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From: cadence!gokita@uunet.UU.NET (Glen Okita)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end
Subject: Re: What speakers do I buy?
Message-ID: <9840@uwm.edu>
Date: 1 Mar 91 13:51:36 GMT
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Approved: tjk@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
Originator: tjk@csd4.csd.uwm.edu

Well, do I dare post to this august forum?  I am a pretty happy
owner of a pair of Clements RT7 References...
   I must confess that although I listened to a number of speakers
(including a number of those on your "not interested" list), I'm
probably not the most critical listener that ever lived -- and my
listening tastes include almost everything EXCEPT orchestral stuff.
I feel a lot of highly rated speakers (e.g. Mirage M-1s) are really
good at classical but not quite there for more intimate vocals or jazz.
I did listen to something by ProAc (Super Tablettes?) that I thought
was pretty good, though too forward for my taste.  You might give
the Acoustic Energy 1 a try for a somewhat similar sound and more
bass.  There is/was? a SF firm called A&S Speakers that offers
fairly high-end (Dynaudio/MB/Eton/Focal/etc.) drivers/kits, however
when I visited them I was disappointed with the sound of their
systems.  Not that there wasn't promise, but it sounded like the
crossovers were ragged, and I wasn't impressed with the Dynaudio
tweeter used in a lot of their kits (actually makes you appreciate
the refinement that goes into designs like the Thiels).  Maybe A&S
changed their name to Sound Works?
   Well, about the Clements.  I was pretty much sold when I heard them,
they had a natural balanced quality that I just hadn't heard anywhere else.
They have the transparent and effortless quality of panel speakers
(though not in the same league as, say, Quads), good imaging (though
probably not as good as your ProAcs), lots of bass (for me at least),
and lastly (pragmatically) they are not too big to fit in a room and
don't have finicky placement requirements.  For overall price and
performance, they were the best for me.
If there is any limitation, it's that music with a lot of energy in
the lower part of the tweeters range (e.g. orchestral music)
can cause some breakup.  For me, this really hasn't been a problem
and I can play at reasonably high levels, but it's something you
should try when you listen.
   Now, some caveats, I have a tweaked crossover that isn't what was reviewed
by Audio (and it may, in fact, contribute to a lack of power handling
ability).  The tweaker was Michael Percy, 170 Highland Way, Inverness
CA  94937, 415-669-7181.  He sells some other high-end things mail
order (he sometimes advertises in Audio classifieds).  Finally, by way
of disclaimer, although I have no business connection with Mr. Percy,
you could say I'm a relation since he's an uncle/cousin(?) of my
cousin's husband -- and that's how I initially heard about the speakers.
E-mail if you want to discuss more...