Can a monitor sound like a floorstander??


Don't know if I should put on a flame suit before I ask such a question..but is there? Classical music is my preference and I'm currently using Focus Audio FS688 monitors- they're very good at what they do--obviously better for chamber music than orchestral. I've heard that the Harbeth monitor 40's are great, but they are about the size of a floorstader. Can one get full sounding classical music through a speaker like Sonus Faber Guarneri, Dynaudio C1, or is a floorstander really the only way to go with classical music. I can really only bring my speakers out @ 3feet from the wall. My equipment is:
Ayre V-5xe
BAT VK51-SE
Ayre C-5xe
Running Springs Jaco power conditioner

Thank for your help and suggestions!


classical1
Provided you have a stout amp to drive them, the Totem Mani 2s can get quite close to floorstander performance if you close your eyes and listen, at least that's what I heard a few years ago in a shop in Montreal. They were driven by a cj solid state amp.
There are huge trade offs between good floor standers and good monitors. Many of the attributes of monitors are not available is three way, or multi driver floor standing speakers. Deep bass requires sacrifices in other areas, or spending a LOT of money.
Since you listen to classical (as I -- I also judge equip by it), and to paraphrase Nrchy you need a LOT of money (fullstop) to get the full orchestral spectrum fm one pair of spkrs.
Alternatively, you can biamp using two pairs: the monitors & subwoofs.
Of the spkrs you mention I only know the Guarneri; they play fine -- but the sound benefits when they're partnered with a subwoof, preferably two. I.e., you hear cellos rather than suspect cellos.
The SF Extrema are better, btw.
If you don't need to go absolutely to the very rock bottom on the bass, then I'd check out the Intuitive Design Summit PSL 624. I owned Paradigm Studio 100 V 3's before that (for about a year), which are floorstanders. I think the Summits have better bass than those did, and that's quite respectable. Their bass rolls off around 40 hertz, and that's very similar to all but the largest floorstanders. If you really, absolutely MUST have a totally full range system, which is what I insisted upon for myself, then adding a sub-bass unit is a consideration. The best one of those I've heard is the one I own, a Rel Storm 3.

At any rate, I've posted an extremely detailed review about the Summits, complete with photos, just a couple days ago. It's under "Loudspeakers" in the "Product Reviews" category. These are fabulous for ALL program material, including classical, as I describe in the review.

The shortest answer is that these go very, very low by themselves, especially for a monitor, and yet the midrange doesn't suffer at all. Getting the best bass out of these does require a good amp with lots of current, but that's really true of just about ALL speakers, except PERHAPS the ones with extremely high efficiency.
Monitors can sound as good or better than floorstanders, but you have to buy really good stands to get the most from monitors. I use Focus stands in my office system and they are awesome, strongly suggest you get a pair.