Thanks Commish for the excellent advice. I will visit the local dealers and listen to speakers in my price range.

My Wilson Benesch Arc speakers are rated at 6 ohms. I currently have them connected to the 4 ohm port on my amp, I'll try the 8 ohm ports and listen for a while to the difference.

About 6 years ago, I had added a Velodyne 19 inch servo controlled subwoofer to my mix and it greatly improved the bottom end. The biggest issue I have with the Arc's is that I have to move the speakers out another 2 feet and my listening chair in so that I'm much closer to the speakers in order to get that perfect sound (to me). I was hoping that a larger speaker would allow me to keep my listening chair where in normally resides (~11' feet back). The fairly large 20'x30' room is probably a contributor to this challenge.

You are right...the Arc's are sweet but seem to require too much shuffling of my room every time I listen to music.

I believe Commish to be psychic...

Cannot recall the last time I mucked with the back of my amp. Last night, per Commish's recommendation, I went to move my speaker cables from the 4 ohm tap to the 8 ohm tap. Was surprised to find them already in the 8 ohm tap. Moved them to the 4 ohm tap and the difference was immediate. Less bright top end and less forward overall. Much better sounding, I could not stop listening to music last night.

Prior to this latest discovery, had always plugged my speakers in the 4 ohm tap. I'm the only person who touches it so I can't blame anyone else.

Thanks for the recommendation Commish.

BluesDog wrote:

The January 21, 2021 - 10:49pm (new)
The Legacy Signature and Focus SE certainly seem worth listening to. Have not heard them but would love to. All reviews point to robust capabilities. Steve Feinstein of Audioholics wrote a good article about the Signatures. He chose them as the last speakers he will ever buy.

Have added the Reval, Acoustics Aerial and Legacy Focus SE to my wish list to demo.

Soundstage and imaging (when recorded for such) are extremely high on my priority list, my Wilson Benesch Arc speakers do this superbly.

If given the chance to demo these speakers, I'm curious to see how they compare in these regards.

Had watched a few YouTube videos on the Focus SE, they look like the could throw conventional wisdom to the air! Wouldn't mind rocking out with them for a while.

Old Audiophile wrote:

Let me throw a monkey wrench into this discussion to get the little grey cells churning even more.

Commish provides the best advice here. There is certainly no substitute for critical listening sessions under controlled conditions when it comes to evaluating audio toys, especially speakers. You have a relatively large listening room, which is nice, and it sounds like you have your speakers wisely placed. It also sounds as though you've already considered the possibility of replacing your amp. I'm guessing to achieve more dynamic sound? Splitting that budget of 10K provides many options in this regard, especially if that 10K gets spent in the same shop. That gives you significant bargaining power! With that kind of green, sticker prices do not apply! Your existing equipment and music preferences suggest, to me, that you tend to prefer a sound signature that's at least a little on the warm side. Keep in mind this can be achieved with good SS integrated amps these days. McIntosh, Simaudio Moon, Musical Fidelity are but a few that immediately come to mind. My listening room (living room) is basically the same size as yours, with 9' solid wood ceiling, exposed solid wood 6"X6" beams and 7" solid wood exterior walls. My musical tastes are, also, very similar to yours. A pair of Revel Performa3 F206 and 130 watts of McIntosh SS power rocks my world in that room. However, with your budget and your room placement options, a pair of the F208 would probably be a better option, with or without a sub. For that matter, a pair of the F206 with a sub would probably accomplish the same end. There are, of course, as Commish points out, many, many options with your budget. Only your ears will ultimately sort that out. It would seem you've peaked our interest. So, please report back after you've made your decision(s). Interested audiophiles would love to know. Good Luck! Stay Safe! Stay Healthy! And may music always be with you!

I must admit, I hadn't thought of dividing the funds between a new SS amp and speakers but I like the idea.

With COVID being so rampant here, I will have to postpone my demo tests if I still want to see my granddaughter regularly (so the wife says).

I will in fact keep this thread posted on anything new I listen to, good or bad.

Thank you and stay safe as well!

Old Audiophile wrote:

According to what I read & watch on the news, it looks like us geezers will probably be getting our vaccinations sometime next month. As such, by March, we should be better protected against this damn plague. So, looks like you'll be back in the saddle again soon, with regard to scheduling critical listening sessions. In that spirit, I offer this for what it's worth, although my guess is you are probably already aware of this.

If you do ultimately decide to split your budget between a new SS integrated and speakers, be aware that some SS integrated amps with power supplies that don't double from 8 to 4 ohms will likely not do as well with less than 8 ohm nominal load speakers. Here's an example of what I mean: I did some serious seat time with a pair of Aerial Acoustics 6T that I absolutely adored! I was certain my ears had finally found that elusive "WOW" moment they had been searching for, within my budget reach, of course. I was ready to hand over my plastic and say load 'em in the car but, then, since this shop had a MAC MA5200 taken in trade, I asked the sales person to hook that up to hear what would happen. I'd initially been listening to the 6T with a McIntosh MC275. Can't remember the preamp but guessing it was the MAC C22. With that combo, those 6T were nothing short of sublime, pure audio nirvana, especially with the kind of music you like! With the MAC MA5200, however, the 6T still sounded amazing but it was immediately clear these 4 ohm gems liked more current. Even so, these babies were so nice that they remained my top choice for quite a while until I heard the Revel F206. I'd be quite curious to hear the 6T with a Simaudio Moon Neo 340 IX or a Musical Fidelity M6si. For that matter, I'd be curious to hear how the Aerial Acoustics 7T would sound with your amp, which is where BluesDog is coming from, I think.

The damn plague is right.

Our state is telling us that they hope to complete our age group before spring...hopefully sooner.

Thanks for the heads-up on the amp concern with the 6T. My first choice is to try and find a pair of speakers that work well with my Audio Research amp. I know that it only takes part of the credit but my system produces scary good soundstaging and the imaging is nearly holographic.

The nice thing is that I have time to do more research before I can safely go out and demo my new list of potential speakers and see what surprises each dealer may have.

BluesDog wrote:

You might want to start with the Revel Performa3 F208 as your baseliene. If you audition that speaker you might also want to audition the Performa BE228 for comparison. This will give you an informed position regarding a Beryllium tweeter. It's one thing to read all the articles that we all read. It is a whole other thing when you can say "I have heard." It's the equivalent of saying "I have seen the elephant."

Per Google Map, there's a Revel dealer that is only 18.7 miles from where I live. I can easily start there and begin my demo with the F208 and then the F228Be.

I have a notebook for recording listening impressions of specific tracks from my current system and will record notes for all demos I attend. My notebook has all the usual audiophile categories and I include a subjective write-up at the end. I did this before I purchased my current set-up because there's no way I can rely on my memory alone.

I'm extremely curious to hear the Beryllium tweeter and hear how it sounds to me.

This is an extremely fun undertaking, makes you feel like a kid again.

klosterman wrote:

Please don't buy anything without auditioning Tannoy. So easy on the ears, and so so good with jazz. Oh my laws yes.

I've read about Tannoy's but have never goten a chance to demo. Beautiful cabinetry, very classic look. Do you own a pair and if yes, which model?

BluesDog wrote:

I wonder if TZ250 ever got around to auditioning any Revels? I would be remiss in not mentioning the Legacy Signatures. They have a lot of what exists in the Legacy Focus SE. And of all the speakers he has heard and could choose, Steve Feinstein of Audioholics chose the Signatures as “the last speakers he will ever own.” His wife not only liked the sound and looks of them, she urged Steve to move them from their lair into the family room! I wonder if anyone has heard BOTH the Aerial Acoustics 7T and the Legacy Audio Signatures and how they compare?

Hi BluesDog - it is now 2 weeks since my second vaccine so I'm free and clear to go out and demo speakers. Found a dealer that is about an hour away that has the Revel F228Be for me to demo. They have a 70 watt tube amp that they can connect to the F228Be which is close to my AudioResearch VSi55. Their policy states that you cannot bring your amp in to test speakers, I fully understand that. The one and only Legacy Audio dealer in town sold off all of his demo equipment (due to COVID) and the next closest dealer is in Los Angeles (I'm 60 miles SE of Phoenix). I have a son who lives in LA and I will be visiting them in early June. While I'm there, will see if I can demo the Signature and Focus. The Focus XD has me excited due to the fact that it's semi-active and my VSi55 can easily drive the mid-range and tweeters.

Question, is the Revel made in China? This is a very hard answer to find on the internet.

Kal Rubinson][quote=tz250 wrote:

BluesDog wrote:

Question, is the Revel made in China? This is a very hard answer to find on the internet.

At the time of our review, no.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/revel-performa-f228be-loudspeaker-specifications

I've recently read way too many articles on why it's so difficult to determine where a loudspeaker is manufactured and from where the components are sourced. Seems like speakers have become like cars, they're often a global collaboration.

Old Audiophile wrote:

TZ, I see you are back in the hunt. That's great! On your trek out to Tinseltown, see if you can talk your son into accompanying you on some of your critical listening sessions. Might be a fun outing. Besides, it's always fun to have another set of ears in the listening room with you, especially younger ones that likely haven't yet succumbed to Presbycusis (natural & gradual age-related high-frequency hearing loss affecting a third of us). Regardless, it's always fun to have a partner in crime, no matter the age, just to compare notes with. Sometimes, they pick up on things you might miss & vice versa. Makes for fun conversation, either way.

Now that it seems clear you are sticking with your AR amp and initial budget, I thought I'd second Bluesdog's suggestion of the Aerial Acoustics 7T. Can't say I'm familiar with your amp or that I've heard the 7T. However, as I mentioned in a previous post, I have done serious seat-time with the 6T, paired with a very nice MAC tube amp and that was sheer audio nirvana to my ears. Having done a review of the 7T, Mr. Rubinson would definitely be the authority on this potential match. Both the 7T and 6T are relatively sensitive 4 Ohm nominal load speakers that I'm confident would be outstanding with the proper amp.

Hello Old Audiophile - great minds think alike. My son is a music lover and will be joining me at the demo. I've also convinced his father-in-law to join us. He's an M.D. who mainly listens to classical music and for the last few years, is learning how to play classical guitar. He does not have a decent stereo at home and I'm hoping that by joining us, he could at least become aware of hi-end audio.

When I lived in NYC (born & raised), there were so many hi-end audio dealers and it was easy to find someone who had the equipment you were looking to demo. No that I'm in a rural/remote area, these options are far fewer. Of the speakers I'd like to demo (Revel, Aerial Acoustics, Focal, Dali, Legacy Audio), I've only been successful in locating a Revel dealer who actually has a full line for me to demo. I can now see why some people will purchase equipment solely based on reviews. I personally cannot do that, even if the dealer or manufacturer offer some type of return policy. As much as I'd love to hear the 6T and 7T, I cannot locate a dealer that has any (not even in L.A.).

In the mean time, I'm still enjoying life with my Wilson Benesch Arc's. I have a portable camping chair that I position in my sweet spot and pull the speakers out from the front wall. At that point, I am immersed into the soundstage and imaging and it's hard to imagine life being any better.

My quest is to find a speaker as good or better that will achieve the same from my normal listening position in my new 20'x30'x9' room.

Hi BluesDog - I've abandoned all interest in the Legacy Audio Focus SE or XD. Seems like they require ~3' distance from the front wall and my room cannot accommodate that. I will consider listening to the Signature SE while I'm in L.A. next month.

I'm always suspicious of speakers that can play beyond their expected physical ability but I never argue with my ears. I just have to make sure that what I'm hearing right then will still be as good 1-2 hours later.

Incredibly excited that there's a Revel dealer in town, will definitely work my way up to the F228Be, take notes and then share my thoughts.

And gentlemen, today, I took that first step.

So, my current list of speakers (this is a live list) that I hope to demo include The Revel PerformaBe and Performa3 line, Legacy Audio Signature SE, Aerial Acoustics 7T, Focal Kanta 2 and the Dali Epicon 8. I'm also willing to listen to other speakers that were traded in to dealers. Well, the dealer of whom had originally sold me my latest amp & speakers called and said he had taken in a pair of Golden Ear Triton Reference speakers and asked if I'd like a listen. My Saturday plans got quickly rearranged and I was able to go today (CD's, notebook, tape measure in hand).

The dealership is tiny, their one and only listening room is 14'x15'x9'. The Triton's were pushed out from the front wall ~4' and my listening couch was ~5' from the speakers. No way for me to simulate my 20'x30"x9' listening room. But, I made the best of it and spent 2 hours doing some critical listening.

I started by listening to a track by Holly Cole called "One Trick Pony". It has a bit of everything to evaluate, low bass frequency, high frequency clicks, female voice, etc... I started with this track because it was the last thing I had heard on my home system last, so the experience was still fresh in my memory. A list of the artists and tracks I played:

Holly Cole - "One Trick Pony", "Romantically Helpless"
Dire Straits - "Why Worry", "Ride Across The River", "Brothers In Arms"
Pat Metheny - "When We Were Free"
John Patitucci - "Messaien's Gumbo"
John Cocuzzi - Benny's Bugle
John Previti - "My Rosetta"

My notes show tight, clean bass that didn't seem to go too low. Good tonality, good mid-range, good dynamics. Soundstage was a decent size and imaging was very good. The AMT tweeter produced good highs, nothing was every bright. Off axis horizontally made me lose the soundstage completely. Off axis vertically produced little change. My final note states that this is an excellent speaker for its price but not as good as my current gear.

Spent a good deal of time speaking to the owner of the shop about Sandy Gross and how many well respected professionals in the audiophile community praise both Sandy and the Triton Reference.

The last time I critically listened to audio equipment was back in 2007 so today was a blast. Look forward to my next outing!

Additional Note Added 09-MAY-2021 - When I listened to Pat Metheny's "When We Were Free", I was extremely surprised that the opening bass lines played very low (in volume, not frequency) on the Tritons as compared to my system (even with my sub turned off). BTW, love this album and Antonio Sanchez just about stole the show. John Cocuzzi's "Benny's Bugle" really tests the high frequencies with vibes and a clarinet, the AMT tweeter definitely plays on the softer/warmer side as compared to my ARCs. John Previti's "My Rosetta" also starts with bass lines and although the bass wasn't deep, it was definitely fast and tight.

Old Audiophile wrote:

Sounds like fun, TZ, despite the limited listening room. Four foot placement from the wall seems odd for those speakers, in my view. I think 2 or 3 would have been plenty (wall to baffle). Can't say I've heard the GE Triton Reference but I did serious seat-time with the Triton Two+, powered by a Simaudio Moon NEO 340 IX, in a much larger listening room with its own drawbacks (e.g. WAY too chock full of other equipment). The Triton Two+ were the speakers I'd hoped to come home with because of their slender dimensions, relative to a right channel corner placement issue I have to deal with in my listening room (30' X 14'). Unfortunately, the ones I heard only had about 20 hours play on them. Regardless, I liked what I heard very much but thought they needed more break-in time. I A/B'd them with a pair of Martin Logan Motion 60XTi with about 40 hours play (also probably not enough) that sounded a bit better to my ears. Couldn't find another dealer within reasonable proximity who had a fully broken-in pair. So, after the many months of research and seat-time that I had devoted to my quest, I elected to wrap things up by extrapolating what the Two+ might sound like fully broken-in and asked myself 2 theoretical questions. Any chance they could sound as good as the Revel Performa3 F206 that were tops on my list? I thought that was a definite possibility. Any chance they might sound better? I could imagine different but not better. My impression of these not fully broken in Two+ was that they reproduced the musical instruments, including male & female vocals, very accurately up and down the frequency range but there was just something missing that I call "fill". I don't think "fill" is in the audiophile lexicon. Best I can describe this is: kind of a synergy or melding of all the good things a speaker can do. It was like the Two+ were doing everything right but somehow weren't putting it all together; like a barkeeper being just a tad stingy pouring a nice single malt. I'd love to hear a pair of these sufficiently broken-in and properly set up in a good listening room to see if this "fill" would be there. Something to keep in mind with these speakers is the need for outlets to plug those powered subwoofers into. I was prepared to plug them into separate outlets on separate surge protectors, rather than adding them to my power line conditioner.

Keep us posted, kiddo! I'm enjoying this quest vicariously. It's like a great page-turner! Good luck!

Your summary and analogy " It was like the Two+ were doing everything right but somehow weren't putting it all together; like a barkeeper being just a tad stingy pouring a nice single malt." exactly describes my experience with the GE Triton Reference.

The store's one and only demo room was extremely cluttered with "stuff" behind the speakers on the front wall. The owner was such a nice guy and I didn't want to ask him to move his "stuff" to accommodate me. Even though the room size and speaker positioning wasn't optimal, I heard enough of the Tritons to form a pretty good opinion for myself.

BluesDog wrote:

I’m reminded of the part in the Flashdance movie when she asks: How did you do it? And the answer was “I just took a deep breath. And jumped.”

Nice start to your journey, TZ! Your choice of Holly Cole reminds me of the very good recommendation to check out Holly Cole’s “Temptation” CD by Thomas J. Norton. . Unearthly penetration and clarity. It is like you are right there in a small club with haunting acoustics. . I’ll take some time to check out your other music.

Did you listen to the Triton Reference with and without a sub? Do you use a sub at home (what type?) for music or just movies? If you like your speakers locked at 3 feet from the front wall (as opposed to the 4 feet you mentioned) to the baffles, a shop will move their speakers where you want. A foot may not seem like much but can make a deceptive amount of difference, especially with bass. I saw the Focal Kanta 2 on your list. If you get a chance (even though out of your budget) you might want to take a listen to the Focal Sopra No 2. It is very well reviewed and could afford you some bragging rights to have heard it. They DO kind of look like robots and I’m not so sure many women would love them but Focal put a unique approach into making

Holly Cole's "Temptation" CD is great, I especially enjoy "Train Song" and a very interesting spin on Springsteen's number "Jersey Girl".

The Triton Reference did not have a sub attached to it and left me feeling like I wished it had played lower.

I do have an excellent sub at home, it's the Velodyne DD 18. Although quite large, this sub integrates with my Wilson Benesch ARC's superbly. The sub disappears in its position and the low frequencies remain exactly positioned in the soundstage, right where the sound engineer intended. The Velodyne comes with a microphone and software that allows you to tune it to your room and listening position. I cannot say enough good things about this sub and my entire system. If it wasn't for having to break out my portable camping chair to hear it exactly how I want it, I wouldn't be thinking of replacing the ARC's.

Also, without realizing it, I believe I've become a fan of hearing the fullness of low frequency sound. My old system, B&W speakers with a Yamaha amp, did not play as low as my current setup. I've probably become accustomed to hearing low, fast, tight bass.

My system at home is strictly for 2-channel music enjoyment. I'm not much of an A/V person and the sub is strictly used for music.

Old Audiophile wrote:

Got WAY too much time on my hands now that I'm retired! Thought I'd add this grist to the mill just for fun.

One of the records I used for years at critical listening auditions was "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield but only when I was comfortable with the quality of the turntable & cartridge employed. The instruments used on that album are enough to give most speakers fits and break into a cold sweat! Glokenspiel, various Organs, all sorts of percussion instruments, Flageolet, Tubular Bells, etc. make most speakers run for cover. Most shops I'd walk into with that album would not allow me to command the volume for auditions. Wise move! Shop owners and/or knowledgeable salespeople usually insisted upon standing guard at the amplification source. Guess they wanted to protect their speaker drivers.

As a teenager, I had my upper bedroom wall lined with album covers from an Album Cover Art book that was given to me and this album cover was up there. I haven't listened to this album since the 70's, listening to it now and never realized its sonic qualities until now.

I have to admit, I enjoyed reviewing my CD and album collection and determine which I would bring, which tracks I would listen to and why those tracks. Some of the tracks I chose don't necessarily play perfectly on my system and was curious to hear how they sound on other speakers.

Old Audiophile wrote:

The last few times I went shopping for audio toys I brought CDs with me. Turntables were scarce in shops several years ago and most who had them had low-end models I would never trust my vinyl with. In my most recent expedition (last spring & summer) most shops had a decent CD player that could be used for auditions. One shop owner handed me an IPAD and used a Bluesound Node 2i, instead of a CD player or transport. My first experience with this technology. Pretty nifty & convenient! I'd gone there to hear the PSB Imagine T2 which, unfortunately, sold out before my appointment. So, I spent about 3 to 3.5 hours listening to a pair of Martin Logan Motion 60 XTi, KEF, Spendor and Totum speakers.

The method to my madness is to bring about 7 or 8 CD albums with yellow stickies on each jewel case, identifying which tracks I want to hear. Rarely do I listen to an entire track. Rather, I listen to snippets of tracks that give speakers a workout (e.g. drums-especially brushes on drums; triangle; piano; cymbals-especially brushes on cymbals; horns-especially Tuba; pipe organ; etc.). My test kit usually includes instrumental works, male & female vocals, rock, jazz (new & old), acoustic stuff and a classical piece. I especially like using "Hiroshima" nowadays. Most of it is well recorded & engineered but I make a point of bringing one or two things I like that isn't, in order to hear how speakers handle that. The best speakers are revealing and some are merciless, in this respect. In a couple shops, an owner and a salesperson asked what was playing when I was listening to "Back On The Case" by Acoustic Alchemy. A young salesperson (probably late 20s, early 30s) was impressed enough with the music and the recording quality (Digital Master) that he asked to snap a photo of the jewel case with his cell phone so he could buy it later.

Don't know if this is how you go about this but thought it might be helpful.

We both seem to possess a detailed oriented approach to evaluating stereo equipment. I pretty much do as you describe. Not only are certain tracks selected, but certain sections of that track are only played. I also play them multiple times at different volume levels to assess low level listening and high volume dynamics. I had forgotten to bring my "Circle of Drums" CD (Cheskey) which really tests the lower frequencies and a woofer's ability to provide slam and no bloat.

Last night, I listened to "Back On The Case", beautiful music and thanks for sharing.

BluesDog wrote:

That is one serious quality mother sub ya got there, TZ. The fact that it is musical AND an 18 incher is no small feat. No mere WMD for movies.

Thanks for your Speaker Test music selections. Below are a few I put together that probe what a speaker can do (and maybe what it cannot. Somre out of usual Audiophile jazz but plenty of instruments performing well. Back On The Case is definitely great, I agree.

Jesse Cook- Double Dutch. Spanish guitar, steel drums and violin. If a speaker has bass limits this will find it.

Ginetta’s Vendetta- All Choke And No Slide. Sax, trumpet, piano and stand up bass takes turns showing what they can do. The key to A happy band.

Chris Botti- A Thousand Kisses Deep. Great trumpet and piano.

Alumbrar- Vekhavara & Simone Detailed guitar work

Keiko Matsui- Dream Seeker. Good Piano work.

Chris Botti- My Funny Valentine. From Ramsey Lewis’s Legends Of Jazz. A Must Own Collection.

Cannonball Adderly- The Work Song. A Virtuoso at work.

Essence Allstars- Cubano Chant

Joe Bonamassa- Boogie With Stu. Also features Reese Winans on piano. Formerly played for Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Stan Getz Meets Chet Baker- Jordu. What a pair at work.

Bru’s Boogie. Great separation of instruments by Dave Brubeck.

Andrea Bocelli- Time To Say Goodbye. A great way to test outstanding female (Sarah Brightman) with male (Bocelli) voices on a apair of speakers.

Gabriel Mark Hasalbach- Trumpet and Piano having fun

The Shadows- Apache. Hard to get smoother then Hank Marvin on guitar.

LOL

Yes, the DD-18 is a behemoth but it truly does disappear. Back in 2004, Larry Greenhill reviewed the DD-18 and the article can be found here: https://www.stereophile.com/subwoofers/604velodyne/index.html.

Thanks for sharing this list BluesDog. There were quite a few artists that I wasn't familiar with (Vehkavaara & Simone, Essence All-stars, Ginsetta's Vendetta and Jesse Cook). I have now added them to my streaming device...thank you.

Between work, house projects and running around with grandkids, there's not a lot of free time lately. But, I do have a June 2nd appointment with a Legacy Audio dealer in L.A. I'll demo the Focus SE, Focus XD and the Signature SE while I'm there, will let you know my thoughts on each.

Another speaker that has perked my interest is the Alta Audio Alec. I called and spoke to Alta Audio's founder/owner, Michael Levy. We discussed my room dimensions, amplification, musical preference and I listed what I believe is important to me in a speaker.

Have read enough reviews and seen enough YouTube videos to understand that people are very impressed with the Alec speaker. It checks off all the right boxes for me (tonality, frequency range, size & throw, etc...).

The problem I have is that Alta Audio is a small company and there is no dealer support, thus no demos out there. I'm the type of person that dislikes testimonial ads and basically that's all I have to go by with the Alec. Mr. Levy does offer a return policy and that makes the offer more possible.

Hope everyone is well, talk soon.

There's no way I would use both the Velodyne DD-18 and any Legacy speaker together. The only time I would still use the sub is for speakers rated at ~30 Hz or so at the bottom.

Hi BluesDog - unfortunately, I had to cancel my appointment with James at Legacy Audio earlier this month. I will be back in L.A. in either July or August for my grandson's baptism and hope to find time to visit them then.

In the mean time, I'm still researching speakers (I do this even when I'm not in the market) and would like to demo some open baffle speakers. The idea of not having to manage cabinet resonance (like planar and electrostatic) has me curious on how they sound.

I'm also considering the used market place and scan Audiogon and US Audio Mart periodically.

On US Audio Mart, there was a fellow who was selling a pair of Legacy Audio Whisper speakers for ~$10k. He's located not too far from where my oldest son lives in Temecula, CA and may get a chance to visit him on my next trip. The Whispers are a semi-active open baffle speaker and the reviews look very favorable.

Still enjoying my current gear, got some down time yesterday for Father's Day and listened to Gary Burton's "New Vibe Man In Town" album in its entirety. This was Burton's first album as a band leader and it's mostly straight-ahead jazz, beautiful music.

All is good here, thanks for checking!