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Shopping for speakers at $1500-$2000 is a chore.

I have been amazed at how many $1500-$2000 monitor speakers are out there. Just to name a few: the Wharfdale Jade 3's; KEF LS-50; KEF R-300; B&W CM-5S2 and CM-6S2; Focal Aria 906. and though NOT a monitor, Golden Ear Technology Model 7 small floorstander at $1500 a pair (which received raptured and orgasmic praise at CES 2013)

I have heard both KEF's , especially LS-50, but despite excellent sound staging and accuracy sound lean and at times lifeless The B&W were better, but the CM5S2 sounded lean and often edgy,However(the CM6S2 is very good to excellent, but also more expensive than the others)

The Wharfdale Jade 3 was the bane of one our members in a recent thread claiming they just did not sound right or what he expected.

However, the Choral Aria 906 monitor has often popped up in discussions, and as I mentioned to another member, they have received very good and solid reviews from generally reliable sources, However, the Focal 906, and the Golden Ear Technology model 7 are harder to find to audition.

So I would like to get some input from owners of either or possibly both speakers about which they preferred, and also the better sounding or most satisfying to listen to. I will greatly appreciate this feedback, as I seek out a dealer of either or both, but hopefully not in a city or state that requires air or train travel to reach.
sunnyjim
akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,323 posts
 
System synergy matters.... Big time.

There are a buzzillion pretenders and contenders out there, and this suggested price strata echoes this in spades

Whether a particular brand (or model within that brand) actually works in your system is an unavoidable journey (there is no finite quick fix or destination) of audition and comparison after doinzg your homework.

I wouldn't put any stock in anecdotal and heavily biased blind recommendations pushing their faves ....simply because it "works" in their unique system and listening environment is a nil assurance that it will work in yours .

The variables are huge and impossible to gauge by anybody other than you. Similarly, inserting $2K speakers into a cheap system won't save the day either.

There are la plethora of reviews online to sample what others have mated with their gear. Find yours that matches their experiences and use that milestrone as a good first step to thin out the herd.
uberdine
100 posts
 
Tekton Lores are well within your budget. I haven't heard them but they're considered by many to be a hands down winner at that price point.
kennesawjet
203 posts
 
I don't know your assoc equip but try to find one of these if you can. alon II'S or IV'S, psb status goldi's used if you can. you cant go wrong with any of them and you will pay right around $600- $800. new - the psb tower I think, and axiom t 80's are nice.
jrinkerptdnet
430 posts
 
try shopping in that price range for a USED CAR ... will make speaker shopping seem like a cool breeze on a warm summer day
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
Why a minimonitor in the first place? Throwing the Triton 7 into the mix is like saying you can't decide between a Mazda Miata and a Lincoln Town Car.

What are you trying to achieve? What's your room size, listening distance, musical tastes, etc. etc.? If you define what your room and listening position require, what your musical tastes are, and what's most important in musical reproduction (e.g., dynamics, frequency extension, transparency, dispersion pattern, clarity, inner detail, etc.), that will go a long way toward narrowing the field of contenders.

Unless your room is small and/or your listening position is close to the speakers, and/or you plan to add in a well-matched subwoofer, choosing a minimonitor could result in years of aggravation and tweaking, because two things minimonitors generally don't have are realistic bass extension and dynamic range, essentials for musical satisfaction that become increasingly important the longer you go without them.

That said, one standmount speaker series I've heard that delivers balanced bass, reasonably transparent midrange, smooth extended treble, and room-friendly dispersion is the Triton Aon series, whether the Aon 2 or Aon 3, depending on room size. They're even under your budget.
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