“House” Character of Popular $20-$30k Speakers


I’ll be upgrading my speakers in a bit (after I add a turntable to my system). I’ve always thought that people two often end up attempting to correct or compensate for a quality they don’t like in one of their system components. My thought is that speakers and amps shouldn’t try to “correct” each other, but rather, they should complement each other, while sharing many similar qualities in their sonic signatures.

With that in mind, I’d describe my Gryphon Diablo 300 with the internal DAC (fed by an InnuOS Zenith MK3 streamer) as being rich, lively, engaging, slightly warm but moderately detailed, with dramatic dynamic swings that can often simulate a live sound. Smooth but energetic and engaging at the same time. My speakers I’ll be upgrading from are B&W 803 D2’s. Big full and bold sound but with finesse and moderate quickness too.

What brand of speakers would be along the lines of the sound I describe above? I’d be hoping to follow this sonic signature in my next speaker purchase, but adding some small capabilities with transparency and detail, imaging, and low end presence.

The speaker brands I have in mind to look into are:

-Magico (would check out the A5’s. I hear the A5’s could be too analytical for some, but have an excellent and clean bass presence.  Bust most rave about the A5)

-Sonus Faber (heard these are too relaxed for some?)

-Wilson Audio (if I can get over how they look)

-Monitor Audio

-Dynaudio: Maybe this brand could be a sweet spot?

-B&W: I’ve tested many and find them lacking in bass presence resulting in a mid forward style. That said the 802 D3’s I auditioned matched the sonic character of their upper ranges very well.

Would be interested in how others describe the house sounds if the brands above…

 

 

 

nyev

I’ve probably owned over 100-150 pairs of speakers, over the years. I don’t rightly know. It’s a big number.

I’ve probably heard near 1000 or so pairs of speakers under favorable conditions, ie showrooms, audio shows, people’s houses. All hooked up with quality gear, etc etc.

Note that I mentioned Verity. I mentioned verity as the OP gravitated toward the Dynaudio speakers. Verity is in the same ballpark, but also...an upgrade. Ie, ’Audio technology’ drivers. Where Ejvind Skaaning went after all the other companies like skan-speak and dynaudio. His own company. I had the pleasure of speaking with him once, for about a hour. I called up Audio Technology to speak about some custom designs, and his son, Per (who was running the company) was away on holiday and Ejvind was manning the phones.

Quite a few of the brands mentioned use similar technology or they used dynaudio and scan-speak drivers in their past and right now. Or, some use ’audio technology’ drivers.

Verity uses audio technology drivers, in the past and probably still do, right now. Verity is one of those speaker brands that people end up with after they’ve finally got their head wrapped around how equipment sounds and can translate that to how things should sound, and can move in that direction. Verity owners generally (in my experience) aren’t on forums, or, if they are, they’re not loud about it. It’s all about the music.

If i had to chose between my expectations in sonic qualities.. and what I’ve experienced... and then translate that into what the OP might be looking for..the audition set would be between Dynaudio, Verity, Sonus Faber and Magico. With Magico being the odd man out.

Maybe one or two of the others..but that would require more scrutiny of their construction, crossovers, driver design, etc...Not saying they are somehow better or worse, but I just don’t know their design intricacies well enough. And, in the final analysis, well, it’s just, like, my opinion, man...

I've owned Dynaudio Contour 30i and jumped to Sonus Faber Olympica range. The SFs offer much better midrange very relaxed and yet very detailed high frequencies and good low end definition. Go and audition serafino or amati tradition. I'm sure you will like them

Based on feedback so far, here is my prioritized order for auditions:

  • Rockport Atrium 2’s are now in my top spot.  Would need to travel to audition.  Anyone know of a Rockport dealer likely to also have a Diablo 300?
  • Magico A5 / Sonus Faber (would try multiple models). 
  • Dynaudio (Confidence 30 I think?) but I think possibly might not have the low volume performance as I hear they like to be cranked….
  • Monitor Audio, Audio Vector, Wilson, Paradigm

 

@bache - I think you hit the nail on the head in that folks that like Teton also like Las Vegas. I avoid both like the plague (or COVID).