2 way, which are the best designs?

For value, the Fritz monitors are outstanding.

Compare them to Wilson or Gamuts.

Fritz are not very good as they are just expensive drivers in cheap mdf boxes. Anybody could do that.

Never heard ATC but held in high esteem. Also, the new Magico two-way looks really interesting.
http://atcspeakers.com/

https://www.magicoaudio.com/a-series-a1

and how are you supposed to decide which is the best between ATC and Magico?

Easy, Kenjit!  We already learned from you that ATC has crappy envlosures and the magnets are too big.

So I’ll inform you, since you seem to really really need it.  A lot more goes into making a good sounding speaker other than slapping some drivers in a crappy box.  I think it is hilarious that you have no clue about crossover design, how that crossover will interact with certain drivers, how those drivers interact with the speaker enclosure, and how all the parts add up to a whole.  
I find it incredibly ignorant on your part to continually spew out misinformation based on your opinions which are formed with no science or experience on your part.

Do you honestly think you can buy any spec capacitors and resistors and just blindly pair them with any speaker and then just throw them in any enclosure?  That’s complete stupidity.  
If you haven’t noticed, no one really cares about your idiotic theories.  There are companies pushing the boundaries of speaker building, while you are at home telling us that the best sound is in an anechoic chamber, or that you should just mount your speakers in your wall, and cut out the siding, framing, insulation on the wall so as to not have any back wave

You are absolutely nuts and I’m sure, an absolute peach to be around.

Go back to your cheap earbuds, bose wave radio, sonos system and report back about how its your reference

Fritz are not very good as they are just expensive drivers in cheap mdf boxes. Anybody could do that.

Hi @Kenjit,

You talk a lot about speaker design, you have called crossover components, and I quote "mumbo-jumbo", you have denied that science or engineering plays any part in speaker design, and yet you have never, not once, published anything showing you know how to make a decent speaker.

Please show your work.

Best,

E

Audio Note only makes 2-way speakers and they sound wonderful, running a pair of AN-J's myself.

GR Research.

Kenjit wrote:
"and how are you supposed to decide which is the best between ATC and Magico?" 

- by using your ears, in your system, in your room.  It really is that simple.

"Fritz are not very good as they are just expensive drivers in cheap mdf boxes. Anybody could do that."

- So you have auditioned them and came to this conclusion or is this just another kenjitism?  It's all crap because you say so....

Fritz speakers are top notch, very high quality. Could very well be my next pair of speakers when the time comes. Please be advised to ignore Kenjit on matters regarding quality of speakers where he only offers up an ax to grind.

Reasons why:

1) Best of show sound when I heave heard them and that includes soundstage and imaging
2) Unique crossover design that provides an easy load to drive.....even a few watts of tube power can do very well with excellent bass extension for the size and few if any other high quality speakers this size can do this particular trick
3) Only high quality third party parts used and yes also high quality cabinet.
4) These can deliver a lot of top notch sound especially for smaller monitor speakers off most any amp.
5) Top notch sound + top notch quality + relatively small package for all that = top notch value.

I was thinking more of speakers offering full range.
Like Escalante designs Fremont.

So you have auditioned them and came to this conclusion or is this just another kenjitism?  It's all crap because you say so....

i have auditioned plenty of speakers. Most of them are wooden boxes. I am sick of wooden boxes. What more do you expect out of a wooden speaker? How many more horrible wooden boxes do we need on the market before somebody realizes we have reached a limit with what you can achieve out of wooden boxes?

@mapman 

1) Best of show sound when I heave heard them and that includes soundstage and imaging
2) Unique crossover design that provides an easy load to drive.....even a few watts of tube power can do very well with excellent bass extension for the size and few if any other high quality speakers this size can do this particular trick
3) Only high quality third party parts used and yes also high quality cabinet.
4) These can deliver a lot of top notch sound especially for smaller monitor speakers off most any amp.
5) Top notch sound + top notch quality + relatively small package for all that = top notch value.

you can say that about every speaker. 

even a few watts of tube power can do very well with excellent bass extension for the size and few if any other high quality speakers this size can do this particular trick

The keyword here is trick. It is indeed a trick. There is no way to increase sensitivity unless you accept poor bass. You cant have high sensitivity, small size and window rattling bass down to 20hz its just not going to happen. 

You can say whatever you want.

I am only saying it about the Fritz speakers.

See the difference?

Fritz  speakers are NOT efficient.  They present an easy load to drive by design, no tricks.  You are confusing two different things. 

Check out the Spatial Audio M Sapphire series. I don’t know that they’re the "best" (best is subjective). However, their predecessors, the M4 Triode Masters, were one of the best values I’ve encountered, easily competing with speakers of 2X their price.

I’m listening to a pair of $600 Vanatoo Transparent One Encore active speakers in our 12x12’ sunroom with vaulted ceiling and Gotta say in there these sound about as good as most any stand mount monitor speaker I have heard at any price. That includes some very popular brands in these parts. I can’t hear where they really lack anywhere except in that they do not do the bottom octave much but even with well recorded organ music, I don’t feel you are missing much at least in that room which has seen many speakers come and go in it. Very impressive!

I have Sierra2ex and I really like them. I’ve heard people say they are “too neutral” but I pair them with a tube preamp and a couple of SS monoblocks and it sounds pretty rad.

I'll say another good word about Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2.  I don't have the EX version, but they're very, very good; the highs are wonderful.
But I'll also say (repeating) that the WaveTouch Audio Antero is the best-sounding stand-mount speaker I've ever heard.

Why does anyone give time and energy to ranters? Just ignore them. They Feed off your emotions like vampires. Don’t justify or sustain their existence :) Just Sayin. There Are some good suggestions above...let’s do our research...much more fun.

@kenjit
Tell me, which speaker is NOT some  drivers in cheap mdf boxes?There are millions od drivers to choose.

"Anybody could do that"
May be? Yes, but very very few can make into Market in that Very few will be appreciated by Audiophiles.

Threads like this are pointless. Nobody knows what the best is so they just state their favorite speaker and in the end you end up with pretty much every speaker being listed.

^^^ Says the King of pointless threads.

+1

Here Kenjit, maybe this will help to start:

https://www.cnet.com/news/the-art-of-speaker-design-explained-by-a-master/

To seek enlightenment, you should first stop trolling "useless" threads.

@bdp24
+1

@Mapman
+1. I heard them at Axpona 2019 and was very impressed, even without taking price into consideration.

I auditioned these! Stunning to my ears!
Buchardt speakers s400

Buchardt S400 for value.
Alta Celesta:FRM-2 for full range minis.

Bob Gross of Speaker Art had a knack for designing spectacular 2 ways.

Jbl 4367

Maybe not allow the troll to derail the thread.

Not the epitome but always liked the Focal Diablo.

 Physical limits on driver size and dispersion that are difficult to fully overcome forcing drivers in a 2 way to be overly wide range while having less than ideal dispersion. 

Check out Bob Crites "Cornscala D" speakers.

https://critesspeakers.com/crites-speaker-style-d.html

I can definitely recommend the Magico S1MKII. As good as the A1 is the S1MKII are even better. I picked them instead of the A3. The mid range and highs are incredible. There is something about the coherence of a great 2 way. Plus you can always add a sub to fill out the bass. 

Boston Lynnfield 300L.

These are 2 I am not familiar with, BUT, they are highly praised


GR Research (but I think you have to buy precut wood assemble, and finish yourself

LAS (exclusive to Emerald Physics) 10 Signatures

hth

As always, Magneplanars, of course.

Cheers!

For something different,  Selah Audio Tempesta, a three way monitor speaker . This speaker is very well designed, wonderful sounding and will work with any number of amps. The Tempesta is now a MK2 version. ...I had the original MK1 and have not heard the updated  version. ...just for full disclosure.  

+1 on ignoring trolls and attention mavens

Check out the review of the Proac D2R in this month's Stereophile.

I've never heard, but have read great reviews on these cheap drivers in a crappy box made by Buchardt, the S400's 
Interesting test with very high end gear on this youtube video.You may have to fast forward in some places as some of the music has been remove for copyright reasons

Watch "Buchardt S400 test run and review." on YouTube
https://youtu.be/4RTekjijV2I

Alta Audio Celeste.  At a different price point than the Fritz (which is very good).  No mention of Watkins?

Joseph Audio Pulsars.

OP, your Micromain is certainly not a 2-way.

My Focal Sopra 1’s are the best two way speakers I have heard in my system.  Still have them and probably always will.

Gosta, no they’re not. But i don’t get what that has to do with my question?
I’ve actually never used a 2 way design.
Lately I’ve been curious to listen more closely to a few. The mentioned ones above are rather small compaired to MM 27. Hm, forgot. I had a small PMC monitor 2 years. But it was hardly full range. If I would buy a set now, they have to better MM 27

@rird 

nobody here knows your MM27. They are very harsh speakers. 

When Christopher Columbus returned from the new world, he was honored at a Royal dinner. Some of the "ignorant/arrogant" people in attendance felt his accomplishment was not so great. "All you did is sail West until you hit land, and then sailed East until you returned home. No great accomplishment, I could have done that..."

(Does that ignorant/arrogant voice remind anyone of someone?)

So, Columbus requested a boiled egg to be brought to the table.

He handed the egg to the people at the dinner and asked them to stand it on its end. The egg went around the table and no one could do it.

When the egg returned to Columbus, he gently tapped the tip of the egg on the surface of the table, cracking the shell ever so slightly.

He stood the egg up on its end.

Well, there was an uproar of course. The ignorant/arrogant ones in attendance exclaimed "Well, I could have done that!"

Columbus replied "Yes, but I did it..."

dweller +1

Love ATC active.  

http://atcloudspeakers.co.uk/professional/loudspeakers/scm20asl-pro/