So many choices what to buy?


I am coming to the end of my analysis paralysis and i have listened to many speakers. I have narrowed it down to a few with quite a price spread.
JM Lab's Mezzo Utopia's, B&W 802's, Thiel cs6 or 7.2's. Any advise?
Rich
richnus
I have Thiel CS6’s and drive them with a Krell FPB 200. The Thiels require lots of current. Krell amps have that BASS slam which is just what the CS 6's need to shine. The CS 6's need care in placement, 2'min from sidewalls and 4' to 5' from rear walls. They are very heavy and when spiked will scar a wooden floor. I recommend taking the Krell you have down to the dealer and audition all the speakers on your list. If you can have the dealer do a in home audition, so much the better. Speakers always sound different in the showroom. I hope I helped. As we say in Las Vegas, Good Luck!
Well Rich, I asume your only discussing 2 channel applications...but you didn't mention the room conciderations/placement/price points/or sytem matching components you may be concidering, or already have!!..which all makes a differnce.
If your chosing your speakers first, then good! This is the single most important element in the chain besides the room (which would need to be adressed, as you probably already know the room it's going in, right?) And, yes, ultimately you shouldn't expect to simply sit the speaker down in YOUR space and expect em to just sound great!...it'll take some tinkering and time...
Back to the speaker choices...
I think what needs to be said here, to properly fine point your choices for speakers, is what speaker is going to make sense with my setup choices and arangement! Will it work with your room/system/setup for best results for what I listen to, and expect from the system!
For instance, is it going to be played loud?...small room?...big room?...close to the walls?...out?...is your chair next to a close wall?...will it mate with the gear that makes sense for you as well?...etc...?
I think if you become more specific about your situation and needs/uses, some better recommendations (even between what you narrowed down) can be more specifically taylored to what you might want to concider!
However, if that's more than you want to hear, I personally would rule out the JM Labs stuff myself, as I find most of their stuff rather bright sounding! I do like the Thiel CS6's a lot for classical and such (but you'll need the strongest amp in the world to make em jump at all dynamically!) The B&W's, while not as refined, quite as detaild, and transparent as the Thiels in my experience with them, will give you more flexibility out of some of the B&W offerings.
You can Biamp the B&W's, which are much easier to drive and more punchy over all than the Thiels, with much less power and demand! If you Biamp the B&W's, you'll even get more drive and slam out of em, and with better perfomance all around if you do it right!
However, in the end, to be critical to critical to critical (you may not be...God bless ya), The B&W's aren't as refined and neutral/transparant and detailed as the Thiels, but they may be more fun!...depends on the listner/requirement...
...Let's hear more about your situation/system/needs
Audiogod2, thanks for your insight. Here's the details on my room.
I have a 16'x21' room with a fireplace on the short wall. Currently I have my speakers (Vandersteen 2Ce's) on either side with about 2' infront of the wall and 2' from the sides. My listening distance is about 18' from the speakers.
My electronics are a Krell KRC-HR with a KSA200S amp (200 wats per channel at 8 ohms. I was told I could arc weld with this baby).
I love all music so the desires change with the mood, Clasical, Pop, folk, rock, blues, jazz etc. so my speakers need to be able to cover the dynamic range of all the music moods I might find myself.
If can let me know your thoughts on this please do so I can make the selection.
As far as the Thiel's I have found that there are deals that will bring in the purchase at about 4800 for a pair, new. Seems hard to believe. do you think this is correct, or should I be very cautious of such a deal. The price certainly makes the speaker an attractive choice.
Please let me know.
Rich
Before you make up your mind have you looked at the Maggie 20s or the Sound Lab M1s?? You at least owe it to yourself to hear what a great dipole sounds like.
I would seriously recommend that you audition the Revel Studio's.
My choice came down to between the B&W 802's or the Revels.
I've been ecstatic with them for 6 months now.