Looking for speaker recommendations


I am trading in my PMC Twenty5.26’s and looking for new speakers. My room is 15 ft. L x 12 ft. W with a 8 ft. ceiling. The speakers will be driven by Metaxas Solitaire monoblocks and a Devialet 200 pre-amp. Some speakers that I can get in my price range are:
B&W 804 D3
Legacy Audio Signature SE
Paradigm Persona F3
Vivid Audio B1
Joseph Audio Perspectives
Dynaudio Contour 60
Magico A3
I am looking for a greater soundstage and bottom end slam while maintaining the clarity of the PMC’s. I listened to the B&W’s and Paradigms and preferred the B&W’s. Not sure if any of the other speakers would be too much for my room or not? Any comments on these speakers would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

darrenmc
I've owned the Contour 60's, and drove them with good power (pass 250.8)

Good speaker, plenty of bass.  No sub needed in most rooms.  I did however find the soundstage small, good imaging and instrument placement, but smaller soundstage.  

Tried all sorts of things with my room, but never could solve it.  So, off they went.

I demo'd the Legacy's several times, I like the Focus SE a lot.  But I had a pair of OLD Ohm Walsh Pro 200's, beat to heck.  But there was something I always liked about them. (and they put out a lot of good bass for their size).

Took a bit of a flyer on some Ohm Walsh 5000's - I really, really like them.  HUGE soundstage, tons of bass if you want it.  But they are also adjustable with essentially a 4 band EQ.  Not a whole lot about the speaker makes sense.  But I really, really like them.  You want a room where you can take advantage of reflections with them which is a bit backwards thinking also.

They are very natural sounding, all of the detail is there.  If you like to listen loud, they do that really well without getting bright or compressing.  My room is very similar in size to yours.  (13x17 9 ft ceiling).  You could get by with a smaller one, but the adjustability is nice.

They respond very nicely to power also.

I found the Persona's in particular to be too bright and the 3's bass doesn't punch very well.  

That said, of the speakers you listed - the contour 60's and Legacy Signatures would be the first two I would look at if you like bass, not even a question.

Golden Ear Tritons, pick your flavor, they do bass well but are powered.

I like bass also, and while I have a nice sub, I prefer to not use it in 2 channel.  NON issue with my OHM 5000's.

"weaknesses" of the OHM's.

Funky design and look.  Solid but not a spectacular build quality.

Not the be all end all on top end resolution, they are good. (persona's do that resolution thing on every little sparkle well, as do the Joseph's)

Soundstage is huge, pretty deep.  Instruments are placed well, but aren't that absolute perfect placement in space.

One other speaker I would look at if I were you - the new Salk SS 9.5.  They will play deep and be very accurate bass.  I don't think they will energize a room quite like the Dyn's, Legacy, OHM's or GE's.



I am surprised someone mentioned the B&W's.  I listened to a pair of the 804's and still wondered where's the bass.  I would definitely stay away from the Focal Arias.  Even the 948 is weak in the bass extension.  The SALK Song3 Encore's priced at $6,000/pair are just incredible.  Jim Salk uses very expensive high quality drivers and his cabinet build quality is superb.  The Song3's get down to 24 Hz and you will not need a subwoofer.
I work for a B&W dealer, and don't care for them much.  We also sell the Golden Ear brand.  Their big speakers make big bass, but it is not as tight and tuneful as others.
For bass impact, a pair of JBL 4367 or M2.  I would urge you to ad these to your audition list.
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I would stay away from B&W speakers they can be very nice as beautiful furniture in the leaving room but are awful speakers, extremely unmusical : weak bass,bright mid and edgy highs .