1. Home
  2. speakers
  3. 1105848801

Best Floorstander Under 10K?

This thread is prompted by another that started to head in this direction. I've been looking for over a year for an attractive floorstanding speaker with outstanding musicality in a two channel application. Much of what I've heard has been pretty disappointing--barely or not at all bettering my Harbeth Compact 7's at $2500. I'm interested in hearing from folks who are passionate about their floorstanders. These could be current production or something from past years that provides excellent sound and value. Perhaps I've missed the diamond in the rough. My listening room has grown to 26 X 14 X 9 and I really would like to find something the wife will find attractive/unobtrusive and provide a fuller sound but preserving the "rightness" of the Harbeths. Any thoughts?
dodgealum
philnyc
162 posts
 
Dodgealum...I'll see what I can do. The Focus Classic Series has that kind of finish, and they did want the Signature Series to have a markedly different look. If you (or anyone else) have particular wood tones that you think would be of particular interest to you, please do let me know.

And thanks for the kind words re: our room at the show!! :-)
dodgealum's avatar
dodgealum OP
1,429 posts
 
Philnyc. I think a distinguished loudspeaker requires some distinctive woods. I feel like the standard maple, cherry, rosewood, etc. would be a little boring (I know, this from the guy who thinks the glossy too loud!). The euculyptus done by Harbeth and others has a really nice look, a honey oak perhaps, and what about something like the rose walnut offered by Aerial Acoustics? Just my two cents. By the way, where can I hear the Focus speakers again in the NYC metro area? Given the moniker I'm thinking Philnyc must be around here somewhere?! I'd really enjoy checking them out once more now that I have had the opportunity since the show to listen to a variety of other speakers. It would be a good opportunity to recalibrate since I remember the Focus speakers pulling me in the way others have not. Then perhaps a finish option will pop up in the future that I can live with!
philnyc
162 posts
 
Dodgealum...I agree with you regarding the need for a distinctive finish, and yes, that's what the folks at Focus were going for with the gloss. :-D Anyways...yes, I am in the NYC area, in NJ about 10 minutes north of the GWB (I'm a home-based dealer, and I used to be in NYC - thus the "PhilNYC" ID - but family matters required a move to the 'burbs...). Shoot me an email at [email protected] if you want to set up an appointment to come out. If you're in the city and need transportation, I can probably help with that too (although not in today's snowstorm! :-)
redkiwi
1,092 posts
 
Just for the record - I don't understand how you could find the Parsifal unmusical Dodgealum - unless it was not run in when its upper mids are pinched and recessed. I find my Fidelios quite un-hifi, much less so than my Merlin VSMs or my Thiel 2.4s - much more like my friends Sonus Faber Guarnieris than any other speaker I have had. But I don't doubt that is what you heard.
philnyc
162 posts
 
Dodgealum...so it turns out that Focus *can* make the FS-888 (or any other Signature Series speaker) in a satin wood finish (instead of the gloss). It does take a longer lead-time (2-3 months), but it does not cost any extra. Note that the gloss finish does act as a cabinet damper, so the satin wood finish will sound a little softer than ones with the gloss finish. However, according to the folks at Focus, some people actually prefer the sound!

Most readily available for wood choices are the birds-eye maple and rosewood finishes that they make for the Focus Classic Series (see www.focusaudio.com to see what those look like).
More to discover