floorstanders with small footprint? (1 Viewer)

[Rashad]

I've decided that I would rather have some small floorstanders as mains rather than investing in stands with a bookshelf. Are there any suggestions that would mate well with an NAD T743 receiver? I have been looking at the Tannoy Fusion 3 & also the Phase Technology 7.5. I can't audition these because there's not a dealer within 100 miles. Has anyone compared these? Also, what other small towers should I consider? I'm looking to spend no more than $650 for the pair and ideally want something that's no more than about 8 or 9" wide and 11" deep.

 

[PaulDA]

Monitor Audio Bronze B4 are worth auditioning. They have a fairly neutral sound (which I like) and fit the size profile you're seeking. I'm almost certain they fit your budget. I auditioned them and while they were not my final pick, they were quite nice and are definitely worth a listen.

 

[Rashad]

Thanks Paul. I will have to check them out. Any other suggestions from anyone?

 

[FeisalK]

I've heard good things about the Totem Arro (theres a pair sale @ audiogon for $950)

[url=http://www.totemacoustic.com/images/products/floor_arro_display.jpg] [/url]

 

[PaulDA]

You could also take a look at Boston Acoustics VR1 floorstanders. 600$/pr at retail. (I have Boston's VR-M60 bookshelf as my front mains, so I am biased here.) A worthy pair to audition as well. The Totem line is quite nice, but their floorstanders are well out of your stated budget. If you are able to stretch your budget, though, the Totems are a worthy line to explore.

 

[Andrew Pratt]

totems jump to mind when you ask for a small tower speaker. They're not cheap but they do sound great!

 

[Rashad]

Paul, are the Boston VR1's considered to have a bright sound? I've heard mixed opinions about Boston. I want something that will not cause fatigue. The NAD has a warm sound so I definitely want something that mates well with it. Also, I would like the center channel to be a little smaller when I decide to complete the 5.1 system. That's one of the things that attracted me to the Phase Tech and Tannoy speakers is that the center channels in both of those lines are relatively compact. I know that sounds like a lot, but does anyone know of a speaker line that has both compact floorstanders AND a compact center channel as well?

 

[PaulDA]

"Bright sound" is treading into potentially ambiguous territory--one man's "bright" is another man's "detailed", etc. However, I will venture an answer. I find Klipsch speakers "bright". By this, I mean too much emphasis on high frequencies, so much so that I cannot listen to them for very long without a headache. Bostons (at least those I've heard) are what I would call "neutral". They have a clean, clear sound, highly revealing of detail (compared to most everything I auditioned--some 15 brands and 40 different pairs of speakers). No speaker is perfect, but the Bostons came the closest to what I wanted.

I will mention two caveats.

One is the Bostons are sensitive to room placement and treatment. The first time I listened to the VR-M60s, they were across from a glass wall with stands on a hardwood floor. No rugs or wall hangings to attenuate high frequencies were close enough to affect them. I dismissed them out of hand after a five minute audition. I went on to audition about 20 different speakers before coming back to the Bostons. The owner of the store was surprised that I didn't like them, as they were highly regarded. He offered to let me take them home for an extended audition. My room was far less "lively" and the harshness was gone, leaving only the clear details behind--details that I'd never noticed in music that I'd heard hundreds of times. So the room is important. Just to be sure, I re-listened to them under the original conditions and, again, found them harsh. But my room doesn't (and won't) have a giant glass wall and hardwood floors.

Two, the Bostons are not forgiving of poorly recorded material. The detail and clarity of the Bostons comes with a price. Poorly recorded music is not masked, and subtle tape hiss from old recordings (think RCA Living Stereo SACD releases[not that they are poorly recorded, quite the opposite, but the source tapes are fifty years old]--superb sound and performances, but a faint hiss nonetheless on some discs) is more discernible.

The VR series uses the same woofer and tweeter design as the VR-M series (though the cabinets are of different material and finish, and the sensitivity of the VR series is higher than the VR-M, making them a better match for lower powered amplification--easier to drive) and they sound very similar to the VR-Ms in timbre. So while I own VR-Ms, I feel confident that the VRs would be close enough in sound characteristics that my observations would apply.

As always, use your ears to decide.

On the question of a small centre, the VRC (which I use, as it mates well with the VR-Ms and was close enough to the VR-MC to warrant saving 200$) is not small. But matching a small centre with larger mains is not ideal (though it can be done with reasonable success).

Good luck with the auditions (and please audition, it is the best way to choose something you can live with for a long time).

 

[Rashad]

Thanks Paul. Another small tower I have noticed in my price range is the Paradigm Esprit. It's part of the performance series. Has anybody heard this speaker? If so, what did you think of the sound compared to the other models mentioned?

 

[Shane Martin]

I own the Phase Technology V12's and indeed they are a very shallow footprint. They are by no means bright at all. The designer is also the guy who invented the soft dome tweeter. The Center is also rather compact.

 

[Rashad]

Yes, the Phase Techs are high on my list. I'm considering the Teatro series.

 

[Rashad]

Can anyone chime in about the Paradigm Esprit speakers?

 

[dan-0]

Couple of other sugestions.

NHT Model II. 7 1/4" W x 10" D. I have these speakers and have no complaints.



reveiw

Thiel CS.5. 8" W x 11" D. My dad has a paif of these, wonderful musicality and a great soundstage.



sterophile review

 

[Rashad]

Thanks for the responses. Any other suggestions?

 

[FeisalK]

Piega

 

[questrider]

JBL Northridge E80s (2 6" woofers) or E90s (2 8" woofers, but wider).



I have the E80s and they sound warm to my ears and are plenty with a good subwoofer. You can the get E80s@$360/pair and the E90s@$480/pair at one of the JBL authorized online retailers. The E80s have a smaller footprint at 8-3/8" x 13-1/2" and the E90s really aren't going to give you that much more oomph for the extra money, especially with a sub crossover at 80Hz. Look and listen!

 

[Rashad]

Feisalk, is there a website where I can find out more info. about the piega speakers? I like the look but I'm not familiar with them at all. Also, are there any reviews that you know of?

 

[FeisalK]

Rashad
here:
http://www.piega.ch/
http://www.piega.ch/en/reviews/reviews.htm

that pic is the P5 series.

http://www.guidetohometheater.com/speakersystems/133/
http://ecoustics.audioreview.com/psc...2_1594crx.aspx

 

[Paul Chalk]

The Totem Arro was the first speaker that came to mind when I saw this thread. Superb sound with a tiny footprint, 5" wide and 7" deep.

 

[Lewis Besze]

The Piega's are among the more expensive speakers,but they get good responses from reviewers. I found that most tower speakers[sans some of the exotixs like Wilson,and J-M lab]are small footprint,about the same or smaller then the base of a good book shelf's stand,so there are plenty of choices out there.What is your spending limit?