Still looking, raised my limit to around $2000 on speakers. Monitor Audio, Energy???

[TulsaHIFI]

I just couldnt find anything I really thought was a big step up in the $1100 price range for 2 mains and center so Im stepping up my price to around the $2000 price mark. I listened this week to the Energy RC-70 and thought they sounded geat and looked very nice in the rosenut but Ive been reading some good things on the net about Monitor Audio speakers which I could get there new RS line and be well under my budget or go to the discounted Gold Reference line still on sale online and get the GR-20 and mathcing center for $2500 brand new since they no longer make this line the priced are very good but thats alot more then I wanted to spend but is it worth the extra over the RS line? Anyone that have listed to these please let me know what you think as well as any info on what you think about the Enery RC-70 speakers. Thanks.

[Bernd]

Hi Tulsa,
I would stay well clear of the GR20. I lived with this speaker for a short while and was so pleased to see it go. It is bright, harsh and just in your face.Ideal for stripping wallpaper.
In your price range I would seriously recommend the ART Stiletto.

www.loudspeaker-art.com

To my ears the most musical slim floorstander, that I have heard, below £ 1000.00. It takes a bit of effort to find them, but you will be rewarded time and again.

Peace

Bernd

[bobsticks]

Hey Tulsa,
Bernd is a fairly upstanding character so I won't impugn his recommendation of ART. Never heard them myself, but I know they benefit from the attention to detail given to handmade speakers in smaller shops. My concern would be availability in the US. It would take both a lot of looking and luck.
As for the Energy v. Monitor Audio issue, I have not heard the MAs and am therefore unqualified to comment. I have heard the Energys. I found their presentation to be overly forward and bright, and while they might be great for movies if coupled with a decent sub, they seemed ultimately lacking for music to these ears. Just an IMO and, of course, different electronics in the chain will affect variable responses.
Two names to look for would be KEF and B&W. You could probably score a couple of KEF Q11s and a center speaker within your price range. I have a couple of Q7s that I started off with that still serve in a secondary system. They have a full mid-range and great imaging. I anticipate them being with me for a while as they fill their niche very well...

Cheers and happy hunting

[3db]

I just couldnt find anything I really thought was a big step up in the $1100 price range for 2 mains and center so Im stepping up my price to around the $2000 price mark. I listened this week to the Energy RC-70 and thought they sounded geat and looked very nice in the rosenut but Ive been reading some good things on the net about Monitor Audio speakers which I could get there new RS line and be well under my budget or go to the discounted Gold Reference line still on sale online and get the GR-20 and mathcing center for $2500 brand new since they no longer make this line the priced are very good but thats alot more then I wanted to spend but is it worth the extra over the RS line? Anyone that have listed to these please let me know what you think as well as any info on what you think about the Enery RC-70 speakers. Thanks.

I consider PSB speakers a warm speaker (owning the T45s and an Image 8C center) whose presentation details are astounding but lacking the bite of bright sounding speakers. They just draw you in to the listening enevelope like a soft spoken woman. Their bass is tight, and fast and the midrange is spectacular, so life like. You can get the three for around $1500.00 US. Give them audition. I can't hurt . Good luck

[Florian]

Apogee MiniGrand for 1800 on Audiogon. I wont mention the price range it will kill, but its huge :-)

[topspeed]

We did a Best Bang for the Buck thread a few months ago right up to your price point. There were some terrific recommendations made.

Best Bang for the Buck Speakers?

Hope this helps.

[PlumDragon]

PSB Alphas get a good deal of praise for the price. PSB Stratus Silver will come in at right around $2k as well.

$2k is starting to jsut barely creeeeeeep into Martin Logan territory, mmmmm Martin Logans, what a nice sound...You should be able to pick up a pair of Martin Logan Clarity loudspeakers for maybe $2400 nowadays; I highly recommend considering these if you can manage to spend the extra few hundred dollars. Personally, I would spring the extra few hundred for these.

Tannoy Eyris without the DC system should run you just about $2k for the pair minus the center channel. I just picked up a pair of these with the DC-system (~$2800 / pair) and will be able to offer you a review on the Eyris series in the near future if you like.

Ive heard good things about the Infinity Prelude MTS but have never heard them and believe they are revising this model for re-release later in the year.

Jamo D450 is a great speaker, lots of good sound out of them. Probably at right under $2k for the 2 fronts and center.

[Woochifer]

Do you plan on sticking with a pair of speakers or do you plan to build up a multichannel setup?

A big consideration in a multichannel setup is how well the center speaker voice matches with the mains (ideally you would use three identical speakers up front, but if you cannot accommodate that, then you need to check on the timbre match), and how well the bookshelf speakers (or whatever speakers you use as surrounds) go with the speakers you use up front.

Also, if you're using a home theater receiver to power up your system, some speakers present a more difficult load than others. For the most part, home theater receivers are only designed to handle one pair of low impedance 4-ohm speakers at a time, if that, whereas they can usually handle a full 5.1 set of 8-ohm speakers easily. If you choose to go with low impedance and/or inefficient speakers, then you might need to add the cost of an external amplifier to your budget.

[TulsaHIFI]

I want to get 2 mains a a center and then later add the rears. I found a great deal on some Kef speakers I think they are the XQ5 and someone here where I live has the matching center for sale so I can get these in my budget but haevnt heard anything on them in the forums. I also found a great deal on the Monitor Audio RS6 the center and rears on ebay that would allow me to get the whole setup now.

[drseid]

If you are willing to buy used, I would recommend a used pair of Sonus Faber Grand Piano Homes. These SF Floorstanders I auditioned on your receiver, and they were a tremendous match -- the soundstage in particular was absolutely amazing. I actually was quite shocked at just how good the combo really sounded, as I usually do not recommend receivers powering speakers of that caliber if it can be avoided... In this case, I guess I do. At the $2100 obo selling price, they are quite a value, IMO.

Also on sale used on Audiogon.com is a SF Solo center channel for $550 obo... So for about $2200-$2300 all in, you would have a tremendous sounding front stage.

---Dave

[TulsaHIFI]

I was looking around on the net and found a great deal on a pair of NEW Quad's. It would be a pair of 22L Fronts and the L Center all in Piano Rosewood. The reviews seem to be great and with the sale I found the price even a little below my budget so saving money is a good think to the wife plus she likes the look of the rosewood hi gloss. What do you guys think??

[Florian]

I'd say listen to them

[Bernd]

I was looking around on the net and found a great deal on a pair of NEW Quad's. It would be a pair of 22L Fronts and the L Center all in Piano Rosewood. The reviews seem to be great and with the sale I found the price even a little below my budget so saving money is a good think to the wife plus she likes the look of the rosewood hi gloss. What do you guys think??

Like Flo said listen to them. If you like the sound from them buy them. Simple really.

Peace

Bernd

[Dusty Chalk]

I'd say it's worth trying. If the price is that good, then if you don't like them, you can sell them at minimal loss. That's really the only way to "audition" speakers.

[TulsaHIFI]

I have a newborn and the Quads would be to wasy to pull over when she gets older but I went ahead and ordered a pait of Kefs XQ5 mains and the XQ2C Center in Graphite finish. I havent heard these before but got a great deal so like you guys said if I dont like them sell them..lol. Ill let you know what I think when they arrive.

[stymie]

If you are stepping up to $2,000 for the front 3 then check out Phasetech. You can get there 3.1 II's ---all 3 the same across the front for about 1,300-1,400. They have a huge soundstage. The 3.1's double as mains and a center. Save the extra $600 and put it toward something else. These are phenomonal speakers.