Marten Parker Quintet and the Marten Parker Trio Diamond version...if you could choose ?

I don't know. Who would not be civil here about your question? I for what am a big Marten fan

Hello grislybutter .....thank you for your response but what would have been more helpful and the main reason for my post is if someone had an answer to my question. So, let's go down that road instead. Thank you in advance.  

I have only heard the Parker Trio Diamond (at Capital Audiofest) and I was quite impressed with the sound, particularly its ability to sound alive and full at lower volume levels.  The upper bass was a touch lean, but otherwise I liked the tonal balance.  Perhaps the very deep bass was not that prominent too, but, that is something I don't really care about that much--it is much more important to me that the upper bass and lower midrange has good "tone" (one can hear tonal differences in bass notes) and this speaker is good in that respect.  Clarity, without a harsh or brittle quality to the upper midrange/treble region is another thing I liked about this speaker.  

Hello larryi - thank you very much and just what I was looking for. I think Audio Den and or Vanna LTD was showing them. A friend of mine who did go to the CAF,  noted that they sounded  ''flat '' and uninspiring. It would be of my opinion that the Quintet's which were not demonstrated and from what I have heard, can have a little more lower end bass impact than the Parker Trio Diamond's which were being shown. My concern with both of these speakers from Marten at that price point ,can they get down and boogie and play rock and roll ? I don't mean rattle the walls and floors but have a good mid to lower bass presentation. They are both great for light jazz etc ......what are your thoughts as I have not heard their '' new'' Parker series as of yet.  

At shows, the gear that sounds vivid and exciting can make more neutral stuff seem blah.  But, their is the danger that the attention grabbing stuff will become tiring in the long run.  The Parker Trio's did not have immediate, attention grabbing sound, and the person doing the demonstration kept volume at modest levels.  But, I suspect it will sound good in the long run.  There are plenty of speakers that deliver more obvious bass slam, and that may suit rock music, so this is something you will have to judge for yourself.  I think it has adequate bass extension, but, I am not a bass freak.  

I like speakers that sound lively and dynamic when playing at lower volume levels.  That is why I prefer high efficiency, horn-based systems, and certain other systems built around wide-range drivers.  Many modern systems sort of "fake" the kind of dynamics horn systems deliver with such ease by having a tipped up frequency response, thin midbass, and by having a false "edge" to the initial attack to a note that makes them sound fast.  But, that leads to sibilance and a harsh sound.  I did not find the Parkers to be unduly harsh sounding.  Did they have the kind of easy, relaxed sound while still being dynamic and "fast" like a good horn system?  Not quite, but much closer than most systems.  On the plus side, they lacked the kind of coloration that attends most horn systems (no nasal or shouty quality).  They were, to me a good, albeit somewhat pricey system.