Battle of the affordables


Here are the candidates.  They all got very good reviews online.

1. Polk R700 - $2.1K

2. KEF Q11 Meta - $2.5K

3. Martin Logan XTF-100 - $4.5K

4. SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle - $5K

5. B&W 703 S3 - $6K

6. KEF R11 Meta - $7K

Which one would you pick?

andy2

Showing 5 responses by immatthewj

@andy2 , MD has a pair of open box Focal N3 3 way floor standers marked down from $1299 each to $799 each, and if I was in the market I would be interested in giving them a spin.  (Actually, I am kind of in the market, but at the moment I am hanging on to my $.)

As far as the choices you did list, I am not familiar with them, but now, if it was me, what I would be interested in would be a sensitivity of above 90 and a nominal 8 ohm impedance that didn’t dip too low (and I am not sure how low "too low" is yet).

But I suppose a lot depends upon what you are going to be driving them with.

Again, if it was me, this time around I think I MIGHT be looking for a soft dome speaker (and the Focals I just listed are NOT that).  I am really intrigued by what I have read on this site about the Volti Razz (which is a horn tweeter)  (which I think might make it within the upper price limits of the parameters you listed) and I think that is what I may be saving my own nickels and times to try out.

As far as the B&Ws (you listed), B&W generally does not get a lot of love here.  I recently "upgraded" from my ancient B&W 805 Matrixes, and I actually loved them until I didn’t. I’d suggest auditioning the ones that you can audition in your home with your system.  

People are making recommendations and they have no idea what the core system is.  

Yes, texas-jerry, but that is what the OP asked for.

"affordable" is a loaded term. I would have preferred the phrase "less than stratospheric."

+1 @nonamesleft4me .  Especially considering the price range OP has laid out:  from 2.1k to 7k.

Especially considering the price range OP has laid out:  from 2.1k to 7k.

There are others at these price point but these are the one I could find where there are favorable reviews on the web.

Right.  I understand that.  If you don't have brick & mortar availability, you have to start somewhere.  That's what I did, but now I may be suffering a bit of buyer's remorse.  What will you be driving them with?  That would at least give you an idea if you would be locked into certain specs.

@andy2 , will the return policy of Best Buy effectively allow you to conduct in home auditions?