Closest to live sound, and I do love rock concerts.
Horns - will give you the impact, snap, and feeling of being in the front few rows most times. I've owned several horn speakers from Klipsch and JBL, and I've demo'd the JTR's several times (they are nice). I've heard the Volti's also and they are a lot of fun. Downside to many horn speakers is the bottom end doesn't always have Impact (the JBL M2 was an exception). So, integration of a sub is important and I've never found I can get it just perfect.
Semi-Omni Polar - Ohm Walsh (not the originals, but the newer ones that use a tweeter for the uppermost regions) - Give more of the spaciousness and soundstage of a live show, the bigger ones have tons of low end. But they don't have quite that snap that a top notch horn has, the flipside is the bass is better and typically you can listen louder as they are not a bright speaker. Also, don't have to be right in the sweet-spot to have a nice image. While I don't go to many classical shows, man the Ohm's do it right. I feel like I'm a little further back in the crowd. Currently I'm using Ohm Walsh 5000's.
Omni-Polar - (MBL) - in the right room and set-up can be awesome, but I've heard incredible demo's and mediocre demo's. I've never owned.
Otherwise, a good bi-polar design or open back design (like Jim Salk has options for) can do a nice job adding some spaciousness.
I know many say " a good speaker should do everything right " which is somewhat true, but a studio monitor and a good concert speaker IMO are two different things.
Right now, I'm digging the OHM's, they are a happy medium and they are far from perfect but they do a lot right for the money.
But, gun to my head and I had to pick a speaker that could replicate a rock concert the best... JBL M2's with the EQ set-up properly. Ironically some do use the M2's for studio work. They are a hell of a speaker, but they are designed around pro amps and DSP. The nice thing is with the DSP you could play with the curves.
Where I think the OHM's beat a good horn - bass and that HUGE feeling that a concert can give you when synth's, guitars, drum's, everything is just sounding huge to where you feel it in your chest and pant legs.
Where the JBL's and other horns might win out - that ultimate "snap" of a snare drum, vocals way out front and piercing at times, and that last bit of crunch from a Les Paul through a Marshall Stack. Downside is they can get bright at concert levels after a while.
Note - If I was someone who wanted every last little precise detail (say Viber) not sure I would look at either speaker, or an electrostat either. I might actually look at the Persona's (which I respect but don't care for as a speaker).
The JBL M2 might be the one exception. Amazing speaker, but with a lot of caveats.
Horns - will give you the impact, snap, and feeling of being in the front few rows most times. I've owned several horn speakers from Klipsch and JBL, and I've demo'd the JTR's several times (they are nice). I've heard the Volti's also and they are a lot of fun. Downside to many horn speakers is the bottom end doesn't always have Impact (the JBL M2 was an exception). So, integration of a sub is important and I've never found I can get it just perfect.
Semi-Omni Polar - Ohm Walsh (not the originals, but the newer ones that use a tweeter for the uppermost regions) - Give more of the spaciousness and soundstage of a live show, the bigger ones have tons of low end. But they don't have quite that snap that a top notch horn has, the flipside is the bass is better and typically you can listen louder as they are not a bright speaker. Also, don't have to be right in the sweet-spot to have a nice image. While I don't go to many classical shows, man the Ohm's do it right. I feel like I'm a little further back in the crowd. Currently I'm using Ohm Walsh 5000's.
Omni-Polar - (MBL) - in the right room and set-up can be awesome, but I've heard incredible demo's and mediocre demo's. I've never owned.
Otherwise, a good bi-polar design or open back design (like Jim Salk has options for) can do a nice job adding some spaciousness.
I know many say " a good speaker should do everything right " which is somewhat true, but a studio monitor and a good concert speaker IMO are two different things.
Right now, I'm digging the OHM's, they are a happy medium and they are far from perfect but they do a lot right for the money.
But, gun to my head and I had to pick a speaker that could replicate a rock concert the best... JBL M2's with the EQ set-up properly. Ironically some do use the M2's for studio work. They are a hell of a speaker, but they are designed around pro amps and DSP. The nice thing is with the DSP you could play with the curves.
Where I think the OHM's beat a good horn - bass and that HUGE feeling that a concert can give you when synth's, guitars, drum's, everything is just sounding huge to where you feel it in your chest and pant legs.
Where the JBL's and other horns might win out - that ultimate "snap" of a snare drum, vocals way out front and piercing at times, and that last bit of crunch from a Les Paul through a Marshall Stack. Downside is they can get bright at concert levels after a while.
Note - If I was someone who wanted every last little precise detail (say Viber) not sure I would look at either speaker, or an electrostat either. I might actually look at the Persona's (which I respect but don't care for as a speaker).
The JBL M2 might be the one exception. Amazing speaker, but with a lot of caveats.