Best monitor for female vocals?

I was out of town and out of touch for a couple days - thanks for all the responses. Actually, I did get a chance to audition a pair of B&W 805s and Paradigm Signature 4s this week in Grand Rapids. My ears liked the 805s a lot better than the Paradigms. Set up both pairs of speakers in the exact same spot and about the same distance from the listening position as in my home. The most radical difference to me was the soundstage. Not saying the Paradigm might not have gotten better with position tweaking but as it was there was no contest. Also good was this demo room was not one of their high-end rooms so there was virtually no room treatment other than rug and leather furniture so it gave me a good "baseline" to work against.

Has anyone out there been able to do an A/B of the 805s vs. the Harbeth Super 5s? How would you describe the difference? It's VERY unlikely I'll ever get to hear them in the same room so it would be a big help to get your opinion.

I'll try to demo the Merlins as three of you have highly recommended them. Thanks for your input and have a great weekend. I plan on spending my fishing.

If you can live with their limitations, the old Quad (eg 57) is breathtaking.

Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors, Reference 3A, or Zu Tones. If you don't mind a floorstander that won't take up any more floor space than a monitor on good stands, then just make it easy and buy a new pair of Zu Druids and wait for them to break in.

Most subwoofers are tone-deaf and slow. With any of these, the Zu Method or Mini-Method sub is toneful, tuneful, accurate, and lightning-quick.

Phil

Merlin tsm mm !!

I agree with Bignerd -- the Spendors really are very difficult to beat in this regard. They have a knack for reproducing the whole voice in a way many other speakers can't quite seem to do.