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Help Me Choose or Confuse Me More

Hello All

I need some help. I have tried asking this elsewhere but need a group of well-rounded, more brand-agnostic opinions. 

Moved into my home office when covid hit. I needed a quick set up, because it was temporary. Now it's not temporary. So I'm upgrading some things.

I'm in the command chair about 15 hours a day. I'm on video conference meetings an average of 5 hours, the rest of the time is split between music via Tidal, or Amazon Prime TV. So I'm either paying attention to meetings, working on docs projects/sending or answering emails/approvals or projects while listening to music or background TV. 
 
Current Set Up: 2017 13" Macbook Pro > Samsung QN50Q80T > eARC Out > Certified 4k 2.0 USB-C to HDMI > Bluesound Powernode 2i > Kimber 4VS bare wire > KEF Q100s on SoundRiser Pro stands and a Rythmik F12 sub crossed at 80hz sitting in the corner. The home office was a spare bedroom at 11'2" x 9'11" with 8' ceilings. I've added moderate room treatments about 60 sq ft with some bass trap in the ceiling corners. I've gotten a bigger desk 74"W x 39"D and use a desk-sized mouse pad to help with reflections. Also hardwood floors, but I put a runner rug down with carpet pad underneath. 
I am nearfield at the desk, about 36" - 40" from tweeter, and usually the phone dB meter is between 55-65 dB.       

Upgrades Coming: Mac Mini (more ports and faster guts) and NEW SPEAKERS. I just don't know which ones.

Short List (in no order)...
Kef LS50 Meta - about $1500. I like the Q100s but know there is better. The LS50 folks love them, but is there THAT much difference from the Q100 to the LS50 Meta?  
Harbeth P3ESR - $1500-$1700 range used. The Harbeth folks love them, but historically I haven't loved standard 2 way speakers. Something about sitting distance and time alignment.
Omega CAM - about $1500. I had a pair of the Super 3i about 5 years ago and liked the sounds, but had them in my man cave system and they weren't big enough for the room. The Omega alnico guys love them, but I'm not going to use tubes for 15 hours a day.     

Even given the sub I have I wouldn't describe myself as a basshead, but some highs are very unpleasant to me. After a recent hearing test I'm out at 15KHz.

What should I get? ≤$2k and used is ok. I do not live in a part of the country where I can go listen, basically 2+ hours from anywhere.  
mpschenck
dbphd
1,633 posts
 
I usually use the Ayre VX-5 Twenty (175 watts@4Ω, 350@8Ω) with KEF Reference 1s, but I briefly tried it with the LS50s. I was surprised how good that pairing sounded. I noticed the same thing when I switched from a Parasound A21 to A23 amp, the LS50 just didn’t sound the same. They seem to need a good amp to shine.

For practical purposes the LS50s have sufficient in-room bass for most music. Add a couple of subs, and you have a very nice full range setup.
mpschenck's avatar
mpschenck OP
11 posts
 
So I bought a pair of P3ESR Sesames in black last night, and went a little crazy and ordered an NAD M10 as well. I figure I spend about 90 hours a week sitting here so I might as well have what I want.

@ mfmncrew
Will do!

@ desktopguy(good name BTW)
The Q100s are pretty close, about 2" on the closest corner with a lot of toe-in, BUT they are front ported and I have an acoustic panel mounted on the wall behind them. Also, I’m be able to keep the Harbeths a bit further away since they are 2.75" less depends than the Q100s. A couple of things about the sub. I own 2 12" subs the Rythmik and an SVS SB-12, but I like the Rythmik more, I figured why not drop it in here. I have it crossed over at 80Hz and with the volume so low I actually very rarely "hear" them. The only times I know it even on is usually watching sci-fi, BladeRunner 2049 and the most recent season of The Expanse stand out in my memory.
I will say, I have been been ogling some matching small REL subs for the corners, but maybe that’s just dumb.
soix
10,375 posts
 
Congrats!
daveman2's avatar
daveman2
58 posts
 
Yeah, enjoy!
cd318
2,636 posts
 
@desktopguy,

Thank you for that informative post.

Point number 2 is going to be crucial for those of us who are forced to spend long hours at our desks.

Both the Kef 103s and the ATC 12s are a little on the large side for my desk but I'm sure they'd be a big step up from the Dell 2.1 system I currently use.

I bet more than a few people will be looking at the Kef LS50 Wireless II as potential luxury PC speakers.

The OP must count himself fortunate to have such a large room for what might be a second system.
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