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Speakers with fullness and weight?

I've always made a concerted effort to hear as many speakers as I can, but I've only found a few lines that have some of the qualities I particularly value. Quite a bit of my music collection includes modern alternative rock/electronic that is a lot less enjoyable when played back on speakers that are too honest (read: thin sounding). My current speakers (Vienna Acoustics Mozart SEs) really give the music a weight and solidity that is often hard for me to find in hifi. I love how the drums give a really hefty thunk, and guitars seem full and rich rather than nasally. This probably just correlates to an increased midbass and relaxed treble, but all the same, any suggestions of other brands would be appreciated. Older Monitor Audio speakers also seem to have this characteristic.
midflder92
loftarasa
171 posts
 
I listen to lots of indie and electronica and am very happy with my ATCs. Have also heard the massive active SCM50ASLs and they do dynamics in a breathtaking way.
xiekitchen
819 posts
 
Chario, Sonus Faber, or even stacked modded Original Large Advents
use Cardas Golden Cross cables
c1ferrari
464 posts
 
+1 on Loftarasa's comment regarding active ATC loudspeakers.
trelja
3,215 posts
 
A lot of loudspeakers, like most components, of today do sound excessively thin, lean, forward, etc.

Three (Fried A/6, Fried Studio V, and Quad ESL57) of my loudspeakers get this right, and have the fullness and weight you mention. I find these speakers quite musically satisfying.
omsed
145 posts
 
The "super detail" quest has indeed resulted in many "thinner than life" speakers as companies try to catch the ear of the audiophiles and reviewers. The number one easiest thing for folks to notice is increased detail. However, the ear of the audiophile can be easily fooled into the perception (we are really talking brain, not ear) of increased detail through offering up a sound with thinner body, increasing the PERCEIVED detail. So many reviewers and audiophiles get sucked into this.

Fort hose into analog, the same thing has happened with moving coil cartridges, most of them having elevated response in the treble which is easily measurable.

Note I use the word "audiophile" instead of music lover. Most have been taught by the magazines to proclaim the virtues of "real, live, unamplified music" so they talk the talk but don't walk the walk. My experience is the the owners of the most expensive systems don't listen to live concerts much, if at all. You can sell lots of product that does not sound more like live music as many (most?) buyers don't know the sound of live music.

Folks love showing off their systems (including to themselves) and nothing is as easy to show off as "more detail".

In the end, for most participants the hobby is indeed a hobby of equipment, not an endeavor of satisfying the love of, and addiction to, music. All those thin speakers speak to the former, not the latter. This thread has attracted several folks who are in it for the music, and some natural sounding equipment has been mentioned. Bravo.
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