Best floorstanding speaker in the 2-3K range (1 Viewer)

[Cagri]

You may perhaps like to give a listen to Kef Reference Model 207's. Frequency response at 15° horizontally off axis ±3 dB 40 Hz - 55 kHz, Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 91 dB , Impedance 8 Ohms (3.0 Ohms min), and they sound awesome. Might be a bit on the upper side of your price range in the US though.

 

[John Garcia]

The A/V-3 and the Diluceo are listed as +/-1.2dB in their respective frequency ranges! That is recording studio type response...

however, it is a custom built speaker so it should not be a problem to make it floorstanding and lower the bass cutoff.

I don't think it is as simple as slapping the drivers in a new cabinet. The cabinet would have to be tuned to the drivers, and then there might need to be some changes to the x-over. If you look at the kits, there is no floorstander which uses the 5 1/4" drivers.

 

[Lee Scoggins]

Go with planars anyway and get the

Magneplanar 1.6 Qs

sound great all around the room and they are the Absolute Sound Editor's Choice in your price range. Great bass down to 40hz. Very natural sound, bi-ampable and almost in your sensitivity range.

-satisfied Maggie fan

 

[Michael R Price]

John, if you keep the baffle width and layout and extend the enclosure downwards it will not significantly affect the response. The larger volume would enable the use of a lower tuning frequency, however the output would be limited by linear displacement. (Also, I am hesitant to accept that the +/-1.2db response makes the speaker more accurate sounding than any other. Especially if the off-axis response is factored in.)

Lee, I think the Magneplanars could work well with a tube amp... a really, really big tube amp. The efficiency is 83db.

 

[george king]

I will, 2nd 3rd or 4th the GR Research AV-3s. I have the AV-1s and they are wonderful.

OTOH, you may want to check out the Kef XQ5s. They are about $3K list, and sound absolutely wonderful also. The Kef reference 207s mentioned earlier list for $8K I believe, a bit out of your price range. However, they are the best speakers I have ever heard.

 

[Michael R Price]

George,
Good idea. What's funny is that the A/V-3 is probably as good as half the high-end speakers mentioned here, and the kit costs $300. (Isn't the Diluceo the same idea except with pretty much top-end parts?)

 

[John Garcia]

My original recommendation (2nd response) was for the A/V-3

The Diluceo is roughly the same as the A/V-2 (M-T-M), with the CSS ribbon tweeter and it's own crossover.

I don't know how Danny measures these speakers to get the +/-1.2dB (maybe theoretical?). I agree, the accuracy alone is not an indicator in itself of how good these speakers are, all I can say is, I have not heard this kind of performance in speakers anywhere near his pricing.

 

[george king]

John,

I know you were the one to originally suggest them, that is why I said I would 2, 3 or 4th them.

 

[Brian Bunge]

Concerning the Diluceos, according to Danny, the dual Eton woofers are in as about as big an enclosure as they need to be. We've talked it over and he said that we could simply build the speakers with the same internal dimensions and volume but with longer sides back and baffle to create a tower with a sealed and fillable lower chamber. He said the only real difference will be around a dB or so bump in the low end response.

I know some of the response measurements are hard to believe, but I personally had someone at the DIY Atlanta 2002 meet measure my own pair of A/V-2's. The response was dead on vs. what is published on the GR website.

 

[John Garcia]

George,

Was not directing that comment towards you. I gathered that you saw my first response.

 

[JustinDR]

I would recommend the Reference 3A MM De Capo i speakers. They are not floorstanders but fulfill all your criteria. Excellent bass down to 42 Hz, excel with tubes, 92 dB efficient, nominal 8 ohm load, bi-wire or bi-amp ready, and very musical but not necessarily warm sounding. Definitely worth a try, they might convince you that you don't need a floorstander.

 

[Cagri]

Wow! That's right, Kef 207's are way above your price target, sorry. I must have passed asking their price as I can't even think buying them

 

[Michael R Price]

Brian,

Oh... well, I'm not a fan of trying to run 5" woofers full range anyway. After all, I still think I want a subwoofer for music with my 281s.

Yogi, did you think about using a sub?

 

[Ryan_MF]

http://tyleracoustics.home.mindspring.com/taylo.html

 

[Yogi]

Micheal, I really dont want to deal with matching a sub with my main speakers. Its hard for me to get a seamless blend between a sub and mains. I will sacrifice the last octave for the simplicity of not having a sub. Plus that opens another search for the perfect sub for what ever speakers I choose.

Regards,

 

[Darren Lang]

There are plenty of quality speakers out there for sure,but to me it sounds like this one is exactly what you are looking for:

PARADIGM STUDIO 100 v.2

1) $2200 wood veneer
2) Floorstanding speaker
3) Bi-ampable
4) Frequency response: 39Hz - 22kHz
5) 91 db sensitivity
6) 8 ohm compatible

 

[Jason.Soko]

Seriously give Totem a listen over Paradigms. Paradigms are zero contest to them.

 

[Darren Lang]

I'm just saying that the Paradigm's deserve a listen to.

- in a highly regarded audio mag they won runner up for BEST speaker 2000. The one that beat them out was $85,000(U.S) Dynaudio Evidence
- in this same magazine they did a test report on them and the guy that tested them said, "You may well decide that it is, indeed, the best speaker in its price range."
- they were quoted as "the best sound I heard at CEDIA was in the Paradigm - Sonic Frontiers room" ( 2003 show )
- also quoted as being one of the best sounds at Home Entertainment 2002 show
- in a different audio magazine they DID win best speaker of the year honors

They also fit ALL of your criteria, not SOME of your criteria.

Also consider this:

There is a website that shows reviews of all sorts of audio products - loudspeakers included. Anyone who has ever bought a certain loudspeaker or auditioned one can then rate it out of 5. The Paradigm Studio 100 v.2 got a rating of 4.76 and the Totem Acoustics Forest got a rating of 4.21. Also 177 people wrote in to rate the Paradigms and only 29 people wrote in to rate the Totems. It seems to me that more people are buying the Paradigms and are more satisfied with them once they get them.

Also remember that the Totem Forest is $800 US more than the Paradigms.


So for someone to say that the Paradigms don't even compare to the Totems is ridiculous.

The Studio 100 v.2 has also recently been updated to a newer v.3 version. I have read that this new version is even better than the v.2 version. Just something else to consider.

 

[ChrisLazarko]

for me it would be a simple decision. Klipsch RF-7's. Very clean sound and it is not harsh at all and it hits low notes very good. It is also a very nice looking piece that will blend in with furniture.

They run about $1800 for the pair more or less. That would be my suggestion but I just love Klipsch sound.

You can take opinions all night long but you might like a bright sounding speaker like Klipsch or a more neutral speaker such as JBL or Athena. You may also like a deeper sounding speaker that provides tons of bass and less midrange.... To each his own.

 

[NicholasL]

What are your thoughts now, Yogi? After hearing all our opinions, have you compiled a shortlist to take with you to your local dealer? My vote goes for the Klipsch RF-7's also.