What are your favorite monitors?


I'm interested to hear what your favorite monitors are, both for general reasons and specific reasons. There seem to be a lot of quality monitors out there and it's an easy size to deal with. I'd like to become more familiar with more of them.

For the more specific reason. I'm going to be able to set up a small system in a small room using a modified SS Blue Circle integrated amp and RA Opus 21 CDP. Right now I have a pair of Spendor S3/5 speakers that are very good and this is the approximate size box I'm interested in, but larger are fine too. For this small system are there other monitors that you might recommend, that perhaps have a synergy with BC electronics? With so many monitors available and few available for local demo I would appreciate your critiques of the speakers you like.

I use Audience Au24 speaker cables. My music preference is for mostly classical (not a lot of orchestral), jazz, space music, bluegrass, finger picking acoustic guitar, and some rock music (but don't expect to rock out). I don't like bright speakers. The speakers may not be able to be too far out from the wall; consider this near-filed listening. Since the majority of monitors are not terribly expenisve I'm open to most suggestions price-wise. Thanks.
budrew

Showing 1 response by subaruguru

If you like the S3/5 I strongly suggest you find either a pair of s3/1p (6.5" woofer, vented) or, interestingly, a pair of the now-discontinued SC3 center channels set on edge as a l/r pair (TWO 5" woofers flanking that tweeter, vented). Both these designs have a full +5 to 6dB increase in sensitivity due to the bigger/more drivers, and far better bass extension than the baby S3/5. Thus you won't have to get a bigger amp. I use the 1p as a stereo pair with the SC3 as a center as a front trio in my secondary HT system, and the stage is completely seamless. Either setup lists for $1400/pr, not much more than the S3/5, and are a MUCH better choice than the new lower efficiency S3 SE (too bright!).
Cheers.