02/18/2018
I decided to put some of my speakers up against a few name brand speakers in a brutal shoot-out with my man, and fellow audio engineer, Caleb Christopher Imboden.
Here are the contenders:
The outside black towers are Polk Audio TSi300 MTM with a down-firing port. Dual 5.25” woofers and a 1” silk dome tweeter.
The art speakers on the inside of the Polks is called TriTrix designed by Curt Campbell via Parts Express that I modified a bit. It’s a MTM as well, but is a transmission line enclosure. Dual 5.25” woofers and a 1 1/8” tweeter.
Next in is the veteran in the group. A pair of Klipsch Heresy speakers. A 3-way sealed box with the mid and HF being horn-loaded and a whopping 12” for the bottom.
Lastly, the bookshelf speakers are of my own design called the Graduates. Rear-firing port with a Tang Bang 4” midbass and a Fountek ribbon tweeter.
They were powered by a freshly overhauled Marantz America Model 1060 stereo amplifier to provide plenty of clean power more trustworthy than Madeleine Albright. To confirm what we were hearing, we listened to every speaker over streaming via AirPlay, hi-res audio file, and vinyl. Tracks were selections from Fleetwood Mac, Nickel Creek, Brian Culbertson, Audioslave, and Daft Punk.
Let’s jump right in.
The Heresys are a legacy for a reason, and I’m not just talking about their age. These particular boxes are 34 years old and I don’t believe have had a lick of service. They have the clear advantage of higher sensitivity due to their horns. They had a very forward sound and really pulled us in to the music. They win for most enjoyable to listen to. With tons of available headroom and detail, they can fill any size room more than Robin Williams’ personality, and top-notch sound will reach every distant corner. The bass was full and tight, but for some may be lacking in the very bottom end.
To starkly contrast the Heresys, we move to the Graduates. Surprising is an understatement in describing the size of the sound that comes from these little guys. A very articulate and 3-dimensional soundstage and bass that seems to be more bottomless than Andre the Giant’s beer stein. Thanks to Tang Bang’s monster magnet on the 4” driver, a pair of them could almost be the PA for a Justin Timberlake concert at the MGM Grand. Very fun to listen to. Downside #1 is that they really excel in the near field, with a top end that slightly trails off as you move away. #2 is that to get all that volume, they have a high crossover frequency which leads to a lack of “bite” on vocals and guitars, which some like, but not me.
The Polks prove (as if we need more proof in audio) that you get what you pay for. They are the cheapest, and despite having a wide frequency response, also sound the cheapest. They hit us with more solid bass than expected, but the mids were lacking and the top end was a bit crunchy, albeit very present (Putting on the grills helps alleviate this). Probably the most “American” sounding of the bunch. These are not for extended listening sessions. That being said, I have used these as the mains in a 5.1 with a solid Audyssey tuning that uses FIR filters and I’m quite pleased with the sound, considering the price tag.
Last, but not least, is the TriTrix. These are truly a great value (not the Walmart variety), deep bass, present and full mids, and a very smooth top end. I wasn’t missing anything! I love that these are a kit that anyone can buy (I would also love a KITT than anyone could buy). These make a great intro into building speakers and also into Hi-Fi sound. The was a low-mid ringing that popped up more than the other pairs; but, with a well-treated room I think you’d have a grand ol’ time. On some tracks the bass seems to lag behind the transients, but this is the nature of transmission line boxes. Overall very pleasing without an ounce of fatigue.
This was a very fun afternoon and can’t wait to do another round with some other speakers.
Post your questions in the comments!
