Phantom vs current system

[jmd77]

Hi!

First of all I am not an audiophile but like to listen to music a lot and value the quality of the sound...  also like a lot the simplicity of not needing to have many devices (amp + speakers + ...) 

Having this in mind, a couple years ago I bought a pair of speakers which were a big upgrade for me at the time (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/D...ers/S-DJ08). Lately I have been thinking on investing some more $$$ in a better set but was kind of scared of the price and complexity of many upgrade options...

Now I have seem the phanton and its claim of simplicity + incredible sound quality + accessible price tag... and was wondering if it would be worth to exchange my speakers for it (in this case it would be only 1 as its already on the limit of my stretched budget)

My main uses are:
1) Listen to music in my living room of more or less 40 m2 (70% of time) 
2) Connect to a projector and what movies (20% of time)
3) Some small parties in a terrace of +- 30 m2 with more or less 20 people (10% of time - thus some level of portability would be great)

I listen mostly to FLAC music through ipad or spotify high quality streaming.

Do you think the upgrade would be worth it? Even with 1 phanton only?

Also I was planning on getting the silver one for the parties...

Thanks in advance for any suggestion!!!

[stonedragon]

One word.

YES!!!

[fgueho]

ONE WORD : NO (or MAYBE or NOT YET).

For 80% of your time, it will be okay.
For 20% of your time, with movies, if your sources are anything else than a HTPC, there will be a delay between audio and video. Beware, and wait. Like me.

[streamy]

As a main system I would not buy a 'mono' speaker in case you like serious music listening. Too much is happening and put on purpose in space by the sound engineer, both for music and movies. A simple, affordable (1-2k€) stereo system consisting of a decent amp and 2 speakers gives you a good stereo reproduction, mostly reduced in the frequency spectrum and having some coloration in comparison to an expensive setup. The phantom has low coloration (= very natural sound, little distortion) and is able to reproduce the full audio spectrum, even at high volumes. However, used as a mono speaker you loose the most precious value in terms of sound stage accuracy. The point source design of this speaker produces in pair a superb and precise sound stage combined with natural and full range spectrum, which gives you a reproduction quality I have seldomly heard from other systems in the 5k€ prize range.
I strongly recommend to buy them as a pair with dialog to be able to enjoy all design advantages.

[stonedragon]

ONE WORD : NO (or MAYBE or NOT YET).

For 80% of your time, it will be okay.
For 20% of your time, with movies, if your sources are anything else than a HTPC, there will be a delay between audio and video. Beware, and wait. Like me.

No lip sync issues whatsoever. I stream from PS3 (from Amazon, Netflix etc) and it works perfectly.

[fgueho]

No lip sync issues whatsoever. I stream from PS3 (from Amazon, Netflix etc) and it works perfectly.    

Really ?!? Since when ?

I have tested 2 weeks ago with a bluray and it was not in sync.

[stonedragon]

No lip sync issues whatsoever. I stream from PS3 (from Amazon, Netflix etc) and it works perfectly.    

Really ?!? Since when ?

I have tested 2 weeks ago with a bluray and it was not in sync.

Yes Really. No kidding. I Play frm my Playstation and I am a little bemused by the lipsync issues people have reported. I simply don't get any. I have not tried BluRay, but streaming from Amazon, Netflix and Now do present any kind of issues.

Perhaps I'm just luck

[fgueho]

Very strange... Maybe you just don't have good ears.

(i'm kidding)

[jmd77]

Thanks all for the answers! I would be streaming netflix but could try to wire it when watching movies... now I have an apple TV plugged into the projector and a airport express for the speakers, for netflix it is OK but for streaming from an app from the Ipad it does not work that smooth as well and I end up wiring it...

My big concern is about loosing the stero by changing to a 1 speaker only... Do any of you have only 1? And in this, how good is it?

[fgueho]

My big concern is about loosing the stero by changing to a 1 speaker only... Do any of you have only 1? And in this, how good is it?

It is okay. But not as good as a true stereo setup with 2 phantoms.
You can buy one. And start saving for a second one, that you can add later. That would be my recommendation, if you really want this system.