Compact Floor-standing Speaker Recommendations under $4k


Hello All, 

I'm continuing to build up my first HiFi system and am in need of some advice for my next speakers.  My current system is as follows: 

  • Belles Aria Integrated Amp
  • ClearAudio Concept w/ Satisfy Carbon Tonearm
  • Nagaoka MP500 cartridge 
  • Graham Slee Reflex M phono stage
  • B&W 705 stand mount (the original series circa ~2004)

Generally, I'm very happy with my setup, however I do sometimes find it a bit bright   & fatiguing after longer listening sessions.  I believe the speakers may be the cause so I'm looking for recommendations based on my current system. 

I'd like to find a neutral speaker that's non-fatiguing and hopefully a bit more full range.  So I've been considering changing to floor-standing speakers to maybe get a bit more bass.  However, size and space are of concern so would like something reasonably compact.   I listen mainly to jazz, blues, folk and some classic rock.  Really love good vocals so would like a smooth midrange.  

My budget is $4k max (new or used is okay)

I'm early in my search but so far have been looking at Spendor A7's or Proac D20's. 

Unfortunately, where I live I don't have any nearby dealers or places to demo so will have to be purchased without an audition and hopefully have a good result. I know this isn't ideal, but it's unavoidable. 

Appreciate any recommendations...thanks! 

dsjs4

Thanks again for all your feedback and advice! 

So many smaller speaker companies I wasn't familiar with so I'm trying to research all the prosed options.  I know it's going to be system and personal preference dependent but you've all given me such great starting points.  

The Spendor A7's are still high on my list and I've seen used offerings within my price range (several on other sites around $3.5k in what appears to be excellent condition; the MSRP seems high but at the second hand price it might be a much better value proposition). 

The Salk (which I think now makes the Philharmonic BMR's as well), ATC, Verity, ProAc's and Acoustic Zen are all in contention.  The Sonus Faber recommendation also is intriguing, but there seems to be a real love/hate impression on their speakers overall...although I must admit they look beautiful it seems a bit riskier to try them out without demo-ing first. 

 

And as far as the questions as to why floor-standers.  I suppose ultimately, that's not critical however I was thinking it may be easier to get better bass depth with the floor stander additionally I believe the stand itself is critical to the performance on bookshelf speakers and from what I've seen the stands alone can easily get into the $500 - $1k range which ultimately reduces my budget for the speaker itself.  Now my logic may be slightly flawed so I'm open to bookshelf suggestions, however I was trying to narrow my scope a bit or I open the flood gates to possibilities.  

 

I am building a database and web site of audiophile speakers, with all the details:

(it’s not all inclusive)

here is the basic:

 
name url from
amphio https://amphion.fi/ Finland
avantgarde https://www.avantgarde-acoustic.de/en/products.html Germany
b&w https://www.bowerswilkins.com/en-us/ England
boenicke https://boenicke-audio.ch/ Switzerland
børresen https://audiogroupdenmark.com/boerresen-acoustics/ Denmark
buchardt https://www.buchardtaudio.com/shop Denmark
canton https://www.canton.de/en/products/reference-k/ Germany
dali https://www.dali-speakers.com/en-us/ Denmark
devore fidelity https://devorefidelity.com/ USA
diapason http://www.diapason-italia.com/en/index.html Italy
dyna https://www.dynaudio.com/ Denmark
elac https://www.elac.com/ Germany
focal https://www.focal.com/en France
fritz https://www.fritzspeakers.com/ USA
gato https://www.gato-audio.com/ Denmark
golden ear https://www.fritzspeakers.com/ USA
harbeth https://harbeth.co.uk/ England
indiana https://www.indianaline.it/tesi-vinyl-series/ Italy
joseph audio https://www.josephaudio.com/products USA
kef https://us.kef.com/ England
kharma https://kharma.com/ The Netherland
khl https://klhaudio.com/ USA
klipsch https://www.klipsch.com/ USA
magico https://www.magicoaudio.com/ USA
marten https://www.marten.se/products/ sweden
monitor audio https://www.monitoraudio.com/ England
paradigm https://www.paradigm.com/en/ Canada
Perlisten https://www.perlistenaudio.com/ USA
polk audio https://www.polkaudio.com/ USA
ProAc https://www.proac-loudspeakers.com/ England
psb https://www.psbspeakers.com/ Canada
Q https://www.qacoustics.com/ USA
qln https://qln.se/ Sweden
raidho https://www.raidho.dk/ Denmark
revel https://www.revelspeakers.com/ USA
salk https://www.salksound.com/gallery.php USA
sonner https://sonneraudio.com/ USA
sonus faber https://www.sonusfaber.com/en/ Italy
sounkaos https://www.soundkaos.com/ Switzerland
spatial audio https://www.spatialaudiolab.com/ USA
spendor https://spendoraudio.com/ England
tekton https://tektondesign.com/ USA
thiel thiel - closed USA
tidal https://www.tidal-audio.com/ Germany
totem https://totemacoustic.com/ Canada
trenner friedl https://www.trenner-friedl.com/ Austria
triangle https://www.trianglehifi.com/en/ France
vandersteen https://www.vandersteen.com/ USA
vienna acoustics http://www.vienna-acoustics.com/ Austria
volti https://voltiaudio.com/ USA
vonschveickert https://www.vonschweikert.com/ USA
wharfedale https://www.wharfedaleusa.com/ England
wilson https://www.wilsonaudio.com/ USA
yg https://www.yg-acoustics.com/ USA
zu https://www.zuaudio.com/ USA

KLH model 7's on risers! I heard them twice and they are a bargain at $4K. Only problem is they won't be out for a few more months!

@grislybutter Great list.  I’d suggest adding Rockport Technologies (US), Usher Audio (Korea), Verity Audio (Canada), Reference 3a (Canada), Avalon Acoustics (US), Acora Acoustics (Canada), Vimberg (Ger), Nola (US), Audio Physic (Ger), MBL (Ger), Ohm Walsh (US), and Alta Audio (US).

@soix 

yes, thank you! Most of these I heard about. I included the ones on my original list that I heard in person, or dying to hear/read reviews.