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monitors+stands, floor standers? 2 many

So I'm in this paralyzed state, trying to upgrade speakers (previous thread started with "ProAc, Totem, snell, soliloquy, coincident") and I was thinking monitors (which is what I have now). But monitors + stands costs about the same as some floor standers. Budget is in the $1500 range, new or used, so the potential list is staggering.

leading the consideration list is (in no particular order):
Soliloquy 5.3 (floor)

Dynaudio Audience 70 (floor)

Silverline SR17 (Monitor)

Coincident Triumph (monitor), Super Conquest (floor), partial eclipse (floor)

PSB Stratus Silveri (floor)

Totem Sttaf (floor)

Joseph Audio RM7si (monitor)

Meadowlark Shearwater hotrod (floor)

Clements 206i (floor), (they also have a monitor which escapes me right now)

And I am sure to be missing lots of others. BTW, I auditioned the Sol 5.3, and went in really wanting to like them, but was disappointed - while they certainly are decent speakers, I found the music contained/restricted/unemotional and not presenting enough of a soundstage (ie placement seemd limited to the speakers themselves, and the dealer warned me that his cable, equipment, etc were making them sound the best they would sound!).

Please share your thoughts on the speakers on my (growing) list and the debate of monitor vs smallish floor standers. Thanks.
lefarioeb76

Showing 1 response by eldragon

eldragon
707 posts
 
Hello, i would also consider the room size and music you often listen, to narrow the priorities down. Most monitors won't satisfy 'bottom end' in larger rooms, even more so if you listen rock music and similar, some call it music.
There is a advantage in owning a monitors. Smaller enclosures will 'talk' less, and ultimately produce more natural, neutral sound. Good monitor will, most of the time, outperform floorstander of the same price.
On the another hand, most monitors are of lower
sensitivity and may require higher output amps. Some great monitors by Dynaudio are 84db 'sensitive' if you will, and will pose dificult load for low power tube amps.
Another great monitor is B&W 805N, with much more 'benign' sensitivity. And if you like B&W sound, give an ACI Sapphire III LE try, many claim it is a High-end audio best kept secret. Good Luck!

Also, you can alway ad the Sub-woofer with the monitors.
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