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What are your favorite monitors?

I'm interested to hear what your favorite monitors are, both for general reasons and specific reasons. There seem to be a lot of quality monitors out there and it's an easy size to deal with. I'd like to become more familiar with more of them.

For the more specific reason. I'm going to be able to set up a small system in a small room using a modified SS Blue Circle integrated amp and RA Opus 21 CDP. Right now I have a pair of Spendor S3/5 speakers that are very good and this is the approximate size box I'm interested in, but larger are fine too. For this small system are there other monitors that you might recommend, that perhaps have a synergy with BC electronics? With so many monitors available and few available for local demo I would appreciate your critiques of the speakers you like.

I use Audience Au24 speaker cables. My music preference is for mostly classical (not a lot of orchestral), jazz, space music, bluegrass, finger picking acoustic guitar, and some rock music (but don't expect to rock out). I don't like bright speakers. The speakers may not be able to be too far out from the wall; consider this near-filed listening. Since the majority of monitors are not terribly expenisve I'm open to most suggestions price-wise. Thanks.
budrew
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
Komodo Dragons!

Scariest damn Monitor Lizards on Earth!

They got saliva that'll kill ya!
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
In all seriousness Budrew, I was using ProAc Response 1SCs with a Blue Circle BC21 in the mix in relatively small room. I also have Audience AU24 speaker cable as part of the system.

The 1SCs are great little monitors [I also own Tablette 50 Signatures] that create a big yet focused image and they sound great with acoustic instruments and vocals.

The 1SCs have a character that can change greatly depending on what electronics are mated to it. They seem to really shine with tubes somewhere upstream, because valves seem to unlock the organic nature of the ProAc sound without compromising their detail.

One drawback to using newer ProAc monitors is the use of rear ports, so they need to be away from rear walls which could be difficult to achieve in a small room. But, ProAcs are very good for nearfield listening, and properly set up they can absolutely disappear and create a holographic soundfield in front of you.

I've heard the Spendor S3/5s, but that was at CES with Talk Electronics in front of them, so I can't make any direct comparisons. But I did compare the Sonus Faber Concertinos to the Tab 50 Sigs and thought they were very different. Both sounded organic, and while the Concertinos had a woodier, earthier sound and created a wider soundstage, I ended up keeping the ProAcs because of there sometimes scary and realisitc soundstaging ability.

I still own the Tab 50 Sigs and have been mostly using 1SCs for the past two years. Both are excellent. If I had to contrast them I'd say they were the same "person", but at different stages of their life. The 1SCs are that person at age 35, whereas the Tab 50 Sigs are that person during their college days. Does that make any sense?

I just got Response 2.5s last week and have been greatly enjoying them, even in my small room.
jh2os
244 posts
 
Totem Tabu, something about that 'capacitor-less' design just draws me in... excellent monitor IMO.
dubzilla
67 posts
 
WARREN WARREN WARREN...*crowd goes wild*

I am 6 days new to the Europa gang, and I just can't stop listening to them. They sound perfect. I have felt my ears being tickled to the point of laughter (probably mild tinnitus, I know, but still, it feels good!). My new system w/the Europas sounds so good.

Note: I completely restructured my system. I didn't just change speakers, so I can't attribute all the new sonic benefits to the Europas.

*runs to stereo to listen*
fatparrot
1,314 posts
 
Budrew, what is your price range?
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