Magico S5 vs KEF Blade 2 vs TAD Evo One vs YG Kipod II Sig w/pwr bass

I thought about the Revels Salon2. I mentioned the Studio2 because for whatever reason they 1/2 the price on the used market to Salon2 and certainly not half the speaker which messes them up with me. Also

The Salon2 is only $1000 to $1500 less than:

Magico S5
Kef Blade 
Rockport Atria 

and I would rather have one of these 3 above. 

I love the look of Sopra 3 in one of their cool colors and they can found for around $12,000

Are they really as bad as everyone says?

ive heard they are a good party speaker and decent but not a legit hiend speaker with the genuine resolution and over performance envelope of the 3 listed above or the Salon2 or even Sudio2 for that matter?

People real serious about high performance speakers seem to hate them so thought to ask. Not hate them but state they are no where even close to a Magico or Rockport or Blade. Too bad they look awesome I think in red or orange would be cool! 

Ddriveman -

if you read a bit earlier (not sure if you did) I wrote how the Rethm Saadhana V3 are absolutely amazing loudspeakers. World class! They are incredible and the best speakers I've ever owned or really ever heard and Ive heard a lot but so many in crap hotel room like all of us so that doesn't really help but still outstanding!

Fantastic speakers but I'm just looking to make a change but I'm no dummy (well maybe I am) and I'm covering my back side because they are too good to take the chance and I'm keeping my Rethm's in case I like them better than my new ones. Then I'll just flip the new ones.

Much less stress that way! Then I'd be traveling and forced to go to dealers to listening in fear of screwing up. Got myself a little insurance policy! 

That's why my audio funds are so tapped out and I'm scraping the bottom barrel to scape out a bang for buck preamp. I kept my old speaker. Instead I sold my TT, my Carts - had some good ones, 4 amps, linestage, phonostage, CD transport, extra cables and scrapped up every nickel. So I could swing keeping both sets of speakers at the same time.

The goal is for me to love my new speakers then sell my old speakers and probably upgrade my amp and get a good Pre or just get a Killer pre and maybe a modest table. VPI Prime Signature or something decent but nothing crazy. Tables can get crazy quick! 

With my Rethm speakers - when I bought them new I was so amazed by them I ordered an extra pair of $6,000 drivers still in wooden box never touched. May sell them or include when I sell my Rethm's but they don't sell these drivers and they are incredible. The best full range driver there is in my opinion.

I had tons of awesome - awesome amps for my Rethms - esoteric SET gear like Triode lab 2A3 - Yamamoto  45 - Fi 300b - Audio Note 300b - First Watt J2, F2J, F5, Bakoon and others. All were great! 

The Saadhana speakers are absolutely incredible but I'm getting the itch and looking to scratch it.

Rather then high efficient speaker with low power amps I'm taking a trip down the other end of the spectrum and going for semi-low or much lower efficient speakers and high power amps. 

Gonna tryout what the slam - multiple driver crowds been digging! Get me some good full range slam and some hard core SPL's but doubt I'll listen loud often. Not really my thing.

You know how it is. Just because you have a vet doesn't mean you drive it hard and fast all the time. It's the some of the time when you want the horsepower and you get the urge to stomp on it - it's there and I've got the urge but make no mistake I am fully prepared / hope not but prepared for my Rethms to wipe the floor with whatever I buy.

Thats why Im trying to get a really good speaker so it has a fighting chance against the Rethm's.

I got the Pass Labs beast to go with my new speakers but you know what the crazy part is? It sounds fantastic with the Rethms. Much like he First Watt J2 just not as lush and as warm. The J2 is a flat out tube amp made out JFETS. No idea how he pulled that off but thats why he's the master. Love Nelson he's the man. Wicked good guy! Email him - you'll hear back in 10 minutes - guys the best! 

Thanks for the response and feedback guys - it's helping - keep it coming! 

Guys my room is bigger than I thought. Kind of psyched about that.

Guy here helping us with getting a kitchen island he had a big enough measure tape.

25 x 14 feet with 16 foot ceilings that have what looks to be 12 pitch. He said ceilings are high - maybe 17 feet so my rooms a bit bigger.

Right now tweeter to my ear in sweet spot is 10 feet out so it's a bigger room - not huge but big enough for Blades or S5 or any full size I think. 

I've listened to Kef Blades several times and they just don't do anything for me. I currently own Monitor Audio PL500 IIs. If you get the opportunity give them a listen. I'm going to listen to Magico S3 MKII this week.

Been thinking my Pass Labs X350.5 might match up nice with the reasonably used priced BAT VK50SE which seems to go for around $3k used. I say this pre because I know it is a pretty dynamic and neutral pre for tubes but it's tubes. Think that might be a good match for the money?

I have my 250.8 matched with a Simaudio 740p and the two together are amazing.  I've never heard the 350.5 but based on the forum here I've heard a few folks say the .5 is a little more warm/tube-like in the mid-range where the .8 is a little more detailed. 

I didn't find the 740p added any forwardness to my 250.8 (with my Magico S1s) but the imaging and depth of the music exploded.   I was skeptical to pay a lot on a preamp after driving a Berklee Dac 2 direct into the 250.8, but I found the sound a bit analytical and a little flat with the Dac direct.  The 740p ended up giving me the largest overall gain to my system of any component I've added lately; I was amazed a good preamp could make that much difference.   The S1s make any up-stream change very noticeable, for good or for bad. 

I would imagine the already lovely midrange on the 350.5 would only sound better with a VERY neutral SS preamp like the 740p or something similar.   I've never heard the S5s but assuming they are no more forward or analytical than the same generation S1 I have, I think 350.5+740p or something similar (Pass XP-20 maybe) + S5 in a large room like yours would be amazing....  Cheers