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$5k Pair Full Range Speaker Shootout - Help me pick

Hi Guys,

Around the holidays I will be purchasing a pair of (roughly) $5k/pair full range stereo speakers for use in a 2-channel only system. My current JBL Synthesis HDI-1600’s will be accompanied by the matching HDI-4500 Center Speaker and likely an Arcam AVR30 and used exclusively for Home Theater use.


Here’s what I’m currently considering for the 2-Ch speakers. If you all could relay any experiences or impressions you’ve had with these specific speakers, or speakers in their range, it would surely help me make the right choice. I know a lot of people say "I listen to all genre’s", but I truly do have an enormous digital music collection that spans all genre’s. Everything from current EDM and Pop to High Res Classical, Audiophile tester type selections, every one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s top 500 albums of all time in FLAC (classic rock and funk heavy), etc. I like to put all of this content on shuffle and just listen to whatever happens.

2-ch system will continue to be powered as follows:

Digital - Foobar2000 --> SMSL SU-8 v2 --> Classe CAP-151

Analog - Technics SL1300mkII --> Ortofon 2M Red --> NAD PP-3 --> Classe CAP151


The speaker choices:

JBL L100 Classic

https://ibb.co/yhjJHn1

Revel Performa F208

https://ibb.co/TK4PNBD

B&W 702 S2

https://ibb.co/D4qPFcH
128x128dougeyjones
glupson
7,842 posts
 
I have experience with Revel F208 and think it is great in some unnoticable way. It is not a heavy metal speaker, but will play that good enough, too.

I also second the poster who suggested trying Focal 948.
cheeg's avatar
cheeg
247 posts
 
I would add Usher MD2’s to the list. 
kairosman's avatar
kairosman
295 posts
 
Rosso Fiorentino Elba 2
Tekton Double Impact
Dynaudio Evoke 50

Different sound signatures 
akiravelvet's avatar
akiravelvet
72 posts
 
take the jbls off the list. they were a little meh when demoed

id go with used so you can go a level higher.


used pair of Dynaudio contour 20 or 30's would be nice
rbstehno
1,488 posts
 
I used to have the Usher MD II’s, great speaker, I upgraded to the larger Ushers. The revel’s are very good too. Another very good speaker is the Totem Wind or totem forest. I used to have the Classe cap151 and it’s a nice integrated but not sure if it has enough power for the revel or totem to perform their best.
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