Best speakers out there for Midrange and Highs


Hello Everyone!

I would like some advise about what are some of the better speakers out there for a 2 channel system - with use of subwoofers.

I currently use a pair of significantly large - full range speakers (Revel Salon2), that go down below 20hz. Even though my speakers go down so low, I still desired more air movement / sound pressure in the room - to make the sound as palatable as possible.

I found that combining the Salon2 with an external active crossover (JL Audio CR-1) and 2 Subs (JL Audio F113s) sounds excellent. Soundstage is close to like being at a concert, and surprisingly to me, was that imaging has not been lost. Furthermore, adjusting the phases on the subwoofers basically made the speakers and subs act like a singularity and helped the system sound even more exciting. I cross over at 90hz with a 24Db decay.

However, can’t help thinking about the obvious - that I am waisting all that available bass capability on the Salon2s. So I was wondering what speakers out there could be even more appropriate for my configuration. These speakers need not go down so low - Down to 55HZ would be more than enough. On the other hand, Salon2s also have a very strong midrange and highs, so I would like the new speaker to be either:

1) Better in the mids and highs (whether same price as the Salon2 or possibly more expensive), or
2) As good in the mids and highs as the Salon2s but less expense

Very much appreciate your recommendations.

Thank you in advance!

jmarshak
Wow, lots of opinions indeed! Thanks everyone!
I’ve comprised a list from all the above (Apologies if I might missed anything in the thread). Perhaps the summarized list may help others reading the thread:

TAD Ref
Vivid Kaya S12 - tried
Vimbeg Amea
KEF Reference 1 - tried
Kaiser Chiara
Raidho -
Focal Diablo - tried and are go to speakers
Wilson - tried, not small enough :)
Marten Duke 2
Blackthorn 1
Bowers & Wilkins 800 D2+ - not small enouth :)
Sound Lab Majestic 545, 645
Goldenear Triton 5’s
Martin Logans 15A’s - tried
Vandersteen
Harbeth Compact7-Es 40th anniversary
Quad 2912, 57
Magneplanars.
Tidal speaker - cant afford any of them:)
Wilson Benesch Discovery 2 - Interesting

Plenty of food-for-thought here going into the new year!  Some of speaker types on the list I never considered before - not sure why.   Again, thanks everyone for sharing.

Happy Holidays and happy listening!
Hi @audiozenology  - I tried having the revels set up as part of the bass array first, it was the cheaper option.  After that, when I set the system into my current configuration, the sound was more 'together', and my heart beat lower.  My audiophilic friends all agreed (for the first time).  Hence the thread cause I know I am giving up bass potential.  Believe me I would have loved to be wrong.  I also spoke to a couple of amp manufacturers who agreed with the configuration.  Happy to discuss further if you would like, please feel free to pm me.
You will need to use REq or similar to help measure, place and adjust the subs. Problem with floor standers that go deep is best positioning for bass and for everything else unlikely to be the same except in a designed room.
The Radial midrange in the Harbeth 40.2 can't be beat.  So another one for your list!
Hi J

About a year ago I was looking for some bookshelf speakers to pair with my SVS SB4000 subs. I listened to the bookshelf versions of (sorry I don't remember the models) Focal, Spendor, B&W (805D I believe) and the little larger than bookshelf Vandersteens. None of them in my opinion were great. The midrange was fine but the highs were off a little bit, just not clean or as clear as I would have liked them to be. I was resigned to the fact that the B&W's were probably as close as I was going to get to the sound I wanted until I stumbled onto a pair of Wilson Audio's Tune Tots. Never in a million years did I think that I would own Wilson Audio but the mid/hi combination of these speakers was exactly what I was hoping to find.

I to, use a tube amp and an active crossover and actually crossover higher that you do. I built a couple of small tables for the Wilsons to sit on that straddle the subs so the drivers are aligned along the "Y" axis with the Wilsons about a foot more forward

As a previous poster mentioned, I would love to a have pair of Magnaplaners in my system, I just don't have the floor space for them.