Best sounding speaker test

[mrmike]

Anyone see this yet. I am sure it was done without any scientific flaws.


http://www.avrevforum.com/loudspeakers/2627-best-sounding-speakers-according-scientific-tests.html

 

[CCH]

That's interesting...

Thanks for the link.

I'm not surprised to see the Gallos on that list. I was listening to my pair again this evening, and they really are something special, particularly for their small size and modest price. I will pit them head to head against the Summits when they arrive in a couple of days. The Summits certainly should sound better--they list for more than 3x the price of the Gallos--but I've learned never to prejudge such things. The Ref. 3.1's biggest limitation is their bass, which is on the lean side without the Gallo bass amp or a sub (which is how I have been using them). I had thought the soundstage too short/low, but I've made some changes to the environment that seem to have cured that problem. All in all, they have a wonderfully open and dynamic sound.

In any case, it is hard to imagine anyone getting a speaker on that list and not being thrilled with the improvement over mass-market brands. I'm sure many of you have had the experience of watching the expressions of surprise and even shock on friends' faces as they hear just how good recorded music can sound. Of course, they are equally surprised/shocked when they learn how much the sort of systems many of us have cost! I don't think I know a single person from my neighborhood, work, etc. who would consider it reasonable to spend as much (or more) on a stereo as on a new car. To each his own, I guess...

 

[Feltran]

Very interesting that the Vantage beat the Summit in the over $10,000 price range... Especially since the Vantage isn't in that price range!

 

[Beakman]

Very interesting that the Vantage beat the Summit in the over $10,000 price range... Especially since the Vantage isn't in that price range!

The best five of a lower price range are then included in the comparisons of the next higher price range speakers.

 

[User211]

Who is this guy, Lotus? And who would he be affliated with for a scientific test of this type enough to want to go out and spend that much money on it?

Also, a Vantage is NOT better than a Summit (or because of this, is it?)... so what is going on? Hm...

One thing you can bet on in audio is... UNCERTAINTY

EDIT: Ah - clue given - "This is being done with a major University, Government Grants, and donations".

It is well worth reading the whole thread, particularly Lotus's post #15. When done, place yer Vantage order

 

[kwr]

I smell a rat - there is absolutely no point for an academic to not say which institution and which academic is heading the project. "Lotus" is unwilling to reveal where this project is being done.

Happy to be proven wrong but this is a scale of project that is seldom seen and would be a study that an institution would want their name up in lights. It is the sort of study where preliminary findings are published in order to attract ongoing funding for the project as well as funding for the institutions other projects.

Has anybody heard anything about this project apart from the posting in the linked forum?

Kevin

 

[RichTeer]

Hmm. Methinks this "lotus" guy is full of it. From Post 15 on page 2:

One conclusion we have made is that cables DON'T make a difference if you select a good cable. We have had leanings towards one cable brand for some weird reason but other than one brand, the rest seem identical (ok ARE identical) as long as we're using 12 AWG with solid insulation we're ok.

He then goes on to contradict himself:

We've proven that there is a difference between cables, but at the same time we've proven there is no reason to ever spend more than 3 figures on cables.

And there's more:

As for Rooms, our rooms are all identical.

Which is immediately followed by:

We do however have different room sizes.

What is it? Are the rooms identical, or are the different sized?

The comment about cables and now this leads me to just one conclusion. This "study" is complete bollocks; I call a hoax.

 

[Feltran]

Aren't the people who don't like Martin Logan the ones that should be calling it a hoax?

Maybe Lotus is a dealer with a lot of Vantages to unload

 

[mrmike]

If anyone would like to upgrade their Summits to Vantage, please let me know.

 

[hotroady]

this about as scientific as a rapid dating .

 

[JohnA]

Eight people in the sweet spot?
If it was so wide, the whole imaging setup had to be inaccurate as hell. Most likely only one listener was on the sweet spot, the rest scattered listening to harmonic incosistencies (unavoidable if the distance from each speaker is several inches different).

And what about loudness? That's the first gotcha. If you just 'switch' speakers from the same amp output (thinking that you are keeping all other factors constant), the most efficient speakers will sound loudest, immediately perceived as 'better'.
Of course speakers with exaggerated midbass tend also perceived as 'better' in such rapid a/b tests.
Or the ones physically closest to the side walls.
What about interactions with all those speakers so close to each other?
The list is long...

In this sort of 'blind' tests, you can make any of the speakers sound best, just by knowing how to manipulate the parameters. It really is that easy.

 

[FISH_MAN]

I really do not need 2,000 people to tell me what sounds good.

these test are usually biased and performed poorly

 

[sleepysurf]

Hmm. Methinks this "lotus" guy is full of it.... This "study" is complete bollocks; I call a hoax.

I agree! There have been lots of suspicions raised in the original thread, and no recent follow-ups. Horsefeathers!

 

[User211]

Probably initiated by a dodgy ML sales rep trying to boost Vantage sales...:devil:

 

[timm]

Well for what it is worth - I have heard plenty of these - and the maggie 3.6/summits/gallos...I like them all... Guess they couldn't get there hands on the maggie 20.1s....but - ya know - have never listened to vantages!!! Maybe it is time to take a trip I am kind of surprised that more box type speakers weren't in there - like the B&W and Paradigms which do their thing nicely as well... But, I'll take my MLs just the same...

 

[tonepub]

It's obvious, the guy likes panels, but there are a ton of other speakers
in the 5-10,000 dollar range that are just as intriguing.

The Magnepans are even more fussy about amplifiers than ML, so I can't
see this as a speaker for everyman, not to mention the room requirements.

It's really hard to do comparisons like this, because the combination that might really make the MG 3.6 sing, might not work with the Gallo or the Vantage. And pretty much unless they were testing in a very small room (or are completely clueless about setup) The Summit will reveal more music than the Vantage. The tonality is identical between the two and some may prefer the woofer/panel integration a touch better with the Vantage, but the Summit goes deeper, has a bigger sweet spot and plays louder (resulting in more dynamic range) than the Vantage.

The only way I'd ever pick the Vantage over the Summit is in a very small room. Or I would pick the Vantage with great electronics over the Summit with mediocre electronics. But it doesn't sound like they used anything outstanding to make the comparison.

If you've spent a lot of time setting up hifi, you can make almost anything sound good with proper setup and the right cables and vice versa. I can make my ML's sound absolutely terrible.

 

[jfm]

If you've spent a lot of time setting up hifi, you can make almost anything sound good with proper setup and the right cables and vice versa. I can make my ML's sound absolutely terrible.

Very well said!

We've all heard megabuck setups that sounded terrible and humble ones that sounded great. I admire those setup masters that can pull off the latter.