speakers for classical music

105dB continuous at the listening seat is "crazy loud". You don't even get that sitting in the orchestra or even on a rock and roll bandstand (unless the drummer is an idiot -- yes, that happens). I played with one ridiculously loud big band drummer that got run out of the band and he was only 110 dB five feet away in my rhythm guitar spot. I wore ear protection, as did half the band.

Moving from 85dB average to 95dB average is the difference between audience and orchestra. The peaks, even on stage are still only 110dB or so. Smart rock bands are usually below 100dB on stage (yes, not all are smart) but they're probably 120+dB for the first 20 feet from their main PA, even in a club.

Dave

Guido- I will certainly look into the Soundings/JRDG/Sumiko room. I think I heard the Mahlers a few years (2) on the Mezzanine floor/1st floor? in the same room that Linn were in the last year? being run with 3/4 205/305 REL subs? Going from memory so I maybe wrong.
The poor sounding B&W 802's/Classe I will allow for the room they were in should have sounded more like music than hi-fi.
I would not replace those over my KCS Oris 150's which are (to my ears folks) much much more musical, and decidedly less expensive. Each to their own fellow sufferers.

I wonder why jazz is played so much at shows? is it because you can make almost any system sound like a million dollars?
Even the mega expensive ones! lol

Got a chance to listen to several active speakers this weekend. Looks like this may be the way to go. Out of the bunch the genelec 8040 sounded the best - a great sounding little speaker - detailed, clean, and sounded good at low and high spl's. Also seemed to handle the high spl's easier than any passive I have listened to. Unfortunately, no one close by had any of the 3 way units or even the 8050. Also looked around for ATC actives but no one close by had those in stock. Looks like it is going to be a good 6 hour drive from the DC area to find either for a demo. Would like to hear from anyone who compared 3way speakers from ATC and Genelec - particularly the Genelec 1037C to the ATC SCM100ASL. Could you described the difference. Also how is the power consumption for these units - i.e. can you run them off the same 15 amp circuit w/o any problem.

Hi Gawdbless, tell the truth, I did hear the Mahlers with the Rel subs at RMAF as well. . . and begged for the thing to be turned off. . . it was not my cup of tea in that particular setup.. . . somewhat rambling/woolly in the bass with a slight propensity of furballing things higher in the spectrum as well. Much much better/tighter on their own. In 2006 they were being played with JRDG 201 monos, JRDG 501 monos, and with the JRDG 312 stereo. . . . loved them on 312, but not so much with other 2 amps, as they sounded much less musically involving to my particular ears. I understand that feeding the 201s and 501s with the very new PC1 PFC devices introduces some of the musicality found with the 312. . . but I'll need to verify that with my own ears. In 2008 they will be back in the large suite where Lyn was featured in 2007.

As for musical selections, vendors tend to feature what audiophiles like best. . . which are often not my favs at all at all at all. . . that's why I bring my trusty home made sampler with pieces that are important to me. . . . even if at least one of them tends to sound positively hideous in most situations, including with Vienna speakers. . . . and none of the selections pretend to be 'audiophile class' recordings. . . just music that I love!

Hope to see you in Denver! G.

And yes, for what it matters, my test selections at RMAF were classical:

1. Dvorak Symph No. 9 2nd movement with Bernstein and the Israel Phil.
J. S. Bach: Prelude from the 1st English Suite with Andras Schiff.
3. Dvorak String Quartet No. 14 played by Panocha quartet (typically used to chase roaches and other assorted varmins from infested attic -- wonderful performance but recording engineer must have been sniffing glue).
4. Edgar Meyer on double bass playing Prelude and Allemande from Cello Suite No. 5.
Beethoven a movement from a cello sonata with E. Ax and Yo Yo Ma.
5. Lara St. John on a Bach sonata with a Stradivari violin.

G.