2. speakers
  3. 1317994106

Best small speakers?

I'm looking for great sound at the best price... spending around 5K, am i going to get better sound and with small monitor speakers like the B&W 805's or Harbeth? I have Paradigm S-8s now... they are big sound alright, but i think if i spent the same money on a great smaller speaker i would get more for my money as far as sound goes... ? I have an above average system, rouge 180 monoblocks, shanata cables, conditioner etc.
bobmclean
donjr
1,335 posts
 
Hands down the Harbeth Super 5's. Go audition them if you can. Google reviews. The reviews will amaze you. I'm not sure why mapman mentioned Rogue, but at the 2010 'The Show' in Montreal, the most well regarded room was the room with a Rogue Cronus Magnum, Rega Apollo, and Harbeth Compact 7's. Look it up on Google. I've read reviews of the Rogue / Harbeth combo several time and my local dealer also recommends this combo. Remember, specs do not matter when auditioning audio gear so if someone tells you such and such will not work with such and such, it's not true.
robbob
273 posts
 
I just spent the last two hours listening to Billie Holliday on the speakers that replaced my wonderful Magnepan 1.6 QR pair. The Maggies were on Mye stands and fed by Rogue and Odyssey gear...terrific sound and image and amazingly transparent with a lot of watts. Good lord this Verve CD of Holliday is also amazing!
Now those big Maggie panels are replaced with fairly small Merlin TSM-MXrs and fed by 18 watts from a Manley Stingray. It's been a very nice upgrade for me. And it's a lot easier to move the Merlins when needed.
No doubt a lot of people will chime in and some very good speakers will be mentioned. Sadly....it's not easy to audition Merlins, but if you can you may find the magic you need.

Rob
rello
311 posts
 
If 5K is your budget the Wilson Benesch ARC. I had them with the Rogue gear. Terrific speaker, extrememly well made with fine fit and finish, coherent but detailed
audioconnection
1,271 posts
 
Why settle for small speakers that have higher distortion
mid Bass thump and bright highs when driven to their limit...
Take a listen to Full Range like a Vandy Quatro still a smaller profile or Five A both offer room compensation will never overload your room and deliver more seamless enjoyable music.
Best JohnnyR
magfan
1,583 posts
 
Audience, made in Southern California are terrific.
Huge, open sound.....when I walked into the demo room, I thought the big-brother line source speakers were playing.
These are full-range multi-driver speakers with a passive radiator.
And for the full pop of $5k, really nice. Model? 2+2

http://www.audience-av.com/images/ClairAudient_2.jpg
More to discover