Looking for Monitor Ideas

kevhed72

Im kicking around Dynaudio, Usher, Harbeth, etc. Budget is 1500 ish, 2000 max. The room itself is 10 wide by 16 deep. Im really looking for more soundstage width and imaging than my previous speakers. On a side note....I have Boston Acoustics A70s set up upstairs in a much wider room which I am really digging. Any ideas...used is OK w me.

kevhed72

BTW....here is the room:

tonyb

I'll take the Clint Eastwood pic there for 5 bucks.

What were your previous speakers ? Will you be using a subwoofer also ? Just for 2 channel ?

kevhed72

Just 2 channel.....previous were 703s. Trying to avoid a sub but not completly out of question.

Clipdat

Bryston Mini T?

tonyb

Harbeths would be a good choice....but, first tell me what you didn't like about the 703's . Also the type of music you mostly listen to.

kevhed72

tonyb wrote: »

Harbeths would be a good choice....but, first tell me what you didn't like about the 703's . Also the type of music you mostly listen to.

I listen to real jazz, new college type of sound bands, classical, ambient, a bit of what used to be call alternative.
Honestly, I thought the 703s were lacking in depth, soundstage, imaging and on some types of music vocal were not as clear or clean sounding. I know alot of this has to do with the room....

kevhed72

Clipdat wrote: »

Bryston Mini T?

Why so....or why do you like them....just picking your brain

tonyb

kevhed72 wrote: »

tonyb wrote: »

Harbeths would be a good choice....but, first tell me what you didn't like about the 703's . Also the type of music you mostly listen to.

I listen to real jazz, new college type of sound bands, classical, ambient, a bit of what used to be call alternative.
Honestly, I thought the 703s were lacking in depth, soundstage, imaging and on some types of music vocal were not as clear or clean sounding. I know alot of this has to do with the room....

The Harbeths would probably excel in those areas, they have a bit of a laid back sound though, "the English sound" we like to call it referring to classic English monitors. Hard do to better though for those upper registers.

Dynaudio is more upfront and dynamic, can be a bit bright with the wrong gear attached to them.

Ushers, are very revealing also, need decent electronics to perform their best imho.

I think you'll find with better quality bookies, your upstream electronics are going to play a bigger role in what you hear.

One of the guys in Rockford has his Odyssey Lorreli's up in the FM. They are floorstanders, but smallish ones. I personally had a chance to hear these and they are extremely suited for your preferences.

Other than that, there is a host of bookies that could fit your needs and we'd be all over the map throwing up suggestions. Maybe paint us a picture of what the systems electronics will look like as some suggestions will be dependent on that.

Jaybeez

May want to consider Ascend Sierra 2s. They have RAAL tweeters and the detail is incredible. I Bought mine after spending time listening to Revel Gems and felt they were comparable if not better. Tons of reviews on the net. I really love mine on jazz.

Clipdat

I don't personally have experience with them, I just thought they would meet your requirement of being able to go low, and get along w/o a sub, because they have a beefy looking 8" woofer.

kevhed72 wrote: »

Why so....or why do you like them....just picking your brain

kevhed72

Clipdat wrote: »

I don't personally have experience with them, I just thought they would meet your requirement of being able to go low, and get along w/o a sub, because they have a beefy looking 8" woofer.

kevhed72 wrote: »

Why so....or why do you like them....just picking your brain

I have never seen those before so I will check them out...thanks!

Clipdat

Specs look interesting. They're 4ohm!

Specifications:

Frequency Response: 33Hz to 20Khz (+/- 3dB)
Impedance: 4 Ohms (nominal)
Sensitivity: 86 dB SPL @ 1 meter with 1 watt (anechoic)
Maximum SPL: 112 dB SPL @ 1 meter
Recommended Power: 10 watts to 250 watts RMS
Tweeter: Single 1.0"
Midrange: Single 5.25"
Mid-Woofer: Single 8.0"
Crossover: 160 Hz & 2.3kHz

kevhed72 wrote: »

I have never seen those before so I will check them out...thanks!

rooftop59

I love my dynaudios. Best soundstage and top to bottom musicality I have ever had, and these are their entry level models. They crush my old 703s in every way honestly, save perhaps bass slam (but they are in a much bigger room so it’s not really a fair comparison).

Conradicles

I personally would add Focal and Totem to your list. Happy shopping!

ZLTFUL

http://salksound.com/model.php?model=Supercharged SongSurround

http://silverlineaudio.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=78&Itemid=74

tonyb

Salks Focal Dynaudio Totem Rel....all good suggestions.

Clipdat

How much for the Boba Fett Pez dispenser?

kevhed72

Clipdat wrote: »

How much for the Boba Fett Pez dispenser?

Dude....part of my prized robot collection. The kids arent allow to even look at those!

kevhed72

Thanks for the suggestions....here is what is in my rig now which will be staying cor awhile:
Marantz 8004 SACD player (I will ugrade to a separate DAC again before I buy a new player)
Cary SLP 03 tubed pre
Auralic Aries Mini
MIT Shotgun cables throughout

My current amp and PC will get swapped out in the future - Parasound HCA1000 and I forget which PC.

TNTsTunes

I'm guessing you want monitors that can be bi-wired since you use bi-wire MIT Shotgun speaker cables.

kevhed72

TNTsTunes wrote: »

I'm guessing you want monitors that can be bi-wired since you use bi-wire MIT Shotgun speaker cables.

Leaning that direction...which would limit any Harbeths unless I could find them single wired....which seems improbable

mpitogo

Tekton Design Impact Monitors look to be in your range. http://www.tektondesign.com/impact-monitor.html

I’m trying to justify in my head why I need Double Impacts, I have 5 setups in 4 rooms. Check out Zero Fidelity’s review.

erniejade

On the Chicago craigslist. They had Dynaudio c3 for around 3k but they have been on there for a bit so you might have a bit of wiggle room.

Got a KEF dealer around you?

I had the bryston mini t. Fun speaker lots of bass but i didn't care for the top end.

txcoastal1

http://www.fritzspeakers.com/

erniejade

txcoastal1 wrote: »

http://www.fritzspeakers.com/

I have never heard of them but they look well built.

txcoastal1

Looking at the room, I like the idea of the Odyssey Lorreli. Have a similar midwoofer as the Usher, but not as forward with the soft dome tweet

Being rear ported you can use the speaker placement to either enhance the bass, or tame with panels if you can't get them out far enough

kevhed72

There are a pair of Totem Rainmakers on Agon which are a bit rough but the price is right. The Silverline Menuets and Prelude are also interesting, even though the Prelude is a floorstander it apears pretty unobtrusive. Havenet made it though all the suggestions yet but thanks!

tonyb

kevhed72 wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions....here is what is in my rig now which will be staying cor awhile:
Marantz 8004 SACD player (I will ugrade to a separate DAC again before I buy a new player)
Cary SLP 03 tubed pre
Auralic Aries Mini
MIT Shotgun cables throughout

My current amp and PC will get swapped out in the future - Parasound HCA1000 and I forget which PC.

Gotcha man, I think between the Cary, MIT cables, and the Parasound, you have plenty of warmth there to go ahead with some of the more forward sounding speakers suggested.

Tell ya what though, if your looking for a completely different sound than the 703's you had.....Dynaudio has to be at the top of your list.

Don't put too much weight either on a speaker that you can't bi-wire because your cables are bi-wire, just double up on the posts.

So many good bookies mentioned, hard to pick....still think the Lorreli's in the FM for a g note is a darn good deal though.....and leaves you some room to upgrade the amp with your budget.

kevhed72

tonyb wrote: »

kevhed72 wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions....here is what is in my rig now which will be staying cor awhile:
Marantz 8004 SACD player (I will ugrade to a separate DAC again before I buy a new player)
Cary SLP 03 tubed pre
Auralic Aries Mini
MIT Shotgun cables throughout

My current amp and PC will get swapped out in the future - Parasound HCA1000 and I forget which PC.

Gotcha man, I think between the Cary, MIT cables, and the Parasound, you have plenty of warmth there to go ahead with some of the more forward sounding speakers suggested.

Tell ya what though, if your looking for a completely different sound than the 703's you had.....Dynaudio has to be at the top of your list.

Don't put too much weight either on a speaker that you can't bi-wire because your cables are bi-wire, just double up on the posts.

So many good bookies mentioned, hard to pick....still think the Lorreli's in the FM for a g note is a darn good deal though.....and leaves you some room to upgrade the amp with your budget.

In the FM here?

agfrost

kevhed72 wrote: »

In the FM here?

http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/180243/odyssey-audio-loreleis#latest

I heard those Loreleis and was very impressed. Aaron (ALL212) is a good guy too.