Zu Druids are not a good idea. You can drive something fairly inefficient with that amp. Since you are moving and planning on a sub then get some small monitors that do not try to plumb the depths. Totem, Dynaudio, GMA, ATC, Harbeth or B&W might be a good place to start looking. Have you heard anything you like?
Speaker Ideas upto $2500
I've finally decided to jump into the audiophile areana after lurking here for a while and I was looking for speakers that would go well with an integrated amp like the bel canto s300iu. I'm willing to buy used gear as it would save me a significant chunk. So I was looking at Zu Druids but I've seen quite a number of comments implying that I can do better for the price these days, so I am looking for suggestions. I listen to a wide variety of music (a little of everything except country) so I don't want to get a speaker that excels in only just one genre. I'm not going to comment on the room dimensions/properties because I expect to be moving by next year. Oh and I would like subwoofer recommendations for the speakers that people suggest if that's possible.
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If your amp can handle a speaker impedance which drops down to 1.6 ohms at 20kHz (I don't know if the s300iu can or not), you might also want to consider the Martin-Logan Source, at around $2200 new. I haven't heard it, but reviews have been very positive, and I would expect it to offer better transparency (both literally and figuratively!) than most speakers in its price range. http://www.us.martinlogan.com/speaker_intro/source.html Regards, -- Al |
I've been living with a pair of Mirage OMD-15s for nearly a year. I liked them when I got them, but I like them even better the more I listen to them. They are deceptively versatile, having good low-level detail, smooth on- and off-axis response (they're nearly omnidirectional), enough bass extension that you're unlikely to need a sub unless it's an unfriendly room or you're a pipe organ freak. They are quite strong down to the mid-30s at least. I have broad musical tastes, and play a lot of LPs and a fair amount of digital sources through these speakers, including chamber music, small orchestral baroque, bombastic large orchestral music (e.g., The Planets), opera, large scale oratorios, classic rock and pop, acoustic pop (James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell), electric and acoustic blues, acoustic bluegrass/country, and jazz--lots of jazz, from solo guitar to small group to big band. These speakers never disappoint. They scale well from solo all the way to large ensembles, present a coherent soundstage, and yet delineate inner voices, delicate harmonies, and counterpoints easily. As omnis, they can fill a large space without straining, but since they are small columns with two active 5.5" woofers (and one passive radiator), they're unlikely to overload mid-sized rooms. The bass speed and clarity (especially when teamed with an ICE amp) is pretty astonishing. For best soundstage and imaging, it's best to space these speakers wider than is customary, and to have them at least 3 feet out from the walls, but when you do, what a soundstage! The thing I like best, however, is how practical and social these speakers are. The circular, uniform dispersion means there is no venetian blinding, no suckouts, no "cupped hands" effect, no "head in a vice" requirements. Put on some music and anyone in the listening area get treated to a stable soundstage like a live performance. Great for parties and large groups. But equally adept for intimate listening for one or two. |
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