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Top monitors 3K - 6K range

Hello all,

I am looking into some flagship monitors and I'd like some help/recommendations. I don't have a single sound I like and my tastes in music are pretty diverse too. Currently I have a few nice speakers including Harbeth SHL-5, B&W 805N, Magnepan 1.6 and PSB Imagine B. These speakers are all pretty different and I do like them all. I have owned Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor M which somehow did not do it for me, amazing imaging but a little thick. Also I have had the Merlin TSM MMI which was great but my amplification is SS which seems to cause some restrictions.

My room is 12x16, speakers on the short wall. I do tend to like a slightly warm sounds but I also love dynamics, pinpoint imaging and sexy looking cabinets.

I am currently looking into:

B&W 805D
Totem Mani 2 Signature
Dynaudio C1
Focal Micro Be
Usher BE-718
Volent VL-2
Evolution MMMicroOne

Any recommendations? Am I missing anything?
128x128michaelkingdom
jmbatkh
103 posts
 
Selah Audio Tempestas. Easily better than those models on your list that I've heard (and owned), C1, VL-2, 805, Usher, and Totem. A friend owns Vapor Cirrus and he prefers my Tempestas to those too. I've not heard the MMMicro.
A great speaker by any standard.
jdoris
972 posts
 
Oh the one mentioned I've heard, I think the Evolution MMM, Selah Veritas, and Vapor Cirrus are all excellent. I'd ad Fritz's Carbon 7 to this list, at under 2k. I'd expect of these would play pretty well with SS amplification, and I'm betting with any of them, a bit of grunt would be helpful in your middle-sized room.

Cirrus may be the most impressive on this list, to many ears. It is also the priciest, but it competes with speakers that are a lot pricier.

I prefer all of the above to the Dyn C1, and also to the Totem monitor I've heard (can't remember name, but top of their range).

There are lots of good choices here, and no substitute for hearing them *in your room, with your kit*. I believe Selah and Fritz in particular will be very helpful on this.

John
michaelkingdom's avatar
michaelkingdom OP
153 posts
 
The rest of my system is pretty diverse. For amplification I have:

Bryston B60R
Exposure 2010S2
Outlaw RR2150
Behringer EP4000

I listen to digital audio, vinyl and radio. Jazz, female vocals, electronic, Caribbean.
bhobba's avatar
bhobba
303 posts
 
I haven't heard any of the speakers on your list but as far as mini monitors go I haven't heard anything to best the Lenehan ML1 Reference:
http://www.lenehanaudio.com.au/index.php/products/ml1-loudspeakers/ml1-specifications/ml1-reference-specifications.html

One thing I can tell you though is that the parts quality used in this speaker is well above that of any of the speakers you mention - each Duelund VSF Copper capacitor for example costs $500.00 each. No other manufacturer uses them - they are that pricey.

If you can wait a little bit Steromojo will be doing a review on them soon so you can see what they think.

Disclsimer:
I live close to the maker, often go there to listen to their stuff and own a lot of their equipment so I am probably biased.

Thanks
Bill
gsm18439
895 posts
 
I agree with Polk432 to add Lipinski L707 to your list. I would also add a pair of Celestion SL700s (esp the SE version) if you can find them.
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