Speaker advice for first hi-fi setup - Monitor Audio Gold vs. KEF R series!


Hey guys,

I'm going through the exciting process of building my first hi-fi setup, exclusively for music listening.

I currently listen to music in my study (roughly 12ft x12ft) through a pair of KEF LS50W, hardwired into a MacBook Pro. No external application / DAC is used for this setup.

I now want to have a music setup in my living room, which is roughly 16ft by 20ft, with one side opening up to an entryway into the rest of the apartment. The floor is tiled, with a fair amount of furniture. I listen to old and new-age rock, soft rock, indie, with a bit of acoustic / vocals thrown in. 

I've auditioned a bunch of speakers over the past couple of months, starting off at a lower budget and then moving to the mid-price range to get a better sound. These include: Q-Acoustic 3050i; Dali Oberon 5 & &; Dali Opticon 6, B&W 683, 703 & 704; DynAudio Evoke 30; Spendor A4 and A7; Revel F36 and F206; Focal Aria 936 & 948; KEF R7; Monitor Audio Gold 200 (both 4G and 5G).

The two speakers that really caught my ear were the Monitor Audio Gold 200 (5G) and the KEF R7. I enjoyed the warmth of the MA speakers and the soundstage / imaging of the KEF (it was as if the music was floating around me).

I'm confused now and keen to hear some impressions on these two speakers. It's important for me that the speaker sound has a bit of weight (a drum solo should have 'impact' when I hear it), should be warm yet refined and overall 'fun and easy' to listen to.

Thanks!
parabola82
Well, the Monitor Audio did sound warm to my ears I guess.
Out of the three you mentioned, I had listened only to Spendor A4 and A7. I had enjoyed the speakers but felt that the treble was jumping out a bit. The cymbals on the drums had a bit too much sibilance.

Which Harbeth speaker would you recommend around the $4k mark? I’m based in Singapore and will have to see if there is a dealer available. 
Those Kef LS 50 W are pretty good speakers and great for apartments. Have you thought of adding a sub to the mix?
Absolutely, I really enjoy listening to my KEFs. They are in my study. My post was more around a new setup that I want to do in the living room.
I’ve owned many Harbeths and Spendors. My keeper of all of them is the Harbeth P3ESR. The specs are very deceiving (75 HZ). The base is sufficient without using a subwoofer. With a nice pair of stands they will fit into your budget.
You should be able to find a dealer in your neck of the woods. You can google the many reviews on this outstanding speaker!
https://harbeth.co.uk/where-to-buy/dealers-asia.php
The Proac DT8's are real sleepers, but very much worth bearing in mind.  Check them out.