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need recommendations for standmount speakers

Hi guys.

I’m looking for new standmount speakers. Budget is up to 3k but can stretch if needed. 

My current setup in my small bedroom (about 3x3m size) is as follows:

Cambridge Audio cxn v2
Benchmark dac3b
Benchmark hpa4
Benchmark ahb2
B&W 606 on b&w stav 24 stands
Rel t7i

Music is from tidal/roon and I have done REW on this setup. Somehow feels like something is missing.. I can’t pinpoint what exactly, but perhaps lacking some weight in the mids..

I’ve tried the Buchardt S400 for a month before eventually returning them. Although very good speakers, I felt they lacked a bit of high end sparkle. I preferred the top end of the b&w.

Unfortunately, I can’t have the speakers more than 20 cm from the back wall. They’re about 5 feet apart.

Any recommendations for new speakers? I was considering the B&W 705 s2, Dynaudio Special 40 and Focal Aria 906. Home demo is pretty hard to arrange where I’m at.
128x128docroasty
nquery
103 posts
 
The speakers were about 10 cm away from back wall and in a small cove ie not much space to right and left of speakers. Speakers placed about 5 ft apart. Room was smaller than my own.

Were there any foam bungs in the rear ports? Surprised it didn't get all messy in the bass given those confines.
docroasty's avatar
docroasty OP
81 posts
 
I checked with the dealer yesterday; there were no foam bungs in place.

Went to audition the Focal Aria 906. They were connected to a Naim Uniti. Mids and bass were good, but occasionally sounded a bit muddy and congested when passages were complex. The highs sounded a bit too rolled off for my preferences. 

I went to the Kef dealer to try to audition the R3 but he was a bit of an ass and just didn't want to hook up the speakers, even though there was no one else in his shop and he was just playing on his phone. Asked me to come back over the weekend instead.. Whaaat? I'm trying to spend some money here and you don't even wanna get off your ass to hook up two speakers? I got annoyed and left.

Not sure if it was a loss to me as I just read a thread on avsforum where this guy did blind a/b test between kef r3 and ascend Sierra 2ex and the 2ex won.. 

Close to pulling trigger.. 
keoliphant
86 posts
 
I wold still give the KEFs an audition from the jackass. You don’t want to be wondering “what if” after you make your purchase.

 If you happen to prefer the KEFs, buy  them from someone else!
keoliphant
86 posts
 
PS, I'm a KEF guy. LS50's at home and REF 1's at the office. I've had both close to a rear wall and didn't think things got too muddy.
yyzsantabarbara
4,748 posts
 
Your amp and DAC are not warm at all. I owned both and was happy using them with KEF LS50, though a warmer speaker may have been even better. When I recently went to demo some Luxman amps they used some Harbeths and I thought the Harbeths would be good with the Benchmark. I found the Harbeth fun, not the type of speaker I am normally drawn too, but if I have extra rooms I would not mind having a pair.
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