Favorite standmount speaker under $2,500

I would consider these Salk monitors-

Veracity ht1 - pricing

The Veracity series are great speakers. Deep powerful bass, smooth, airy and transparent midrange and sweet detailed treble.

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Originally Posted by JohnMichael

For much the same reason I do not like some features of the RS6's I do not like them on other speakers. The faceplate for the tweeter, mounting ring for the woofer and the trim around the port be they metal or plastic distract from the looks in my opinion. I feel the same way about the Studio 60 and 100's. The material on the top over the tweeter, driver mounting rings and the add on base with the name. I prefer a more sedate look like the Totem Hawk if I am going to invest in new speakers.

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Paradigm Signature speakers have a more even response with the grilles on! You don't have to look at the driver mountings! :wink5:

Some people seem to prefer the sound that way, strangely enough.

Paradigm Reference Signature S2 loudspeaker Measurements | Stereophile.com

Check fig. 5.

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Originally Posted by blackraven

I would consider these Salk monitors-

Veracity ht1 - pricing

The Veracity series are great speakers. Deep powerful bass, smooth, airy and transparent midrange and sweet detailed treble.

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I did not see any dealers listed. How can I hear them before purchase?

That's the problem with Salks. But JM, if you come back to Minneapolis, give me a heads up and I'll take you over to Frank Van Alstine's house and you can audition the Veracity HTR-3's and possibly the Song Towers in at his house.

Also, give Jim Salk a call, he may know of some one near you that owns a pair that you be able to give a listen too.

Salk speakers sell by word of mouth and auditions at audio shows.

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Originally Posted by JohnMichael

They are on sale for $699. I am having a tough time passing up the bargain.

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Check out the thread on AK first, it's from this year. A poster was complaining that they are very bright, and another one mentioned he had the same issue (he actually tried them a couple of years earlier, this is on yet another forum). Apparently EPOS have admitted there was an issue with the speaker, a missing resistor in the crossover in some of the earlier production models. I was considering jumping on this deal as well, and found the thread in my research.

Getting back to the topic at hand, I would also consider the PMC TB2i. It is about $2,500, with a 6.5" driver in front of a transmission line. I'm running a pair right now. I have tried a whole bunch of speakers over the past year (I tend to buy used or demo models and sell if I decide to move on) and the PMC is probably the best I've heard. It is the most expensive, so it probably should be the best. I still own my Castle Avon floorstanders, which I will keep long term. They bumped a few contenders already, so it's clear I like them very much...but they have probably met their match with the TB2i.

The TB2i's cabinet is very well constructed, it sounds deader than any other speaker I've knocked on. Deep, punchy, but clean bass from the transmission line design. The speaker produces a very clean but also very rich midrange, with excellent imaging. I think the fourth order crossover contributes to the clarity and precision. Driver integration is excellent. It is more seductive than the drier sounding Castle, yet retains the PRaT that the Castle exhibits. Still breaking in, but this is how I feel so far. Oh, and I don't feel like I'm missing any bass from the smaller standmount PMC. PMC are known for producing excellent bass. As hours are put on the speaker, the bass becomes a little more open. Transmission line bass might take a little adapting to (not much though, it begins to sound very natural in short order).

Btw, stands contribute to bass big time. I know you mentioned what stands you own. Not sure if any are fillable (or filled), but a very heavy stand filled with sand or leadshot will definitely augment the bass. It is surprising how much bass I've gotten from standmounts while on my Kudos stands.

And I would say careful about going to a big 8" speaker,, like the 3a De Capo, in your small room. My room is about same size as yours (mine is about 13x11 - a bit smaller than yours I believe). When I tried the rear ported Monitor Audio RX2 it overpowered the room. IMO those needed more room to breathe. Something to think about...you have a few more feet to work with so it could work, but I'd be careful.

Man...I cant wait till these are release. I want to read a few reviews and I just may put in an order for a pair if I like what I read....My dealer who deals Epos, dont keep them in stock for demo, but I think I will ask him to stock a pair for demo.

Those Elan stand mounts with those Epos stands look really coo!

http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/DSCN0008.jpg

http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/DSCN0012.jpg

http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/DSCN0002.jpg

http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/DSCN0011.jpg

http://i597.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/DSCN0010.jpg

Looks like the target date for the Elan is March or April.