Looking for Bookshelf Speakers $2K-$3K

[PeruvianSkies]

How do you find that the M2s compare to the T6s? Unfortunately, I wasn't able to listen to the T6's when I was in the store, since the dealer was being lazy.... But I'd love to know if you found there to be a substantial difference between the two for Mids and Highs (since the T6's will clearly be in a different class when it comes to bass repsonse).... I like bass, but it's not a major requirement for me. So I'm wondering if I really should consider paying double the price of the M2s + Stands for the T6s.

Also,

The NAD I heard with the M2s was a Masters Series and was in a much higher class than the the NAD 272... but that being said, I still wouldn't purchase the NAD, I'm leaning more towards, Classe, Krell or Musical Fidelity. Though in the short term I may go with something cheaper (that I can move to a bedroom system later)...

I'm actually rebuilding my system from scratch at this stage, which is really a lot of fun (though expensive - so I really need to take my time and get things right)....

When comparing the PSB Platinum series to any other speaker out there it's certainly more obvious to hear differences and to see more of a contrast between things, but where it gets really tough is when you are putting PSB against itself! First off there is hardly anything wrong with going either direction for the M2 or for the T6, but I can tell you why I chose what I did and maybe that can help you out. My first two sets of speakers that I owned were PSB's (the Image 4T and the Image 7PT), and I was always mindful that one day I would eventually climb the ladder and get their flagship speaker, but it took time, money, and patience. I had plenty of time, far less money, and even fewer patience. I finally got to the point where I was ready to make my decision, but before doing so I hit alot of high-end shops, went to a few shows, and auditioned like crazy. In my mind I was sold on the PSB line, but before I threw down the money I at least wanted to see what I was up against. I even checked out the M2's briefly, but I was more set on the floorstander for the bass response, which was important to me simply because I am not always a fan of subwoofer.

My requirements were fairly simple. I wanted a speaker that could serve two needs: HT and 2-channel. Since I started to have a greater love for 2-channel done right I knew that I had to find something that could kick butt in both arenas and under those stipulations the PSB line did not fail. It's competators that I auditioned certainly did great in one area or another, but none of them were able to serve both purposes as well. I firmly believe that the M2 is a much better speaker for just 5.1 application, whereas the T6 is capable of doing both HT application as well as 2-channel. If you are using a sub, than the M2 is perfect as you can set the crossover to a perfectly dialed in range and the M2's will sing like there is no tomorrow. When I first heard them (driven by Classe amps) I was floored! I actually had not heard too many speakers of that size deliver such richness and they sound HUGE!

One other major difference (and this goes for all floorstanders vs monitors) is that it seems like the monitors are more aggressive and in-your-face with their sound, which can often make a person think that they sound superior because you are getting all the mid/hi end sound, but what I prefer about the floorstanding speakers is that it seems like they blend better and have a fuller soundstage, better imaging, and feel more complete to me.

One thing that I would like to point out is that the T6 is not a bass-heavy speaker either. You might think that with all those built in woofers that it would be booming, which is not to say that it can't deliver, it's just a very smooth ride. The low-end presence is incredibly detailed (see my review that I did on this site for the T6 as well). It's highlights as with the rest of the Platinum line is it's incredibly neatral sound, the enormous soundstage, and the fidelity that takes you to a whole new level of musicality.

So I suppose my simple answer would be that if you are looking for just 2-channel power than I would go with the T6, but for HT/5.1 application I might lean towards the M2. Either way you can't go wrong. Once again it also depends on your room size, budget, and preference. If you are in a smaller room than you are limited with where you can place your speakers and from my experience the Platinum line tends to love to have about 3-4 feet between them and the rear wall and about 12-18 inches between them and the nearest side wall, if not more. They also need to be a decent distance away from the listener. I actually was thinking about going with the T8, but my room size was small enough that the T8 was overkill and the T6 was just perfect.

Hope that helps if you need any further assistance or clarification please let me know!