(08-Jan-2016, 20:12)Womaz Wrote: [ -> ] (08-Jan-2016, 20:03)Damon Wrote: [ -> ]Hi Womaz,
Thanks for your excellent reports of your listening trials. It is fun reading, absolutely. Rather than working, the other day I stopped in at a local hi-fi shop, and happened to have a chance to hear the SF Olympica II. It was demoed in an acoustically-treated room, and was partnered with a lot of huge McIntosh gear; massive tube monos, a pre and Mac CD player. The speaker cable was quite thick and had some big boxes midway along the cable- I can't remember the name. Something expensive, I expect.
But curiously, I found the highs a bit sharp; crazy, as I would have expected a much more refined, easy treble, and indeed that is my memory of other SF speakers. I'm not at all passing judgement on these speakers, just mentioning that in that situation, the sound was not what I expected to hear. I had no qualms about the mids or bass, or the ease and 'musical' presentation. But the high were more fatiguing, and that was a surprise.
No doubt this sound profile was a function of some other part of the system or the CD they used, but again it seems that getting the right combination of components, that suits your ears, in your particular room really is the key.
The Olympica II's are gorgeous. With the vertical, side-mounted ports I would think they would be possibly less fussy about placement, but I've misjudged speakers and placement too often to have any valid comment on that issue.
BTW, snooping in hi fi stores is much more fun than work.....
I would do some snooping myself but they are thin on the ground up here :-)
I love the treble on the SFs but I guess that is because my PMCs are too bright in this aree.
They are smooth and sweet in the treble for me , my problem right now is the bass. It's on,y when say there are vocals in the track, the bass seems to take over and I feel as if I am missing something. We will see
Good Luck & keep us posted!
(08-Jan-2016, 19:50)Womaz Wrote: [ -> ]Yes that could be the reason. Although the port is at the back it is sort of side positioned .....but yes it seems to be overpowering my room. May just take some getting used too.
Also I could try taking down the bass traps I have on the back wall. Not sure that will make a difference though.
They are a lovely sounding speaker. I don't find them dull but they do lack something my PMCs have. But they are a much better speaker I think. Voices and instruments sound fuller and more body to them.
If only i could tame the bass.......or get used to it
Are the ports facing inside?
The ports are all down the side of the speaker , facing inside but I do have them toed in quite a bit
Sorry the back of the speaker but the speaker is a shape that makes them appear down the side ....if that makes sense
Womaz, interesting that you did not like MB6. I've heard good things about Scansonic but understand they require up to 300 hours run-in time. Same for Raidho.
(08-Jan-2016, 23:31)Womaz Wrote: [ -> ]The ports are all down the side of the speaker , facing inside but I do have them toed in quite a bit
Sorry the back of the speaker but the speaker is a shape that makes them appear down the side ....if that makes sense
Ok, this is the way I heard them. Just wondered.
I have these on my list to hear: Beonicke, Adam, Audio Physics, Raidho and Goldmund.
(08-Jan-2016, 23:34)Robert Wrote: [ -> ]Womaz, interesting that you did not like MB6. I've heard good things about Scansonic but understand they require up to 300 hours run-in time. Same for Raidho.
Yes they had only had about 20 hours run in apparently ......they are a lovely looking speaker. Tall and. elegant ......I may have to return to them
Ciao Womaz,
Glad to know you like the SF's so much!
This speaker IS picky about its placement within the room (it's taken me months to find its place in my room). Do like this, just for testing purposes bring the speakers in a bit further into the room, even if it looks ridiculous, at least till the minimum SF recomends for clearance from the back wall, around 80 cm I think? Mine are 110 cm away approx, but hey, that's my room!
The sonic signature should be much closer to Wilson Audio in terms of realism, while preserving that slight warmth that I think goes so well with the Devialet.
At the end of the day this is all very subjective, it's like food or art. But, what is a fact is that for a given room there is an optimum position for a pair of speakers.
Try experimenting a bit also with "toe in" as in my room even just a couple of cm of variation change everything (specially the soundstage quality).
And, BTW, as sweet as they may seem, the SF's do rock and electronic music also very well!
Final hint, for very deep bass test try this track "The Promise" from Globus and "La Habanera" from Yello
(09-Jan-2016, 00:30)MusicLover Wrote: [ -> ]Ciao Womaz,
Glad to know you like the SF's so much!
This speaker IS picky about its placement within the room (it's taken me months to find its place in my room). Do like this, just for testing purposes bring the speakers in a bit further into the room, even if it looks ridiculous, at least till the minimum SF recomends for clearance from the back wall, around 80 cm I think? Mine are 110 cm away approx, but hey, that's my room!
The sonic signature should be much closer to Wilson Audio in terms of realism, while preserving that slight warmth that I think goes so well with the Devialet.
At the end of the day this is all very subjective, it's like food or art. But, what is a fact is that for a given room there is an optimum position for a pair of speakers.
Try experimenting a bit also with "toe in" as in my room even just a couple of cm of variation change everything (specially the soundstage quality).
And, BTW, as sweet as they may seem, the SF's do rock and electronic music also very well!
Final hint, for very deep bass test try this track "The Promise" from Globus and "La Habanera" from Yello
Yes they certainly rock, just had Geeen Day - American Idiot on and it rocked alright. The drums at the beginning sounded amazing.
I will experiment with different toe ins but it's the bass that's the issue. I can't move them 80 cm from the wall as they will then only be around 5 ft from where I sit. Also this would place them in the middle of my living room and would look dreadful :-)
I will try what I can but not sure whet can be done about the bass.