I have been doing a lot of research and thought I might as well see if I can get some direct answers.
I am looking for a speaker with some sweetness (a little) and texture and is very involving in the sound signature. As in musical - not analytical or neutral/dry. Also timbre accurate bass. Without the "one note" bass.
I also put I high value on a large 3d soundstage (it is more involving to me). As well as dynamics. Placement should not be a HUGE concern. (I want to be able to get comfortable and not loose the sweet spot if I move a few inches)
Bonus points go to those who would match other components to it that would help achieve the sound I am looking for.
I want something that can convey the emotional content and musical/harmonic content of the music.
I'd say Vandersteen, but you're going to have to work on placement to get the best 3D presentation as I suspect you would with most speakers. As Maineiac implies, you might have to be flexible on at least one attribute to get everything you're looking for sonically. Best of luck.
You might want to consider the "10/10" pair of Sonus Faber Concerto Domus currently for sale on the Gon. I have heard a pair of these and believe they nicely fit your criteria. They are a very good deal at the seller's asking price. And no, I am not the seller, nor do I know the seller!
Three come quickly to mind - all different, one to the next - but any of which might do the trick.
The aforementioned Vandy 2. The Emminent Tech planar hybrid. The Ohm 1000.
Were I to hazzard a guess, I suspect that the Ohms will be the preferred choice, given your stated criteria. Striking imaging (they're omnidirectional) and the tightest bass of this bunch. However, both of the other choices have their merits as well and it wouldn't surprise me if you had a different choice as your favorite.
I also would suggest the Vandy's, 2ce Sig can be had for that price.
For what you want, I would avoid Maggies, they will need an expensive amp to get what you want out of them.
I would also consider some Paradigm Reference Monitors, the S4, that's a world class speaker, that fills your bill, and can put out some serious SPL's.
Read reviews of Hyperion HPS-938. Used one runs about $2k. Be sure it was build later than 2004 since they improved bracing. Their website: www.hyperionsound.com Somebody is currently selling on Audiogon for $1900 but you need to ask year. Not too many speakers within $10k can touch it. Very musical and relaxed but also very detailed with incredible midrange and soundstage. Not the best speaker for rock or metal because of this relaxed sound. It also has big dynamics - I know that combination of dynamics and relaxation sounds strange but it is possible.
Everything you named just screams Fritz Carbon 7's to me. They are on the warm side with an incredibly rich and lush sound. Many speakers I've heard that are warm, sacrifice detail in the process. Not the Carbon 7's though, it retains all the details, yet sounds so honey sweet.
I've had many many speakers and the Carbon 7's easily take the cake for best musical monitors that I've ever heard, under $4K. The scan-speak tweeter and woofer combo Fritz uses in the Carbon 7's are a proven success, over and over again. With Fritz's personal series crossover, it sounds mind blowing to me.
I think it's also important to say that I have absolutely no affiliation with Fritz. I'm simply an extremely satisfied customer that genuinely want more people to be exposed to this gem.
If anything, go to www.fritzspeakers.com and give him a call, his number is listed at the bottom. He is a very friendly person to talk to, truly loves speakers. I'm sure you guys can be able to work out an in-home demo. Again, I believe his Carbon 7 monitor represents one of the best values on the market today. Don't miss out! They only sell for $1750 which is incredibly cheap for the performance you get.
I forgot to also mention, if you do a search on Audiogon, you'll find some very satisfied and loyal Carbon 7 owners.
Also, there is a more "professional" review on www.sonicflare.com , please take the time to check it out! I think Sean describes the Carbon 7's quite accurately, and they sound right up your alley.
They're just that good, I've heard many, many speakers (including Ohm and Vandersteens as mentioned above) and none I've felt so passionately about except the Carbon 7's. But I understand your point, maybe I am being a bit overzealous.
Honestly, everyone is just out here recommending their favorites, I'm just following their steps. And unless you've heard the Carbon 7's, you really can't say I'm out of line. They fit EXACTLY what the OP is looking for.
Incredibly dynamic and easy to place. Awesome midrange, detailed but never fatiguing treble, and bass clean and articulate down to 35 Hz. And because they are easy to place, you can play with them close to a wall and get better bass response without losing anything. Great value for the money. I have a review here on Audiogon - my best electronics with the monitors was the Rowland Concentra integrated amplifier.
A note on "dynamic." You state it as one of your goals. Some see "dynamic" as ability to play loudly and softly with equal ability. That's not far off, especially for electronics, but for speakers I would add the ability to not break up. Many speakers can play softly and get louder, but drive them too hard and they lose it. The Tyler's do not lose it. In my opinion this is a very oft-unmentioned quality when people describe loudspeakers and a very important one.
Well, I thought I listed my post subject as the Tyler Linbrook monitors, but it does not show as far as I can tell at this point. Anyway, that's what I was talking about...
I strongly second Martykl's suggestions, particularly the Ohm Walsh 1000, assuming your room isn't too big, and you have a decent amount of power for them. They are sold direct with a 120-day return option.
Well, based on the dealerships in Florida, I headed down to South Florida this week and took a listen to some Harbeth speakers, they were being driven by a $3k amp (music fidelity?). The Harbeth seemed to do almost everything I wanted so I loaded a pair of the P3ESR in my car and went home.
I wish I had some better dealers around here, I REALLY REALLY want to try some Hyperion speakers and Vandersteen/Ohm just to diversify my speaker experiences though I am fairly certain with good amplification and source these Harbeth speakers can SING!.
Thank you everyone! Sam Lucas
I am now looking for amplification/source. I would choose the lfd but I feel the need for a high-pass filter and a sub-woofer for these little gems.
I had to eliminate Hyperion due to the lack of a convenient dealer myself. If you compare the Hyperion to either Ohms or Vandersteens, please post your impressions. TIA.
"TIA" = Transient Ischemic Attack? You having a brain fart?
Not sure which Hyperion model you are talking about, but I have had the 938s. I prefer them even to the Vandy 5s. The 938s are more transparent, sound livelier, and have better soundstage/imaging IME. Bass is much more room dependent so really can give you a good comparison. Haven't heard the Ohms so can't comment.
heard the hyperions - really enjoyed them ended up purchasing eminent tech Speakers not the best macro dynamics but incredibly nuanced and transparent while still been sweet and not dry.
Alright, not to dig up an old thread but I am hoping to get responses from this same group of people. The budget is the same, this time my criteria is a little modified.
1)Tone/Timbre - This is my thing. I would be looking for speakers that would display the timbre of instruments and voices the best. I mean pretty much flawless. Detail should be put towards the timbre cues I don't need ultra mega detail just tone and detail that solidifies the timbre letting me identify sounds and make them sound lifelike. Various instruments have their own individual timbres and noises I want each to sound distinct.
2)Dynamics - Micro dynamics - what gives an instrument or voice it's expression is what matters most this includes pace- big swings come secondary but the sound should not be extremely compressed and nasty as to sound like a blob (a little weakness in this area is forgivable).
3)Instruments should have their own sound space a separate halo of sound. I don't need a cavernous soundstage; width and depth are not all that important. Instruments need individual weight.
I have learned a lot in this iteration of my system and I have a very good feeling about this next one. The sweet spot is no longer a big deal - "head in a vice" is a negative though. I also do not mind fiddling with placement. I also would like to work with a dealer or have an inkling of a brand loyalty out of it. I just want to find something that will do it for me and synergy is a HUGE deal for getting what you want. Dealers AND brands that voice their components for synergy appeal to me.
Also a slightly laid back to a bit of a more forward sound is what I am looking for and recessed mids are a no.
Thanks, Sam
Hyperion is a little homogenizing and sweet in their sound. I am sure many love them - they remind me of a darker Harbeth.
at US2000 budget, personally the speaker that fits that perfect are the new harbeth p3esrs. Unless your room is huge, these speakers are just seductive & pure musical bliss. I hope you can get to audition them side by side with some of your speaker candidates. YMMV.
Sam: Although Ohm Acoustics sells direct, and therefore cannot address the system synergy aspect of your search directly, Ohm does offer a 120-day in-home trial. If you return them, you are out the round-trip shipping. I own the Ohm Walsh 2000s, and there is a full review posted in the member reviews section of this site. One quality of Ohm Walsh speakers that I like is that, except for some bass extension and output capability, all the models have the same sonics. You just match the cubic footage of your room to the right model. Here's why I would suggest the Ohm Walsh 1000, provided your cubic footage is within the range specified on Ohm's web site:
1. The truth in timbre my Walsh 2000s present is stunning. Instruments sound like real instruments in real space, including the human voice (source material allowing, of course). More than any other aspect of this speaker, the timbre reproduction is what keeps me anxious to listen.
2. Dynamics are good, perhaps macro dynamics aren't the 2000's strongest suit, but they can startle me when a good recording's dynamics allow it. Micro dynamics, I think, are very good. I think a lot of this is dependent on associated gear. The 2000s can play extremely loud in my room without becoming harsh, compressed or distorting. A huge improvement in this regard from my previous speakers (Vandersteen 1C). This is another area of importance to me as well.
3. The ability of my 2000s to place instruments in different locations in the soudstage was a surprise for me. I expected a quasi-omni design like the Walshes to have a more vague way of imaging. Not so. Performers are solidly anchored to their spots on stage (again, the sourse material permitting).
These speakers really reproduce what's on the record. The more beautiful the recording, the more beautiful my Ohms sound. Perhaps the only area you may find less than satisfying for you is the degree to which the sound is "forward." Although a preamp upgrade (see my system link) has definitly moved the soundstage forward a bit, this is not a midrange-centric speaker. It is pretty neutral, and if anything, a little polite on top. Not to say it lacks detail. On the contrary, it has excellent detail retrieval. But the little details are just that - little, not in your face. I find this kind of presentation highly listenable for long periods, and that is rare in this price range, IME.
I kow you want to work with a dealer, but nothing I've heard in the $2K price range can beat it. IMHO, YMMV.
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