PC to DC-1 to Active Monitors. Thoughts?

[Hair Nick]

Aug 15, 2016 11:53:15 GMT -5 garbulky said:

Yeah forget JBLs and Yamahas. I've heard similar models in that price range from them. Blech. DC-1 to Airmotivs great.

We actually had a customer recently who came to us to buy a DC-1 directly after purchasing a pair the Yamaha HS8s. He heard the Airmotiv 6s and that was it for the Yamahas. He left here with a pair of Airmotiv 6s and a DC-1 on his way back to return the Yamahas.

[garydolson]

Aug 16, 2016 4:48:26 GMT -5 @tllfkacn said:

Aug 16, 2016 1:05:55 GMT -5 garydolson said:

Chuckienut,

After ebay'ing the Luxman R-117, Kenwood KR-9600, and Yamaha M70,C70,T70 pre/power/tuner separates, I should have enough for a new DC-1 and a pair of Stealth 8's, and would love to consider them, but where can I hear them? Rancho Cucamonga Guitar Center is 1.8 miles from my house and they have a room full of active monitors. It's hard to walk away from great sounding speakers right in front of you for a much more expensive pair that I can't hear without whipping out my credit card. And btw, my next speakers must be no smaller than 8". My Canton CT-800's (3-way's with an 8" woofer) spoiled me. They retired a butt-kicking 12" Velodyne powered sub, which I have no intention of wheeling out for any new speakers. Wait a minute... that sub plays down to 18hz. MAYBE I'll wheel it out...


Thanks.

Not to argue here Gary or to push Emo speakers, but only to pass on some of my 47 years experience in audio.  There is only one place to hear speakers before you make a buying decision, that is in your own room!  Almost all speaker will sound very different in a dealers show room than in your room.  A very experienced listener can make some legitimate evaluations of a part of a particular speaker's performance such as vocal clarity and a few others, bass is extremely difficult to realistically judge in a dealers room.  However, a full useful evaluation of any particular speaker is 100% valid only when heard in your own room.  For the last 40 years or so I've never bought speakers from what I heard in the dealers room, I soon learned this lesson.  The room and how/where you place the speakers in that room are a huge part of how the speaker will sound.  Most people hear quite a difference when they move their speakers small distances in their own room or to a different room in their house.  Usually in a dealer's room the speakers will be in a line.  They won't let you but if you could change the position of two pair of different speakers in the room they will then usually sound quite different.  How close to the wall behind them, to the corner, to the side walls, to other speakers, to the floor will all affect the sound.  I also hate to tell you but some dealers/salespeople will push the one they make the most profit on or the most commission.    

I would never buy a speaker at a dealer store unless they allowed me to take the speaker home for an in my room evaluation, with a guarantee of return with no questions asked (of course credit card only/no debit card or cash for your protection).  If they won't go for this then ask them if you can take a display model home on your credit card at closing and return it the next morning, no questions asked and don't fall for the in store credit.   If they say no, I would look elsewhere.  

You had an excellent receiver in the Luxman!  I am very familiar with Canton speakers.  They are generally excellent speakers with one issue IMO.  As many European speakers they lack in the best lower bass performance (there stated low end of 22Hz is pure nonsense with no decibel reference).  They are probably somewhere in the 50Hz range at -3dB's.  Also, this might surprise you but newer very high quality bass/mid drivers (kevlar or Emo curv) with proper power will outperform some speaker with larger drivers.  I will guarantee you the powered 6.5" driver in the Airmotiv 6s would be equal to or outperform the 8" driver in the Canton's.  For example there are many high quality powered subs with a 12"-13" drivers that outperform other good brand subs with a 15" driver.  With either the Emo 6s or Stealth 8 you would be able to audition them in your own room for three to four weeks and bring in a speaker from the guitar center for a side by side comparison.  I encourage this as I'm very aware of the price difference of a powered studio monitor from Emo versus a retail brand speaker from the guitar center.  For example a powered monitor from GC that would be very close in performance to the Emo Airmotiv 6s at $499/pr, is the Adam A7X at about $1500/pr, three times the price.  The 6s has a 6'5" driver versus a 7" drive (not significant) and the Emo weighs 4 lbs more and has 100/110 watts versus 50/100 on the A7X, enclosure size of the 6s is very slightly larger.  The JBL and Yamaha monitors you mentioned are not in the same class as the 6s or A7X.  Don't confuse the Adam A7X with the lower model F7.

This should clarify what I mean by factory direct.  At $1500 for the Stealth 8's, they will be in a whole different class and comparable to powered monitors in the $2500 and up range. 

If you do insist on buying a GC then I would listen to the Adam A7X for a fairly comparable sound that you would hear from the 6s.  Again don't just look at the driver size.  The Stealth 8 has an 8" driver but weighs 42 lbs!  The Stealth 6 weighed 35 lbs.  The Adams A3X, $699/pr at B&H and weighs 10.1 lbs, is very close in performance to the Emo 4s (which I own) at $299/pr and 13.7 lbs.  I hope you are getting the idea about buying factory direct and the huge price advantage.  If you do return you only lose the return shipping.  A small price to most likely save 2-3 times the price on the speakers.

I rest my case.   Good luck.    

Chuckienut,

That's quite a lot to chew on and I want to thank you for taking the time with me. I think you're right about the value of hearing speakers in my own space. After all, it's far and away the most critical link in the audio chain. I also agree that speakers today are far more advanced. The 2nd to last time I bought new speakers for hi-fi use, Ronald Reagan was in the White House. They were JBL L20T's; a $215 (each) bookshelf with a 6 1/2" woofer paired with a tweeter highly regarded to this day. The next time I bought new speakers for hi-fi use was over 30 years later. The inflation calculator tells me $430.00 then is equal to $911.00 now. I paid $615 for a pair of B&W 685 S2's. Reagan didn't know what he was missing. In every way, these little guys stomped my JBL's into pulp, and the bass extension is nothing short of astounding!!!! Almost miraculous for a 6 1/2" driver. Also, the most popular audiophile speaker today is the KEF LS50 which has a 5 1/4" driver. With that, I can think of no good reason not to consider the Airmotiv 6s.

Thanks again.

[frenchyfranky]

Aug 16, 2016 1:05:55 GMT -5 garydolson said:

Gary,

I'm as cheap as they come, but a good user experience isn't something I'm willing to give up. It wouldn't be the same without a real honest-to-goodness volume knob. Also, the balanced output on the DC-1 means I can situate it anywhere in the room. Not so with the Ego. This is a significant benefit. I can think of no cleaner setup than a dac/pre with balanced output to balanced input on a pair of active monitors. That's another significant benefit, but only if it sounds great, as I know it can.

Chuckienut,

After ebay'ing the Luxman R-117, Kenwood KR-9600, and Yamaha M70,C70,T70 pre/power/tuner separates, I should have enough for a new DC-1 and a pair of Stealth 8's, and would love to consider them, but where can I hear them? Rancho Cucamonga Guitar Center is 1.8 miles from my house and they have a room full of active monitors. It's hard to walk away from great sounding speakers right in front of you for a much more expensive pair that I can't hear without whipping out my credit card. And btw, my next speakers must be no smaller than 8". My Canton CT-800's (3-way's with an 8" woofer) spoiled me. They retired a butt-kicking 12" Velodyne powered sub, which I have no intention of wheeling out for any new speakers. Wait a minute... that sub plays down to 18hz. MAYBE I'll wheel it out...


Thanks.

Gary, here's below the link where you can find Emotiva retailers.

emotiva.com/our-partners

Here's a retailer in the above list at approx 40 milles from your location;

Reference Audio Video
Gardena, CA 90248
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.referenceaudiovideo.com