Best all around speakers

ATC are very precise and therefore play a wide variety of genres. They are pro studio grade and likely your favorite artists were mixed down on them. Check out the latest review on stereomojo.com on their home page.

go to the montana audio site and check it out

I just bought a pair of German Physiks Carbon MkIV's. Stupid expensive-but they play great on anything from Jazz to Rock. My classical friend was blown away. These things might just be the "last" speaker for a long time.

Cleaneduhippy,

Don't you know already?There is a category of the speakers you are looking for;they are call music lovers speakers.

Really,there are only 2 candidates;
1.Harbeth

2.ATC

feed them with high current ,quality amp like Bryston,Sugden masterclass and these speakers will slay all those pompous looking loudspeakers.

Are you into Springsteen?Have a listen to Hungry heart.Roy Bittan ,attacking at the piano,listen how the music dance through Harbeth/ATC.Listening through Magico/Wilson,Roy Bittan's pace sound less attacking you think he has arthritis...

Into classical?Try listening to Beethoven's 9th;;Karajan;you would see how attacking Karajan was,and you would understand what the fuss are all about.

There are 3 problems though;[About Harbeth/ATC]

1.Not very good looking.

2.You can't really brag like Magico etc;they have been around forever,and very little has change.

3.you will be a fanatic[and close to lunatic].You live will never be the same.Remember I have warn you!!!

I second Fafafion and Bongofury but with a caveat - there really is no "best" - just horses for courses.

I'd add a comment that Harbeths are (to my mind) slanted a little towards easy listening whilst ATC are slanted a little towards rock/jazz/big orchestral.

Both excel at midrange but Harbeths are voiced to play better at modest levels whilst ATC are voiced ruthlessly flat and prefer to be played at realistic levels (or they sound bass light). Nothing I have heard beats ATC's realistic rendition of percussion but they are a harsher/less warm sounding speaker than Harbeth. ATC's are used by Telarc (orchestral classical/jazz), by several Nashville studios (country) and a multitude of rock/pop/dance electronica studios around the world. They are also in several dance clubs and Disney's concert hall in LA (extremely rare that you find studio speakers also used as sound reinforcement at venues/clubs - most will distort badly or simply blow up a these SPL's).

I'd add that top of the line Dunlavy's are also regarded as a speaker that can do everything (used a lot in Mastering). Although, they shine slightly better in classical than rock.

Being good all round unfortunately means a speaker won't flatter a particular genre, instrument or recording...although vocalists tend to always come off well in my experience.