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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
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knownothing
1,627 posts
 
Also, I had meant to weigh in on the suggestions for monitor speakers.  Of course smaller speakers will struggle to reproduce the scale that larger speakers can, but with many of these you can get within 90%, with potentially better spatial resolution and less cabinet coloration.  And integrating a very good sub can get you 102% of what you can get with most larger speakers alone. Right now I would look at these on Agon, many already recommended above:

Focal Electra 1007 Be
Monitor Audio Platinum PL 100
Harbeth 7es3
Harbeth 30.1
Harbeth Super HL5 Plus (stretch for these)
Audio Note AN-E SPE
Wilson Benesch Trinity
Dynaudio C1
Revel Ultima Gem

All of these can reproduce piano music convincingly.  The Dyanaidios look like they were in a car wreck but if operating to spec are a steal.

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,475 posts
 
Dynaudio monitors, set up well, are a very good choice for piano.

I run Dynaudio Contour 1.3mkII monitors in an adjacent smaller room to the room with the big OHM F5s. They are very competitive with the smaller OHM 100s I switch in and out with the Dynaudios in that room and especially good with dynamics and bass extension for their size. Esotar tweeter is a natural for crisp dynamic piano that you can feel as well as hear.
bondmanp
1,824 posts
 

YMMV, of course, but what mapman says about the Ohms I completely agree with.  They do a good job of telling you what is going on upstream, but they are not so ruthless that poor quality recordings become unlistenable.  I think Jonathan Valin of TAS would say the Ohms are "As You Like It" speakers.  Yet, I don't feel like I am missing any details.  And while the imaging may not be laser-cut, on good recordings, each performer occupies their own space within the sound stage. 


I also agree that the Ohms respond well to upstream improvements.  I have a pair of subwoofers that cost more than my 2000s.  My amplifier, which is in the middle of being upgraded, will have cost about what the speakers did, and my preamp cost significantly more than the 2000s.  Yet, I would not consider the Ohms the weak link in my system.  Not even close.

wolf_garcia
6,734 posts
 
I'll offer that ANY great speaker will "do" piano well. And it bears repeating how absolutely different piano tone on recordings appears, thus making "absolutes" like your face in the path of an open lid Steinway (if yer lucky) as compared to Monk in 1960. Or Gould…or "no sustain" Schiff.
2channel8
758 posts
 
Canton Vento 886 DC
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