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Need some recs/help/thoughts on speakers for a 2nd system

Looking for some thoughts and or suggestions on a pair of speakers. We are building a house and all of my super nice gear will be for a home theater room. I am putting together a 2nd system for the living room. I want the speakers to perform well with 2 channel music and be pretty good for movies/TV. Budget for a pair is 3k new or used. My HT room is all B&W 800 Nautilus so I want something different than B&W in the living room. The room is pretty large, as the house is an open floor plan. The living room and kitchen are "blended" together. The amp for the living room will be a McIntosh MC7205. There are almost no places to demo speakers around here, so I am hoping to find some people here that have knowledge of them. Here is a list of several that I am seriously considering:

Tannoy Revolution XT 8F
Sonus Faber Liuto
KEF R700
Focal Micro Utopia Be
Legacy Expression
Sonus Faber Venere 3.0
Dynaudio Contour S3.4
Focal Aria 926
Martin Logan Theos
Monitor Audio Gold 300
I would love to hear thoughts on the list or some I should look into that are not listed. The room layout is attached. Speakers will be on far right wall with the fireplace between them.

http://i.imgur.com/ixifYZR.jpg?1



ever43
6 responses Add your response
soix
9,456 posts
 
I also think Monitor Audio is a good suggestion.  I'll throw in the Silverline Prelude Plus and the Usher N-6361 as a couple other high value options in your price range.  Best of luck. 

erik_squires
16,057 posts
 
Oh, older Monitor Audio series Silver. :) They have the low end thump and are quite reasonable. :)
ever43 OP
2 posts
 
what type of music do you listen too?



Majority is rock, alternative, and blues with a little pop and country thrown in there. 
sbank's avatar
sbank
3,378 posts
 
Maggie 1.7 would be great, you can get them off the wall and have plenty of room.  Golden Ear Triton 2 & 3, should be on your list.
IMHO, eliminate the bookshelf speakers on your list, as your room is too big for them. 
Cheers,
Spencer
erik_squires
16,057 posts
 
So one of the reviewers at Stereophile has Monitor Audio and B&W speakers, and for the life of me I cannot fathom how he can listen to both and not find one or the other completely off in speach, vocals and treble balance.

Normally I recommend Monitor Audio as great values and great, neutral speakers. But with the B&Ws, I’m worried you’ll become dissatisfied with one or the other’s treble and vocal performance. However, if you want different that’s a good option.

Now, if you wanted something exotic, like a great Be tweeter, in a floor standing 2-way, you could just about afford a Taylor speakers Klang-Tong build.  The woofer too is just unbelievably good.

oleschool's avatar
oleschool
722 posts
 
 what type of music do you listen too? i would almost always look used although shipping can be risky with spkrs.Are you scouring craigslist? atleast you may be able to audition .Use tempest to check multiple craigs at a time.I almost always use audiogon,but have got local deals that have popped up. I would also add zu and acoustic zen to your list.
 will you be using subs? room treatment?

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