Best Small Floorstanding Speaker under $2K

There are some superb alternatives in your price range - the best available in the approximate order would be:

1.  Pure Audio Project Open Baffle Speakers - Trio 15b (a bit above your price range, but sound as good as any speaker available no matter the price - currently available on USAudioMart).

2.  Linkwitz LXMini (if you don't mind a project and their unconventional look)

3.  Spatial Audio M4 or M3 Open Baffle Speakers

3.  Emminent Technology LFT-8b   

4.  Magnestand Magnepan MMG's (much better than stock Maggies -currently available on USAudioMart - I have the Magnestand 1.6's)

All of these are open baffle or dipole designs, which few, if any, box speakers can come close to matching.  

And... if... you can accept stand mount monitors as an alternative to floor standing speakers - you'll find the WaveTouch Audio Grand Teton's will sound as good, or better, than any of these, and rival the best speakers at any price - though they are a ported box speaker.  

Forget the "name brands," which can't match the sound of these speakers - though they may look much better, and be easier to sell.  But, if pristine sound is your primary criteria - any of the above will do very well.



 

Hey bassdude,
I've heard the Spatials and was impressed.  Can you comment on how they compare to the Pure Audio Projects?

To understand what I mean... get on your laptop with some ear buds (Apple will do fine)... and... search YouTube for soundtracks of these speakers and you will see quite clearly what I mean.  The speakers I note above will have far superior sound quality to almost anything else - except a few "high end" speakers (e.g. Legacy Aerius, Nola, GamuT, etc. - all dipole / open baffle hybrids).  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADmvtet6v6c

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUJS7nQVA6I

Use the Legacy Aerius, or Nola's as "benchmarks" - and compare those I noted above to those "benchmarks" - and you will have the proverbial "ah, ha" experience.  It will all become very clear to you - as clear and detailed as the sound of these speakers.  

Others such as the Ryans or Golden Ears are very good, especially in the mids, but they do not have the detailed, clarity and resolution of those I noted, or the "benchmarks" I site.  

Those I noted will provide the best overall sound (in all aspects - especially detailed resolution and imaging) for the money.  

The Pure Audio Project Speakers have greater detailed resolution and clarity.

As I note above - get on your PC with some ear buds and go to YouTube and find the various speakers and listen to them via your ear buds.

You’ll quickly see how the sound differs.

Start with the Legacy Aerius (though it may ruin you for anything less).

The ones that stand out for me (other than the benchmarks) are the: Pure Audio Project Open Baffles, and the WaveTouch Audio Grand Tetons, as well as the various Linkwitz designs (e.g. Orions, LX521s, and LXMinis)... with the others closely following. Their overall sound quality just exceeds so many other alternatives at many times their price.

Though... I should note... I prefer the detailed clarity and forward presentation of the speakers I cite. Some may prefer, more melow, smoother sound (which is not as realistic, but may be less stressful on their ears) - I’ve got to have it all... preferably for a "bargain price" without the markups of the "name brands."

And... in general... those with the AMT ribbon tweeters (e.g. Heil AMT, etc.) will present greater detailed resolution, but must be carefully integrated with the mids (because they're so much faster than other types of tweeters).  Though, the Pure Audio Project 15tbs do not use the AMT tweeters they still have superb detailed resolution (they offer several AMT tweeters as alternatives to the Tang Band drivers and you can upgrade them as you have funds to do so - simple DIY upgrades).  

If you can stretch the budget a grand, you may be able to score the set of Legacy Audio ClassicHD in Rosewood here on Agon.  Open, airy highs with the ribbon tweeter, and tight, powerful bass down to 32Hz.  I'd be tempted to snag them myself if I was in the market now.