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Is There a Speaker for Me/Impossible Requirements? (budget: $2000)

Well, I just lost a very long and detailed post. Here’s my second shot:
After years in headphone purgatory I’m finally dipping a toe into ’real’ hifi. Turns out, its not as straightforward as I expected.
My equipment: 320-lossless files into a Moon i-5 in a 9 1/2 x 11 1/2’ room with 7’4" ceilings and a large rug. No issues or concerns regarding acoustics nor any interest in treating. Listen at 60-90 db for 3-8 hours a day- music is all over the map but a strong preference for neo-classical/ambient (Olafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm, Jonsi and Alex, etc), baroque/solo piano, fingerstyle guitar, and ’indie’ (whatever that means nowadays).

After reading a whole lot I purchased the following speakers based on my headphone preferences (HD650):
Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniv: VERY forward, VERY mid-centric, and not at all for me. They seem to have the veil people associate with the Senns, though I’ve never experienced it myself.
Spendor S3/5: These are much more interesting. Imaging is amazing- they do seem to disappear completely on certain tracks. However, the sound is rather unexciting. Perhaps this is closer to neutral but I find the speakers end up falling into the background and don’t really pull me in to the music. Tonally, the 3/5 seems very coherent though the lack of visceral bass is quite evident.
Spendor SP-1: The best of the bunch to my ears. The imaging is maybe a little behind the 3/5 but the sound seems much more balanced with more bass presence. On some songs they sound a bit U-shaped (maybe a little ’thin’ vs the ’non-present’ 3/5) and not quite as unified (lack of mids?) as the other Spendor.

My hope is to find a speaker I can keep for a long time that fits my listening space and music preferences. Given my experience where would you head from here:
A) Keep the SP-1s and spend more time placing them within my space/experimenting with stands and/or upstream gear?
B) Get a sub for the S3/5 and compare against the SP-1 again?
C) Try for another speaker altogether? If so, my max budget would be $2000 with a preference for value. I do have a pair of Meadowlark Kestrels on their way to me, but I haven’t heard them yet. Harbeth, Totem, ProAc, Vandersteen, Ohm, and Revel all sound interesting to me.
Grateful for any thoughts,
NM
joincoolkidclub
seanheis1
594 posts
 
I've always thought Sennheiser phones and Ohm Walsh speakers have an overall more laid back sonic similarity along the lines you indicate appeal to you FWIW.   I've had several of each. The Ohms still draw me in best overall.

I own Ohm Walsh tall and HD650 headphones and I agree. Zero fatigue after hours of listening and all genres sound good on both. 
joincoolkidclub OP
19 posts
 
Still awaiting the Kestrels- supposedly arriving tomorrow. In the meantime, I discovered that the SP-1 sounded so completely different form the 3/5s as the woofers are not original. If anyone is interested in hearing a Spendor with a lot more bass presence send me a PM.... Sold the Dentons and am spending time getting to know the 3/5 and liking what I hear, though I still find the sound a bit compressed and sometimes coherent sometimes a bit woolly. Sounds like the Ohms suffer from a bit of those issues? Now that I'm listening downstairs in a larger space, it seems as though my OP is a bit meaningless though, again, still grateful for all the feedback I've received.
joincoolkidclub OP
19 posts
 
For anyone interested: received the Kestrels and, though they are a pretty unbelievable value, I just don't find them engaging to listen to. After switching over from the Spendor 3/5 the Kestrels sound somewhat more open (or perhaps just less constrained/boxy) and have a bit more bass (both extension and quantity, though it is very controlled)... but that's about it. Vocals don't sound nearly as rich or natural to me and the trade offs for a pinch more extension (on both ends really) and a smidge of air are not worth it to me. I can certainly see what others like: overall the speakers are very easy to listen to, very inoffensive. However, the 3/5 has a wonderful tonality and what I'm starting to hear as a certain kind of truthfulness- presenting just what's there, no more no less- that is captivating. When I first heard the Spendor I was unimpressed- now the same happens listening to anything else... What fickle creatures are we!
tweak1
3,533 posts
 
Emerald Physics is running a special on either the KC IIs or the KCII Pros
limomangus's avatar
limomangus
1,188 posts
 
Polk lsim707 returns for $1400 taxes n shipping .
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