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The Official $2,500 Speaker Evaluation / Home Audition Event

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#1 ·
This is...

The Official $2,500 Speaker Evaluation / Home Audition Event



Introduction

On November 1st and 2nd we will come together for another speaker evaluation in my home in Luverne, AL. Attending the event and participating in the evaluation and auditions, in addition to myself (Sonnie), is Wayne Myers (AudiocRaver), Joe Alexander (ALMFamily) and Leonard Caillouet (lcaillo), all members of the HTS staff. All of the speakers are here and being broke-in as recommended.

This is not a shootout, but instead it is an evaluation and home audition of six speakers. You might even consider this a combined review of six different speakers, although not by one individual, instead by three or four individuals in a very controlled and organized evaluation. This evaluation is not conducted to determine the best speaker, as there are too many variables from home to home for us to tell you which speakers are the best for you. Therefore, ranking them may encourage you to buy speakers that may not accurately suggest which speakers will be right for you. Your room size, acoustics, speaker location, amplifier type, amplifier power, other electronics, and your very own ears, will all play a significant part in how a speaker will sound to you. What we will do is carefully measure and listen to these speakers, then provide you with the objective and subjective results. This will be influenced by the equipment on hand and the dedicated home theater/listening room... which is fairly well treated acoustically, and is setup to allow flexible placement of the speakers. In this evaluation, we hope to be able to tell you what speaker locations sound best for this room, including close to the front wall and out into the room. Unfortunately, we cannot completely mimic your room, so there is no way we can guarantee you that the speakers will sound the same in your room. As always, we encourage you to evaluate speakers in your own home to be absolutely certain you get what is best suited for you. Hopefully this can be a guide that in some way will aid you in the differences we hear, but ultimately your ears are what is most important in determining what speakers are right for you.

This event will include speakers from two of our sponsors, SVSound and Underwood HiFi (Emerald Physics). There are four other speakers that were voted on in our $2,500 Speaker Evaluation Event - Nominated Speakers Voting Poll. Pricing for these speakers is for the pair. We do realize that these speakers may not necessarily cost exactly $2,500/pair. We get that number from the fact that the average of all 20 speakers that were nominated is right at $2,500. However, all of the speakers in this evaluation can be purchased for $2,500/pair or less (add $350 to the Emerald Physic speakers if you get the DSP). That may not always be the case in future rounds. Actually most of these are closer to the $2,000 range than $2,500. We are basically covering speakers that range from $2,000 to $3,000... capping the max MSRP at $3,000. I suspect in the next round we will be closer to the $3,000 range on most of those.


The Speakers


Associated Equipment
  • OPPO BDP-105 Universal Player - We will again be using the 105 as the source for the evaluation. There have been some questions about recorded CDR's being used because they are a copy of a copy (extracting from original disc to computer and then burning to a disc). Personally I cannot tell a difference one way or another from the original and a burned copy. As a matter of fact, I know of a double blind listening test where a gentleman was unable to tell the difference from an original CD and a burnt copy of a computer copy, although he insisted he could tell a difference beforehand. However, to eliminate any questions, we will use either dBpoweramp or Exact Audio Copy (EAC) to extract the tracks from the original CDs to a USB thumb drive and use it in the 105 for our evaluation music. We will use the XLR balanced outputs on the 105. Be sure to check out our review of the OPPO BDP-105 by Luther Ward. We appreciate OPPO being a sponsor here at HTS.


  • Anthem Integrated 225 Amp (i225) - At 225 WPC (8Ω) and 310 WPC (4Ω), this integrated amp from Anthem should provide plenty of power to drive any of the speakers we are evaluating. It boast a 105dB signal to noise ratio and is built with high quality, close-tolerance parts. The main power supply includes an advanced generation toroidal transformer, which contributes to its low-noise floor. The conservatively rated massive transformer is designed with high rail voltage, fed by two oversized low-ESL, low-ESR Nichicon filter capacitors that employ a total capacitance of 30,000 microfarads. The preamp audio circuits are fed by two precision voltage regulators, thanks to the ±15 V rails in the main power supply. The input and voltage amplifier stages are a differential design, although the output power stage has a fully symmetrical complementary Class AB design with three pairs of high-quality bipolar output devices per channel. The amps design significantly reduces distortion and ensure extreme linearity. This is one solid built amp that is no doubt one of the best in its class and price range. We will be using the XLR balanced inputs on the 225. We sincerely appreciate Anthem lending us this unit for use in the evaluation.



    Specifications

  • Onkyo PR-SC5509 - We will use the heavy duty 5509 as our preamp processor during our home theater speaker system review and our $20,000 speaker system review (see last part of this post for more info on those). It may also serve some duties as a preamp in the two-channel speaker evaluation. Of course the Onkyo does not really need any introduction. It is well known and owned by several members in our forum. It is a beast of a processor and very well regarded as one of the top preamp processors available. You can learn more about it by clicking on the link above or visiting our Onkyo PR-SC5508 - PR-SC5509 SSP / Integra DHC-80.2 - DHC-80.3 SSP thread. Be on the lookout for upcoming reviews on the Onkyo TX-NR929 9.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver and the TX-NR626 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver, as well as a couple of their soundbars. We appreciate Onkyo being a sponsor here at HTS.


  • RAM Electronics Custom Speaker Cables - "Ram-Flex Custom Series" 11 AWG Canare 4S11 speaker cable sleeved with ViaBlue braid and terminated with gold plated locking banana plugs. These are also good looking high quality speaker cables that will not break the bank. We all fell in love with these speaker cables... they performed flawlessly and in no way hindered or colored the sound. These locking banana plugs are awesome! I have already ordered several of these since our last event. We appreciate RAM being a sponsor here at HTS.


  • RAM Electronics Custom XLR Cables - RAM "Custom Series" XLR Balanced Cables includes the Mogami 2534 with Neglex Quad Cable and Neutrik Connectors wrapped with the ViaBlue braided sleeve... as well as CBI Ultimate ML with Belden Wire and Neutrik "X" Connectors. RAM will custom build just about any cable you can think of... just tell them what you want and they will fix you up. Their service is awesome, as is the quality of their cables. These are good looking, good quality cables that are very reasonably priced. RAM does not play around... you order up what you want and in a few days it is on your doorstep. Compare RAM to places like Blue Jeans Cable and you will see the savings, using the same quality wire and connectors.



The Listening Room

As with the previous event, we will use Cedar Creek Cinema, our dedicated home theater/listening room that is a converted two car garage. The interior dimensions are 19.5' wide x 23.5' deep x 8.5' high. There is a 6" high x 4' deep stage across the front of the room, and a 12" riser in the back that is used partially as a ported enclosure for the rear subs. The room is excellent for our purposes with ample acoustical treatment on side walls and ceiling, large corner bass traps in front from floor to ceiling, a centered Primary Listening Position (PLP), lots of space to work with, and well-controlled early reflections and ambiance.



As shown below, the RT60 reverb time for the room is very well-controlled, 0.2 seconds overall, and below 0.3 seconds clear down almost to 100 Hz. This is a nice level of control with enough ambient liveliness to aid soundstage and image development. There has also been some additional acoustic treatment from GIK Acoustics that has been added to the side walls and back wall since the last event.




After Hours Fun... with a Few Surprises!

As a bonus to our members and readers, we will also be reviewing a $20,000 two-channel system. This review will be published later in our Reviews forum, but we will introduce you to the company and the products during the event. This system is truly to die for... just plain awesome and worth every penny of its price.

But that's not all... we plan to enjoy a little late night fun at Cedar Creek Cinema, and this event is sure to spark some excitement with a special guest, who will also be providing a truly unique 5.0 home theater speaker system (costing well over $10,000) for us to review. This will be the first review of this product. Our plans will be to watch a movie each night of the evaluation, hopefully Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Then on Sunday evening and Monday, we plan to do more testing and evaluation for a complete review of this speaker system, which will also be posted later in our Reviews forum. I don't think you will want to miss this review. We will announce the manufacturer, the owner and the product a little closer to the event.

We believe you will truly appreciate these extra reviews we have in store for you. Personally, I think they are pretty significant... huge in fact!

I don't know about everyone else, but I am EXCITED!!!

BTW... :shhh: Remember... it's a secret! :whistling:


Results

As you can see below, we have reserved several posts for the results, which will be posted as soon as possible after the event. We will post some of the known information about the speakers between now and the event. You will want to subscribe to the thread. After the results are posted, we will post in the thread that the results are complete and the reserved posts have been updated.

The REW measurement .mdat files will be uploaded to each speaker thread and available for download.

...
 
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#1,003 ·
Sonnie,
earlier you mentioned that the low grade finish on the Arx speaker cabinets are a negative point. Anything can be re-finished. New real-wood laminate or paint of any color with any degree of gloss finish is possible.
Would this make the Arx speakers cost more than they are worth?
 
#1,004 ·
I don't think I stated "low grade", but rather that I just did not prefer it. It might be more like mid grade if I had to grade it.

I think each person would ultimately have to decide what they would be worth to them with whatever finish they prefer. In my opinion they are already worth more than they cost. If they had a high quality painted Satin Black finish, to me they would be worth even more.

You are probably asking that backwards... you should ask would it make them worth more than they cost, not would it make them cost more than they are worth.
 
#1,005 ·
The finish on the Arx speakers seems best described as basic, simple, entry-level. It is a nice enough finish, and there are some fairly expensive speakers that are available with that as their basic finish with options for more refined finishes involving more expensive veneers and more time-consuming staining or painting processes. Its low-reflection surface is really a pretty good home theater choice. But some will prefer a different look and might even choose a speaker that is known to not perform as well sonically but will look better in their room.

For me, the sonics are everything, and as long as a speaker is finished and not banged up - and even that can not be said of my beloved 20+ year old Polk Monitor 5jr's, which had a piece of collapsing ceiling fall on one of them - I am pretty happy. Sonnie has said it is not his favorite finish, but you will note he still has that pair of A5's.

Refinishing a pair of purchased speakers is not trivial. Doing it right means complete dis-assembly, and not everyone is that brave (probably resulting in a voided warranty) with a new $800 purchase.
 
#1,006 ·
Sonnie,
earlier you mentioned that the low grade finish on the Arx speaker cabinets are a negative point. Anything can be re-finished. New real-wood laminate or paint of any color with any degree of gloss finish is possible.
Would this make the Arx speakers cost more than they are worth?
True. Anything can be rebraced, re-cabineted, re-crossovered, or re-drivered as well though, yes?
 
#1,007 ·
The Arx finish is a good quality version of the ubiquitous simulated black ash that's been adorning all the hipper, sexier, trendier, and finer loudspeaker brands for decades. Who knew?

Given that it seriously impacts price, what threw us, actually, was the growing demand for a high impact semi-gloss black catalyzed paint. Actually what threw us was the call for paint, and we put in place the means to make that particular finish and others.

In December we'll start to prototype the first 2014 A5 in paint along with an A7 tower, which is a new concept, also in paint. I think it's safe to say that Q2 2014 should see as much as the entire line available in paint for an upcharge.

I ask that you remember that the reason Arx costs what it does is that ultra-cool PVC wrap people have forsaken so many cozy Black Friday soirees nationwide to admire. In a black paint they will rise.
 
#1,008 ·
The Arx finish is a good quality version of the ubiquitous simulated black ash that's been adorning all the hipper, sexier, trendier, and finer loudspeaker brands for decades. Who knew?

Given that it seriously impacts price, what threw us, actually, was the growing demand for a high impact semi-gloss black catalyzed paint. Actually what threw us was the call for paint, and we put in place the means to make that particular finish and others.

In December we'll start to prototype the first 2014 A5 in paint along with an A7 tower, which is a new concept, also in paint. I think it's safe to say that Q2 2014 should see as much as the entire line available in paint for an upcharge.

I ask that you remember that the reason Arx costs what it does is that ultra-cool PVC wrap people have forsaken so many cozy Black Friday soirees nationwide to admire. In a black paint they will rise.
Something to think about. If you offer paint... Will you only offer black or will you do custom colors too?
 
#1,016 ·
Jon,
Hopefully you will continue to offer great sound with the cheap"er" finishes. I would much rather pay for the sound than the look. And because of this speaker evaluation I may end up being a paying customer soon.
Jon and I have been discussing this - how to keep the less expensive vinyl wrap finish for the budget conscious customer while bringing some paint finishes into the line up of ARX speakers.

Feedback like yours is helping to confirm that we need to keep the most cost effective approach available along with the higher priced catalyzed paint finishes. Thank you. :T
 
#1,017 ·
Jon and I have been discussing this - how to keep the less expensive vinyl wrap finish for the budget conscious customer while bringing some paint finishes into the line up of ARX speakers.
There's a speaker builder near me. He actually contracts out cabinet building in general, but even if he didn't this story would go the same.

Like you, he's using relatively basic wrap and finishes, but as his speakers are moving into higher price categories, I think there's a market for "better looking" finishes for him as well.

My recommendation to him is going to be to contract out those finishes (to a local artist actually). This lets him continue to do exactly what he's doing while saying "and if you want the fancy finish, I hand the unfinished cabinet over to a subcontractor and you pay the costs". We'll see if he likes the idea.
 
#1,018 ·
Jon and I have been discussing this - how to keep the less expensive vinyl wrap finish for the budget conscious customer while bringing some paint finishes into the line up of ARX speakers.

Feedback like yours is helping to confirm that we need to keep the most cost effective approach available along with the higher priced catalyzed paint finishes. Thank you. :T
I second that feedback. It's nice to have a gorgeous speaker, but my budget demands that I spend every available penny on the best acoustical performance possible. Perhaps that would be different if I had five-figure money to spend and I could have the best of both worlds. That's not where I am at right now though.
 
#1,019 ·
There's a speaker builder near me. He actually contracts out cabinet building in general, but even if he didn't this story would go the same.

Like you, he's using relatively basic wrap and finishes, but as his speakers are moving into higher price categories, I think there's a market for "better looking" finishes for him as well.

My recommendation to him is going to be to contract out those finishes (to a local artist actually). This lets him continue to do exactly what he's doing while saying "and if you want the fancy finish, I hand the unfinished cabinet over to a subcontractor and you pay the costs". We'll see if he likes the idea.
Jon has something in the works that is fairly close to what you are suggesting. Our new subwoofer line up (100 units are in production now) will be all "USA Built" as will some of the higher end ARX designs on which he is working.

When he gets more of this sorted out, look for some details on this. I think everyone will like where he is headed with the A-7's that Sonnie has been pushing Jon to build.
 
#1,021 ·
Strong contention as well on the quality aspect/preformance. Finish is not as important untill you get into higher price ranges. But then, that's part of what you are paying for. For me, preformace is priority one & the A 5's have it. Can't wait to hear the A 7's. Thanks for the leak.
 
#1,022 ·
Man that's a lot of reading :)

What I got out of it was to move my speakers forward and out a bit and aimed the l/r at the opposite listening position, much better.
(My JVC's have rear firing/rear ported woofers, when the wife says, hey that sounds way better, you stop fiddling and be happy)
 
#1,026 ·
No. Working on it now. I should know better, but had an editing error wherein I lost a day's worth of writing. Bummer.
CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S, CTRL+S,
etc.

:duh:
 
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