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What are the best loudspeakers under $4000 to re-create lifelike piano

Over the past 4 months I've spent time with five loudspeakers.  On a scale of 1-10 I'd rate them as follows in their ability (with my equipment in my room) to recreate a lifelike piano.  Tekton Lore - 6.5 (great scale but tonal accuracy and clarity somewhat lacking),    Kef LS50 - 7.0 (moderate scale but slightly better clarity and tonal accuracy)  Kef R500 - 8.0  (great scale and very good clarity and tonal accuracy), Spatial Audio M3TurboS -8.1 (great scale and very good clarity and tonal accuracy and very smooth)  Magnepan 1.7i - 9.0 (very good scale with excellent clarity and tonal accuracy - very lifelike).

In your room with your equipment, what loudspeakers are you listening too and how would you rate them for their ability to recreate a lifelife piano and if possible a few comments as to why?
snapsc
whart's avatar
whart
3,050 posts
 
@snapsc- I would venture that if a system produces piano convincingly it ought to do most everything else well, given not only the range of the instrument, but the other demands placed on its reproduction-- dynamics, power, timing, harmonics, etc. 
When I listen for evaluation purposes (as opposed to enjoyment), I try to use a range of different material, almost none of which is "audiophile"-- I don't mean that in a pejorative way, just that I don't want records that are known sonic spectaculars to find the weak points- i want to hear what a system can do "on average" since much of what I listen to was never released in audiophile quality issues though some recordings are still pretty killer. (and some aren't). 
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 

@calvinj  Vienna acoustics

Taking another listen to the VA Liszts recently, I remarked that I had never heard the attack on the leading edge of the piano notes rendered in such a life-like fashion.  Of course, it will depend a good deal on the recording.

wolf_garcia
6,711 posts
 
Pianos recorded in different venues by different engineers sound different. Period. I find that the wider the range of my system (using a couple of subs) the more enjoyable pianos sound, but all are different (did I already say that?). I recently worked as the sound mixer for an Eldar show (a physical young piano genius with a hot little trio), and after setting up the 2 condenser mics I generally use for piano…lid open…he thought we should instead try a large diaphragm single condenser I had hovering over the drums, and stick it in the piano with the lid closed as much as we could close it…sounded great. A unique approach to get what the artist wanted and some EQ to keep the piano mic from low end feedback and there we went. Was it authentic? I heard Brad Mehldau at a hall near Harvard recently playing un-miked, and although the hall has decent acoustics as far as that goes, much of what he was doing was inaudible to much of the venue…authentic, musically brilliant, too quiet for that room. I had a great time anyway.
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bassdude
497 posts
 
russbutton105 posts

This is easy. Build the Linkwitz LX521 system. Easy to do for $4000 or less. And that includes amplification...

... Build the LX521 and have something equal to the big $60k systems you see here.


Agree completely - nothing noted above comes close - even the ones I previously suggested.  Didn't mention it, because I didn't think it was an option.  

Even the Linkwitz Orion's (which I have) would be better... but... it's hard to find those... and... didn't think the kit was an option.  
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