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Help me narrow down some speaker choices

Had the opportunity to listen to a bunch of well-known brands with my XA30.5 and DirectStream dac/pre and at the end of the day, left even more confused of what direction I wanted to go. I tried:

Totem Sky - Great air and high extension, fun, slightly forward from neutral, but too boomy and midrange wasn't working for me.
Focal Sopra 1 - The BE tweeter was making my ears bleed.
Opera Seconda - Great impact, dug deep, beautiful construction but on the opposite end of the focal, way too warm and congested (relatively speaking). It was definitely a fun speaker that wouldn't offend anyone but left me looking for more clarity and air.
Reference 3A MM deCapo - Really enjoyed these overall in the 2 hours I listened at someone's home but the BE tweeter again was wearing on me in the long run. Acoustic guitar and Gregory Porter's voice sounded absolutely stunning though.
ATC SCM40 - Great extension on either end, very accurate, guitar and voices sounded very real, in the room type of feel, not hifi. Lacked impact and wish it was a little more forward, otherwise very enjoyable and one of my top choices. I think my amp might be part of the limiting factor here.
Verity Audio Finn - Didn't sound coherent at all, top end was very overpowering. Each component was working fine but seemed like I was hearing each individual one rather than a blend, was very unusual.
Harbeth SHL5+ - Wrapped me in music, nice and cozy. Laid back speaker, female vocals sounded great but male voices didn't have the grunt I was hoping for. They left me a little snoozy and wooley sounding (but not signficantly so).

Looking back, I'd like the high-end extension and instrumental texture of a deCapo BE but a notch-back of the sizzle, with a more forward sounding SCM40 that can generate some impact. 

I'm looking at all sorts of options at this point and wondering where to go. Looking at internet direct options as well from PranaFidelity Bhava, Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Sig Floorstander, Salk Sound Song3, Tekton (would have to be the Lore References, I can't stand the sight of the tweeter bug-eye array no matter how they sound. Wife wouldn't let them in the door either).
msommers
bondmanp
1,786 posts
 

These will be difficult to audition, and they are sold direct with no return option (crazy, right?), but in what seems to be your price range, I really enjoy the Silverline Audio Bolero Supreme.  The Esotar tweeter will definitely not make your ears bleed, but offer great extention and detail.


I would also look into German Physiks, the Unlimited MkII or the HRS-120.  Based on your reaction to the speakers you've heard (and I have heard some, but not all of them), you might really enjoy the way these speakers sound.

msommers OP
51 posts
 
@david_ten Thanks for your comments! It's great that you also have Pass gear and they pair well. Given their overall assessment, I think for my tastes a tube power amp would be necessary. The Monitor might be a good option - smaller, cheaper to ship and not as physically huge as the Double Impacts. Such mixed customer service with Tekton is a really big concern, especially being in a different country...

@steakster It certainly is possible but I would think it's more neutral than anything. I say that because I also have Schiit Yggdrasil to compare dacs and also a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium preamp with NOS 60's Mullards and RCAs to tweak things slightly.

@toetapaudio I have not heard of that brand - will inquire further. What would you suggest?

@bondmanp I will look into those further, thanks for the suggestions! Did you end up with anything from GP? If so, what are your other components in the chain?
rsgottlieb's avatar
rsgottlieb
47 posts
 
I'm delighted with Monitor Audio PL 100II--that's the bottom of the line at 6k, and it goes up to 30K in different forms. Great sound all round, very accurate, just the slightest bit of warmth, powerful bass and amazing highs. 
You also might look at Aerial. i heard the 5t and was mighty impressed--but got the monitors for 1/2 price on this site!
Have fun. 
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,851 posts
 
You need something reasonably high efficiency with 30 watts.
Don’t overlook Triangle or Spatial.   Then there is always Klipsch.   New Forte 3s are very nice.  
reubent
6,936 posts
 
If you like the Reference 3A MM DeCapo BE, except they had a bit too much sizzle for you, perhaps you can find a pair of the predecessors - MM DeCapo-i. I had a pair for sever years and really enjoyed them. They had plenty of high end extension and detail, but I did not think the sounded hot or had too much sizzle. They are also more attractive with the excellent piano black lacquer finish, or real wood verneer. They also happen to be considerably less expensive when you find them.
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