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Floor-Standards to Monitors?

I am always tempted to try a good pair of monitors/bookshelf speakers mated with my two subs and see if I can equal or surpass a good pair of floor standing speakers ($15k to $30k) in my 20 x 16 (vaulted ceiling) treated room. The thought of being able to move and set up things without help is very appealing as I get older.  Also, with much of the price of floor standing speakers going into the large cabinet, I am thinking that that an equivalent, or better sound, less the low end should be achievable at “reasonable” prices.  With the application of DSP/room correction, does this eliminate the gap between most of these products? Once you get to a magic price point, are we just paying for company name, exotic materials that may or may not have an impact, and aesthetics?

There are so many monitors out there and the price range is staggering – I have named a few below. The magazines say they are all wonderful and clearly there is no place to hear them all. Where there are measurements, it differentiates them somewhat. I like dynamic resolving speakers (Magico/Vivid) and concerned about mid/bass impact between 80 Hz and 250 Hz when you crank them up where the subs do not help. I would also like a US presence and a company that builds more than 25 copies a year. What do you think? Can I get there? Is paying more than $5k just crazy for monitors? Does room correction level the playing field? Any thoughts or recommendations?

ELAC DEBUT 2.0 B6.2 and AS-61 – both sounded very good at AXPONA

ATC – Never heard them / multiple options

Kii – Great reviews out there but all seem to point to a small room

Revel –M126 Be

TAD – ME1 – sounded great in small room at AXPONA. Likely too small for my room and very expensive as you move up the line

Dynaudio – New Confidence 20 monitor coming out and Contour 20

Focal - Diablo Utopia Colour Evo (expensive) and Sopra 1

Dutch and Dutch – Not highly available in the US but supposed to be exceptional

B & W – 805 D3 – Would need a very treated room

Paradigm – Persona – I have found the entire line bright and lean on bass

Fritz - Carrera 7 Be- A small company but sounded excellent at AXPONA

KEF – A laid back.

Raidho – Expensive

Magico – Very Expensive and old Q design

Harbeth –Cabinet resonance built in - odd


128x128cdj123
ptss
1,964 posts
 
So cdj; how are the Revels superior to the Avalons? 
cdj123's avatar
cdj123 OP
57 posts
 

The Avalon’s are great speakers. At the time I bought them they were more affordable than they are today. Also, with the passing of time, the ceramic tweeter was a much older design, and did not reflect the diamond and/or the new Accuton Cell tech in many of the more modern speakers. I missed this more dynamic sound so decided to trade them. I am not sure how they would compare to Revels since I have never heard them in the same room. Also, at this point, I am truly considering monitors if I can get everything I want – no compromise.


prof
3,479 posts
 

I've had many floor standing speakers and monitors (and still do have both).  I always gravitate back to floor standing speakers as more satisfying, both for the fullness in frequency range, and for the size of the sound and the effortless quality.   But that said I haven't tried to pair the monitors with a sub (though I've heard many such pairings elsewhere, I've never found them coherent enough to satisfy).

Though I have some subs now I'm going to play with.

@soix,

We think alike!

I'm taken with Joseph Audio speakers at the moment and decided I'm aiming at the Perspectives over the Pulsars.  That's because they are more likely to satisfy without a sub, if I choose not to add one, but also because I'd expect adding a sub will elevate them even more (if I can get it right).


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