# What speaker rigs have you guys got that are equal or better than your headphone rigs?



## chum_2000_uk

Hi guys
   
  I just bought some new speakers - some ATC SCM11's and now I really feel that my speaker rig is rivalling, and in many ways better than my headphone rig.
   
  Do many of you guys prefer your speakers over your headphones, and what speakers have got you to that stage?


----------



## .Sup

I don't prefer any over the other, both sound different, both sound good. Sometimes I prefer to listen to speakers, sometimes to headphones. Each setup has its own benefits over the other.


----------



## chum_2000_uk

Yeah I know what you mean, but I just love the soundstage with these speakers and the feeling of actually being there at the venue.... I just dont get that feeling with my headphones


----------



## BIOFORCE

I have my listening seat enclosed in an acoutically isolating listening chamber open only to the front (where the speakers are).  As well the front wall is acoustically treated.
   
  This moves toward a highly reduced room interaction and the sonic is like headphones WITH a soundstage and imaging.
   
  The speakers are a mix of Ribbon/Planar/Dynamic Cones.


----------



## Omega17TheTrue

Quote: 





bioforce said:


> I have my listening seat enclosed in an acoutically isolating listening chamber open only to the front (where the speakers are).  As well the front wall is acoustically treated.
> 
> This moves toward a highly reduced room interaction and the sonic is like headphones WITH a soundstage and imaging.
> 
> The speakers are a mix of Ribbon/Planar/Dynamic Cones.


 


 Sound interesing do you got a picture of the instalation ?


----------



## BIOFORCE

Since I live in a MAN CAVE I can't say it is very pretty, I'll look around to see if I have a pic.


----------



## BIOFORCE

Not a very good pic, but you get the idea.  Sorry about the lighting, but it IS a cave already.


----------



## downsize

*This :  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



*


----------



## Kawai_man

I use a hiface to a tadac tube dac, the tadac feeds to my Nuera tube amp which power my tekton 0B4.5 speakers, it absolutely kills any headphones I've heard, I use to have the tekton 6.5s which were great and then upgraded to the ob4.5's which are just incredible


----------



## koven

to me, speakers sound much better than headphones
   
  i used to have a woo audio 6 w/ hd600, now i have a tube amp w/ a pair of sonus faber towers
   
  the difference is remarkable


----------



## Choronzon

I love my Synethesis LM250 speakers (Synthesis was the speaker-brand that Conrad-Johnson manufactured). They were way better than my HD560ii "Ovation" headphones in every regard except for privacy. In many ways I prefer the loudspeaker experience anyway, but in this case the loudspeakers were also "just better".  Now, compared to my RS1s, there are some regards, and some material for which, the headphones are "better".  It starts costing real money to get speakers that will resolve as well and that sound more natural. I've got my eye on some better speakers, and the other eye on a Bryston stereo amp, but for me that's running into real money.


----------



## Trysaeder

My dad's B&W 703 with some Rotel amps.
  I never listen to them because it's too inconvenient for me.


----------



## Skylab

As much as I love my headphone rigs, none of them equal the experience of listening to music through my speaker rig (B&W Nautilus 800 Signatures):


----------



## Omega17TheTrue

^^^^ Indeed this are reference speakers if i were you i sell all the gear you don't use to acoustically treat the room. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  @ BIOFORCE not bad.


----------



## fishski13

Quote: 





chum_2000_uk said:


> Hi guys
> 
> I just bought some new speakers - some ATC SCM11's and now I really feel that my speaker rig is rivalling, and in many ways better than my headphone rig.
> 
> Do many of you guys prefer your speakers over your headphones, and what speakers have got you to that stage?


 
  i have the SCM12, wonderful speakers, but need some quality watts to open up.  what are the Quads rated at? 
   
  i know the K70x are polarizing, but with the right source/amp are special.   the HD650 have tone, but ultimately dull and zero groove.  
   
  cheers from the colonies.


----------



## golgi

I used to prefer my headphone setup most of the time.  But recently I've put a lot of effort and some money into taking my speaker system to a new level.  After replacing my old subwoofer for a much better one, sub isolation platform, tweaking speaker placement and toe in, putting in acoustic panels, and modding the speaker crossover, I definitely prefer the sound of my speaker system to my headphone system. 

 Now, to put some attention back on my headphone system....then the cycle restarts


----------



## Rdr. Seraphim

Either of these easily outperform my headphones for pure musical enjoyment:http://merlinmusic.com/main.htm


----------



## BIOFORCE

Quote: 





omega17thetrue said:


> @ BIOFORCE not bad.


 
   
  Sonically it is quite pure having acoustic damping on all sides (sides, rear, and overhead)
   
  When you sit down the peaceful absense of "room sound" is remarkable.
   
  Here is a bad shot of the speakers which are less than 7 feet away.


----------



## Omega17TheTrue

Wow its like a anechoic room the sound must be very clean, what are the speakers and gear ? DIY ?


----------



## chum_2000_uk

Quote: 





downsize said:


> *This :
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Nice speakers! And such a flat response curve! Wonder what the SCM11 graph looks like


----------



## chum_2000_uk

Quote: 





skylab said:


> As much as I love my headphone rigs, none of them equal the experience of listening to music through my speaker rig (B&W Nautilus 800 Signatures):


 

 Wow! Nice rig! Hate to think how much all that costs! Those speakers are beautiful works of art! Remind me a bit of the crazy expensive B&W Nautilus.


----------



## chum_2000_uk

Quote: 





fishski13 said:


> i have the SCM12, wonderful speakers, but need some quality watts to open up.  what are the Quads rated at?
> 
> i know the K70x are polarizing, but with the right source/amp are special.   the HD650 have tone, but ultimately dull and zero groove.
> 
> cheers from the colonies.


 

 The Quad 909 I have is rated at 140 WPC. Seems to do a wonderful job to be honest. Had a friend around last night and he wanted to listen to some dubstep. I was blown away. Don't usually listen to dubstep, but it sounded so cool! Mind you, there were other forces at work too


----------



## Trysaeder

Quote: 





chum_2000_uk said:


> Wow! Nice rig! Hate to think how much all that costs! Those speakers are beautiful works of art! Remind me a bit of the crazy expensive B&W Nautilus.


 

 Those aren't real Nautiluses?


----------



## Skylab

Quote: 





trysaeder said:


> Those aren't real Nautiluses?


 

 Yes - but what chum_2000 was referring to are the "original" Nautilus:


----------



## cravenz

holy


----------



## BadassBob

Im a speaker guy myself.  The only time I use headphones is really late at night when people are sleeping, but even then Ill usually use speakers at low volume.  Im running Tekton Design 8.1s off of a 6B4G SET amplifier.


----------



## golgi

Wow, there are some really nice systems in this thread.  Mine is nowhere near as fancy.  But I'm very happy with it and the balanced sound it produces. 
  I've been amazed at the improvements in sound by spending just a little money and time in proper setup and acoustic treatments and isolation base. The thing that has been most dramatic with these improvements is the soundstage width and depth with increased clarity.  The sound extends beyond the walls and depending on recording can come from even _behind_ the listening positon!


----------



## mark2410

Skylab, so no neighbours then i take it?
   
  oh and totally jealous


----------



## chum_2000_uk

Quote: 





golgi said:


> Wow, there are some really nice systems in this thread.  Mine is nowhere near as fancy.  But I'm very happy with it and the balanced sound it produces.
> I've been amazed at the improvements in sound by spending just a little money and time in proper setup and acoustic treatments and isolation base. The thing that has been most dramatic with these improvements is the soundstage width and depth with increased clarity.  The sound extends beyond the walls and depending on recording can come from even _behind_ the listening positon!


 
  Thats a really nice setup. Can't wait until I can afford a bigger place, hopefully detached so I wont have to worry about annoying the neighbours!


----------



## Bones13

Very nice stuff being shown.
   
  Sources - Wyred4Sound STP-SE - Quicksilver Mini Mite Monoblocks - Zu Essence Speakers.
   
  Currently running neck and neck with the Apache - balanced HD800.
   
  When/if I get to build a new man cave and correct the room, the speakers will win.


----------



## Skylab

Quote: 





mark2410 said:


> Skylab, so no neighbours then i take it?
> 
> oh and totally jealous


 

 Yeah, I live in a "detached single-family home", and while the house next door is only about 12-15 feet away, they cannot possibly hear my stereo, even at full-tilt boogie 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  And as for the earlier suggestion that I should acoustically treat my room, it's a family room, and there are limits to my wife's understanding


----------



## Happy Camper

She who must be obeyed has a huge say in treatments. I'd love to do my room but the cost of some of this stuff is in the cable range. An audiophile and his money are soon parted.


----------



## mark2410

yeah to me it seems american homes are much more suited to speaker use than over here.  here places are much smaller, way more people live in flats, semi's or terraced.  detached houses are proportionally pretty few. 
   
  its the not being comfortable using speakers that propelled me towards head fi in the first place, very jealous, lol


----------



## Skylab

Yeah, when I lived in an apartment, the times I could crank my speakers (which at the time were Magnepan SMGc's) were only when I knew the neighbors weren't home.  Not an issue for me now, mercifully.
   
  While the USA is the 3rd most populous country in the world, in ranks near to the bottom (179 of 231) in population density.  So plenty of space to build houses


----------



## mark2410

well here you can get the space if you want it but it means heading out of town and here its not so the done thing.  i like many want to stay in town so its the price you pay.  like almost none of my friends has a car as there is just no use for one in the city centre.  in scotland every one lives in clusters and most of the country is utterly vacant.


----------



## Uncle Erik

These.  Still very impressed with the Quads and prefer them to headphones.  Mostly, that's because of the soundstage and imaging these give.  The Orion+ project continues, but the Quads will be kept for a bedroom system.


----------



## robm321

Von Shweikert VR4jr
   

   
  The experience of listening to my speakers is much better than any headphone set up to me.  
   
  That being said, I still spend a lot of time with headphones. Its hard for me to sit still in the "sweet spot" for long periods of time, so headphones are very liberating and enjoyable in their own way.


----------



## GALACTUS

I love headphones, but nothing competes with a quality full range speaker, for me.  I really like to rock out.  I have preferred all of my $2000 mspr plus speakers to all the headphones I have.  Of course headphones are great for the fine details in music.  My current speakers are the RBH T2's.


----------



## chum_2000_uk

Quote: 





galactus said:


> I love headphones, but nothing competes with a quality full range speaker, for me.  I really like to rock out.  I have preferred all of my $2000 mspr plus speakers to all the headphones I have.  Of course headphones are great for the fine details in music.  My current speakers are the RBH T2's.


 
  I'm not sure RBH used enough drivers there, I reckon they could have squeezed at least 6 more in there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Cool looking speakers though! I bet they sound great!


----------



## GALACTUS

They sound great to me.  The bottom section's are actually a subwoofer with an outboard crossover.


----------



## vuntruong

I have built Troels double tapered Quarter wave transmission line speakers, with SS for the bass.  I like them a lot better than headphones.  Much better 3d soundstage, and the bass sounds much more life like.  Furthermore, you are not attached to a cable.


----------



## robm321

Quote: 





vuntruong said:


> Furthermore, you are not attached to a cable.


 

 But you have to sit in one spot and not move. Headphone cables give you the freedom of movement while still being in the "sweet spot".


----------



## koven

Quote: 





robm321 said:


> But you have to sit in one spot and not move.


 

 Not really, it all depends on the room/speakers. I'm rarely in the "sweet spot" and the speakers still sound great, it just depends on your setup. But with headphones, you are always _attached _to a cable, no depends.


----------



## Choronzon

I wouldn't have space/isolation for lots of these setups either.  So jealous of of some of them! (I love my Synthesis LM250s btw).
   
  But I think Bioforce's Omegas look like just the thing, though.  Good single-driver speakers can be magic.


----------



## robm321

Quote: 





koven said:


> Not really, it all depends on the room/speakers. *I'm rarely in the "sweet spot"* and the speakers still sound great, it just depends on your setup. But with headphones, you are always _attached _to a cable, no depends.


 
   
  Most high end speakers sound great out of the sweet spot, mine included, but the soundstaging, imaging etc. diminish. Headphones don't have that effect. They move with you. 
   
  I can see your point given the fact that you hardly sit in front of the speakers; however, for me, its important to sit in a certain spot for critical listening where they design the speakers to sound their best. So, for me, headphones allow the flexibility to move without diminishing the soundstage, imaging, etc. speakers don't, oddly enough.


----------



## MatsudaMan

Spendor S5e easily surpasses my best headphones - Spendor > Sennheiser hd580.


----------



## 3X0

I like my Ref1s a lot more than my HF2s, but I like my JH13s more than the Ref1s. My room is too small though and not acoustically treated -- I wouldn't be surprised if the Ref1s shone more with a solid set of shot-filled speaker stands and perfect placement in a larger room. My JH13s simply offer more intimacy and detail.
   
  It's that same intimacy and detail that led me to actually prefer the JH13s to many speaker setups I've heard in the sub-$30,000 range (N.B.: including the costs of the amplification, source, speakers, etc.) that I've demoed. Magnepans came close.


----------



## revolink24

Quote: 





chum_2000_uk said:


> I'm not sure RBH used enough drivers there, I reckon they could have squeezed at least 6 more in there
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 There are never enough drivers, see McIntosh.
   

   
  Oh, and if I may include a friend's setup,
http://www.livingcatskills.com/yes.jpg
   
  Surround sound system is all cerwin-vega, towers (behind the projector in that picture, unfortunately) are Infinity RS1s, (see http://www.davidsaudio.com/assets/images/autogen/a_New_Infinity_NoGrill02.jpg) powered by an Audio-research DS450, there are FOUR 18" passive subwoofers with a separate crossover unit hooked up to a Phase-Linear power amplifier. The room is... slightly acoustically treated, as you can see. Also, the windows are painted black for true... darkness.
   
  Now I just need to convince him to upgrade his source...


----------



## 3X0

Quote: 





revolink24 said:


> There are never enough drivers, see McIntosh.


 

 lol @ McIntosh and their ridiculous bessel tweeter arrays. Have to give them credit for doing it without affecting dispersion too much, even though all those drivers don't actually do anything to improve the sound (just improve power handling).


----------



## BIOFORCE

Quote: 





omega17thetrue said:


> Wow its like a anechoic room the sound must be very clean, what are the speakers and gear ? DIY ?


 

 Sorry, didn't see this question.
   
  All the room treatment is DIY, but the speakers and gear aren't.  Since I have a small Audio Consulting Biz I use the gear I like from the brands I carry:
   
  Source: Oppo BDP-83se NuFORCE ED
  Pre: BRYSTON BP-26 w/DAC and MPS2 power Supply
  AMPS: NuFORCE Reference 9se v3 monoblocs
  Speakers: VMPS RM40's BCSE
  Subs: Four VMPS LARGER subs
   
  Here is a better pic of the RM40 Model


----------



## BIOFORCE

Excellent Preamp; I am a W4S dealer.  Many clients just love the STP-SE.  Not to many preamps as "clean" as that one.
   
  One of my good friends has the ZU's and we just ordered him a TRIODE integrated for them.  They sound exceptional now with an integrated MAC but we are looking forward to the new gear.

  
  Quote: 





bones13 said:


> Very nice stuff being shown.
> 
> Sources - Wyred4Sound STP-SE - Quicksilver Mini Mite Monoblocks - Zu Essence Speakers.
> 
> ...


----------



## BIOFORCE

OMEGAS?
   
  I have VMPS RM40's
   
  Here is a shot of my other pair in my HT (120" screen)
   


  
  Quote: 





choronzon said:


> I wouldn't have space/isolation for lots of these setups either.  So jealous of of some of them! (I love my Synthesis LM250s btw).
> 
> But I think Bioforce's Omegas look like just the thing, though.  Good single-driver speakers can be magic.


----------



## project86

As much as I LOVE my HD800, L3000, etc, they simply can't compete with the nicer speakers I've owned over the years.
   
  That being said, good headphones have their strong points and can sometimes do certain things better than speakers. Additionally, you are not at the mercy of the room or the wife while using headphones.
   
  This is my current best friend, if only he would fit in my new place:


----------

