KEF Reference 1s dig very deep for a stand mount, generally easily down to 30hz in-room, and have very good imaging and soundstage seperation.
Looking for recommendations for a pair of full range speakers for ~8k or under
What would your recommendation be? These are some of the speakers I have tested and liked:
1. B&W 702–S2 (new) - incredible for only 5k and I love the bass output with 3 drivers but the vocals can be a little harsh on some recordings. Maybe a good warm amplifier can help with this? I am also interested in the 702 Signature version going for 6.5k but not sure how it differs.
2. B&W 804 d3 (used) - Maybe my favorite of everything I’ve heard so far, better that the 702 in almost every way and not as harsh but I miss the extra output from the 702’s 3 bass drivers. I’m just not sure if it’s worth an extra 2-3k plus being used. I love that it goes lower though. Was seeing it used for ~7k online
3. Sonus Faber Sonetto 8 (new) - good bass and musical but Lacks some of the definition of the B&W - 7k
4. Sonus Faber Olympica 2 (used) - I loved this, much better than the sonetto in every way goes lower but lacks some in the bass output vs the sonetto. Was offered a trade-in in my local store for 6.5k
5. Sonus Faber Olympica 3 (used) - I haven’t heard this but I imagine It would be a perfect match for me with the extra bass driver and I’m seeing some used for under 8k online.
I feel like my comparisons weren’t too good with very different rooms in different stores and amps so I am wondering what you guys would recommend of these options or if you have other recommendations either used or new under 8k. I can’t go too crazy though since I can’t spend too much on an integrated amplifier (~2-4k). Any Focal or other brands I should listen too also? I will also be using them for 2 channel home theater as well as music. I will likely be getting an integrated amplifier that complements the speakers I choose. I listen to a wide variety of music types and my room is about 14 x 22 with high vaulted ceilings. I appreciate any advice since I am new to high end speakers coming from a not so great soundbar.
1. B&W 702–S2 (new) - incredible for only 5k and I love the bass output with 3 drivers but the vocals can be a little harsh on some recordings. Maybe a good warm amplifier can help with this? I am also interested in the 702 Signature version going for 6.5k but not sure how it differs.
2. B&W 804 d3 (used) - Maybe my favorite of everything I’ve heard so far, better that the 702 in almost every way and not as harsh but I miss the extra output from the 702’s 3 bass drivers. I’m just not sure if it’s worth an extra 2-3k plus being used. I love that it goes lower though. Was seeing it used for ~7k online
3. Sonus Faber Sonetto 8 (new) - good bass and musical but Lacks some of the definition of the B&W - 7k
4. Sonus Faber Olympica 2 (used) - I loved this, much better than the sonetto in every way goes lower but lacks some in the bass output vs the sonetto. Was offered a trade-in in my local store for 6.5k
5. Sonus Faber Olympica 3 (used) - I haven’t heard this but I imagine It would be a perfect match for me with the extra bass driver and I’m seeing some used for under 8k online.
I feel like my comparisons weren’t too good with very different rooms in different stores and amps so I am wondering what you guys would recommend of these options or if you have other recommendations either used or new under 8k. I can’t go too crazy though since I can’t spend too much on an integrated amplifier (~2-4k). Any Focal or other brands I should listen too also? I will also be using them for 2 channel home theater as well as music. I will likely be getting an integrated amplifier that complements the speakers I choose. I listen to a wide variety of music types and my room is about 14 x 22 with high vaulted ceilings. I appreciate any advice since I am new to high end speakers coming from a not so great soundbar.
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X mofojoNo, my C60 have been revised by Dynaudio (yes i sent them back to Denmark, so bad they sounded to me), and they send them back to me almost identical. This means that at Dynaudio they think they sound correct. I own some 20 years old 300 Euro speakers which sound more exciting and more natural and airy and accurate as the C60. |
I think you identified in your opening post some excellent options. I’m especially fond of the SF Olympicas. I also recommend the Maggie’s others already have called to your attention. One speaker I haven’t seen recommended, but think worthy of consideration are the Reference 3A Taksim. They don’t go as low as some of your other options, but they are extremely fast and musical. Given your initial prospects, you may find them an excellent choice. http://www.reference3a.com/pdf/taksim-tas.pdf Good luck! |
@daros71 Have you sought out to hear another pair of C60s? Really sounds like there is something wrong with yours. I heard them on an Octave integrated and they sound nothing like you are describing. Really pretty good although not the most exiting thing on the planet but very very listenable. I thought in their price range they sounded better than the Sonia Faber Olympica 2 I heard the same day. |
I'm in full agreement with Rickallen and Audioman about Spatial. I've had the M3 Sapphires for about 3 months and they are really starting to come into their own. Soundstage is tall, wide ,deep. Amazing would sum up my description of them overall and I've had quite a few hi end speakers over the years. Also if you have a question, about your room, etc.you can call Clayton Shaw, the owner and designer of the speaker and he will go over it with you. Great guy. I also recently got a hand written thank you letter in the mail, signed by Clayton and crew. Who does that? |
Before you trash the Contour 60 try dumbing that Krell and get something that actually mates well with Dynaudio,geeezmissioncoonery I tried already everything possible. I connectred my Contour 60 to Mcintosh, Linn, Naim, and Krell. No way. they sound muffled, blurred, boxy, boomy, with boring mids and messy soundstage. In fact in the web you find one single positive review of this shiny sarcophaguses. They are made to kill music. I even tried to put them in a different, much bigger space with optimal tratement and with the 8K Naim amplification. No way. I even sent them back to dynaudio asking them to revise them. No way. I would not pay 300 euro for them today. |
IMO speakers are in a lot of ways like televisions. There is no perfect television and there is might not be any perfect speakers. Sound comprehension is subjective to each individual. Most of us are limited by our pocketbooks. Be it room configuration or system. I just bought a set of Spendor 9D’s. Even trialed them with my amp. But where they were trialed was in a true dedicated, sound treatments and all, listening room. And trialed them with equipment WAY beyond my means. When purchased I knew my amp was not worthy of the speakers. Brought them home set them in my environment... perfectly happy. But also understand the speakers are capable of so much more. I bought a lottery ticket tonight... who knows. Lol! |
I'm owning Dynaudio Contour 60 driven by Krell and Linn. The worst buy i could do. This speakers trasforms every music in a freeze-dried gruel. Messy soundstage, totally wrong timbre, no dynamics, boring, eventually disturbing. Sound is compressed, wooden boxes which sound inside out, no texture, no detail. Avoid post 2016 Dynaudio products. Eventyually go for their previous product which sound great like the C4 (very ugly, i know). |
@km1181 I hate to jump on the “buy what I bought!” bandwagon, but... I was also looking into a pair of pre-owned Sonus Faber, but after reading some glowing reviews and talking to a couple of very satisfied owners, I ended up buying a new pair of LSA speakers. Due to space constraints, I went with the LSA-10 monitors, but you’ve got plenty of room for their full size floorstanders. The LSA-20 Statements (their flagship model) are on sale right now for 50% off retail. You can order them right here on Audiogon for $2999 shipped. This includes a 30-day in home trial. Coming in that far under budget for a pair of outstanding speakers would free up some of your funds to invest in a nice separates setup with which to drive them. Good luck, and happy shopping! |
If you liked the 804 D3 you should consider the Joseph Audio Profile at $7k/pr. IME JA speakers do pretty much everything better than a corresponding B&W model including that they image/soundstage better and are as detailed but sound more natural, musical, and less clinical. I haven’t heard the newer Sonus Faber models but from what I’ve read they sound like they’d be another great option along with Usher, Vandersteen, and ProAc. FWIW, and best of luck. |
I never said that mine were the best. Only that the previous generation can be had for around his budget, what the power requirements are, and basically how they are worthy of his consideration. Others had mentioned Dynaudio so I thought it fair to offer some information that may help him. That's fair, relative to his question. |
@km1181 I have a set of Dynaudio Contour 60i and my room is very similar to what you describe for yours. The Contour 60 (the 60i is the latest generation that began delivering last September) are still around and most authorized dealers are selling their floor demo units for around $7K. The new models sell for $11K. Great sounding speakers as long as you have the amp that can drive them. They do like current to get them going. SS amps, 150 watts and your good. Tube amps only if you can afford high powered ones. I have all tube front end and a SS amp that delivers 300 watts into their 4 ohm load and, more importantly, plenty of current. I never get near needing all that power and they play tremendously in my room. Best of luck to you. |
myjostyn, IMHO Tekton makes terrible loudspeakers. They shove any multitude of very cheap drivers in cheap enclosures in arrays that frequently make no sense. They sell because they are cheap and go loud.......When you set up a question like " speaker under 8K" in the title you get all the Tekton clowns chiming in trying to convince us they have found audio nervana with an inferior designed poorly braced junka** cabinet with off the shelf sub par drivers. |
I saw someone recommend maggies and While I don’t own a pair they are amazing to listen to. I’ve seen Dynaudio C4’s as low as $8800! Dynaudio bass is pretty special, a used pair of meridian dsp 7200’s, Vienna Acoustics listz presentation will put jazz musicians in the room with you. Too many speakers too little time. |
Marten Oscars, Dynaudio Evoke and Contours, Totems, will all be great choices if you have a chance to try them at home. And then there are about 10 other brands I love, some already listed here. https://www.avantgarde-acoustic.de/en/products.html https://sonneraudio.com/ https://www.gato-audio.com/eu/loudspeakers/bookshelf.html https://www.dali-speakers.com/products/dali-menuet/ https://www.dynaudio.com/home-audio/evoke/evoke-10?c=walnutwood https://www.marten.se/products/ https://www.buchardtaudio.com/shop https://www.josephaudio.com/products https://totemacoustic.com/ https://www.salksound.com/gallery.php https://soundkaos.audio/soundkaos-audio-speakers https://amphion.fi/ http://www.diapason-italia.com/en/index.html https://www.canton.de/en/products/reference-k/ http://www.vienna-acoustics.com/ https://www.indianaline.it/tesi-vinyl-series/ https://www.trenner-friedl.com/index.php?menu=product&sprache=en&second=pharoah |
Check out Spatial Audio. Great full range speakers that can do so with just about any amp. Mine are getting 20 tube watts and can go deep, cast a super wide soundstage, and makes things sound uncannily real. They even make a version with self-amplified bass drivers for deeper bass. And they’re open baffle so the bass and everything else has as little room interaction as a speaker can have. New Record Day just posted a video comparing spatial against Revel and a few others using a binaural mic so you could hear how they reproduce piano and bass. The Spatials really do something cool in that department. Worth a listen and they’ll do a home trial as well. |
No mention of Tannoy in that list, shame...I’d advise you to take a listen, as for that kind of money you could have yourself a pair of Ardens! They are $4000 each available at Upscale Audio. Buy them and be done! https://upscaleaudio.com/products/tannoy-arden-loudspeaker |
Take a moment to define full range because it's really dependent upon the music you listen to. One of the things I find it challenging is to find a speaker in your price range to breaks 30hz without a sub, that doesn't have some other characteristic that I find distracting. Understand early on that what you imagine in a speaker might not exist, so find something that you can enjoy and appreciate. |
Lots of good recommendations but IMO buy a nice pair of used Vandersteen 5As. These were more expensive speakers then most of the recommendations above. Have built in subs and 11 band EQ so you can dial them into your room. You can drive them with different amps with ease - Tubes - hybrids - SS. The other option would be used Verity speakers. Happy Listening. |
Put 1k from the speaker money to the integrated and get a NAD M33 integrated streaming amp. It’s got Dirac Live room correction and the sound is great. 200 WPC into both 8 and 4 ohms. 7k will get you a great set of speakers and the Dirac Live will only serve to better their sound via room correction. I love mine and use Monitor Audio Gold 100 bookshelves in a small room. |
I also agree with mijostyn, there are so many better quality speakers out there for the same or even less money. If you have a McIntosh amp, I wouldn’t buy a warm sounding speaker like Sonus Faber unless I listened to them with your amp 1st. McIntosh would be a better fit with a neutral sounding speaker or the Foward sounding B&W’s. Your amp is on the low side for power so magnapan speakers wouldn’t be a good fit, nor would Totem speakers. For your size room, I would pair your amp with a very good stand mounted speaker that’s at least 87db or higher efficiency rating with 2 Rel subs. If you upgrade your amp to the larger mc352 or similar for example, then you open up your choices for bigger floor standing speakers. |
Hi IT really depends on how you listen to your Music and know why you "fell in love" with this hobby. If you know this, everything else dosent matter and you can better choose the speakers that is to your taste. I do not need headbanger high bass and the room shaking. I like a big soundstage, the corect timber of the guitar, Piano etc. and air around each artist ind the soundstage with realism. I like the sound to be presentated coherent from top to buttom. If you like this without too much bass, then i Would choose the newest Quad 2812 (over the 2912, it sounds Best when integrated correct) If you need more bass then ad subwoofer. A's another one wrote, the magnepan and subwoofer is Best bang for the buck and you maybe would be satisfied with that option too. |
I like the models you are evaluating. And here’s my two cents....note - I’m on my 3 different set of Sonus fabers and I selected my initial Sonus fabers over the B&Ws. The B&Ws tweeter irritated me ears - too bright. I’ve owned the Sonetto Vs...I liked them a lot. I chose not to go with the VIIIs because at that price it’s really close to the Olympica price and there is a difference in the presentation of details between the two lines. The Olympica provide more 'details' than the Sonettos and from my listening I'd take the Olympica IIIs over the IIs but I do like the Olympica IIs. And for reference I replaced the Sonetto V with Olympica Nova Vs....they are a significant upgrade even though I felt the Sonetto Vs were amazing especially for $5k. Good luck and enjoy! |
@km1181, I'm no expert on amp-speaker matching, but I think the McIntosh MA252 -- which apparently offers 160 wpc into 4 ohms, the speaker impedance of the Sonus Fabers, and 100 wpc into 8 ohms -- should be sufficient, and a good match. Perhaps others will chime in on this. I did not hear the new Olympica Nova 3; I heard the Nova 2, and the Olympica 3. The Olympica 3 was my clear preference. And when I auditioned the Olympica 3s, it was with a McIntosh integrated ss amp that was lower-powered than my MC402, though I don't recall the model. The audition -- with speakers placed in an office building's hallway, not a room set up for listening -- was so impressive that my spouse and I just wanted to keep listening to music -- we momentarily forgot why we were there! There is a worthwhile Youtube video from a Canadian dealer comparing the Olympica Nova II to the Olympica II. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv8dvVIdguk. The conclusion seems to be that they are very close, with the newer model offering only a slight improvement. |
@gg107 I agree those might be the right choice if I can find a nice deal. Do you think the McIntosh MA252 integrated amplifier with 100w per channel is enough? I was offered a store trade in for 3k. Also I was confused by your wording are you saying you prefer the original Olympica 3 to the new Nova version? If so, how do they differ? |
