Looking for speaker recommendations that I can purchase on Amazon.com

@jl35 thanks. Both of those look interesting. Neither had come up in my prior searches on Amazon.

Do you have links to any reviews of these speakers?

It helps that I find both to be attractive speakers. I should have mentioned this in my OP, but I do prefer floorstanding speakers and I prefer a lighter wood color, like both of these, in traditional styling.

I don't like black speakers and I am also not necessarily looking for crazy designs. If I saw an unusual design that I really liked, I would be open to it, but the fact is that the choices you mentioned are exactly what I had in mind in terms of styling. Thanks

@lostbears " Take a look at these Mistral SAG-350 on ebay. "

ebay isn't an option. I'm limited to Amazon or BestBuy for this purchase.

@reubent  The Yamaha P3500S was recommended to me on this forum. I recently purchased it. I picked the 5000 over the 3500 because the price was almost the same for either at the time I purchased.

Forum member willemj justified his recommendation of this power amp in part by this review:

See here for a very favourable and rigorously scientific test of the latter model: http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/amplificateurs-de-puissance-haute-fidelite/mesures-ampli-yamaha-p...

The review is in French, which I don't read, so I took his word that the amp would be appropriate for my goals. He has heard the amp (his son owns one) and (I think) he knows what I want to achieve.

A couple other people recommended Yamaha amps in the same family, so, having no experience, I took the recommendations and that's how I ended up with this amp. I have not used it yet, but I have used the 801 and it seems to have a nice sound on first impression.

But I am throwing some challenging music at it currently with speakers that tend (I'm told) to be a bit bright (Polk RTI A7).

If I purchase new speakers on Amazon, returning them should not be a problem if the combination of my amp and my musical tastes are not a good match for the speakers.

Regarding AudioAdvisor and MusicDirect, it is unlikely that I can shop either site right now. I did send each one a few questions, but I'm almost certain I will need to stick to BestBuy or Amazon.

@jond RE: Klipsch. I have considered the RF 7 II's which I have seen at a good price. However, I am concerned the the horn tweeter design isn't compatible with my desire for non-fatiguing, warm, musical qualities. When I mention "smooth, sweet, soft, silky treble" people here tend to say Klipsch is not the brand for me. Personally, I don't know either way.

@imhififan RE: "Add the Sonus faber Chameleon T to your list"

That was a very impressive review on these speakers. I added them to my list. However, I am not a fan of the styling.

The Tannoy XT 8F and Dynaudio Excite X34 both have styling that appeals to me more. But sound is the bottom line.

That review* makes the Sonus Faber Chameleon T seem like they would rival or outshine the other choices (so far). Is that reviewer reputable? How do people here think these three speakers compare?

1. Sonus Faber Chameleon T
2. Tannoy XT 8F
3. Dynaudio Excite X34

Which of these three would be best of acoustic music (especially classical Indian) while also being good with alternative rock?

* https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/904-sonus-faber-chameleon-t-loudspeakers

@gsm18439 - "When you use the Amazon website, put in the specific names of speakers rather than doing a broad search. For example, you can get KEF, MartinLogan, Thiel, etc."

OK, noted. My real problem is that I don't know which speakers to search for there. That's why I'm seeking recommendations here.

I realize finding the best speakers for my budget and listening requirements on Amazon (or BestBuy) might not be the easiest thing to accomplish. Hoping I can continue getting good suggestions here. The three I have so far all look interesting.

@helomech - Are you a helicopter mechanic by any chance? Just guessing that might be what your username stands for.

Neither Vandersteen 2CE Signature IIs nor the new Elac Adante series appear to be available on Amazon or BestBuy, sadly.

Why doesn't Music Direct create some Amazon listings? (Nevermind, don't answer -- that's off topic.)

Really, it's a waste of everyone's time to recommend speakers not sold on Amazon or at BestBuy when the whole thread is about "Looking for speaker recommendations that I can purchase on Amazon.com" or BestBuy.

If / when things change and I can shop for speakers sold other places, I'll start a new thread. That will keep things simple and focused. Thanks.

@nycjlee - I'll add B&W 700 series to my list. Thanks.

I think one person here (another thread) said these are the "best speakers at any price". I suppose that's not true, but it does seem like a lot of people like B&W speakers.

Over here, someone says the 705 is vastly better than the 702.

The 705 is vastly better in all sonic respects - including the bass, if you buy one of B&W's many subs. It even costs about the same or less. ... The 705 is really the star of the range & most reviewers are saying so.

Someone else said B&W's tend to be "warm". That might be a good thing for me. I'll have to listen and see.

Anyway, here's my list so far:

• Sonus Faber Chameleon T (not finding any color I like...)
  
• Tannoy XT 8F Mediun Oak
  
• Dynaudio Excite X34 Rosewood
  
• B&W 700 series Rosenut
  

BTW, my local BestBuy doesn't have a Magnolia show room, but if I can find the time to take a short trip I know of a Best Buy that does have a Magnolia show room.

Having never visited any audiophile show room, how valuable is it given that the speakers might sound entirely differently in my own listening room.  I was thinking just buy, try and return if I don't like. But return shipping can be costly and it also takes time.

@nycjlee "You need to listen to some of these speakers."

In particular, I would like to listen to the MartinLogan - ElectroMotion ESL 8" because they are so different.

However, the recommendations here are very helpful. If I find a showroom where I can listen, I can go in with a list of speakers I'd like to audition. Or at least I will have greater familiarity with the brands, etc. Right now I know nothing. I need recommendations and then I need to read reviews of those.

"hi im just curious why do you only want to buy off amazon and best buy"

Multiple reasons. It's not just return policy.

I don't want to get into the details because that will only detract from my question. The whole discussion will go off topic.

My question was not "where should I buy speakers?" I asked, "Looking for speaker recommendations that I can purchase on Amazon.com" and I would simply like to stick to that.

If things change in the future and I can shop at other places, I'll post a new question. I appreciate everyone respecting the constraints built into my question. :-)

Added some new candidates to my list:

• Yamaha NS-F901PN 3-Way Bass Reflex Floorstanding Speakers
• Monitor Audio - Silver Series 8 Floorstanding Speaker-Rosenut
• Monitor Audio - Silver Series bookshelf speakers
• KEF LS50 Mini Monitor

Plus the previous recommendations:

• Sonus Faber Chameleon T (not finding any color I like...)
• Tannoy XT 8F Mediun Oak
• Dynaudio Excite X34 Rosewood
• B&W 700 series Rosenut

@lowrider57 thanks for the recommendations. I added all thee to my list:

KEF R700
KEF R500
KEF Q950

@yogiboy I will also add Elac to my list. For example, this one seems like a good speaker (but I'd have to increase the budget significantly).

ELAC FS509VX Floor Standing Home Speaker (Walnut)

I've heard many Elacs tend to be bright, and that is something I am trying to avoid. But the FS509VX doesn't have that issue according to one review I just read.

@twoleftears Thanks for the info about the Elac af-61 Adante speakers. Looks like they just came out about 2-3 months ago. The reviews are indeed very positive. These seem like fantastic speakers. I will add them to my list. Maybe they will show up on Amazon (or BestBuy) soon. Being so new, maybe it will just take a little longer?

In the mean time I could order the KEF R900 and try them for 30 days... with free shipping both ways if I decide to send them back.

@caroleg RE: "Airmotiv T2 tower speakers"

Most of the speakers recommended here are fairly expensive (up to $10,000/pair). The Airmotiv T2 tower speakers, at $999 for a pair, may be the least expensive speakers mentioned so far.

If they are capable of matching a $5000/pair speaker like the KEF R900, or a $6000 pair like the Magnepan 3.7i, I'll certainly consider them. Why wouldn't I?

Do you have any links to audiophile reviews on these speakers that you think are authoritative? Thanks

@helomech - yes, I received an assurance today in writing in this case.

Regarding KEF R900. I've been reading some reviews. Very interested in these speakers. But this comment raises some questions:

KEF Reference 201/2 vs KEF R 900 | What Hi-Fi? https://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/kef-reference-2012-vs-kef-r-900

I was reading elsewhere about the 201/2 and some one made a remark that the R900s price falls close to 201/2 that it is better to upgrade to 201/2

Do you all tend to agree with that?

@willemj thanks for your reply. Given that I don't need the extra power of the P5000S, is there any advantage to the P3500S? For a couple more weeks, I can still return the one I have and get the P3500S if that would be advantageous. However, I assume from your message that there is no reason to do this.

Also, is there any reason to consider the newer Yamaha PX3 or PX5 power amplifiers instead of the one I have?

In regard to my personal experience with this amp, here is what I wrote over in the thread where the amp was recommended to me:

I have been reading a lot of reviews and thinking about distortion, clarity, detail, sound stage, etc. To my (somewhat inexperienced) ears, this setup with the Yamaha power amp and the Polk RTi A7 speakers, lets me experience a very satisfying level of all the things I have been reading about that come with the best speakers and the best components. With my current system, the sound stage is surprisingly expansive. The detail and clarity are amazing. The harshness in the higher frequencies is gone. I am beyond happy with this amp.

I'm still shopping for speakers in the price range of $5000/pair. But now I am able to enjoy my current system without any complaints.

I'm passing along some info I have been gathering on these various speakers.

The TANNOY Revolution XT 8F is one of the speakers that was recommended to me here. Below are some quotes I pulled out of reviews. I was looking specifically for critical quotes regarding the higher frequencies.

The first comment below concerns me a little bit, even though most of the reviews are very positive.

https://www.whathifi.com/tannoy/revolution-xt8f/review - "Tonally, these Tannoys aren’t the sweetest sounding performers around. You’ll have to take care not to partner them with anything that sounds overly forward or harsh, because they’ll do little to tone these qualities down."

"We’re pleased with the stereo imaging. These speakers shine when placed well out into our test room and given just a touch of toe-in towards the listening position. Once the Tannoys are positioned with care their sound stage is crisp, nicely layered and pleasingly solid."
"give them a larger room to play in and the XT8Fs will shine."

https://hometheaterhifi.com/reviews/speaker/floor-standing/tannoy-revolution-xt-8f-floor-standing-sp...
"My only sonic critique of note is that the Torus tweeter’s lower treble seemed slightly less delicate and precise than my reference speakers’ ceramic-graphite tweeters. I noticed the difference primarily in the effects in “Welcome to the Machine,” panned between the side surrounds (which use the same ceramic-graphite tweeters) and the front channels. Also, cymbals sparkled but their shimmer didn’t decay quite as cleanly. While the difference was noticeable, it did not detract from the immense enjoyment the XT 8F trio brought me on every piece I played through them."
"Often, playing full-throated female vocals loudly will expose a speaker’s crossover points, as the tweeter or (more rarely) the midrange audibly compresses at the bottom of its range. With the XT 8F, there was no sign of overload no matter how hard I pushed."
"tape hiss was lightly accentuated by the Tannoy Revolution XT 8F compared to my reference speakers"
"Few if any similarly-priced speakers offer the Revolution XT 8F’s heady combination of top-notch full-scale sonic performance, attractive design, and excellent build quality. Highly recommended."

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/tannoy-revolution-xt-8f-loudspeaker/?page=2
"Time and time again, the 8F was able to decisively reveal amplifier differences, a testament to its resolving powers. For the record, it gave its best imaging performance when partnered with tube amps that also happened to flesh out the most convincing spatial impression."
"The Tannoy Revolution XT 8F was Robert Harley’s top discovery at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show. His first impression was as follows: “After listening to it and looking at the real wood enclosure, I guessed the price at $7000 to $10,000. The Revolution XT’s price was then revealed to be just $2600 per pair.”
"The Tannoy packs a virtuoso midrange that is competitive with speakers approaching $10k retail."

http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/tannoy-revolution-xt-8f-floorstanding-loudspeakers/
"I guess, when it comes down to it, I want my system to entertain, not to impress. I’d like it to do both, of course, but that tends to cost considerably bigger bucks than are being asked for here. Any loudspeaker selling at the price point of the Tannoy, or even considerably more, is going to have some defining compromises, and the temptation for many makers will be to take care not to offend."
"In some respects, the Tannoy comes across as the antithesis to something like the, broadly similarly-priced, Monitor Audio Silver 8s that I reviewed a few issues back. The MAs are very good loudspeakers that rarely put a foot far out of line. In comparison, the Tannoys are somewhat more bullish and, perhaps, a little uncouth, but they sure know how to have a good time. If the MAs are a well-trained Labrador, honest, reliable, and solid, then the Tannoys might be a Springer Spaniel, loads of energy, fun, and boundless enthusiasm, but prone to knocking over the occasional vase. Neither speaker has the monopoly on rightness, nor any fatal flaws, but you’d be unlikely to find that both will float your boat equally, and much will depend on personal taste and preference."

Here are some quotes from KEF LS50 reviews:

https://www.whathifi.com/kef/ls50/review
"Given a little space to breathe and mounted on a pair of solid stands these monitors sound terrific. The first thing that strikes us is the quality of the bass performance."
"the LS50’s innate transparency means that any flaws in the partnering kit will be apparent. But get it right and you have what is one of the best standmounters below £1000, and easily one of KEF’s most musical efforts in years."
"the LS50's high frequencies sounded very clean, with no grain or steeliness. This is a high-quality tweeter. The LS50's treble did sound a little soft at first, compared not only with the DeVore O/96 (reviewed by Art Dudley in this issue), but also with the mellow-balanced Sony SS-AR2 (reviewed by me in October). The ostinato hi-hat cymbal in "The Trader" sounded a little subdued, though cymbals in more recent recordings, such as my own Rendezvous (CD, Stereophile STPH013-2), were reproduced with a natural tonal quality and precise, stable stereo imaging."
"Listening to our two sopranos, Julie Adams and Carin Gilfry, and comparing what I was hearing through the KEFs with my memory of what I'd heard live at Bill Schnee Studio, I would go so far as to say that the LS50 is one of the finest speakers at reproducing female voices that I have heard"
"Next up was the identically priced but somewhat larger Bowers & Wilkins CM5 (reviewed by Robert J. Reina elsewhere in this issue). The CM5 was noticeably more sensitive than the LS50, and had a lighter, airier balance, but was also slightly laid-back in the treble"
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-1UeSj6cbCKX/learn/kef-ls50-home-speakers-review.html
https://www.cnet.com/news/the-audiophiliacs-speaker-of-the-year-the-kef-ls50/
"LS50 is one of the best small hi-fi speakers I've heard at any price."
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/kef-ls50-loudspeaker/
"The LS50 is tuned for smaller rooms and is meant to take advantage of the room gain that can give mid- bass response a boost."
"The KEF LS50 is one of the most all-around-satisfying little speakers I’ve reviewed in some time."
"The mid- and upper-treble range is smooth; the sibilance region is controlled— crisp and clean, but with compliance."

Here are a few quotes from reviews of the KEF R900. Again, I was looking specifically for quotes related to my goal of "smooth, sweet, soft, silky treble" and "shimmery, airy cymbals". Since violins can be a challenge, I also looked for any mention of those.

In particular, if the review mentioned anything negative in this area, I grabbed that quote.

Everything Audio Network: Audiophile Review!KEF R900 3-Way TowerMatched-Pair Loudspeakers“Impressive High-End Sound” http://everythingaudionetwork.blogspot.com/2016/03/audiophile-review-kef-r900-3-way-tower.html
  measures 44.5-inches tall, 9.4-inches wide and just over 14-inches deep. They weigh a manageable 65 pounds each.
  The top-end was never hard or edgy; the aluminum-based mid-frequency driver delivered a quick, tonally correct midrange — without exaggeration or hollowness.
  The drum cymbals and piano tone are spot-on delicious. The metal dome tweeter effectively radiates the top end of those wonderful cymbals, yet no stereotypical edgy or resonances.
  The speakers don't have that ultra low-end like some of the double driver, tower speakers I have listened to, but they are very good for music.
  the R900s produced the violin and accompanying orchestra with convincing authority. The balance of the R900s created a clean, immersive tone with lots of violin harmonics getting through. Reminds me of the excellent, metal-dome RBH-loudspeakers I have auditioned in the past. And as with the drum cymbals, the violin’s upper-end energy was not hard sounding. It was, er, just right, to borrow a phrase.
  The KEF R900 speaker is a well-conceived, three-way tower that performs well above its price point. As a stereo pair, the speakers offers a balanced symmetry with airy highs, a very good midrange and ample low-end with nary any bloominess. If you are into a true, sonic picture of the source audio, especially hi-res music, the R900 is a speaker to consider. You need at least a medium-size room to enjoy its virtues.

6moons audio reviews: KEF R900 http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/kef3/1.html
KEF R900 Loudspeaker Review | StereoNET https://www.stereo.net.au/reviews/review-kef-r900-floorstanding-loudspeakers
  Mids, and especially vocals, are pushed ever so slightly forward in the presentation. Highs are very well extended, but don’t push too far forward into the mix to be overbearing
  Unlike many loudspeakers, I actually found the R900 to not be overly fussy with speaker positioning.
  Those who do not have ideal listening conditions or rooms - fear not. The KEF R900 is not a fussy, directional monster.

KEF’s R900 speaker | Stereophile.com https://www.stereophile.com/content/kef%E2%80%99s-9000-speaker
  a bit of tinny-ness on top and booming on the bass.

KEF R900 Loudspeaker | Hi-Fi+ http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/kef-r900-loudspeaker/
  they are so dynamically and tonally consistent that they are almost impervious to level, going loud or quiet with equal ease and a totally absence of dynamic collapse or strain.
  the bass is light on its feet, transparent and tactile, placing notes and giving them shape in a way that you’d normally expect from a far more expensive system and speaker. That clarity and sense of musical purpose extends up the range, embracing a fluid and expressive mid-band before reaching the clean and extended upper frequencies. The Uni-Q’s tweeter might not possess the sheer speed and resolution of Focal’s beryllium units or the almost reticent smoothness of the more affordable diamond drivers, but it more than makes up for that with sheer continuity, providing a natural extension to the midrange that is indistinguishable in cast or character

SoundStage! Access | SoundStageAccess.com (GoodSound.com) | SoundStage! Access | SoundStageAccess.com (GoodSound.com) - KEF R900 Loudspeakers https://www.goodsound.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/456-kef-r900-loudspeakers
  The R900’s tweeter warrants an ovation and a comment. It took over cleanly and effortlessly from the Uni-Q midrange, giving nary a hint that I was hearing two different drivers. Such unity of sound is found elsewhere, but almost always at higher prices. Furthermore, the tweeter sounded smooth throughout its operating range, without the edge that some metal domes can have. Nor was it smooth in the way of, say, speakers from Sonus Faber, whose characteristic smoothness can obscure a recording’s finest details. Rather, it was smooth in its reproduction of the finest details. In doing so, it helped paint a quite transparent soundstage -- as in James Levine’s performance, as pianist and conductor, of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, with the Chicago Symphony (16/44.1 AIFF, DG Deutsche Grammophon): I heard clean through to the back of the stage, with no haze or ambiguity to muddle through to hear the players. Partial credit is due here to the Hegel H300, whose preamp section is as quiet as its amplifier and DAC are resolving.
  My comment on KEF’s aluminum tweeter has to do with its ability to play well past 20kHz. Whereas other tweeters' tendency to peter out at or before 20kHz exhibits itself as a relaxed or unobtrusive top end, the KEF sounds as if it remains flat straight on through this threshold of human hearing. From my very first listen to the R900s, I heard a top end with copious extension, but extension that wasn’t exactly laid-back. It wasn’t bright or edgy, but leaned slightly toward that end of the audioband.

Compared to Vivid Audio’s V1.5 two-way speaker ($7500/pair), however, the KEF R900’s overachievement reached a ceiling. The diminutive V1.5 uses the same tweeter (though not the same tube loading) as Vivid’s flagship Giya G1 ($60,000/pair) -- a catenary aluminum dome whose output extends all the way up to 39kHz, ±2dB. While the V1.5’s single 6.2” midrange-woofer couldn’t hope to match the bass reach of the R900’s twin 8” cones, the Vivid was superlative through the mids and highs. The V1.5 produced greater transparency, a more effortless, organic sound, and even greater resolution than the R900.


Premium Performers: KEF R Series Loudspeakers Review | High-Def Digest https://hdgear.highdefdigest.com/34168/kefrseriesloudspeakers.html
  If you're looking for premium speakers to fill your home theatre and handle a variety of musical genres, you can't do much better than the KEF R Series. Transparent. Well-rounded. Superb rendering and imaging at all volume levels. A powerful-yet-compact subwoofer. Fantastic in pieces, but as a complete sysem your home will sound better than your local movie theatre. There's almost nothing to nitpick, though badly compressed audio might reveal itself, and prepare thyself to declare war on dust.

Amazon.com: KEF R900 Floorstanding Loudspeaker - High Gloss Piano Black (Pair): Home Audio & Theater https://www.amazon.com/KEF-R900-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker-Gloss/dp/B007Q6Z5MO
  Finally have a set of these after running through pretty much the entire R range. These are the best by a long way. It's not close. Don't listen to anyone telling you the R500s image better. They don't.

KEF R900 Speakers https://www.audiot.co.uk/products/kef-r900-speakers-4651.aspx
  They require considerable current capability from the amplifier to deliver their best and therefore need to be partnered with excellent electronics.

Selected quotes from reviews of the Dynaudio Excite X34 2-Way Floorstanding Speakers.

What is "upper treble shading"? Is that the opposite of brightness? Could shading be something positive in my case?

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/dynaudio-excite-x34/ "In tonal balance, the X34 is reasonably neutral with the exception of some upper treble shading, and a hint of mid/upper bass ripeness. Strings could be sweeter—they tend to be a little dry, and violin section layering is not quite fully explored."

http://www.highfidelity.pl/@main-458&lang=en
"you should combine them with amplification that doesn't add anything from itself to the upper midrange, or maybe even is a bit shy in this area. These speakers aren't really bright sounding, but they are capable of delivering so much information that less expensive amplifiers are not able to deliver. ... I would suggest pairing them up with amps offering a bit warmer sound. Heed, Roksan, Advance Acoustic – you should look among these. Clones Audio should be a nice partner too. Or some tube amplifier."

"Their sound signature is somehow specific so you need more time than usually to discover what this sound is about. To achieve this kind of sound (that many will recognize as the right choice) Danish designers had to make many choices. One of them was a choice of tonality. X34 offer „fresh”, open sound – I've already mentioned that. They deliver a lot of information – we know that already also. To use these features to the maximum a decision was made not to roll off the upper midrange. I'm talking about the range between 2-4 kHz that is powerful and unambiguous."

https://www.whathifi.com/dynaudio/excite-x32/review "We love these Dynaudios. We're keen on the Excite range as a whole, but it's these X32s that shine brightest. So bright in fact, they were triumphant in our 2008 Awards. ... With the arrival of new competitors (namely the Spendor A5s), we are starting to see small chinks in their armour, though. One is that when pushed to very high volumes, they do lose a little clarity and composure. The other is that the treble could do with a bit more sparkle."

http://www.hifi-review.com/153256-dynaudio-excite-x34.html "Excite X34 speaker systems showed smooth, organized sound. The dynamics is emotional, without overkill. Bass is well performed and quite deep and powerful. Musical scene is clear and spacious. A neat upper case fills the scene with naturalness and lightness. Timbre resolution is on top. The smallest details are well seen. Localization of the sound sources is slightly blurred. The sound of cymbals impresses - you feel metal, but not the bounce. The speaker systems manage to transfer the character of composition, the composer's idea. Electro music sounds very good."

@helomech RE: "Keep a journal with listening and placement notes for each pair you audition."

Good suggestion. Thanks.

With so many recommendations for the KEF LS50, it seems like I need to give these a try. I had my mind set on floorstanding speakers initially, but after reading all the recommendations for the LS50 here, I think I will give them a try first.

Even if I still end up buying floorstanding speakers for my music room, I can then put the LS50 in my smaller home theater room to replace my Polk RTi A3’s.

I will call a nearby BestBuy store before buying the LS50 on Amazon. I do NOT plan to get the wireless / powered version. I like the Yamaha P5000S amp quite a bit, so I’ll be keeping that.

Thanks for all the feedback so far. Very educational and interesting.

I will continue looking at floorstanding stpeakers.

Also, I’m ready to buy a DAC now. I have a thread on that topic here, if anyone wishes to give me a recommendation (https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/dac-for-either-roon-or-hqplayer-on-linux)

The DAC’s that I am most interested in so far include:

• Oppo Sonica
• Teac NT-503
• I also like the Pioneer U-05 but since it is a Japanese domestic model and (as far as I can see) only ships to the US from Japan (which would make returns problematic) I probably won’t buy this one.

@clarinetmonster2 Thanks for those suggestions. In regard to the SF Chameleon, I don't really like the way they look. Personal preference. But I don't think I could have made myself buy them ;-)

@gnason Thanks for the suggestion. I have been hearing good things about B&W speakers. But aren't the CM10 S2 an older model?  Maybe discontinued?

I thought the B&W's to look at now were the 700 (or 800) series. Probably, I'm confused. All this is new to me.

I was looking at some B&W in the 700 series, and several reviews said the 705's were the best. BestBuy has those at about $2500/pair.

I'm still considering these below, which I can find at either Amazon or BestBuy:

• KEF R900
• MartinLogan Motion 60XT
• MartinLogan - ElectroMotion Dual 8" Passive 2-Way Floor Speaker
• Dali Opticon 8
• Alta Audio Rhea
• TANNOY Revolution XT 8F
• Focal Electra 1038Be
• Elac (not sure which model)
  

@clarinetmonster2 Thanks for the info about Elacs and the Sonus faber Venere S. I will look closer at both options. As you know, stuff on Amazon can go out of stock and come back into stock any time, so I'll keep an eye open for the Elac FS407.

I'm not here to promote Amazon (or BestBuy). I am not suggesting Amazon is an ideal place to buy high end audio gear.

I came here to get answers to a specific question, and I have gotten a lot of good answers. I appreciate all of those. That's going to help me make a more informed purchase on Amazon or BestBuy this time around.

I don't know much about audio gear. But I know relatively much more about Amazon. Having a debate about Amazon (in another thread) could be worthwhile. (I probably won't participate.) But it is unfortunate that many of the people offering opinions about Amazon in this thread clearly don't have their facts straight. A worthwhile debate about the pros and cons of Amazon might be educational and useful. But when people conflate Amazon.com corporate with independent third party merchants, as was done time and again in this thread, all that does is misinform the reader. I'm well past that stage of understanding Amazon, and I am well aware of Amazon's many pitfalls, so all these opinions have no influence on me. I'm here to learn about speakers and other audio gear. Thanks

FYI when someone posts an Amazon link with a tag=XXXXX-20 parameter, it is an affiliate link. That means they will get paid if you buy from that link.

@cheapbob I thought you were just trolling me until I saw the affiliate link. Definitely will not be buying anything you recommend.

@yyzsantabarbara - Yes, that's another valid point. One will often pay retail or above retail when shopping for certain products on Amazon.

It's absolutely ignorant to say that the independent third party merchants selling on Amazon.com, who often operate local brick and mortar stores, who are authorized dealers, who know their products, and who sell at retail are guilty of all the supposed evils mentioned earlier in this thread.

I don't have an interest in countering all those earlier incorrect or misinformed statements. I'm also not interested in debating the pros and cons of Amazon's business practices on Audiogon. (If I wanted to do that, there are better forums for it. And if I were participating in one of those discussions, it is very unlikely that I would be defending corporate Amazon or their platform.)

However, I'll try to stick to what I'm here for -- learning about speakers. I'm definitely not promoting Amazon.

The title of THIS thread is "Looking for speaker recommendations that I can purchase on Amazon.com". I've been pretty clear about that.

If anyone wishes to start a NEW, separate discussion on the topic of "What's wrong with buying high end audio gear on Amazon?" or "Where is the best place to buy high end audio gear?" maybe that could be useful. However, I didn't ask those questions.

@caroleg - thanks for the extra information.

RE: "...but have to admit, I am longing for the T2s with their monoblock amps after that listen!"

I have been feeling a little hesitant to listen to equipment beyond my budget and that's the reason why! lol

@imhififan My Yamaha P5000S power amp doesn't sound anything like the Yamaha A-S801 integrated amp in my opinion. So maybe comparing it to a Yamaha A/V receiver wouldn't be appropriate.

I sent the 801 back and kept the P5000S.

The Yamaha P5000S even makes my Polk RTi A7's sound good to me! :-)

@gnason

I am sure your meditation music would sound great on them, but they will really shine when you play acoustic music, which has more range and depth than what I heard on the YouTube link you posted.

FYI, that "meditation music", as you called it, is NOT what I listen to. (I think that might be rather boring after a while, right?) I listen to Indian Classical music (which is acoustic, with great range, depth and dynamism) as well as many other styles.

The link I posted was only one instrument called a "drone". It is an accompaniment instrument often found on sitar or vocal compositions. It almost never plays the main rhythm. It just produces a drone sound.

In my experience, the drone sound can produce harsh tones in poor quality recordings or with low quality speakers and audio gear. I found that playing any piece of music with the "drone" (aka tanpura or tambura) at louder volumes is a good test for whether a system can produce the smooth, non-fatiguing treble I'm after.

@lou_setriodes no, you are wrong. To set the record straight, I'm not trolling or phishing or in any other way conducting research on other people. Period.

@jl35

I would think Amazon would cut you off after too many free returns of large, heavy items...

Don't confuse Amazon as a platform (or a corporate entity) with the independent 3rd party sellers on the Amazon marketplace. I'm coming to realize that the Amazon marketplace is probably a lot like the marketplace on Audiogon. Since I started this thread, I have struck up email conversations with two independent Amazon sellers who have been very helpful. I have not shopped on the Audiogon marketplace yet, but I'm sure I will in the future.

One Amazon seller told me I could take more than 30 days to evaluate the speakers and they would still allow me to return them. He simply asked, "How long do you need?" This seller's return policy goes far beyond Amazon's default policy. I found that out by asking.

If I buy speakers from this seller, I will be dealing with him person-to-person, probably in the same way I would deal with a seller here on Audiogon's marketplace.

This might be the kind of seller I could establish a long-term relationship with. He seems knowledgeable and very experienced. He seems very fair and upstanding.

Certainly returning large heavy items is a hassle, regardless of the return shipping costs. I would not want to burden any independent seller on the marketplace with an unfair number of returns. And I'm sure they would stop selling to me if I abused the return process. That's why I am asking questions here, reading reviews and giving this very careful consideration. I would prefer not to have to return them.

However, I did return my Polk RTi A5's. I also returned my Yamaha integrated amp and a few other things.

I also have a feeling I may have to return the LS50's I ordered. They will be here next week. But after reading more comments here, I'm thinking I should have ordered B&W 705's for the monitor-size speakers. Anyway, I'll try the LS50's and find out how they sound. Might keep them, might not.

Of course, I have purchased a lot of stuff from Amazon I have kept. The percentage of stuff I return is very small.

It seems most people here would agree that we always have to deal honestly and never take advantage of a seller. This site is full of upstanding people, which is why I have continued to participate. This is a nice community. I assume most of us recognize that selling audio gear (or anything else really) is a hard game and that customer support is hard. Personally, I never want to be the abusive customer who takes advantage of a seller's good will. If you have ever been in retail or customer support, you know that there are customers out there who will seriously abuse a seller without a second thought.

@arafiq  "...the OPs behavior is quite elusive in this regard..."

I have been both polite and direct in saying that I'm not here to discuss my personal reasons for shopping where I shop. Geez.

If some of you wish to continue to indulge your preoccupation with my personal reasons for shopping on Amazon I'm sure it won't be hard to turn this thread into a completely useless and time-wasting discussion for everyone involved.

I'm either going to stick to the topic or I can abandon this thread and let the conspiracy theorists turn it into a wasteland.

I'm new here. It's your community. Do as you wish.

I'm happy with the Yamaha P5000S.

Among other options, I'm considering the Magnepan 3.7i speakers in the future and I spoke to a dealer today who told me this Yamaha amp would be a very good match for those speakers (or the 1.7i's). They have both Magnepan speakers in their showroom and they have lots of experience with Magnepans. This amp is definitely good with them.

Furthermore, I am very satisfied with this amp for my current speakers. So I consider that amp to have been a good recommendation and a timely purchase. It definitely increased my listening enjoyment. :-)

@helomech thanks for the level-headed response. :-)

@stereo5 The thread started off great and I received a lot of sincere and informative replies, all of which I appreciate.

Lately, there were some attempts to hijack the discussion, but that's just a fact of life of online discussions. Those things can be ignored.

What follows is a general reply to several questions I saw.

I feel like I have received sufficient information now. I have a nice list of candidate floorstanding speakers. I just need to process all the info for a week or two and have some email or phone discussions with the sellers I want to do business with, then I will make a decision and place my order.

I met (via email) a fantastic seller on Amazon today who runs a brick and mortar home electronics store on the West coast (USA) and has been in business for more than 100 years!

They have a 100% positive feedback rating on Amazon, are a  Trusted Store at Shopping.com, a CNET certified reseller, etc. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. I can reach them by phone or email. And I can order through Amazon.

This is just one example of several sellers I like on Amazon's marketplace.

My final decision will be a confluence of the suggestions here, my reading of reviews of those products, and my discussions with the sellers I like on the Amazon marketplace. (I may also try to visit a Best Buy before making my final decisions, but so far these independent sellers on the Amazon marketplace are doing a great job of earning my business.)

I'm sure I will get criticized for not making my purchase decision based on listening to the speakers in a dealer's showroom, but that is probably not a practical / convenient option for me. (My closest Best Buy does not have a Magnolia showroom, for example.)

Furthermore, from what I have read, the room itself makes a lot of difference. It is possible that the speakers will not sound the same in the dealer showroom as in my listening room. Therefore, it is possible that I would want to return the speakers whether I listen first or not.

BTW, I am explicitly communicating with the online sellers and selecting only those who are OK with the small probability that I will want to return the speakers.

@soix

Buy yourself the Yamaha AS2000 I listed earlier.  If it doesn't smoke the 5000 you have, just return it.  But, give both at least 100 hours of burn-in time...

I don't have any complaints with the Yamaha P5000S. I don't know if it will be the amp that suits all my music listening needs for the future, but for now, it's doing a good job. I think it was a good recommendation and I'm happy with it.

The Yamaha AS2000 costs 3 times as much. I'm not sure it would give me a 3x better experience. And with a 30 day return policy, it would be hard to give it a 100 hr break-in and stay within that return window.

Furthermore, my objective is not to buy anything and everything with the idea in mind that I can return it. I would prefer to buy stuff that I believe I'll end up keeping. Returns are a fall-back option only.

Anyway, my intent in this question was to select speakers that will work with my current Yamaha P5000S amp, and I'm still proceeding with that intention. I have a good list of speaker candidates.

@mofojo I'm not entirely sure what you were trying to say. However, here is my actual experience with this Yamaha P5000S amp.

First, the problem that originally brought me here, harsh and fatiguing higher frequencies, was mostly cured by switching to this amp. It was the single biggest improvement I made. Changing speakers further improved that issue to the point where it is no longer a problem.

I'm not suggesting there is no room for further improvement -- indeed I am planning to purchase both a pair of floorstanding speakers and a new subwoofer. However, I came here a couple weeks ago with a problem. My music was hurting my ears! With the Yamaha amp, I do not currently have that problem. I'm enjoying my system now.

Furthermore, when I listen to music now, I have a sense of an expansive sound stage, I can easily make out each instrument, I can hear an impressive level of detail. I can turn the volume up and make it loud, and the quality does not degrade. Cymbals sound good, female voices sound good, bass guitars sound good, etc. My most challenging music, classical Indian music (such as sitar with a "drone" accompaniment instrument called a tanpura) sounds enjoyable. (It's not as good a a live concert, but I don't think I'll get close to "live" until I can purchase some really high end speakers, a new subwoofer and optimize my listening room. Switching amps right now is not going to get me to "like live music", as I am sure everyone here will agree.)

I am coming to realize that the biggest deficiency in my system is probably the subwoofer, which is too boomy.

With the range, dynamism, clarity and detail I hear, as well as lack of noise, I don't really see a need to spend energy trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist. People here are quick to assume my Yamaha amp is  a problem simply because of the "club" tag it carries.

@kalali said, "...polluting this site by providing misinformation based on the absence of actual experience."

I have no idea exactly what or who kalali was referring to, and I absolutely don't care because I have no interest in who said what. In spite of the harsh language, there is a point there. I do observe that there have been an overwhelming number of negative comments about this amp from people who have no actual experience with it. Do those comments "pollute" this site? I'll stay out of that debate.

In terms of my next steps, I am certainly not going to switch amps before I buy new speakers. Some of you can deride the Yamaha amp as much as you wish, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. New speakers are my next step.

@courant "Why not simply call them and ask for assistance on what pair of speakers to get?"

Amazon's customer service reps have little to no knowledge of audio products (or any product-specific knowledge at all) in my experience.

However, many of the independent third party sellers on the Amazon marketplace do have customer service phone numbers. Some of these sellers are reputable brick and mortar audio stores, and they do have expert product knowledge. I have been in touch with several such sellers on Amazon. But I'm trying to educate myself by reading the forums too.

I have already learned a lot, but I have much more to learn.

@leemaze First I purchased the KEF LS50 speakers from Amazon. I also bought a pair of Magnepan 1.7i speakers through a local dealer. I still had my original speakers, the Polk RTi A7.

After breaking in all the speakers and doing a number of listening tests, I discovered that the Polk speakers have really good sound in comparison to other well-regarded speakers.

I love the Magnepan speakers. However, the Polk speakers sound extremely good too.

Therefore, I returned the KEF LS50 and purchased a pair of Polk RTi A9 speakers that were deeply discounted. These are a larger version of the A7. I have the A9's paired with a pair of SVS PC-2000 subwoofers. It is a great setup in my opinion. Not only do I enjoy it, I get a lot of comments from other people about how good it sounds.

Now I have the Maggies at home and I have the A9's and SVS subwoofers in my office.