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Recommendation - Ref 3a, GMA, NHT or Fritz?

Hello, I sold my PSB Gold i's after 10 years of enjoying them. They were just too big for my space. I am now in the market for a pair of monitors (new or used) for my 2 channel system in a 12x12 room. My system consists of a Spectron Musician II Hybrid amp (Digital amp @ 500 WPC), a Prometheus Audio Passive Volume Control, an Audioquest Dragonfly DAC and a Macbook Pro playing lossless music files. From reading reviews and forums here, I believe I've narrowed it down to four monitors. Please let me know if you have compared the following against each other, and which monitor you'd recommend: Green Mountain Audio Rio Chroma, Reference 3A De Capo i, NHT Classic 3, or Fritz Carbon 7?

While I'm not the best at describing my listening priorities, a wide soundstage, clear, neutral sound is what I like. I listen to an eclectic mix of music, but Jack Johnson, Dave Mathews, reggae, classical are some of my favorites at the moment.

Thanks!
canjo07
bombaywalla's avatar
bombaywalla
1,958 posts
 
To answer the OP's original question - I've heard many models of the Green Mountain Audio speakers & I would heartily recommend the Rio Chroma or just the Rio model. These speakers are really very dynamic, give you the whole audio spectrum even at lower volumes, can thump out some serious bass for a 6" woofer & will play ALL your music with equal dexterity. Room placement is not any more fussy that any other speaker - just need to ensure that you have enough space to allow the drivers to integrate at your listening position & Roy Johnson (GMA owner & designer) likes the listener to have his ear height somewhere in between the tweeter & mid-bass for driver integration. It's nothing unreasonable - every speaker manuf has some sort of requirement to make their speaker sound the best - distance, toe-in, height, zobel network, etc.
canjo07 OP
16 posts
 
Thanks for all of the responses. Base on the replies here and without any auditions yet, I am ranking in the following order: 1. Fritz 2. Ref 3A and 3. GMA. The Fritz Carbon 7 also appear to be the lowest price speaker of the three, so I think I'm leaning this direction.
grinnell
1,127 posts
 
I have used the Ref 3A de Capos with 4 different tubes amps from a 40wpc Primaluna to a 1.75 wpc Grommes SET/P.

plenty of loudness, great dynamics even low level, full rich

good price used and they sell fast
toddnkaya
493 posts
 
There is a pair of Carbon 7 on eBay now. Buy it now $1150 plus $150 shipping . No relation to seller.
I own the Vapor Audio Breeze, a fantastic speaker!
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Of the 4 speakers mentioned the Fritz Carbon 7 is IMO the best allrounder. The only issue is clarity/resolution(from what i've read)."

I am curious Dayglow, are you saying you recommend a speaker you haven't heard based on what you've read? You really shouldn't comment if that is the case.

Canjaoo7 be careful. The recommendations you are getting seem to be from those that own or have heard only the speakers they are recommending. Hard to know for sure since not a one has offered any comparative info. It is clear what your question is but it sure isn't clear to me that anyone has answered it. I wouldn't be so fast to come to any conclusion let alone ranking, you've only just begun in my not so humble opinion.

and to you "sweet" judy blue eyes, are you as cynical in real life as virtually every post you have made on this site indicates?
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