From: mark@spike.b8.ingr.com (Mark Lanier)
Subject: Speaker search resolved!!
Keywords: Read on.
Organization: Intergraph
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 21:13:40 GMT

First, Thanks to all those responded. The replies I received via email
and rec.audio are posted following...

To recap my turn of events: I had purchased via mail a JVC707 and a 
pair of Infinity Reference 4 Loudspeakers. I had by mistake (glad I 
did now, however) had the loudness and bass turned up at the EQ. The 
speakers subsequently bottomed out. This is the reason for the 
original post. I then received a few replies, but nothing pertaining 
to loudness, etc. Please see the last reply, this contains some good 
info. I then sent another query to rec.audio about speakers in the 
$700 range. I then heard from  Christopher Mermagen (Thanks dude) 
recommending Def. Tech. I found a dealer in my town and listened to 
Madonna (heavy midrange bass) on DR7's and BP20's. The imaging was 
superb and for the price these seem untouchable. I'll probably post 
with a better comparison of the inf's vs. DT. I purchased the DT's 
DR7's and am very pleased. Again thanks, without your help I would 
have been in disgust for many moons. 


--------------------------------

From: nau@SSESCO.com

For that kind of dough?  Engergy, EPI, Mirage, Boston Acoustics, B&W,
Polk, Altec Lancing, Saunder, Mission Cyris, and many more.  You have
a big choice as soon as you break $600.  Don't go looking for a lot of
speaker.  Look for a lot of sound.  My B&W 570s (can't buy them anymore)
blow away much larger JBLs.

I don't want to knock Infinity.  Some of their models are quite good.
I'm not sure which ones (not that familiar with their line).

Basically you have a lot of choices.  Many of the speakers I listed 
sound very different from one another.  Pick the one that best suits
you.

Enjoy!

 - Bill

P.S.   If you listen to Sting, only Sting and nothing but Sting, buy the
       Boston Acoustics.  There is something magical with Boston Acoustics
       and Sting.  If you listen to anything other than Sting, don't bring
       a Sting CD with you.

--------------------------------------

from:  Christopher Mermagen <cmermag@eng.umd.edu>

I am not sure exactly what you are looking for, but here are
some things I found out when i went to purchase $700 speakers-

Clarity and Imaging and good Range- Definitive Technology DR7
loudspeakers... These are the ones I purchased (sorry to cut
to the quick, but..) - They are very good speakers- clear,
precise, excellent imaging, and very good bass response for a
speakers that has only two components - 1" Tweeter and 7" woofer-
the part that helps the bass response is the transmission line
tuned port at the bottom. These are very good looking speakers 
(tower system) that have excellent sound for the money. They can
also handle oodles of power.

Better Bass and more in your face- Paradigm 9se. These are my 
second choice- slightly muddier than the DR7s, but more bass
and more SPL in your face.

Infitiy Ref 5/6 - Was not too impressed. Had good bass response
and tightness, but overall sound was not what I was looking for.

Polk RTA 8TL?? - Again, was not too impressed - Polk is supposedly
coming out with a new line in this range, so keep your ears peeled,
but the polks of late I have heard were not that good.

Aside from that, I really didn't get a chance to hear others...
If you can, give the DR7s a hear- You might be suprised... Also,
in the end, you decide on the speaker you like, not what others
like!!

Good luck-
Chris

p.s. Sandy Gross, who started Def Tech. several years ago, was 
the co-creator with Matthew Polk of Polk Audio... he has good
creds.

----------------------------------

From: Woobin Lee <woobin@u.washington.edu>

In article <1992Nov10.180156.26479@b8.b8.ingr.com> you write:
>
>Well, so far I don't have any reply's to any earlier post about some
>Infinity Reference Four's. 

I have loved Infinity speakers for several years, although I never had a
chance to own a set until very recently.
The best ones were the RS4000 available about 4 years ago, at about $400.
I now have Reference 2, which is OK, but not great. As one of the netters
pointed out, their sound quality changed quite a lot after Infinity was
acquired by Harmon Int'l. Still, Infinity is my favorite.

>There were a couple of post that seem to state
>that Inf's weren't to good. 

Although I didn't post or reply, the original poster who flamed Infinity
had no idea on what he was saying. I guess he was referring to SM series,
which is a totally different breed (bass reflex). As a matter of fact, the
reason I like Infinity is because of its tight (and controlled) bass.

>I hope to compare some Inf's 
>to Advent's or Bose.

Advents are no match for Infinity's. Don't know about Bose.
If you prefer bright, first-row-in-concert sound, go for Infinity. If you
prefer smooth, balanced sound of classical, check out B&W.

------------------------------------------------

From: eilifl@dhhalden.no (EILIF LIEN)

In article <1992Nov6.150027.26728@b8.b8.ingr.com> you write:
>From: mark@spike.b8.ingr.com (Mark Lanier)
>Subject: Infinity Reference Speakers
>Keywords: Comparison Shopping
>Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 15:00:27 GMT
>I just received (by mail, maybe a bad thing to do) my long awaited stereo. 
>Nothing fancy, not close to being audiophile or any such thing ,but not to bad
>considering the amount of $$. Anyway, I got a JVC 707 receiver and a pair of
>Infinity Reference Four speakers. This combo sounds good, the highs are clear,
>bass isn't boomy, don't know about imaging yet. The only complaint, well its
>probably me being to cost consious is that on really loud (3/4 volume) playing
>something with alot of bass (Madonna's Vogue) the speakers seem to want to
>bottomout.  Of course I have checked the eq to make sure the bass isn't
>overdriven, the loudness switch was on however. I would like to know if anybody

Volume at 3/4 and loudness at the same time? Loudness is junk anyhow, but 
should never be used when playing loud (then you get 2 x loud, see :-)
Vogue contains a lot of midrange bass, and should not need any additional 
boost at all. Try to turn off the loudness and throw away the equalizer (or 
the Infinities :-).

--------------------------------------------------

From: Tyson Bower <bower@freezer.cns.udel.edu>

You mentioned that you intend to go listen to some Advents, and
perhaps Bose.  Your budget is around the $600 - $700 range.

I think you'll find that it is the opinion of many on the net
(not all mind you, but many) that many of the Bose are of dubious
quality.  That is to say, they sound bad.  I myself find them a 
cross between boomy, muddy, and thumpy.  I don't like 'em.  Some
guys swear by them.

If you have $600 - $700 to spend, I'd suggest looking at
the Definitive Technology DR7s, the Paradigm Performance Series 9se
and 11se, and a particular Altec-Lansing whose model number escapes
me now (B500?).  I also had many people recommend Allison to me
when I was looking for a pair of speakers in that very same price
range.

-------------------------------------------

Lost who sent this:


Definitive Technology
11105 Valley Heights Drive
Baltimore, MD 21112
(410) 363-7148


Good speakers.  I listened to BP-10's against a pair of Polk's
(forgot which model 2 drivers, 2 passive radiators, dome tweeter,
 now discontinued)  The BP-10's were much sweeter sounding.

--------------------------------------------------------

From: smikolaitis@the.outlet.com (Scott Mikolaitis)

Mark, I am writing this letter to you from a UUCP Mail system, that is 
currently unable to do 'Replys' while reading messages.  If you don't mind, 
when you get this, just post it in the audio section, so that other comments 
can be made upon what I say.  
It sounds to me like you are distorting your amp, from what I have heard, 
HALF POWER (or twelve o'clock on the volume knob) is FULL POWER on your amp.  
Now, this may or may not be correct due to what you are listening to.  
Source is a consideration (CD's are a very strong signal, as with Video), 
and playing strong sources at above half volume level, just may very well be 
the limits of your amplifier.  I know quite a bit about the RX-707, due to 
the fact that I sell it and much of rest of the JVC line.  A 
Suggestion, kill the loudness button, they are designed to be used 
during low volume listening, when the human ear is practically unable to 
distinguish the low and high ends of the frequency range.  Upon reaching 
high volumes, it's better to be turned off, otherwise you are straining 
the amp.  What loudness buttons are designed to do, is (Normally) boost the 
50-70Hz Frequency +10Db, and the 10Khz Freq +10Db.  

 As most of us know, a 10 Db increase in sound is equal to a ten-fold 
increase in power.  So, if your peaking at 10 Wpc with a bass strikes. 
hitting the loudness button is going to probably push you well into the 
100 Wpc range!  So, if you are at a high volume, and trying to push a 
ten-fold increase in power, the receiver is likely to distort, and even clip.  

That, and the speakers (IN)Ability to reproduce low frequencies at high 
sound pressure levels could also play a role in the fact that they are 
bottoming out.  As for the Reference 5's, I don't know.  I have yet to 
listen to them.  My recommendation is to go to a local retailer who 
carries the Infinity reference series, and listen the two in an A-B 
comparison with the exact same source and equilization.  Bring 
madonna if you'd like, best is to make sure it is something that you 
are familiar with.  
 
 I hope this helps guy!
 
                                               
--
       ____  ____  __  __ __  ____         
      /  __ |  _ \|  ||  /   |          mark r lanier     
      \__  \|  __/|  ||      |  -       b8!spike!mark
       ____/|__|  |__||__\__ |____      mark@spike.b8.ingr.com
                               



Newsgroups: rec.audio