Box speakers that sound like Electrostats?


Has anyone found a monitor or full range speaker that compares to an electrostat?
128x128dennis_the_menace
Second the Spendor recommendation...one of the few box speakers that really is very open and transparent...they are a bit colored in sound...the highs are muted and the midrange has a slight "bump" emphasis...but if you enjoy vocals...they are about as good as it gets...if you can...go deeper into the line than the 3/5...the higher models have much more bass...on the other end of the spectrum...for a more detailed, high definition "modern" monitor...the Revel M20 is very impressive...highs are a bit extended...and they can sound a bit "aggressive" with the wrong equipment...but they are very transparent...and not as laid-back as the British "old school" Spendors...2 very different sounds...both have their merits...
Agree with Poorguy and Phasecorrect...
I own the Spendor S3/1p (2 way vented 6.5" + 20mm), and find them ideal with their SC3 cousin center as a HT front trio. Quick and seemless. My favourite CHEAP more-analytical monitor, though, is the Revel M20.
Yet for full-range reference use I've gotta say that my Parsifal Encores are incredibly stat-like quick, coherent and transparent, yet have surprisingly deep slam from an 8" woofer. The Monitor satellites alone put most stats and monitors to shame. You don't have to give up much to make the switch to dynamic drivers once you've heard these! Apparently the Piega 10 has similar proponents....
To answer your question Dennis, no. But there are some that offer the better attributes of stats. To the ones mentioned I would add the Merlin VSM-M. It is a 2-way is quick as lightning on transients, holds on to a note, decays to infinity and is tonally evenhanded like the better stats. Add to the above, world class resolution and an ability to retrieve the subtlest details of the recording providing you have the right gear in front of it.

I've only heard one stat I could live with if I had the room and the money. Most have too many compromises that offset their virtues.
For everybody that cannot read German (but can read English :-) Google has some nice translation tools that will help us out.

Check out:

http://www.google.com/language_tools?hl=en

In particular, to read the website Tekunda referred to in his message about the Imagine ESL speakers, go here:

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.monitor-db.de%2F&langpair=de%7Cen&hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&prev=%2Flanguage_tools

-Mike
Dennis - listen to Tubegroover.

I have a superb room that allows the magic of great electrostats to fully manifest. I'm presently setting up the infamous Apogee Scintilla as my final music statement. No box speaker, Merlin or otherwise, can match the breath taking 3D reality of the great Apogees ----- Given the right room!!!!

I trust Tubegroover's assesment of the Merlin. He has been around, and is familiar with the Apogee's magic.