Speakers for string Quartets

Lots of good (and predictable) advice here. Electrostatics, the English Invasion (Harbeth, Spendor—and don't neglect B&W, DGG's monitor of choice, favored by John Eliot Gardiner); Sonus Faber, Vandersteen. Quad ESLs get mentioned a lot, and I have a friend with a pair. Underwhelming. No one has mentioned Vienna Acoustics, which sound very civilized with chamber music. So let me add my contentious two cents, just to poke a stick in a few eyes (or ears, as the case may be). 

First, and despite the conventional wisdom that any good speaker will reproduce any music well, I do think there are brands better suited to String Quartets vs. Heavy Metal. I like Tool better on a friend's Klipsch corner horns than on my own system. Those speakers can dislocate your spine. No one's spine was ever dislocated by a String Quartet.

When I bought my speakers, I auditioned them against Vandersteens and B&W. Both of those contenders seemed to veil the music slightly, and were distinctly disappointing with loud, bass-heavy rock (the B&W 802s less so). 

In my home, I've compared my beloved Teslas (yes, that's right, but they were made by Mike Maloney of "Scientific Fidelity" back when Musk was a toddler) against PSB Synchrony Ones, Von Schweikerts, various B&Ws, and the enormous MartinLogan "The Quest." The Teslas always prevailed. Unfortunately, you won't find them; a bad review from Corey Greenberg in Stereophile pretty much killed them. Too bad. They're beautiful to look at, too.

For what it's worth, I play cello in a String Quartet. Granted, the listening experience is different with the instrument cradled in one's body. But, of course, I've had many hours of experience in the audience. The Teslas rule, IMO. 

Check out my "virtual system," if you're curious. Besides the photos, there's a long account of my "audiophile journey," to repeat the cliche.

If you want the best speaker for string quartets look for the best jazz speaker or the best rock speaker or the best folk speaker. Most likely it will be the same speaker.

Because i can control at will all acoustical factors in a room designed for specific speaker, i think that acoustical treatment and especially mechanical control import way more than the brand name speaker itself...

Even in near listening...

I repeat that because all people with different ears, with different speakers boast their favorite speakers, but who spoke about the huge improvement from acoustic control over the relation speakers/room ?

My box speakers in a well controlled room are not behind but better than magnepan in a bad room by the way , EVEN IF TECHNICALLY the magnepan are better speakers...I know one of my friend own big magnepan but in an horrible room.....

Then....Conclude yourself....

The choice of speakers itself matter least than room control and treatment...

Timbre perception dont emerge magically from the speakers techs sheets, but from his specific relation to the room acoustic content and all other acoustic factors too comes this way...

Pick the best speakers ratio/price for your needs and for your room size and geometry and think acoustic treatment and mechanical control ...

Acoustic listening experiments are way more fun and enlightening for us than "buy this brand name and plug it"...

But it is for me at least....

Deeper purse with no time to loose in experiments think otherwise for sure.... 😁😊😎😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

ESL63’s. Hands down. Incredible midrange. Pinpoint imaging. They need power, tho. 

I just came across this post. I agree with some of the early posters that Atc makes speakers that do a good job with this type of music. I have SCM 40 V2s and of all the types of music I play, I think they are best with string and wind quartets.

You can get a set of these used for around 4K.