Speakers for Rock - up to 1kusd


Hello everyone,
While I have been reading the forum for quite some time, this is my first post.

I have a modest audio set-up that I want to upgrade: Yamaha rxv 657, Infinity P253 and technics 1700 turntable. Just sold a Denon CD player that I need to replace too.

I want to start with the speakers. I listen exclusively rock music in a 4x7 square meter room.

Due to availability in my country, I wonder what would be the best speakers that 1 kusd could buy. My options are:

- BW 685 s2 (due to great reviews).
- Paradigm 20 
- Monitor Audio S6
- Dynaudio x14

Could consider/get Jamo 803 and Dali too.

I wish I could stretch to the Sonus Faber Venere 1.5.

What would be your recommendation, taking into account that most dealers do not have demos.

Thank you!



gustavos
I have Quad 57's for Baroque, but they are unsuitable for AC/DC at realistic SPL. Of course a speaker SHOULD be able to play all musics, just as it SHOULD be 100% transparent and uncolored.
Quad 57s do great on rock within their volume limitations. A lot depends on your room size and how lively the room is.

I find pinpoint imaging does not hurt rock at all. Check out King Crimson's 'Islands' LP; lots of things going on in that recording; the better your stereo the better it sounds! Black Sabboth's 'Paranoid' (white German Vertigo pressing) can bring many systems to their knees in a matter of seconds- and the recording is spectacular- the better your system the better it sounds! The best sounding Pink Floyd LP is actually a bootleg- entitled the Screaming Abadabs 'Rhapsody in Pink' which is a BBC recording of Pink Floyd performed in the BBC studio before a simple Decca stereo tree. Pinpoint imaging really helps as the recording has depth and dynamics just like the best classical recordings, and the better your stereo the better it sounds!

I think there must be an assumption that somehow rock is always poorly recorded and should be dreck played as loud as possible. This is really selling rock short, but that's the only explanation for why people must also think that there is a particular speaker or type of speaker that can do rock better. There isn't- that is a myth. The better your speaker, the better the rock will sound and there are many excellent rock recordings!

 
Exactly Ralph. I have tannoys and they do  very well with all kinds of music .   If I were the OP I would look for a vintage pair of tannoys and have boxes built right away or down the road 
Gustavos, Reading back, I see you really like the Paradigm.
Since your aren’t able to audition/buy the other speakers on you list, why keep banging your head? Just buy the Paradigm.
There will always be other speakers/amps/preamps/cables to buy. By getting the Paradigm, or any other speaker that you like, you will be able to get familiar with their sound and see if it is what you want.

I am sure that some of those speakers you want to listen to will become available to you in the future. Why wait? Enjoy what you can now, you can always change to another speaker later.