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Monitor help.. I know I iknow... lots of threads

I just moved from a house to a small condo.. I sold my vandy iice's because they were too big for my main living area. Now I want some monitors for my new room which is about 12x20 with a slanted vault connected to the kitchen and dining room.. a mess.
Anywho.. not much of a budget Im looking at $500 or so right now for just the monitors and a sub later on.. Pass labs Aleph 3 and an Onix xcd88 run thru an old Eico tube pre amp...
So, what I want are airy light highs with lots of definition.. shimmering cymbals.. but not fatiguing at..it seems to me every monitor review I read does mids just fine so Im not worried about that. Bass is not gonna happen in my budget. Am I gonna find something in my range if I give up bass?
jprinz
manoterror
216 posts
 
Check out the Monitor Audio Bronze BX2...they just got Whathifi Product of the Year. I'm gonna grab some myself.

Mot
jprinz OP
31 posts
 
I loved my Vandersteens.. they were very musical and easy to listen to. But did not have the airy high frequencies I am searching for.. but they were NOT the signatures.. I was tempted to write mr. vandersteen about his rear wall mounts and see what he thought.. But, IMHO they are ugly as well..and these are going in my main living area.. the IICE's were hidden in a back room so no big deal..

These are some great suggestions.. I was wondering if ribbon tweeters have improved.. it seems they have the characteristics Im looking for but breakup when the music gets complex.. is that still the case?

Placement is gonna be a pain in my little place..

Im going to reread all this and let it soak in.. thanks everyone thus far.. VERY helpful.. and I dont feel as bad about my tiny budget as I did.. thought I was gonna be told it wasnt possible..
magfan
1,583 posts
 
Too Bad you don't have room OR budget for Magnepan.
The 3 series and some earlier panels came with what is considered one of the truly fine ribbons ever.

If you could like with 'em on the 12' wall, maybe some MMGs? just at budget.
jprinz OP
31 posts
 
No room for MMG's.. they would consume the room.. aesthetically not physically. They have to be like minimum 12" off the wall I think.. really like 24" if I remember correctly? My thought is Im gonna have to hang some mini monitors off the wall somewhere.. perhaps up high in the ceiling severely slanted downward.. which I realize makes real audiophiles sigh and press the next button... but it is what it is.. I've been looking at all of the aforementioned speakers.. most out of my price range new.. but I do have patience so I can hold out.. Id prefer to buy new with a return policy however... still researching..
jprinz OP
31 posts
 
I would love to hear the Vandersteen VLR only because I know what he seems to shoot for with his designs. I cant afford to pull the trigger on these sadly.

http://www.vandersteen.com/vlr1_specifications.pdf
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