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Mellow speakers

I'm on the hunt for a mellower sound.  I've traced my dissatisfaction to my speakers (I think).  I've got PMC TB2i monitors on good stands.  Occasionally they provide sonic bliss...letting me peer in to the music, great sound stage, etc.  But other times they are just too piercing (for lack of a better adjective).  I also find myself concentrating more on the gear rather than the music.  I'm blaming my speakers.

So, I'd like to put a mellow pair of floorstanders next to them.  I want full, warm, mellow speakers...something I can swim in and just enjoy the music.  My local shop has a super clean pair of KEF 104.2.  And, they're going to redo the woofers while they have them in the shop.  I understand the woofers can be a bit of a bear and that they have an odd proprietary KEF technology that makes them a little difficult to repair (what's with the rod between the woofers?).  With that said, I heard them, and I thought they sounded like anti-PMCs.  Perfect, no?  Why not bring home some old school, rolled off, mellow speakers as a foil to my PMCs.  So...my question...are there modern speakers that have a mellower sound, or other older speakers that I should consider?  Any consensus on the KEFs? 

My gear:
VPI Classic TT
Digital via Mac and Mytek DAC
Ayre pre
Prima Luna tube power amp or Primare solid state

Thanks.

educeus
aniwolfe
544 posts
 
You feeding your equipment with clean power? Balanced Power really took the harshness off the sound for me. Also, do you have any room treatments?.
larryi
1,972 posts
 

I agree that Vandersteens are good candidates.  A lot harder to find would be Tyler Acoustics speakers; I heard the PD15 and thought they sounded pretty good. 

Odyssey Audio makes a small floorstander called the Lorelei that sounds pretty good. 

If you need a floorstander that can be placed close to the back wall, or even the corner, one of the more flexible speakers with decent, warm, sound is the Gradient Revolution.

yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
2,678 posts
 
Many moons ago I've owned the KEF 101,103,and 105. Never did have the 104. The older KEF's  were a mellow laid back speaker. Since you are looking for a floorstander on the same plain as the KEF I think the Vandersteen ( I've owned the 2 and the 3's ) should fit the bill. If you decide on a standmount with a relaxed easy to listen to sound then I would recommend the Spendor 3'5. BTW, I now use the Harbeth P3ESR and it is a tad brighter than the Spendor!
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
4,163 posts
 
Is the problem only with your digital source or with both vinyl and digital?  If it's only with digital, then use a program like Pure Vinyl that provides EQ/tone controls.

Your PMCs are great loudspeakers that present what they are fed.  You might also play around with toe-in and listening distance.
beernut's avatar
beernut
276 posts
 
Mellow? Pretty subjective like "laid back". I always found Paradigms "mellow and or "laid back". To the point where they bored me but many listeners like them. Vandersteen's are mellow for sure and a good listen. I found most B&W speakers to be mellow as well. Another option might be GoldenEar Triton 7's. Very airy, open and not forward. They have a fantastic tweeter. Magnapan MMG's to me are not forward but they do like power (current). Also, they need plenty of room around them but will reward you greatly.
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