch THD 0.9%). Would this be able to drive these speakers? Thanks
Love these reviews! They seem to perform well for having smaller drivers. Do you think a large bottom end driver offers more flexibility? No replacement for displacement?
Another nice one Randy thanks! So it sounds like the new norm for $1k speakers is kinda like the new norm for $300 amps, they actually do compete with stuff that cost several times the price not that long ago. Good news for those of us who will probably never spend more that $1k on a pair of speakers or a few hundo on an amp.
How do these compare to the Heco Aurora towers?
I know its going to be difficult to say, now you're using those monoblocks, but how do you think these speakers compare with the wharfedale evo 4 range? Also, what are you listening to at 10:50?
How about Rish YYZ as a test track?
If you saw his video last week for the record player, he was buying a new record passed right over moving pictures for a no doubt album 🤮
How would these sound on a Pioneer SX-1050
Cool, i like the new format, but i also like the old as well. So, my vote, is to mix it up.
Some feed back on what I heard. I'm running the Sony SSCS5. Powered by two Fosi Audio TB10A on mono. With my source being S.M.S.L. M100. So I listen to they same songs on Tidal and then referred back to your video to hear the difference. The biggest thing that could really hear is how much space between each instrument. What where you using to power the speakers?