Any comments on Monitor Audio Silver 8i speakers?

[audio]

I have a pair of Monitor Audio Silver 8i speakers. I've found them to be a bit harsh, though they are very detailed and the bass is tight. I've been considering selling them to find a pair of B&W CDM7 SEs on the used market. I've heard though, that B&Ws can be a bit mushy in the bass department and I like the lower frequencies to be defined and punchy. Any advice?

[Gary]

I had a set of MIT interconnects for a week (demo) and I found them a bit harsh.

I have not heard any Monitor Audio speakers and I can't really comment but have you tried alternate pairs of interconnects? On loan, of course?

[Jetsons]

Hi, prix:

I can't comment directly on the 8is but owned the Silver 5i for approximately 7 months. I also found the gold metal tweeter on the 5is to be harsh and quite fatiguing after several months of ownership. I tried different cables, adding room treatments, repositioning the darn things, mass loading and isolation tweaks but no dice. That's just their nature.

The best thing to do is to audition as many speakers as possible. My preference is speakers with soft dome tweeters which if well executed, can provide the detail of the metal domes but smoother in their presentation.

Jet

[audio]

Originally posted by Gary
I had a set of MIT interconnects for a week (demo) and I found them a bit harsh.

I have not heard any Monitor Audio speakers and I can't really comment but have you tried alternate pairs of interconnects? On loan, of course?

Well if you believe that "break in" *****, you probably didn't "break them in" long enough. The most common complaint I've heard about MIT cables is that they are "warm". BTW, what the **** is a Nauga?

[audio]

Originally posted by Jetsons
Hi, prix:

I can't comment directly on the 8is but owned the Silver 5i for approximately 7 months. I also found the gold metal tweeter on the 5is to be harsh and quite fatiguing after several months of ownership. I tried different cables, adding room treatments, repositioning the darn things, mass loading and isolation tweaks but no dice. That's just their nature.

The best thing to do is to audition as many speakers as possible. My preference is speakers with soft dome tweeters which if well executed, can provide the detail of the metal domes but smoother in their presentation.

Jet

Yeah, sounds just like my experience with the MAs. What about Meadowlarks? Have you heard the Kestrel?

[Jetsons]

prix,

Yes I have but it has been at least three years since I've auditioned the Kestrel. If it helps ,I found them to be fine overall speakers but perhaps just not dynamic enough to captivate my interest. As I recall, their presentation was on the polite side of neutral which a lot of folks seem to enjoy. I believe the front end was an Arcam integrated and Arcam CDP.

The Meadowlarks are certainly speakers to audition plus everything else you can reasonably get your hands on. IMHO, finding the "right" speaker is lots of fun but it is also part art and as a result, just takes time & a little patience.

Jet

[Gary]

Originally posted by prix
Well if you believe that "break in" ****, you probably didn't "break them in" long enough. The most common complaint I've heard about MIT cables is that they are "warm". BTW, what the **** is a Nauga?

Well, these MITs were used so they should have been "plenty broken in". On the other hand, they were on the low end side of the scale (I think).

Warm? I got the toally opposite impression! Weird!

This is a Nauga: :nauga:

Warm hearted, fur free, cute-as-a-button, wonderful little creatures! I can't say enough good things about them! :thumbsup: Inedible, too. Honest.

Check some poor misguided forum members here:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12431

Gary

(PS: It's really a 'forum joke' around here. Just a little weirdness for some fun. Click on "Get More" in the "Smilies" box to the left to find them. Notice that I said that it was a forum joke, not that I was a joke.... :eek: )

:D

[audio]

Originally posted by Jetsons
prix,

Yes I have but it has been at least three years since I've auditioned the Kestrel. If it helps ,I found them to be fine overall speakers but perhaps just not dynamic enough to captivate my interest. As I recall, their presentation was on the polite side of neutral which a lot of folks seem to enjoy. I believe the front end was an Arcam integrated and Arcam CDP.

The Meadowlarks are certainly speakers to audition plus everything else you can reasonably get your hands on. IMHO, finding the "right" speaker is lots of fun but it is also part art and as a result, just takes time & a little patience.

Jet

What about the B&W CDM series?? I don't really get the chance to audition many speakers where I live. It's kind of like a shot in the dark/order them online type of thing.

[SamS]

The B&W CDM are all very nice. The CDM9NT's can compete with speakers costing much more IMO.

I don't think you'll be able to find any dealers offering B&W for sale online. Best to check out from a dealer.