JmLab Chorus 714S or Acoustic Energy Aegis EVO 3
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 19 Registered: Mar-06 | Another try. I posted a couple of day ago a question about Acoustic Energy Aegis 2 speakers, which I can get, a demo model, for 179 euro per speaker ($400 a pair) at my local Hifi shop. No one responded, fair enough, I do not respond easily on speaker questions too  Now, the choice is changed a little. I can get a good deal at Ebay's, (Stassen Hifi, a respected audio dealer): Acoustic Energy Aegis Evo 3 speakers (floorstanders) for 550 euro a pair ($600), these speakers aren't sold at my local hifi shop and there aren't any dealers close to my home who do, so the only way of finding out how these speakers will perform is by just buying them and let them ship to my house. For the same price I can get JmLab Chorus 714s speakers which are sold at my local hifishop. I heard great things about both the JmLab's and Acoustic Energy's I mentioned. I will pair these with a Marantz PM7200 amp. Both speakers are pretty sensitive (8 Ohm, 90 db) so my Marantz is likely to drive them with ease. I listen an equal amount of time to classical music and pop/rock, so allround abilities are very welcom. I am however a little worried about JmLab's metal dome tweeter, some have described it as a bit aggressive, shouting at times. (I have auditioned the Chorus 706s and didn't find the treble performance that aggressive) Acoustic Energy's tweeter is a textile one and from what I've read it is somewhat rounded, which sounds ok to me. Any opinions and advice about the speakers qualities, paired with a budget Marantz amp will be apreciated |
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Gold Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 1027 Registered: Dec-03 | Nout: I understand your dilemma, as you are unable to audition the speakers before you buy. All I can do is give you my impressions of the two speakers, which I have heard, and then you can determine which one will suit you better. I heard the Chorus speakers at a local dealer (who abuptly closed down a year ago so it has been about 14 months since I heard them) who drove them with an NAD amp. I think a lot of the comments about how aggressive jmLabs tweeters are come as a result of their higher Cobalt line, which I find to be a little overly detailed and somewhat aggressive. The Chorus speakers are not as detailed and not nearly as aggressive sounding. That is not to say they are not a good speaker--I think they are. They simply are not as bright as the Cobalts are. The Chorus speakers are very smooth through the midrange, well developed in the bass, and a nice, smooth high end. They provide an excellent soundstage image left to right and good depth. All in all, I think they are a very nice speaker. The AEs are fairly similar, although they are a tad rolled off on the top end--a traditional "British sound" speaker to my ears. As I recall the AE Twos are a smaller speaker than the Chorus, only a two way, rather than the 2 1/2 way speaker like the chorus. Nevertheless, the bass was very nice and very well defined, and the mid range was silky smooth. Also develops a very nice soundstage image. I heard this speaker driven by a Marantz amp. Both speakers are a good choice, IMO. I would lean toward the Chorus for myself, but I have a larger room that is a little dead sounding (no reflective surfaces, deep pile carpeting, etc.). In a livelier room (such as my listening room in my flat in San Franscisco, which was small with hardwood floors), I might opt for the AEs. The AEs are a bit warmer sounding, but with a Marantz amp, I don't think you will miss any warmth with the Chorus, either. I hope this helps. Good luck! |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 20 Registered: Mar-06 | Hi Hawk, Thanks for the reply. Well I'm not sure if your answer will make it easier for me or just harder Both seem to be really good and similar in character, the AE somewhat more laidback and mellow. My listening room is pretty small, 4X4 metres. How flexible is the jmLab Chorus you reckon? Is it difficult to position? does it need much space to really shine? Would the AE therefore be a better choice, concerning the small space? But since I enjoy pop and rock as much as classical the jmLab could be a better choice, interpreting your comment about AE's 'British sound', maybe my Marantz needs a more lively speaker than AE's EVO 3 What's your idea about this? Anyway, I will audition the Chorus 714S as soon as possible, Ebay's AE EVO 3 deal will end in 2 days already...and when it has ended it will definitely narrow the choice down to only one speaker: JmLab Chorus 714S  |
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Gold Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 1030 Registered: Dec-03 | When I said I had a small listening room in my flat in SF, I meant it was 9 feet x 11 feet (your 4m x 4m would be almost 50% larger). It was really small! Yeah, given the Marantz amp, I think I would be inclined to go with the Chorus. |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 21 Registered: Mar-06 | Thanks again. JmLab Chorus it probably will be. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 1831 Registered: Sep-04 | I would go for the Chorus on the basis that the Chorus has a more controlled bass than the EVO3. Given that your room is 4m square, bass is the real issue and the EVO3 is a big sounding speaker already. I also think the treble on the Focals is better than that of the EVO3. Focal have a way of getting away with metal domes most of the time. FYI, the Chorus 'S' range has just been replaced by the new Chorus 'V' range. The 714V is a wonderful speaker but it is more money obviously. I believe the AE speakers are also being replaced, just not sure when. Incidentally, the price seems a bit high for EVO3s. Over here they were retailing for £100 less last year (about £270 or 400 euros). Regards, Frank. |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 22 Registered: Mar-06 | Frank, Thanks for the reply. Well I didn't go for the Chorus in the end. (If I had read your post sooner I maybe would've chosen the Chorus...) I followed my 'intuition' (which is pretty good most of the times) and ordered the EVO 3's, which are a bit smaller (depth-wise) and concerning the odd shaped room I have will be more easily positioned. Yes I'm aware the price is pretty high for the EVO's compared to the prices in the UK, but here in the Netherlands they aren't sold anywhere (if they are available at all) for less than $800 a pair, so $600 is a pretty good deal in my book. Anyway, I don't think either of those speakers will disappoint, I'm upgrading 10 year old B&W 201i speakers, which were sold then for $150 a pair. Thanks again. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 5271 Registered: Dec-04 | Nout, you will love the EVO's, no doubt. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 1842 Registered: Sep-04 | Nout, The EVO3 is a very good speaker. It is very involving, with good midrange, deep bass and fair treble. I think you may have to pull it away from the wall or use the port bungs to control the bass, but overall I hope you'll enjoy it. Let us know how you get on. Regards, Frank. |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 23 Registered: Mar-06 | Thanks for the support. Yes I'm aware of the possible problems in controlling the bass, but my cd player (Marantz cd 5000) has a pretty lean, tight and dry bass to begin with (in fact this was the biggest complaint in most reviews I read) True my Marantz PM7200 amp compensates this very well or you could say my cd player compensates the rather beefy and loose bass of the PM7200...it's a matter of how you look at it. So a bit more (uncontrolled) bass I don't mind and a slightly coloration of the low midds can be very pleasing most of the times...if not I will find a way to solve this 'problem', the minimum 50-70 cm speaker positioning of the rear wall is possible, I have to move some stuff out of the way, big deal! I will keep you informed. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 5451 Registered: Dec-04 | Thanks, Nout. It truly is easier to control a lot of bass than to recreate it superficially. Nice speakers! |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 28 Registered: Mar-06 | The AE EVO 3's have arrived! I knew they were coming today, but talk about bad timing: I was lying sick in bed, a terrible headache coupled with nausea. Anyway, these "small floorstanders" are HUGE...well they take less room than a bookshelve speaker on a standmount, but nevertheless the fact that the length doesn't stop at 30 cm but goes all the way through to 90 cm makes them pretty impressive. I immediately connected them, impatient, cursing when going on my knees, the headache was pouncing, and the wires wouldn't fit smoothly... First immpressions. Right out of the box they sound already much smoother than my little B&W's No treble sting: Jay Farrar singing: "Clean the slate" on Uncle Tupelo's "Anodyne" was without the obvious ssss (which was there on any other speaker I listened to) The bass is still somewhat undefined but not boomy at all, in fact much tighter already than that of my B&W's Not much of a soundstage yet, though not bad either. Well there isn't much left I can tell about them now, I'm off to bed again...boy do I hate headaches! |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 5455 Registered: Dec-04 | Take the good with the bad, Nout. New speakers, but you feel like a sack of litter. You will get better, so will the EVO's with some run in! Congrats! |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 31 Registered: Mar-06 | Thanks Nuck, Well they might not be run in yet, but they already sound way better than my old B&W 201i's Laid-back is how most describe AE's sound (though I never read a review of the EVO 3's), well I beg to differ, not in the face that's true, but by no means restrained or opaque. My old B&W's are very upfront in the high midds, easily creating lots of excitement, but pretty artificial at the same time, the EVO's are more natural and less 'nervous' sounding. The bass, when playing Ryan Adam's "Let it ride" is less boomy than with any bookshelve speaker I played this song before (Dynaudio 42, JMLab Chorus 706s, B&W 600) and that's surprising to me, because the EVO's actually are a little too big for my room. But the delivery of the music is so much easier than with smaller bookshelve speakers I auditioned, more fluid and with more headroom...and they play really loud without hardening the sound. I haven't yet placed them on the spiked platforms which were included with the speakers, nor have I filled the bottom with dry sand yet...I wonder if I ever will. I love them already!! |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 32 Registered: Mar-06 | The sound is improving by the minute (yes I'm going to write a lot of clichés), is opening up and the soundstage has suddenly appeared. It's not my imagination or just a "getting used to the sound" which might easily be the case with amps and cd players, there the improvements in time are more subtle. I played Mozart's "Et incarnatus est" from his Great Mass in C, a recording by Wiliam Christie, the solo lovely sung by Patricia Petibon (though the tempi are a bit too quick, but never mind this) It's a good piece to test the speakers, because her voice, though positioned in the middle of the stereo image, is going everywhere in crescendos, especially to the right channel. (possibly my cd player's fault) My previous speakers only gave a slight hint of the positioning in the middle, the right speaker constantly claimed attention. The EVO's only two times claimed their attention, the rest of the piece only the music existed. I am sure my cd player is the weakest link right now, it has trouble to control high pitched vocals, especially with classical music, but so far the EVO's don't seem to mind. Well these speakers are going to make me happy for years and years. I have lived with my old B&W's for 10 years without thinking of upgrading, I probably will live longer with the EVO's. |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 33 Registered: Mar-06 | I love the bass. I adore the midrange. My analogue years have returned when I was playing records and and (poorly) recorded tapes. The bass finally sounds mellow, though pretty tight. Every speaker I had auditioned, small speakers that is, had a very good controlled and fast bass, but always rather 'hard' and 'dry' sounding which was "boomy" to my ears - reminiscent of local live concerts by rockbands with a poor PA (where I possibly damaged my left ear, because since then I am more sensitive for harsh sounds) The EVO's bass is rounder, possibly not fast and tight enough for die-hard rockfans, and very likely not as real as a live performance, but I love it. I did some experiments with the bass ports on the back. When I move the speakers a bit too close to the wall the bass can become too much of a good thing with a few recordings, but with a tiny cloth inside the port I can adjust the amount of bass very subtly and far more accurately than with the amp's bass tone control, which removes some of the midtones' warmth with it. |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 37 Registered: Mar-06 | Well to end this (cause it's not everyone's interest - if I really want to go on I may well start a web log ) I just wanted to say a couple of thing of the so called break-in period. It could easily be my ears adjusting to the sound, I don't know. Technically there isn't any proof...well break-in does exist but only for less than a second, not the 20 up to 50 hours people describe. And from what I've read that second is more likely to influence the sound negatively than postitively... But enough for this. A good day to you all. |
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Bronze Member Username: Jingka99Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Post Number: 86 Registered: Aug-06 | Nout, How is the EVO going? I am also looking into this EVO 3 and I might get a good deal on it but I learned that the EVO is locally made here in Malaysia, Is the one you have made in UK? Thanks in advance. arnold |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 65 Registered: Mar-06 | Hi Arnold, The EVO's are doing very well. I like the sound very much. If you like you can read my review (there's only 1 review, mine) at Audioreview.com. A warning though: it's a pretty poor review, I had to edit it numerous times, leaving much out of it, because I crossed the limit of 8000 characters in the summary numerous times... And you will read the usual boring stuff: soundstage, treble blahdieblah. I wanted to give them 5 stars, but since I haven't heard that many speakers at all it wouldn't be fair...still I can recommend them wholeheartedly. I am not sure where mine are made It says designed and engineerd by Acoustic Energy in the UK, but the actual "putting parts together" is probably done in Malaysia. Manufacturing in the UK will be costlier (higher wages) than in Malaysia. |
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Bronze Member Username: NoutPost Number: 66 Registered: Mar-06 | Here's the link: http://www.audioreview.com/PRD_343133_1594crx.aspx |
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