Best versatile speakers?


Hello All...

I would like to hear your opinions regarding the best versatile 2 way monitor or 3 way small floor standers that will do justice to all types of music. My wife and I listen to all sonic types of music from Ute Lemperer / Mozart to 70's and 80's rock to 90's hardcore and some Hip Hop.

For this reason I have always stuck with the Paradigm Studios. They seem to handle everything well.

We are running a Space-Tech Tube Pre and a Nad 270 power amp
Sources are a Toshiba 3950 - DVD-A / Sony Sce-775 for SACD and using a Benchmark DAC-1 for redbook. We also have a MMF-5 Music Hall for vinyl. The room is small 13.5 long x 8.5 width and 9ft high.

Suggestions beyond the Paradigm Studios? The Signature line is too easy a leap. For the money we want to check out other options.
iggystooge
Cool. I wonder why there are not more active speakers out there? Paradigm made some great ones a few years back and no one wanted them until they stopped making them. Could you follow up when you get them? Enjoy.
price wise for a 2 way for sure the new green mountain callisto, for a small 3 way the green mountain calypso.
and for a statement loudspeaker, the green mountain
Continuum-3.
No joke please see the excellent review at 6moons online
magazine, on the Continuum -3 ,and next week the Callisto.
then go have a listen.
I have compared the green mountain callisto to several stand and floorstand models ,for overall musicality
it beat every big brand , check them out there.
and as a added bonus they make your recordings sound better
also . Why is that a true 1st order crossover that is
Time and Phase coherent, which very few are and 1st order are the only speakers truthfully that can be totally phase coherent .the drivers reach you at the same time ,
therefore , many of the so called bright cds are much more manageable.check out green mountain audio next week ,
they have a whiole new line and web coming out ,also review in 6moons online on the Callisto next wed.
I agree the Paradigm's are great versatile speakers - and here I break with tradition: I watch as many movies as I spend time listening to music. I have an integrated two channel screening room/listening room and find that metal cones are better for multi-source listening like vinyl or switching over to a DVD. In many ways I think they approach timbral accuracy better. Maybe it's because I like the sound of the inside of Sun Records or Detroit's "wall of sound", I dunno, but but the imaging and the speed says a lot, especially with tubes.

These are some of the reasons I have thought about upgrading to a pair of Joseph Audio's which have, after much waffling, won me over to their point of view with off-axis response and fourth order crossover arguements - partly screening room, partly being able to fill up the house with 20 watts of power (a bugalow) and fixed 6 ohm. However, the Paradigm's have very good off-axis response and excellent conservation for a third of the cost (it's the third over crossover in Paradigm's). Anyone should be happy owning a pair. I post these little tidbits for those new to speaker arguements so don't jump on me for being pedantic.

I have owned a pair of dutch paper cone speakers - from the early '80's - not the Vandersteen's that have become so popular. After a week of listening I was disappointed, but after a year and a half and a change to tubes, I do actually think the metal cone thing is a valid arguement. And my opinion went up quickly after break-in. I agree about paper (e.g. Proac's, etc.) being musical, but all around versatilty is not something paper has in abundance.
The Callisto's were simply jaw dropping good, I was amazed how they simply disapeared...no cabinet sound at all..simply awesome speakers....heard with tubes