Zu Omen or Tekton Lore

RE: bright comment.

When I was breaking in my Lores, I was using entry level Nordost cable. The sound was very thick in the bottom end, and the presentation tilted to the side of warm. It was nice, but I felt like I may have been missing some resolution and fidelity. When I switched the Q Audio litz wire, I was no less then ‘shocked’ by the result (for more info see my Q cable review at Audioreview.com). It was like someone turned on the lights in my system. It sounded a little bright at first, because I was hearing all of these high frequencies that were previously rolled off! It also sounded a little thinner than it was, but I soon realized that this was a more natural and accurate presentation then what I had been used to. When the recording is true to it, there is plenty of bass and all of that natural tone I desire. I am simply relying on the recordings to deliver that, and not the flavor of the system. For those of you after a certain type of “flavor,” a revealing loudspeaker such as this may not be the ticket.

Anyway, after it settled in, and I get used to it, I loved it! I simply won’t use another cable with the Lores now. Granted, keep in mind I am using some serious amplifiers. The Quicksilver Mini Mites, though not expensive, are the best sanely priced amps I have heard and changes in cables can make dramatic differences (same is true with all good tube gear).

Now if I was to walk downstairs and hook this cable up in my HT system with a Denon receiver, Blu-ray player, and Kirksaeters, then it is not going to make such a dramatic difference.

I cannot stress how important a front end and cables are when one gets to this level of equipment. I am not sure how much experience some of you have, but the output you get is to the result of the sum of the inputs. These speakers were born for a good tube front end, period. If you are using solid state, you may not be getting the entire picture (with these speakers, IMHO of course).

I'm using Anti-Cables speaker cables and Signal Cable silver interconnects. Pangea and Signal power cords. No power treatment.

I would say I DO want my system to be able to kick me in the chest at 30 hz if that's what the music or soundtrack calls for it. That's why I have a monster subwoofer capable of doing so. I don't expect my main speakers to be able to do it alone, especially in the price range I can afford. That said, I don't like boom and bloom in my bass, so mains with good bass resolution and tone is vital, as is careful integration of subwoofer. That's why I bought the Behringer, to allow me to do this in highly customizable ways with my room's specific acoustic needs.

I have no complaints with the Lores in the bass department. However, if I were to run them absent a subwoofer, in my room, I would find the bass instruments to sound recessed compared to midrange. For instance, I don't want the bass guitar to sound like it's playing second fiddle to electric or acoustic guitar, like the bassist is hanging out way in the background and the vocalist and guitarist are front and center. I like it to sound like bass, drums, guitar, and vocals are all playing at comparable volume levels. Another way I like to judge frequency balance is listening to the drums. From cymbals, to snare, to tom toms, to bass drums, all drums should sound like they are at relatively similar volume levels. If the kick drum sounds quite a bit louder than a solid tom tom or snare hit, the bass is too much.

So, what I do is take that Behringer and a microphone, play some pink noise, do my best to EQ bass to be flat consistent with integration with mid-bass and midrange. This will get the proper EQ for deep bass as well as dealing with the major inevitable wobbles in bass freq. response in most rooms. Then I shut off the pink noise and play a variety of music, musical styles, etc, listening for bass levels that balance as like I described my preferences above. If I need to add or cut gain from the subwoofer, that's what I do. I usually go back and forth adding and cutting a little here or there to get it right for my tastes. After a couple hours, I'm usually pretty satisfied, and when I play a song with a good walking bass from low to high, it sounds pretty balanced to me with good integration to where the subwoofer drops off into mid-bass.

YMMV!

I have the Lores about 18 inches from sidewalls and 35 inches from rear walls. Listening position is about 9-10 feet from each speaker.

Part of the issue for you guys might be that my listening position is in a part of the room with not a lot of bass acoustics reinforcement. i find this easier to get the right EQ across the spectrum. It's just off the center of the room, so I avoid a significant number of specific frequency nulls, but I'm also not getting much wall reinforcement in bass. Therefore, I need subwoofer and EQ for solid bass performance.

Genjamon, it sounds like you know what your doing.
It's all personal taste. If you like it, who are we to say it's not right.
Have fun.
John

"04-11-11: Zmanastronomy
Genjamon, it sounds like you know what your doing.
It's all personal taste."

I second that!! But one thing that did strike me is ... no room treatement. Genj - Have you ever thought of installing some bass traps? I have about 8, 69 x 24 1" panels in my room, some of which a double up to make a "trap" if you will. I find that this keeps the bass in the room where it belongs, though I haven't measured to the level that you do. I tune everything by ear. But it sounds like Genjamon has done a fine job in integrating a subwoofer, and that is not an easy task! Also sounds like he knows live music allot better than I do ;o)

Well, I think there are enough variables with room acoustics and seating position alone to throw the whole question of bass weight up in the air. Then add personal taste on top of that and you really have very little solid foundation for useful comparisons in this kind of internet chat setting.

Basically, no speaker is perfect, but I'm having a grand time with the Lores given the many compromises of in-home sound systems. Maybe someday I'll get around to building a proper outdoor amphitheater so I don't have to deal with these acoustics issues anymore... ;)