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Monitor speakers - choices to narrowed down to...

To facilitate family life I am being presses into moving my 2 channel gear into a small dedicated room that will end up being a less than ideal 12X12X8 which no doubt I will have to treat. My Maggie 1.5's may end up being sounding constrained in such a small space. The rest of the system is:
Modded 333ES sacd cdp
Rogue 66
Bryston 4B-ST
HT Pro 9 single wires

Based on budget I have come up with the following choices:
1. Silverline SR-15
2. Piega 2
3. Monitor Audio GR-10
4. ACI Sapphire
5. Proac Tablettes 2000
6. Totem model 1

Many of these cannot be listened to prior to purchase account factory direct or no local dealer. As low end bass has never been a big desire I don't feel the need for a sub.
I'm looking for musicality first above detail in hopes to minimize listener fatigue.

Any members here either have a similar system or can offer some "sound" advice as to creating a short list? Many thanks in advance for you input.
rgd
sc53
722 posts
 
Sticking to the B&W theme, I owned the Matrix 805's (predecessor to the Nautilus recommended above) for years without a sub and never noticed the lack of bass. They are often for sale used here for around $800. They are simply fabulous monitor speakers. Of the ones you listed, I like the ProAc's the best; I now own the Response 1SC's and they are also fantastic, but more money than the Matrix or the Nautilus or the Tablette's.
grandpad
151 posts
 
I recently setup Spendor S3/5s in a 14x16x9 study, where the speakers must be less than ideally place along a long wall. Rogue Tempest Magnum and Audio Aero Prima completed the sysem. Now I listen to this setup more than my main system.

Sorry I can't compare the Spendor's to any of the speakers on your list because I haven't heard them. But if you put a premium on musicality and low listener fatique, the Spendor "Classic" line is tough to been IMHO.

Check out Herb Reichert's review on enjoythemusic.com: "...I am getting old, I've been around the audio block a few times and I think this $900 (!!!) loudspeaker is going to end up as one of the small handful true audio classics. What it doesn't do is play loud or play bass notes below 70-80Hz. What it does do, which is deliver superbly transparent, extremely detailed, authentic sounding music playback -- it does better than any small speaker I have ever heard -- period! Yes. You heard me right. My use of the word "any" includes speakers like Wilson's "Watt", the ProAc Responses and Tablettes, the Sonus Faber Concertos ..."

Happy hunting!
lazarus28
339 posts
 
a used pair of linn tukans, if you're serious about musicality before detail and all of that. they're wonderful little monitors, and they put out a surprising amount of bass.
costrosk
101 posts
 
Just to be different (and because I think they are really great speakers) I'll recommend something already on your list - the SR-15s. I own the SR-17s and use them in a 13.6 x 13.6 x 8 bedroom. Silverline makes a wonderfully balanced speaker, it is forgiving of placement, and fairly efficient, to boot. I love mine.

chas
jeffloistarca
1,004 posts
 
My office is the same dimensions as your new listening room. I used a pair of Totem Rokk's for a while, nice speaker. I'm now using Proac Tablette 2000's with a Linn Classik and results are terrific. Good stands make a real difference regardless of which monitor you select, try to keep that in mind as you budget for your speaker acquisition.
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