Any monitors clearly better than Pulsars?

verdant,

Would that JA-like speaker be the Bambusa MG 1 listed on your web site?

In any case, I had the JA Perspective speakers at my home for an audition a couple of years ago. While they have a reputation for fine detail, I actually found my Thiel 3.7s pulled out a little more detail vs the JA speakers. But what is most seductive, to me, about the JA’s is the quality of the sound; really grainless and pure and smooth (and that tweeter is just terrific - though it’s probably an inaccurate cliche that metal tweeters do metal sounds better than soft domed, the JA speakers really make cymbals and metallic objects sound authentically metallic.

John Atkinson has put it well in some of his speaker reviews: that the sound of instruments like drum-hi-hats often take on the character of "bursts of modulated white noise." Yeah, you can identify it in the recording as a drum cymbal, but it really doesn’t sound like a real drum cymbal. One of the first things I heard in the JA speakers is how authentic drum cymbals sounded. (That’s another feature of the MBL 121 speakers I own as well: incredibly convincing high frequencies).

@prof  honest question: can they rock? I am curious to know if the Pulsars can handle say ACDC or Tool (trying to name bands people actually know) well.

gochurchgo

I don’t feel qualified to make any definitive claim about the Pulsars rocking or not. I auditioned them once or twice a couple years ago, but moved on strictly to auditioning the floor standing Perspectives after that.

That said, it depends on what you’d be comparing them to.  It would make sense to evaluate "do they rock" for a stand mounted speaker.    The Pulsars have a wide-ranging reputation for sounding like a much bigger speaker, with fantastic depth and bass impact for their size. Many have reported they do in deed rock really well. When I auditioned them, the played everything great, including some Van Halen as I remember.

I ended up wanting the Perspectives because I found them even more refined than the Pulsars.

hi,
according to the reviews, it seems Alta Audio Celesta FRM-2 are better than Pulsar and Perspective.
i haven't heard any speakers from JA since my dealer did not stock them and said they're overprice for their sound. he go on to say there is a slight rigidness in the lower mids and colored (maybe he meant veil) in the higher octave.
as for personal taste, i prioritize wide open airy-ness, with deep thumping bass, hence feels and perhaps the Celesta FRM-2 (i could add a pair of subs if i wish for more oomph) could be a match for me, but seeking more help from experienced A'goners, so as to "triangulate" and determine the right speaker. 
anyone with any info would be a great help. Thanks!