$5k Pair Full Range Speaker Shootout - Help me pick


Hi Guys,

Around the holidays I will be purchasing a pair of (roughly) $5k/pair full range stereo speakers for use in a 2-channel only system. My current JBL Synthesis HDI-1600’s will be accompanied by the matching HDI-4500 Center Speaker and likely an Arcam AVR30 and used exclusively for Home Theater use.


Here’s what I’m currently considering for the 2-Ch speakers. If you all could relay any experiences or impressions you’ve had with these specific speakers, or speakers in their range, it would surely help me make the right choice. I know a lot of people say "I listen to all genre’s", but I truly do have an enormous digital music collection that spans all genre’s. Everything from current EDM and Pop to High Res Classical, Audiophile tester type selections, every one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s top 500 albums of all time in FLAC (classic rock and funk heavy), etc. I like to put all of this content on shuffle and just listen to whatever happens.

2-ch system will continue to be powered as follows:

Digital - Foobar2000 --> SMSL SU-8 v2 --> Classe CAP-151

Analog - Technics SL1300mkII --> Ortofon 2M Red --> NAD PP-3 --> Classe CAP151


The speaker choices:

JBL L100 Classic

https://ibb.co/yhjJHn1

Revel Performa F208

https://ibb.co/TK4PNBD

B&W 702 S2

https://ibb.co/D4qPFcH
128x128dougeyjones
Focal Aria 948 ftw.I have a pair, they sound great to me.but,like the other responses,every person has differen't likes and dislikes. I am  going to sell mine, and move up to a pair of Focal Sopra 2's. The never ending search for audio utopia, usually depends on  your budget ,and maybe your spouse, if you have one Don't tell my wife that I have $5000 dollar speakers.she would flip
i’ve heard well over 60 pairs of speakers in person including the revel and the b&w but not the jbl

revel is bright harsh and totally overrated IMO detail means nothing if you get irritated listening after 2 songs 

702s2 were much better overall no listener fatigue but not as detailed as revel 

best in that price range by far is going to be 
dali rubicon 6 as a first choice and the polk legend l800 as a second choice