Thanks for watching the video. Dont forget to also check out my Best HiFi of 2024 video for Amplifiers and Vinyl ua-cam.com/video/L8I_deaVNTU/v-deo.html HiFi Digital and AV inc Projectors ua-cam.com/video/EIr29bjpULw/v-deo.html
I don't see many reviews of omni-directional speakers, and no recent reviews of German Physiks products. I don't know why this is, and you'd think that other reviewers would tire of direct radiating loudspeakers and want something different. Thank you for reviewing a greater variety of speaker designs.
Thanks for noticing, as I said in the video there are a lot of UA-cam channels that all talk about the same stuff. However there are a lot of speakers out there and even more important there are a lot of hidden gems just waiting to be discovered
i have 10 omnidirectional Mirage center channel v3 speakers for my 2 home theaters. they’re better as surround speakers than the main LCR for movies. My Goldenear BRX speakers are way better as the 3 front speakers.
I agree! That’s why I bought an Illumnia Magister! Not only is it an omnidirectional speaker…it is a field coil speaker with their LEDS woofer not having a spider. It’s an awesome speaker .
Yet another great video to enjoy over breakfast Terry, thanks mate. The SVS towers surprised me, I'll look out for them at the next show. I've always wondered about imaging with omni directional speakers. I have recently finished a long and enjoyable journey searching for a pair of subs to go with my ATC 50s. Sub technology has come such a long way and the rewards are huge. For me it came down to the Rel carbons, Perlisten d12s and JL audio 112v2. Much research and auditions at hifi shops and I ended up pulling the trigger on the d12s (which I've just had tuned to the room and sound amazing). I hope one day you can do a video on sub comparison and integration. I know thats a huge task but no one has done it with hifi systems. Cheers mate, Tony
Thanks for a really good video and explanation of your choices. Next year I would like to recommend you listen to the Legacy Audio Aeris or focus SE. I think you will be impressed.
Hi Terry. I really love tower speakers but my room size doesn't really justify me having such a large speaker at 11' 3" x 16'. I also can't pull them out any further than 30cm from the front wall due to the room layout. I used to own a pair of Proac response 3.8 and I really miss those speakers. I'm thinking more of getting a descent stand mount coupled to a Rel sub. I feel that setup would accomplish a more suitable sound that I'm looking for in my room. Nice choice of speakers in this video btw. If I had the room size my choice would be the Audio solutions. 🙂
Good review terry, but I have come to one conclusion. The only speaker that matters besides six figures one are the kef blade one. Nothing beats blade one for the price, save up ten years of disposable income and buy those, you will be set for life. Great linearity, not harsh, very detailed without being sibilant and in my opinion sound phenomenal.
I am really glad about you focus more on floor loudspeakers. I enjoy it much ❤ There are already so many reviews out there on youtube of these armada of bookshelf speakers on their often ugly stands. Small body, mostly 2-way, not much weight and volume. It is so boring. I assume they are easier to handle by the reviewers. Transport and packaging is exhausting and the post is paid by measuring weight and size. But when you are into serious stereo setups, your journey will naturally advance towards full size speakers over the time. Because you can't get around physics. You can't replace weighty materials, big bass chassis, height and a lot of space in the cabinet only with some technical tricks. You are longing for musical immersion on concert level...then the path is paved 🔥🐹🔥
Partially true RamLord................................. However consider the two descriptions used; "FloorStanders" & "Full Size Speakers". These terms are inaccurate labels because, with only the exception of the Super Lintons, these speakers are all TOWER speakers. Tower speakers were never offered by engineers as a form following the function of better sound. No, not at all. Towers came into being due to the marketing & accounting people at the manufacturers. Again, left to their own devices, engineers/designers would never offer towers as an improvement. There are no towers in live sound reinforcement or DJ set-ups (but there are standmounts supported by bass cabinets and line arrays which is a different discussion). The whole problem began with the STANDS. The originators of all this was the Bose AcoustiMass System. It was a revolutionary subwoofer & Satellite system whereas the sub could go anywhere & the tiny, itty-bitty Satellites could be mounted anywhere (including up off the floor) with a thumbtack. No stands required for the Satellites to be at effective height. All that reduction in cabinets & mess became extremely popular with the masses and Bose sold millions. VHS machines, not HiFi, led the demand for this system. Fast forward and it left major brands Pioneer, Marantz etc. out in the cold. Their marketing HAD to respond and they did it by making ever better satellites (that they refused to call them) necessitating bigger & bigger cabinets they called bookshelves. Hindsight being what it is, engineers learned these 'little' speakers must be placed on stands rather than the floor or bookshelves for better performance. Now here we are today. The accountants calculated that the design, materials, labor, packaging and shipping of separate stands cost the same or more than just building the bookshelves tall in the first place. Marketing of course realized they could sell an even 'better' version by adding a second or third driver because "hey, we've got the space for it". Then they left it to the engineers to figure out how to get bass from 6" inch drivers. And that, RamLord, is how we've ended up with these horrible and over-engineered excuses for 'full-range HiFi" stereo loudspeakers. They are most certainly NOT. Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊
To be fair the standard PA setup for a DJ would be a mid high speaker on top of a pole that is supported by a bass bin. That is no different to a tower speaker when you think about it. Also if you look at a stack of speakers from Funktion one that is just a tower speaker too just a mega version of one. So its not really about marketing its a way of creating an elegant solution for people and they can be great.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem . Say what now? "to be fair"? READ my words. They're right above yours! I wrote that very claim PPS, quote "but there are standmounts supported by bass cabinets" Gee Whiz Man. What again? "That is no different to a tower speaker when you think about it."? So your telling us that a DJ's separate high efficiency 18" woofer bass cabinet (with a 12"inch midbass & compression horns on a pipe) is the same as a pair of inefficient slow 6" mid-bass towers? Come on man. Don't be ridiculous. About Funktion loudspeakers. Where to begin.......... The Vero's and the Vero VX lines are flown line arrays that include woofers in every cabinet, augmented by huge ground woofer cabinets. The entire EVO lines are 2 & 3-way big woofer folded horn cabinets & the entire Compact line is 2 & 3-way compression horn drivers with big woofers. And ALL of them are paper woofers. There is nothing even remotely similar between the Funktions and consumer home theater speakers that try and double as HiFi stereo speakers. If it's all about "creating an elegant solution" then function is losing out to form. Which has been my point all along. Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊
Yeah pretty sure all the drivers are made by Fane or at least they used to be I think when I was buying drivers from Fane back in the day. Yes of course the design of a Funktion 1 speaker is different however if you put a mid high on top of a bass how is that any different to a tower speaker which is a mid and high on top of a bass? That is what I meant. Separate bass allows you to put the bass somewhere else but if you don’t and just stack them then in theory it’s the same thing. My point was I don’t think it’s accountants I think it’s for keeping it simple and convenient
Once you factor in the dimensions when the speaker is on the stand, don't people wonder why they didn't just get the floorstander? Then you will probably need a sub. More precious real estate will be lost. More money, more cables, more headaches. Go with a nice small tower that will get you to 40hz. Plenty of good ones out there.
Can we get a stand mount version too? There’s a reason why so many reviewers do stand mount, it’s because that what the majority are interested in and have space for.
I can appreciate why some prefer a stand mount to a tower, however in a lot of cases by the time the stand mount is placed on a stand its the same size as a tower or takes up the same foot print. I think a lot of new to hifi people will buy stand mounts as that is all they see on YT. That is not good practice as for a lot of people the tower will be the better speaker.
My new Serhan Swift Mu2 mkll stand mount speakers with REL S/510 subwoofer sound better than my old B&W 804 diamond speakers (which also had the same REL) 😃👍
Why do you not test an other exotic german brand....the open baffles of Spatial Europe with their newer MC series ? Would be interesting to hear you talk about them...
great comment, one word relationship or lack of with every company. Its not as easy just click a finger and get what you want. Putting a review together is much more work and planning than people realise. So please do bear that all in mind
I listened to the 1723 towers when they were first out years ago, I was looking for new speakers for the home cinema system that I started the channel with. I ended up going with the KEF Reference as felt they imaged much better for music and were a smoother more refined listened - less typical cinema sounding speaker.
I am going to be doing a video about this soon, the room size is not quite as relevant as I have a whole back wall as a bass trap that is 1.2m thick in the corner, so my room bass decay time is lower and therefore can run more bass in here to about 40hz ish
Sorry my poor explanation, of course room size is relevant, what I meant was my room behaves a little different to the room size because of the amount of treatment in it. Room dimensions still dictate a lot and I wish my room bigger
Too bad Americans can't design pretty cabinets. I much prefer the Revival Atalante 4 you reviewed. Also more affordable for me since I am in the Netherlands. I do see a used pair of Audio Solutions Figaro M mk1 for 3000 used. Hmmmm.
Fair comment there is a whole load of reasons why 1. They are a ton of work to do well, so take at least 2 days to do, when you are trying to work to a 1 video / review a week schedule 2 days is a lot out of that time - then UA-cam changes its copyright policy a lot so at least half of those videos are now banned so that was a lot of work for nothing essentially. I cant work like that. 2. Its also work for free as I dont make any revenue from those videos and best will in the world no-one can sustainably work for free. Its been about 8 years doing this now. 3. I had very good microphones and recording equipment that cost me ££££ however I could never get it exactly how the system sounded and then people watch the videos on their phone and moan and moan som more. It drives you crazy but they are right they are not hearing the system. So after I created the best sound demo video ever that took me 3 days, it was live as a video for 4 days then UA-cam banned it due to copyright I gave up because its a loosing battle not worth fighting. I tried doing it well for years but in the end the system beat me
You can’t include something you didn’t review. Active speakers were my speakers of the year two years ago so it’s nothing to do with any snobbery towards passive speakers.
What recording equipment do you suggest I use to record £100k worth of HiFi as I had sometimes here - how do you suggest I capture the sound of a HiFi that good? For you to then play it back on £99 earbuds - how is that giving you anything like the real thing. Dont be a fool
i prefer stand mount speakers so they don’t block my 150in screen (11’ wide x 6 ‘ high). i have a 3rd one as my center channel speaker. As much as i love ribbon tweeters in my GoldenEar BRX (AMT tweeters), I upgraded to planar ribbon tweeter in the PS Audio FR5. source=Apple Music lossless quality. my video ua-cam.com/video/98YsmYNLBbY/v-deo.htmlsi=tWqcrddYP06yV65A
Thanks for watching the video. Dont forget to also check out my Best HiFi of 2024 video for Amplifiers and Vinyl ua-cam.com/video/L8I_deaVNTU/v-deo.html
HiFi Digital and AV inc Projectors ua-cam.com/video/EIr29bjpULw/v-deo.html
I don't see many reviews of omni-directional speakers, and no recent reviews of German Physiks products. I don't know why this is, and you'd think that other reviewers would tire of direct radiating loudspeakers and want something different. Thank you for reviewing a greater variety of speaker designs.
Thanks for noticing, as I said in the video there are a lot of UA-cam channels that all talk about the same stuff. However there are a lot of speakers out there and even more important there are a lot of hidden gems just waiting to be discovered
i have 10 omnidirectional Mirage center channel v3 speakers for my 2 home theaters.
they’re better as surround speakers than the main LCR for movies.
My Goldenear BRX speakers are way better as the 3 front speakers.
I agree! That’s why I bought an Illumnia Magister! Not only is it an omnidirectional speaker…it is a field coil speaker with their LEDS woofer not having a spider. It’s an awesome speaker .
Yet another great video to enjoy over breakfast Terry, thanks mate. The SVS towers surprised me, I'll look out for them at the next show.
I've always wondered about imaging with omni directional speakers.
I have recently finished a long and enjoyable journey searching for a pair of subs to go with my ATC 50s. Sub technology has come such a long way and the rewards are huge.
For me it came down to the Rel carbons, Perlisten d12s and JL audio 112v2. Much research and auditions at hifi shops and I ended up pulling the trigger on the d12s (which I've just had tuned to the room and sound amazing).
I hope one day you can do a video on sub comparison and integration. I know thats a huge task but no one has done it with hifi systems.
Cheers mate, Tony
That is a journey that I dont doubt was enjoyable Tony getting to that system.
Interesting video - succint content & great summary, well done.
Your room is my idea of "perfect system" pursuit achieved
I always enjoy your reviews Terry.👍☺️👏👏👏
Thanks very much James
Totally agree with your comments - Great work as usual
Thanks for a really good video and explanation of your choices.
Next year I would like to recommend you listen to the Legacy Audio Aeris or focus SE. I think you will be impressed.
Good summary for 2024 in tower speakers.
Hi Terry. I really love tower speakers but my room size doesn't really justify me having such a large speaker at 11' 3" x 16'. I also can't pull them out any further than 30cm from the front wall due to the room layout. I used to own a pair of Proac response 3.8 and I really miss those speakers. I'm thinking more of getting a descent stand mount coupled to a Rel sub. I feel that setup would accomplish a more suitable sound that I'm looking for in my room. Nice choice of speakers in this video btw. If I had the room size my choice would be the Audio solutions. 🙂
Good review terry, but I have come to one conclusion. The only speaker that matters besides six figures one are the kef blade one. Nothing beats blade one for the price, save up ten years of disposable income and buy those, you will be set for life. Great linearity, not harsh, very detailed without being sibilant and in my opinion sound phenomenal.
It's very refreshing that you are doing towers, almost no one does that. Kudos.
That is the reason and I prefer them these days too in the main, depending some larger stand mounts are still very suited to what I like
I am really glad about you focus more on floor loudspeakers. I enjoy it much ❤
There are already so many reviews out there on youtube of these armada of bookshelf speakers on their often ugly stands. Small body, mostly 2-way, not much weight and volume. It is so boring.
I assume they are easier to handle by the reviewers. Transport and packaging is exhausting and the post is paid by measuring weight and size.
But when you are into serious stereo setups, your journey will naturally advance towards full size speakers over the time. Because you can't get around physics. You can't replace weighty materials, big bass chassis, height and a lot of space in the cabinet only with some technical tricks. You are longing for musical immersion on concert level...then the path is paved
🔥🐹🔥
Partially true RamLord.................................
However consider the two descriptions used; "FloorStanders" & "Full Size Speakers". These terms are inaccurate labels because, with only the exception of the Super Lintons, these speakers are all TOWER speakers.
Tower speakers were never offered by engineers as a form following the function of better sound. No, not at all. Towers came into being due to the marketing & accounting people at the manufacturers. Again, left to their own devices, engineers/designers would never offer towers as an improvement. There are no towers in live sound reinforcement or DJ set-ups (but there are standmounts supported by bass cabinets and line arrays which is a different discussion).
The whole problem began with the STANDS. The originators of all this was the Bose AcoustiMass System. It was a revolutionary subwoofer & Satellite system whereas the sub could go anywhere & the tiny, itty-bitty Satellites could be mounted anywhere (including up off the floor) with a thumbtack. No stands required for the Satellites to be at effective height. All that reduction in cabinets & mess became extremely popular with the masses and Bose sold millions. VHS machines, not HiFi, led the demand for this system.
Fast forward and it left major brands Pioneer, Marantz etc. out in the cold. Their marketing HAD to respond and they did it by making ever better satellites (that they refused to call them) necessitating bigger & bigger cabinets they called bookshelves. Hindsight being what it is, engineers learned these 'little' speakers must be placed on stands rather than the floor or bookshelves for better performance.
Now here we are today. The accountants calculated that the design, materials, labor, packaging and shipping of separate stands cost the same or more than just building the bookshelves tall in the first place. Marketing of course realized they could sell an even 'better' version by adding a second or third driver because "hey, we've got the space for it". Then they left it to the engineers to figure out how to get bass from 6" inch drivers. And that, RamLord, is how we've ended up with these horrible and over-engineered excuses for 'full-range HiFi" stereo loudspeakers. They are most certainly NOT.
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊
To be fair the standard PA setup for a DJ would be a mid high speaker on top of a pole that is supported by a bass bin. That is no different to a tower speaker when you think about it. Also if you look at a stack of speakers from Funktion one that is just a tower speaker too just a mega version of one. So its not really about marketing its a way of creating an elegant solution for people and they can be great.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem .
Say what now? "to be fair"? READ my words. They're right above yours! I wrote that very claim PPS, quote "but there are standmounts supported by bass cabinets" Gee Whiz Man.
What again? "That is no different to a tower speaker when you think about it."? So your telling us that a DJ's separate high efficiency 18" woofer bass cabinet (with a 12"inch midbass & compression horns on a pipe) is the same as a pair of inefficient slow 6" mid-bass towers? Come on man. Don't be ridiculous.
About Funktion loudspeakers. Where to begin.......... The Vero's and the Vero VX lines are flown line arrays that include woofers in every cabinet, augmented by huge ground woofer cabinets. The entire EVO lines are 2 & 3-way big woofer folded horn cabinets & the entire Compact line is 2 & 3-way compression horn drivers with big woofers. And ALL of them are paper woofers. There is nothing even remotely similar between the Funktions and consumer home theater speakers that try and double as HiFi stereo speakers.
If it's all about "creating an elegant solution" then function is losing out to form. Which has been my point all along.
Acid Jazz, Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊
Yeah pretty sure all the drivers are made by Fane or at least they used to be I think when I was buying drivers from Fane back in the day.
Yes of course the design of a Funktion 1 speaker is different however if you put a mid high on top of a bass how is that any different to a tower speaker which is a mid and high on top of a bass? That is what I meant. Separate bass allows you to put the bass somewhere else but if you don’t and just stack them then in theory it’s the same thing. My point was I don’t think it’s accountants I think it’s for keeping it simple and convenient
Once you factor in the dimensions when the speaker is on the stand, don't people wonder why they didn't just get the floorstander? Then you will probably need a sub. More precious real estate will be lost. More money, more cables, more headaches. Go with a nice small tower that will get you to 40hz. Plenty of good ones out there.
Thanks for sharing
Can we get a stand mount version too? There’s a reason why so many reviewers do stand mount, it’s because that what the majority are interested in and have space for.
I can appreciate why some prefer a stand mount to a tower, however in a lot of cases by the time the stand mount is placed on a stand its the same size as a tower or takes up the same foot print. I think a lot of new to hifi people will buy stand mounts as that is all they see on YT. That is not good practice as for a lot of people the tower will be the better speaker.
My new Serhan Swift Mu2 mkll stand mount speakers with REL S/510 subwoofer sound better than my old B&W 804 diamond speakers (which also had the same REL) 😃👍
The swift vs focal Sopra 1 at same price?
Box speakers all sound like boxes.
Planar magnetic speakers are the best.
Any PMC Transmission Line review coming?
Not at the moment, I have got a couple of things arranged for 2025 but not everything so we will see what happens :)
Why do you not test an other exotic german brand....the open baffles of Spatial Europe with their newer MC series ? Would be interesting to hear you talk about them...
great comment, one word relationship or lack of with every company. Its not as easy just click a finger and get what you want. Putting a review together is much more work and planning than people realise. So please do bear that all in mind
Have you had a listen to the arendal 1723s towers? Needs to be on your list.
I listened to the 1723 towers when they were first out years ago, I was looking for new speakers for the home cinema system that I started the channel with. I ended up going with the KEF Reference as felt they imaged much better for music and were a smoother more refined listened - less typical cinema sounding speaker.
0:37 these would look good either side of a PS5
can you tell us the size of your room so we can understand your bass references.
I am going to be doing a video about this soon, the room size is not quite as relevant as I have a whole back wall as a bass trap that is 1.2m thick in the corner, so my room bass decay time is lower and therefore can run more bass in here to about 40hz ish
@@PursuitPerfectSystem room size is not relevant?
Sorry my poor explanation, of course room size is relevant, what I meant was my room behaves a little different to the room size because of the amount of treatment in it. Room dimensions still dictate a lot and I wish my room bigger
Am just literally looking for a streamer with the 9000n top of my lost after your older review 😂. Love your work mate ✊️
The streamer landscape changes very fast :)
@PursuitPerfectSystem any new units you would recommend? £2500 top price 👍
Too bad Americans can't design pretty cabinets. I much prefer the Revival Atalante 4 you reviewed. Also more affordable for me since I am in the Netherlands. I do see a used pair of Audio Solutions Figaro M mk1 for 3000 used. Hmmmm.
Just a quick question
Why don't we get the comparison videos anymore?
The ones where you'd play a variety of tunes with one set up then the other😢
Fair comment there is a whole load of reasons why
1. They are a ton of work to do well, so take at least 2 days to do, when you are trying to work to a 1 video / review a week schedule 2 days is a lot out of that time - then UA-cam changes its copyright policy a lot so at least half of those videos are now banned so that was a lot of work for nothing essentially. I cant work like that.
2. Its also work for free as I dont make any revenue from those videos and best will in the world no-one can sustainably work for free. Its been about 8 years doing this now.
3. I had very good microphones and recording equipment that cost me ££££ however I could never get it exactly how the system sounded and then people watch the videos on their phone and moan and moan som more. It drives you crazy but they are right they are not hearing the system.
So after I created the best sound demo video ever that took me 3 days, it was live as a video for 4 days then UA-cam banned it due to copyright I gave up because its a loosing battle not worth fighting. I tried doing it well for years but in the end the system beat me
First
To me it doesn’t seem very representative by leaving out activ speakers.
You can’t include something you didn’t review. Active speakers were my speakers of the year two years ago so it’s nothing to do with any snobbery towards passive speakers.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem, it has nothing to do with being snobbery. It’s simply stating a fact .
If you dont play the speakers to us to listen your opinion have very litle value.
What recording equipment do you suggest I use to record £100k worth of HiFi as I had sometimes here - how do you suggest I capture the sound of a HiFi that good? For you to then play it back on £99 earbuds - how is that giving you anything like the real thing. Dont be a fool
i prefer stand mount speakers so they don’t block my 150in screen (11’ wide x 6 ‘ high). i have a 3rd one as my center channel speaker.
As much as i love ribbon tweeters in my GoldenEar BRX (AMT tweeters), I upgraded to planar ribbon tweeter in the PS Audio FR5.
source=Apple Music lossless quality.
my video ua-cam.com/video/98YsmYNLBbY/v-deo.htmlsi=tWqcrddYP06yV65A