UPDATE - PLEASE READ *before commenting*! 1) Got a question? Please ask it of the Darko.Audio UA-cam community (and not me) as I'm off making the NEXT video 2) All comments here are moderated by a third party: instagram.com/p/CTWcokaszpW/ 3) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome (but no URLs, please)
UPDATE - PLEASE READ *before commenting*! No, I did NOT swap the subs on each system. I used KEF with KEF and GE with GE. 1) Got a question? Please ask it of the Darko.Audio UA-cam community (and not me) as I'm busy making the next video 2) All comments here are moderated by a third party: instagram.com/p/CTWcokaszpW/ 3) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome (but no URLs, please)
you're about the only reviewer that brings me new music in my diet - stuff I never heard of - or artist I know but not that album or collaboration...keep up the good work...
Exactly! Although oddly enough, I have heard Bohren and der Club of Gore before, I haven’t heard of The Specials. What I love doing is pausing the video and immediately looking up the music he’s playing and adding it to my library because John’s got a very eclectic taste in music and I love that about him!
Funny thing is I can't afford none of this gear but I always come to the channel for the knowledge and your soothing voice and is like I'm there hearing the music myself.
I really appreciate that you talk about how audio gear performs with electronic/dance/pop music. So many reviewers assume we’re all 60yo men listening to nothing but Rolling Stones albums forever.
I use subwoofers since I was a teenager, my favorite size is 10" because gives plenty of bass in any room. Subharmonics are incredible to make any system to the next level.
Thanks John for your enthusiasm in sub integration and bass management! I bought a KEF KC62 after watching your review and then the Lyngdorf integrated (this time before yours ;)) to replace my 4x expensive Naim pre+power amp combo What an ear-opening experience, not to mention the savings in $ and rack space
Neil Young’s “Wrecking Ball” by Emmylou Harris (and Daniel Lanois). Her unadulterated country soprano stands in the foreground as Lanois washes the background with distorted guitars and pulsating percussion and ominous synthesized steel drums. The whole album is a surreal, yet eeilrily familiar trip. Covers of everyone from Jimmy Hendrix to Uber folkers Kate & Anna McGarrigle. All with her voice and his twisted, but complimentary production.
A system that gets completely overlooked by most respected reviewers and that is very similar to the Goldenear one you are reviewing is the Martin Longan 35XTi with the Dynamo 800X. Also has the folded ribbon tweeter but larger and a bit better executed imo. Looks way better ascetically, almost like high end furniture and are better dynamically. Don’t know if Martin Logan is hard to work with to get review units in but I would love to see a review of this set up. Great review BTW on the GoldenEar, nice to see these bookshelf sub combo reviews.
Man, the musical references just casually dropped all over these reviews. Not only does talking about specific albums enrich the descriptions of a listening experience, but I love the rabbit holes I tumble down off the back of a Darko video....
Using sub does affect our ability in hearing details in soundstage - I found that myself as well - without doubt makes it better sounding but it’s harder to compare speakers. Better is to cross them at lower level like when speaker rolls off at 40-50Hz set XO to that. This way sub will help when speaker can’t anymore without overtaking duty where it’s not necessary.
Some of my favorite covers: Madeleine Peyroux: Between The Bars [Elliott Smith] Rhiannon Giddens: Waterboy [Odetta] Ezra Furman: Crown Of Love [Arcade Fire] Trampled by Turtles: Where Is My Mind? [The Pixies] Calexico: Corona [The Minutemen]
She is Jana Dagdagan. Very laid back audiophile, seems like a nice young lady. You can see her with Steve Guttenberg occasionally and on her own youtube channel Earspace. I think at one time she worked for Stereophile . Cannot say for sure but I feel she may have backed off UA-cam in part because she was sick of comments that did not focus on our hobby. Society at its best (sarcasm of course).
I like to listen to modern pop music through my system, it often will show that the song is more complex and interesting then when I hear it over car radio or mall music system. I have watched a few of Rick Beato’s videos were he breaks down pop songs, there is often a lot more going on in them then first thought.
John, I have the BRX and KC62; the combination is lovely! I'm using the Brooklyn Amp at your suggestion but considering a switch to lower wattage AB amp as I'm crossing over the BRX via NAD processor (w/Dirac) at 70hz. Using Dirac with these Goldenear really reels in and focuses the top end. As always, thanks so much for the great videos
Also Bohren & Der Club of Gore is awesome. See (hear? Listen?) also The Dale Cooper Quartet, Kilimanjaro Dark Jazz Ensemble, The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation, the Orchestra of Mirrored Reflections, Swami LatePlate, Manet… I’ll stop now
Doing some sort of "mix and match" might be the ideal choice. Herb Reichert when reviewing the SVS 3000 Micro came to a similar conclusion when it came to that KEF sub a couple of month ago (not the last word in fine dynamics, overall a little heavy-handed presentation). With John's younger ears confirming Herb's assessments it's proven that old guy still has hunky-dory hearing capability. Which is a great thing.
These takes, at the end of the video, really gives me hope that I can start speaking in front of camera, cause, even the best ones are not doing it without making a mistakes. I like that part really much.
Biggest problem of crossing subs is most don't have a high pass filter so when you don't have one you get cancellation bass nodes . Worth trying I reckon thanks John another great review
@@DarkoAudio Very intrigued about the gear combination you have and SVS. Will look to ear* about it and the impact on the treatment you have in room. Poor neighbours ;) ....
Bought a sub inspired by your subwoofer content since the kef podcast. Really happy with my setup now. Powernode 2i, original KEF LS50 and a Saxx deepSOUND DS 10 EVO. 🙏🏼
Every system benefits from subwoofers Not necessarily for booming base - which can be there if you want it It’s more to do with the amazing imaging one can get - with stereo subs especially I use REL s which integrate brilliantly
I have a set of Goldenear Triton 3's with subs built in. I think you'd really enjoy those for electronica. 😉 I've listened to Forte 4's as well at a friend's, and I found them "harsh". It's been a while, but I think they were perhaps too forward in the high end for my liking. I do find the Triton 3's to be very well voiced, and very detailed/clear, which is what I look for in a sound signature. Thanks for the reviews!
Did you by any chance try the Forte IV's with the subwoofer? I'm using mine with a REF S/510 in a room that some would consider too "small" for that sub, but it completely disappears and brings the Forte soundstage and frequency range to a completely different level.
Really enjoying this Bohren rec. Though I got about an hour and a half into it and the guy starts singing out of nowhere wasn't too keen on that bit lol.
I have a full Goldenear 5.1 system that I love. I think they are one of the best values at the audiophile entry-level. Funny enough, at the time the main competitor that I was considering buying was the original KEF LS50's. I couldn't hear enough difference between them to justify the large price difference (though I listened to them at different dealers). Also, Goldenear have speakers more appropriate for home theater. Having said that, my ForceField4 subwoofer has died after 8 years. So just about to buy a replacement.
Once I learned how to setup up my stand mount Kef Q150 in my room no need for a subwoofer except for movies. Even a small 6-8 inch subwoofer can do wonders in your room with the right placement.
Intersting covers.: Tricky's cover of Public Ememy's "Black Steel" (Been Caught Steeling Mix) Bauhaus cover of Brian Eno's "Third Uncle" Torre Florim's cover of The Prdogy's "Firestarter" (even Liam Howlett said it was the best cover he's ever heard) And as a bonus, my favourite album of covers, Fantomas - "The Directors Cut" which is covers of various horror film and thriller/suspense tv themes. It's amazing.
Hey John, many thanks for the tip on the Bohren. for Beginners album. Right up my alley for kicking back and relaxing in the evening. Kind of like a Cinema Noire film in music...I can almost see a down and out PI sitting in a bar and being approached by a strange beautiful "dame" in distress. Terrific mood music. It reminded me of one of my other favorites Frank Sinatra - Only the Lonely, another "downer" mood album.
Most pop/rock/jazz doesn't really have much very low bass down below 45-50Hz. Church organs, EDM, and movie explosions on the other hand, yes. When people talk about having "more bass" with a subwoofer in play, I do wonder if they are really hearing previously inaudible low frequencies, or if it's that they are hearing too much of the bass that their normal speakers could actually have done anyway...hence an unbalanced sound?
A standard double bass digs down to 41.2Hz but it's mostly artificially produced music that contains the lower notes that is true. However there's also roll-off to take in account, when playing without a sub I miss some fundament in my music. My Von schweikert VR-1 is said to play down to 40Hz at -3db however it's like they just choke on the lower register. With "yellow daffodils" by Malia part of the baseline is completely gone without a sub.
Most bass sounds, natural and often even when synthesized, include harmonics and broadband energy that extends well below 50hz. I've always been shocked to hear the same piece of music on a "regular" pair of speakers that can play down to a normal 40-50hz, and then listen to the same piece on a system that has solid extension to 25hz or below. There's some pretty remarkable presence on the system that has the bottom octave filled out that you wouldn't expect.
In bookshelf speakers, I often feel the bass is lacking in the 100-160 range even when the specs say it goes down to 50-60 Hrtz. I'm guessing that is where electric bass guitars add the warmth that I like in rock music. Below 50 Hrtz seems more about feeling thuds than "hearing' bass.
@@LeggoMyLamb Did you own HiFi in the 1980's? IMO 70's and 80's gear was tuned to boost those frequencies, giving one more "meat on the bone". The 90's saw a shift towards more neutral gear which can sometimes sound a little thin, particularly when played with older recordings. Modern records seem to have a lot more bass in them.
The original Buddha of Suburbia cover art is from the BBC tv series of the same name and shows Naveen Andrews the main character with his arms up in the air
Great video as usual ! As a cover tip, Not in love, with Crystal Castles and Robert Smith. I guess there would be some that might favor the Goldenear because of it being a bit cheaper too. I am myself drawn to black,but KEF pretty much have a colour for everyone so. Cool setups anyway 👍🏻
A sub or multiple subs are a fantastic way to get very expensive sound out of speakers that are not very expensive! With bass management in the amplifier or in the subwoofers speakers no longer have to produce the bottom octaves which cleans up the lower and middle octaves that they do produce. The amplifier driving the speakers also is less taxed and effectively makes more power available to the frequency range it is amplifying. Total amplification is enhanced by the built-in subwoofer amplifiers. The other magic that happens for me with subwoofers is reduced listening levels. About 6 dB less output still gives my brain the feeling of being loud enough. I think this is due to psycho acoustics of normally turning up a system to compensate for the missing low octave presence.
That's exactly what I feel Gary Frederickson. Some passive woofers have too much output or don't work well at low volumes. With two subs I can setup the gain 3 dB lower than my monitors and crossover (low and high) to my taste.
Covers: Eddie Berman: Dancing in the Dark Tierney Sutton: Big Yellow Taxi James Blake: Atmosphere Robert Vincent: Killing the Blues Camille O'Sullivan: The Ship Song
Nowhere near as poetic but GoldenEar Triton One.Rs, which have the same signature as the BRX, are the only speakers to get me to stop thinking about buying speakers. Great video.
Ha ha! I must agree - that's just sooo right! While I don't have the Triton One.Rs I do have the original Triton Ones and those, (coupled with a NAD M33) leave me with the same conclusion. For the first time in 40 years I no longer think of new gear (even slightly).👍👍
I have both Goldenear and LS50. LS50 is more holographic than the GE. Coaxial driver does some amazing things. I find the KEF more coherent. The speaker is in harmony from top to bottom. The KEF are better off axis. The Goldenear AMT tend to beam. The Goldenear play louder and deeper. They are much more efficient than the KEF. Both are extremely good speakers. But, my Revel M16 spends more time in rotation than either of them. It is my favorite. My wife prefers the KEF. My daughter prefers the Goldenear. She has even threatened to hijack them for her personal system.....
Thanks for an interesting review, and great to include new music recommendations. Still wondering which of these subs would be the best match to my Heresy IVs. The kc62 is nearly 3 times as expensive as the FF3, but a good size smaller and even goes deeper.
I've been having a lot of fun watching the Peacemaker series and the version of Pumped Up Kicks by John Murphy is a fantastic version of the original by Foster the People. The drum outro in particular sounds massive.
The best way to use subs is to get at least two subs and a professional who implements these subs via a dsp. The difference that makes is more than unbelievable. Mind bending in the best possible way 😎
Loving the content and you're apprach for enthusiastic new amateurs like me. Also love learning about new artists too. Some a hit and some a miss. That jazz album is giving my 12f DALI sub a good work out. 😊 Thanks John.👏
Thanks for another great vid! What's up with u and stand-mounts? I rarely see floor-standers in your videos. (it's not that floor standers wouldn't need any sub augmentation in certain cases...)
Hey Mr Darko, what is your opinion on whether the golden ears are better Than a pair of Martin Logans with also a ribbon tweeter ? Which is better ? Is it situational
I always enjoy your reviews, I never smell any BS. Just out of curiosity, did you sense the GE’s went anywhere near their low frequency rated output in your room? Also, not a cover but Tin pan ally by Stevie Ray Vaughan is an incredible recording
Some interesting covers: Punch Brothers - Packt Like Sardines In A Crush'd Tin Box (Radiohead) Punch Brothers - Kid A (Radiohead) Anna Calvi - Wolf Like Me (TV On The Radio) Anna Calvi - Jezebel (Wayne Shanklin) Anna Calvi - Strange Weather EP (covers of Bowie, Suicide among others) The Kills - Pale Blue Eyes (The Velvet Underground) The Dead Weather - You Just Can't Win (Them/Van Morrison) 16 Horsepower - Heart and Soul (Joy Division) 16 Horsepower - Day of the Lords (Joy Division) Low - Transmission (Joy Division) St. Vincent - She Is Beyond Good and Evil (The Pop Group) Real Estate - Days (Television) And the Aquarium Drunkard blog has an ongoing cover series entitled Lagniappe Sessions.
Without a doubt my favourite cover version has to be The flaming lips (with Stardeath and the white dwarfs) version of Borderline. Must have listened to it 100s of times and it still blows me away. A close second though would be the Childish Gambino version of Brittany Howard sounds Stay high with you :)
Aaahhhh... The difference a well balanced sub/sat system can make! Noticed you've got the NAD M10 there, did you play with Dirac (which really helps sub/sat integration!
Great review as always - Have been thinking about adding a Rel T-Zero to my system for a while. Cover version - Easy star all stars - Radiodread - paranoid Android.
I agree on the importance of Subwoofers (though they are quite challenging without RoomEQ to flatten the response) but if I look at the price of those Goldenear BRX, then I wonder...is the combo of Bookshelfs+Sub reall better than something like a pair of Canton B100 or Townus 90? Those might jot have the same kind of fancy tweeter and passive radiator setup but they are great Speakers, and while they aren't the most bass-heavy floorstanders, they certainly handle most music well, even without a Sub...
Without equalization passive big speakers can be more difficult to setup than two good subwoofers (same frequencies and no control of position, gain or crossover). In my experience, one sub is even more difficult than two sealed subs.
Kenny Thomas's version of Earth Wind & Fire's Can't Hide Love, is a master piece of soul / jazz that breathes loads of life into what is a lacklustre original 😎
Thanks for this youtube Darko. Soon you'll trial dual subs and discover, yep that is better. Corner loading, and/or raised off the floor sub positions can be interesting too. if you're inclined check out the feedforward servo subs of rythmik audio, some guys around the traps reckon they are high value (yet somewhat cheaper) units. I aint got one so am keen to hear ur expert opinion just for fun!
UPDATE - PLEASE READ *before commenting*!
1) Got a question? Please ask it of the Darko.Audio UA-cam community (and not me) as I'm off making the NEXT video
2) All comments here are moderated by a third party: instagram.com/p/CTWcokaszpW/
3) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome (but no URLs, please)
UPDATE - PLEASE READ *before commenting*! No, I did NOT swap the subs on each system. I used KEF with KEF and GE with GE.
1) Got a question? Please ask it of the Darko.Audio UA-cam community (and not me) as I'm busy making the next video
2) All comments here are moderated by a third party: instagram.com/p/CTWcokaszpW/
3) Polite comments that advance the conversation are most welcome (but no URLs, please)
you're about the only reviewer that brings me new music in my diet - stuff I never heard of - or artist I know but not that album or collaboration...keep up the good work...
For me that's goldenear
Same here. I write down artists and titles all the time.
Exactly! Although oddly enough, I have heard Bohren and der Club of Gore before, I haven’t heard of The Specials. What I love doing is pausing the video and immediately looking up the music he’s playing and adding it to my library because John’s got a very eclectic taste in music and I love that about him!
Funny thing is I can't afford none of this gear but I always come to the channel for the knowledge and your soothing voice and is like I'm there hearing the music myself.
I really appreciate that you talk about how audio gear performs with electronic/dance/pop music. So many reviewers assume we’re all 60yo men listening to nothing but Rolling Stones albums forever.
I use subwoofers since I was a teenager, my favorite size is 10" because gives plenty of bass in any room. Subharmonics are incredible to make any system to the next level.
$599 at Crutchfield for the Forcefield 3. That does sound like money better spent than upgrading to a Mojo dac.
Thanks John for your enthusiasm in sub integration and bass management! I bought a KEF KC62 after watching your review and then the Lyngdorf integrated (this time before yours ;)) to replace my 4x expensive Naim pre+power amp combo
What an ear-opening experience, not to mention the savings in $ and rack space
Why I love my Elac Debut Reference B6s paired with two 12 inch subs.. wide, deep, clear soundstage with beautiful neutrality
Thom Yorke’s cover of All for the Best is an absolute gem and such an experience on a great set of speakers
Neil Young’s “Wrecking Ball” by Emmylou Harris (and Daniel Lanois). Her unadulterated country soprano stands in the foreground as Lanois washes the background with distorted guitars and pulsating percussion and ominous synthesized steel drums. The whole album is a surreal, yet eeilrily familiar trip. Covers of everyone from Jimmy Hendrix to Uber folkers Kate & Anna McGarrigle. All with her voice and his twisted, but complimentary production.
A system that gets completely overlooked by most respected reviewers and that is very similar to the Goldenear one you are reviewing is the Martin Longan 35XTi with the Dynamo 800X. Also has the folded ribbon tweeter but larger and a bit better executed imo. Looks way better ascetically, almost like high end furniture and are better dynamically. Don’t know if Martin Logan is hard to work with to get review units in but I would love to see a review of this set up. Great review BTW on the GoldenEar, nice to see these bookshelf sub combo reviews.
Man, the musical references just casually dropped all over these reviews. Not only does talking about specific albums enrich the descriptions of a listening experience, but I love the rabbit holes I tumble down off the back of a Darko video....
Using sub does affect our ability in hearing details in soundstage - I found that myself as well - without doubt makes it better sounding but it’s harder to compare speakers. Better is to cross them at lower level like when speaker rolls off at 40-50Hz set XO to that. This way sub will help when speaker can’t anymore without overtaking duty where it’s not necessary.
Some of my favorite covers:
Madeleine Peyroux: Between The Bars [Elliott Smith]
Rhiannon Giddens: Waterboy [Odetta]
Ezra Furman: Crown Of Love [Arcade Fire]
Trampled by Turtles: Where Is My Mind? [The Pixies]
Calexico: Corona [The Minutemen]
Man i love the voice of the intro woman. She has to do a bookread! For audiobooks.
She is Jana Dagdagan. Very laid back audiophile, seems like a nice young lady. You can see her with Steve Guttenberg occasionally and on her own youtube channel Earspace. I think at one time she worked for Stereophile . Cannot say for sure but I feel she may have backed off UA-cam in part because she was sick of comments that did not focus on our hobby. Society at its best (sarcasm of course).
Wondered if you would be so kind as to do an instruction video on connecting subwoofers to two channel amps especially vintage ones. Thanks
I like to listen to modern pop music through my system, it often will show that the song is more complex and interesting then when I hear it over car radio or mall music system.
I have watched a few of Rick Beato’s videos were he breaks down pop songs, there is often a lot more going on in them then first thought.
Thanks for this reminder. This video surfaced again and definitely influenced my plans for my small two channel office system.
So glad you have and hopefully enjoy my Tilted release! Cheers David.
Loving this album David😍. Many thanks
I have the Triton Two's from Golden Ear and absolutely love them! Negates the need for the sub as well since they have built in powered sub's.
Loving that Bohren for Beginners, thanks! 👍
Club for five’s cover of brothers in arms wow what a voice he has👏
I love that you are covering more Subs lately! I can't live w/o mine, it just adds that missing part of the picture.
I made it about a minute into the video and spent the next two hours listening to borhen for beginners
x2
their entire catalogue is fantastic and the newest record Patchouli Blue is a high point, so they just keep getting better after all these years.
I always loved the sound of the old Infinity ribbons. The tend to have a smooth but open sound
John, I have the BRX and KC62; the combination is lovely! I'm using the Brooklyn Amp at your suggestion but considering a switch to lower wattage AB amp as I'm crossing over the BRX via NAD processor (w/Dirac) at 70hz. Using Dirac with these Goldenear really reels in and focuses the top end. As always, thanks so much for the great videos
Also Bohren & Der Club of Gore is awesome. See (hear? Listen?) also The Dale Cooper Quartet, Kilimanjaro Dark Jazz Ensemble, The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation, the Orchestra of Mirrored Reflections, Swami LatePlate, Manet… I’ll stop now
i love comparisons videos ;) size in speakers matters ..!!
Doing some sort of "mix and match" might be the ideal choice. Herb Reichert when reviewing the SVS 3000 Micro came to a similar conclusion when it came to that KEF sub a couple of month ago (not the last word in fine dynamics, overall a little heavy-handed presentation).
With John's younger ears confirming Herb's assessments it's proven that old guy still has hunky-dory hearing capability. Which is a great thing.
These takes, at the end of the video, really gives me hope that I can start speaking in front of camera, cause, even the best ones are not doing it without making a mistakes. I like that part really much.
Great Music Recommendations John, i LOVE these videos where I discover some new music from the collection embedded in your brain, thank you.
After trying many REL's and other brands i have landed on two Jamo sub800. For music they are brilliant.
Great comparisons. Would enjoy knowing what warranty conveys with these products. Thanks!
Excellent album recommendation. Listened to two songs and ordered it immediately!! Can’t wait to get into some DOOM jazz
Adding a REL T7X to my system was the best decision to improve its overall sound quality .
Biggest problem of crossing subs is most don't have a high pass filter so when you don't have one you get cancellation bass nodes . Worth trying I reckon thanks John another great review
Wand’s cover of Gary Newman’s “M.E.” is one of my faves personally.
Also, we mustn’t forget Dinosaur Jr.‘s cover of Just Like Heaven(the Cure)
Great to see you doing more testing with subs... Even for more restrictive rooms. When is a "test" with a REL coming?
No plans to do REL. Next stop will likely be SVS. Two of 'em.
@@DarkoAudio Very intrigued about the gear combination you have and SVS. Will look to ear* about it and the impact on the treatment you have in room. Poor neighbours ;) ....
Bought a sub inspired by your subwoofer content since the kef podcast. Really happy with my setup now. Powernode 2i, original KEF LS50 and a Saxx deepSOUND DS 10 EVO. 🙏🏼
Great review--I'm helping a friend build a new Hifi system and this is certainly a contender. BTW, love the PSB 'Very' vinyl in the back. ;)
Is the goldenear a musical sub? Or would an SVS SB-1000 be better ?
Every system benefits from subwoofers
Not necessarily for booming base - which can be there if you want it
It’s more to do with the amazing imaging one can get - with stereo subs especially
I use REL s which integrate brilliantly
John Martyn - Glory Box is One of me faves
I have a set of Goldenear Triton 3's with subs built in. I think you'd really enjoy those for electronica. 😉 I've listened to Forte 4's as well at a friend's, and I found them "harsh". It's been a while, but I think they were perhaps too forward in the high end for my liking. I do find the Triton 3's to be very well voiced, and very detailed/clear, which is what I look for in a sound signature. Thanks for the reviews!
Did you by any chance try the Forte IV's with the subwoofer? I'm using mine with a REF S/510 in a room that some would consider too "small" for that sub, but it completely disappears and brings the Forte soundstage and frequency range to a completely different level.
Really enjoying this Bohren rec. Though I got about an hour and a half into it and the guy starts singing out of nowhere wasn't too keen on that bit lol.
I have a full Goldenear 5.1 system that I love. I think they are one of the best values at the audiophile entry-level. Funny enough, at the time the main competitor that I was considering buying was the original KEF LS50's. I couldn't hear enough difference between them to justify the large price difference (though I listened to them at different dealers). Also, Goldenear have speakers more appropriate for home theater. Having said that, my ForceField4 subwoofer has died after 8 years. So just about to buy a replacement.
Once I learned how to setup up my stand mount Kef Q150 in my room no need for a subwoofer except for movies. Even a small 6-8 inch subwoofer can do wonders in your room with the right placement.
Intersting covers.:
Tricky's cover of Public Ememy's "Black Steel" (Been Caught Steeling Mix)
Bauhaus cover of Brian Eno's "Third Uncle"
Torre Florim's cover of The Prdogy's "Firestarter" (even Liam Howlett said it was the best cover he's ever heard)
And as a bonus, my favourite album of covers, Fantomas - "The Directors Cut" which is covers of various horror film and thriller/suspense tv themes. It's amazing.
Hey John, many thanks for the tip on the Bohren. for Beginners album. Right up my alley for kicking back and relaxing in the evening. Kind of like a Cinema Noire film in music...I can almost see a down and out PI sitting in a bar and being approached by a strange beautiful "dame" in distress. Terrific mood music. It reminded me of one of my other favorites Frank Sinatra - Only the Lonely, another "downer" mood album.
Most pop/rock/jazz doesn't really have much very low bass down below 45-50Hz. Church organs, EDM, and movie explosions on the other hand, yes. When people talk about having "more bass" with a subwoofer in play, I do wonder if they are really hearing previously inaudible low frequencies, or if it's that they are hearing too much of the bass that their normal speakers could actually have done anyway...hence an unbalanced sound?
A standard double bass digs down to 41.2Hz but it's mostly artificially produced music that contains the lower notes that is true.
However there's also roll-off to take in account, when playing without a sub I miss some fundament in my music. My Von schweikert VR-1 is said to play down to 40Hz at -3db however it's like they just choke on the lower register. With "yellow daffodils" by Malia part of the baseline is completely gone without a sub.
Most bass sounds, natural and often even when synthesized, include harmonics and broadband energy that extends well below 50hz. I've always been shocked to hear the same piece of music on a "regular" pair of speakers that can play down to a normal 40-50hz, and then listen to the same piece on a system that has solid extension to 25hz or below. There's some pretty remarkable presence on the system that has the bottom octave filled out that you wouldn't expect.
In bookshelf speakers, I often feel the bass is lacking in the 100-160 range even when the specs say it goes down to 50-60 Hrtz. I'm guessing that is where electric bass guitars add the warmth that I like in rock music. Below 50 Hrtz seems more about feeling thuds than "hearing' bass.
@@LeggoMyLamb Did you own HiFi in the 1980's? IMO 70's and 80's gear was tuned to boost those frequencies, giving one more "meat on the bone". The 90's saw a shift towards more neutral gear which can sometimes sound a little thin, particularly when played with older recordings. Modern records seem to have a lot more bass in them.
Lady blackbird with a cover of Nina Simone's "Blackbird" from her black acid soul album is probably the finest cover I've heard lately.
The original Buddha of Suburbia cover art is from the BBC tv series of the same name and shows Naveen Andrews the main character with his arms up in the air
Yes, from the excellent BBC adaption of the book.
Hooray for Bohren! Sunset Mission is absolutely one of the best albums of the 00s.
Love that your into subs now. I'm waiting on a review for the naim uniti atom he amp along with mosoo 2 and muso qb gen 2
Great video as usual ! As a cover tip, Not in love, with Crystal Castles and Robert Smith. I guess there would be some that might favor the Goldenear because of it being a bit cheaper too. I am myself drawn to black,but KEF pretty much have a colour for everyone so. Cool setups anyway 👍🏻
A sub or multiple subs are a fantastic way to get very expensive sound out of speakers that are not very expensive! With bass management in the amplifier or in the subwoofers speakers no longer have to produce the bottom octaves which cleans up the lower and middle octaves that they do produce. The amplifier driving the speakers also is less taxed and effectively makes more power available to the frequency range it is amplifying. Total amplification is enhanced by the built-in subwoofer amplifiers.
The other magic that happens for me with subwoofers is reduced listening levels. About 6 dB less output still gives my brain the feeling of being loud enough. I think this is due to psycho acoustics of normally turning up a system to compensate for the missing low octave presence.
That's exactly what I feel Gary Frederickson. Some passive woofers have too much output or don't work well at low volumes. With two subs I can setup the gain 3 dB lower than my monitors and crossover (low and high) to my taste.
I prefer the force field 3 because of its low end extension.
I’m putting these on my short list. My ELAC sub1010’s are okay, but when pushed hard there is a lot of port noise.
Weird, I dont have port noises on my Sub1010 even when pushed hard.
Wow! Digging the Darko Subwoofer Love 💕! …and that it involved the pairing of two 2.1 systems! ❤️‼️
DEVO - (I CANT GET NO) SATISFACTION
Adam Audio uses an identical ribbon tweeter, very clear highs.
Covers:
Eddie Berman: Dancing in the Dark
Tierney Sutton: Big Yellow Taxi
James Blake: Atmosphere
Robert Vincent: Killing the Blues
Camille O'Sullivan: The Ship Song
As someone who loves both hi-fi and pop music, I'm very happy to see Charli XCX included in the test tracks
Nowhere near as poetic but GoldenEar Triton One.Rs, which have the same signature as the BRX, are the only speakers to get me to stop thinking about buying speakers. Great video.
Ha ha! I must agree - that's just sooo right!
While I don't have the Triton One.Rs I do have the original Triton Ones and those, (coupled with a NAD M33) leave me with the same conclusion. For the first time in 40 years I no longer think of new gear (even slightly).👍👍
I have both Goldenear and LS50. LS50 is more holographic than the GE. Coaxial driver does some amazing things. I find the KEF more coherent. The speaker is in harmony from top to bottom. The KEF are better off axis. The Goldenear AMT tend to beam. The Goldenear play louder and deeper. They are much more efficient than the KEF. Both are extremely good speakers. But, my Revel M16 spends more time in rotation than either of them. It is my favorite. My wife prefers the KEF. My daughter prefers the Goldenear. She has even threatened to hijack them for her personal system.....
I dont find that the AMT to beam at all with the GoldenEars. I have my speakers way out into the room.
Thanks for an interesting review, and great to include new music recommendations. Still wondering which of these subs would be the best match to my Heresy IVs. The kc62 is nearly 3 times as expensive as the FF3, but a good size smaller and even goes deeper.
I've been having a lot of fun watching the Peacemaker series and the version of Pumped Up Kicks by John Murphy is a fantastic version of the original by Foster the People. The drum outro in particular sounds massive.
K9! It can't be unseen 😂
The best way to use subs is to get at least two subs and a professional who implements these subs via a dsp. The difference that makes is more than unbelievable. Mind bending in the best possible way 😎
Loving the content and you're apprach for enthusiastic new amateurs like me. Also love learning about new artists too. Some a hit and some a miss. That jazz album is giving my 12f DALI sub a good work out. 😊 Thanks John.👏
Great review! Were the blue Kef’s a limited edition? Not seeing them for sale anywhere….And blue sub to go with ever made?…
Yoshi Horikawa - Vapor (Album) has to be my gold standard for anything imaging realted
Subwoofers, jazz... (Bohren for beginners is fantastic), are you ok John? :) Nice review!
Thanks for another great vid! What's up with u and stand-mounts? I rarely see floor-standers in your videos. (it's not that floor standers wouldn't need any sub augmentation in certain cases...)
Tears for Fears’ “Mad World” covered by Gary Jules from the Donnie Darko soundtrack.
I’m really wondering whether I’d be better off with floorstanders than stand mounts to avoid the subwoofer issue?
I havent heard any passive floorstanders or standmounts that can go low as powered subwoofers.
You’ll have to spend a lot to get floor standers that can convincingly do what a sub does, in my experience.
Yes!
Hey Mr Darko, what is your opinion on whether the golden ears are better Than a pair of Martin Logans with also a ribbon tweeter ? Which is better ? Is it situational
I always enjoy your reviews, I never smell any BS. Just out of curiosity, did you sense the GE’s went anywhere near their low frequency rated output in your room? Also, not a cover but Tin pan ally by Stevie Ray Vaughan is an incredible recording
Some interesting covers:
Punch Brothers - Packt Like Sardines In A Crush'd Tin Box (Radiohead)
Punch Brothers - Kid A (Radiohead)
Anna Calvi - Wolf Like Me (TV On The Radio)
Anna Calvi - Jezebel (Wayne Shanklin)
Anna Calvi - Strange Weather EP (covers of Bowie, Suicide among others)
The Kills - Pale Blue Eyes (The Velvet Underground)
The Dead Weather - You Just Can't Win (Them/Van Morrison)
16 Horsepower - Heart and Soul (Joy Division)
16 Horsepower - Day of the Lords (Joy Division)
Low - Transmission (Joy Division)
St. Vincent - She Is Beyond Good and Evil (The Pop Group)
Real Estate - Days (Television)
And the Aquarium Drunkard blog has an ongoing cover series entitled Lagniappe Sessions.
Interesting cover for you. Nina Gordon's version of NWA's Straight Outta Compton.
Compelling as always John, thank you. Did you at any point try the Kefs with the Golden Ear sub or reverse?
Love Bohren! Recommending kilimanjaro darkjazz ensemble if you enjoy them.
Well, I’ve waited long enough, time to join on patreon so I can get access to your music playlists
Amazing review. Please do more.
Without a doubt my favourite cover version has to be The flaming lips (with Stardeath and the white dwarfs) version of Borderline. Must have listened to it 100s of times and it still blows me away.
A close second though would be the Childish Gambino version of Brittany Howard sounds Stay high with you :)
What are is ur streaming sending out to ur speakers. PCM?
Covers- Crazy - Daniela Andrade, True faith - Denise Johnson, More than this - 10,000 maniacs, Tainted Love - Imelda May.
The Slits - I Heard It Through Tge Grapevine
Aaahhhh... The difference a well balanced sub/sat system can make! Noticed you've got the NAD M10 there, did you play with Dirac (which really helps sub/sat integration!
Great review as always - Have been thinking about adding a Rel T-Zero to my system for a while. Cover version - Easy star all stars - Radiodread - paranoid Android.
I agree on the importance of Subwoofers (though they are quite challenging without RoomEQ to flatten the response) but if I look at the price of those Goldenear BRX, then I wonder...is the combo of Bookshelfs+Sub reall better than something like a pair of Canton B100 or Townus 90? Those might jot have the same kind of fancy tweeter and passive radiator setup but they are great Speakers, and while they aren't the most bass-heavy floorstanders, they certainly handle most music well, even without a Sub...
Without equalization passive big speakers can be more difficult to setup than two good subwoofers (same frequencies and no control of position, gain or crossover). In my experience, one sub is even more difficult than two sealed subs.
The cover of John Martins classic "man in the station" by Ian Matthews is great, gives it a different tempo, more upbeat. Love both versions
Kenny Thomas's version of Earth Wind & Fire's Can't Hide Love, is a master piece of soul / jazz that breathes loads of life into what is a lacklustre original 😎
Hi, can you use the devialet phantom as a subwoofer by connecting your speakers to the 3.5 input of the phantom?
Woop finally hearing someone else say the words doom jazz. Black Earth is their best LP imo
Check out Lianne La Havas’ cover of Radiohead’s Weird Fishes.
Thanks for this youtube Darko. Soon you'll trial dual subs and discover, yep that is better. Corner loading, and/or raised off the floor sub positions can be interesting too. if you're inclined check out the feedforward servo subs of rythmik audio, some guys around the traps reckon they are high value (yet somewhat cheaper) units. I aint got one so am keen to hear ur expert opinion just for fun!
And Waxahtchee does a wonderful cover of Streets of Philadelphia