This issue of WAF comes up all the time on this forum and amongst my audio friends. I bought a $5K system for a friend and after a year, he had to get rid of it... because his wife objected to the speaker cables on the floor. Man up and buy what you want. The emasculation of adult males is off the charts, so assert your wishes and buy whatever speakers you choose. Jezz, man up, my friend.
New house, wife reveals she hates my Maggies- looking for stand mount speaker suggestions
Just closed on a new house and as we were walking through and discussing furniture, my wife revealed she has always hated my Maggies and wants them not to make the move. I have had a semi-dedicated music room, so they were kind of out of sight at our old place, so she never complained. So a bad news but good news (new speakers!) situation.
Present set up is near field, room perhaps 10x10,but partially open, angled ceilings for some pretty good acoustics. Should be able to set up similar size near field space in new home.
Amp is Primaluna HP with 8xEL34, Conrad Johnson ET7 tube preamp, PS Audio Direct stream DAC and Naim Uniti digital ripper/hard drive. I listen to lots of different music, but always come back to acoustic guitar or piano with female or male vocalists, or acoustic jazz. Big soundstage, vocal warmth and detail (guitar strings plucking) are what I enjoy.
My Wife liked (the looks of) my old Rogers LS3/5a back in the day, or my Reference 3a Royal Masters. So I figure I will be looking for a stand mount monitor. But my budget is $5-10k, used or new, so I suspect I can do better than the LS3/5a.
i have always loved the Joseph Audio Pulsars, but you never see them used and the new graphine ones are out of my price range. Looking for other ideas: Sonus Faber are easy to look at, but I have never listened to their monitors. The monitor versions of Raidho and Focals are ugly enough to fail the WAF test.
so help me out here- what should I consider?
130 responses Add your response
Compliance, or non compliance…… Interesting comparison with the seal (audiophile) trainer (spouse) scenario. The seal illustrated has made the choice? my “listening sound room”…”a necessity in my life” Suggesting a real life call?
OP… “What should l consider?” In this sensitive case, only the OP can make his call/choice on this one.
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I own the Studio Electric M4 , it's a great speaker. So good that zi was thinking about their M5 https://pt.audio/2025/03/01/studio-electric-m5-loudspeakers-review/ https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/studio-electric-m-5?highlight=virtual%2Bimage |
When I hear the term "Happy Wife Happy Life". I see a man who has been either transformed into or chose to become a performing seal. Ready to jump through however many hoops which are held-out. Every time a hoop is held out. Don’t question it. Don’t push back. Do as you are commanded by the one holding the hoop(and cracking the whip). With the unsaid dark insinuation that the holder of the hoop will make the performing seal’s life hell if they don’t unquestioningly comply. "Comply with The Wife: Happy Life. Failure to comply: A Life Of Misery". The performing seals all think this is normal. Anyone can prove my theory. If there is an equal status in the relationship, the seal can order the hoop holder to jump through a hoop. Every seal knows that will never happen. The tables cannot be turned. The relationship is actually a one way street. The hoop holder calls the shots and as long as the seal is well behaved and compliant; Happy Wife Happy Life. |
Hi meiatflask, My partner Paul and I produce a stand mount monitor the PureArtFi LS-6 you may want to consider.
PureArtFi LS-6 review on Everyday Audiophile Matt at Everyday Audiophile confirms my experience using Miller Audio's Dyna-70 for trade shows (and my home system) that the LS-6 interfaces very nicely with mid power tube PP amps like yours. |
I'd like to hear these, not sure if seller had one pair in Canada and another pair in California, says 'open box'. https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650244807-canton-vento-100-floor-standing-speakers-white/ clarify tarriffs, perhaps if seller gets them to CA prior to sale ..... |
used, local pickup, ability to inspect/hear them in sellers system make the most sense for buying used large speakers, I wish you both patience and luck. where do you live, __________ ? zip code, maybe someone will find a local listing you missed. Sometimes driver will meet you half way. My wife’s 2005 t-Bird was totalled years ago, I looked all over hell, Texas .... closest was over two hours away, my friend found one, an IDENTICAL match, 20 minutes away on Craigslist, bought it. Sadly, it was just drowned in a flood, we ended up getting Donna a 2002 Lexus SC430 Hardtop Convertible with a little back seat with only 58k miles. Point is the ideal car was right next to me and I didn't know it. bookcase size, I paid to have 2 pairs of AR-2ax’s shipped, bought parts, overhauled them, they were well worth the buy/ship/restore cost and effort, but not for my main listening, great for my office and garage systems. I used UPS Pack and Ship. Seller reluctant to ship simply drops them off unpackaged https://www.audiogon.com/systems/10092 more about JSE Model 2’s https://www.audiogon.com/systems/11418
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I replaced Magnepans with Ohm Walsh a number of years back and wife has never uttered a complaint since. Nor I sound-wise. No separate stands needed. Walsh Tall | Speakers | Ohm Speakers | Custom Audiophile Speakers for Music & Home Theater I also have KEf ls50meta with matching stands which are excellent soundwise (with added sub) and look fantastic. KEF r3 meta https://img.usaudiomart.com/uploads/large/4793660-kef-r3-meta-wstands.jpg would be a step up and Ref 1 meta another step up from there that might be doable https://unilet.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/unilet_kef_reference1_silversatinwalnut.jpg I can strongly recommend any of these. |
I loved the sound of the Harbeth C7xp, nicely build, awesome clarity while still being musical and non fatiguing. My only criticism, is volume. It plays plenty loud but if you want to rock something with heavy bass, it's not the best speaker for you. This need is rare for me but a factor. Proac, Devore Fidelity could work for you too. Many otehr, I'd like to hear the Joseph but they don't have much of a presence in New England. Good Luck, fun process. FWIW I thought he said housewife lol that would have been louder thn dust on an LP with this bunch. |
I had a set of Maggie 1.6qr speakers some years ago and when we moved they no longer cosmetically fit into the room at the new house. I tried a couple of different options but ended up with a pair of Ohm 1000 speakers which have since followed me to a third house. The both look and sound great in the current room. Their semi-omni radiation pattern captures much of the sonic spaciousness that was also an attractive feature of the Maggies. Ohm has several options in your price range. They also offer a 120 day in-home audition period, though you do incur shipping costs if you return them. |
If the Pulsars are out of reach you might consider the Prisms or even the Profiles if they pass the WAF. Other speakers I find do many of the same things are ProAc, and the Response DB1, D2, and D20 are definitely worth a look. Likewise the Usher Mini X, One, and Two are excellent and offer gorgeous looks and very high build quality/$. And the QLN prestige One would be another to consider although may lean just a bit warmer than the others. Just some more options to throw on the pile. |
Thanks for all the great responses and keep them coming. And yes, the WAF factor is critical. Recently celebrated 45th anniversary, so yes, I do have my priorities straight. I was quite surprised after my wife’s response, as there was not a word about the Maggies for five years. So I am going to sort the suggestions, eliminate those that are clearly out of my price range (i.e. TAD) unless one stumbles upon a used pair for a crazy low price, and those that are won’t pass the WAF (i.e. Raidho) and go from there. And i agree that some small footprint floor mounts might fit the bill (wife liked a friends Proac floor model) but how wide of a net do i cast? |
Why not just get another set of LS3/5a and think about the bass modules too. I agree many floorstanders operate in the same footprint as standmounts so why limit yourself? I'm not a real fan of anything new by Sonus Faber and the FS Accordo might be the most beautiful standmounts ever designed; truly spectacular fit, finish and lux feel. Opera Callas are a bigger standmounts with a big bold sound. They might be a consideration. Honestly, so many great speakers. People generally only recommend what they have experience with and most all that have been offered up are speakers worth a listen. Just my opinion. |
Years ago we had Maggies, and my wife loved the seamless soudstage but the bass was not super. When a friend offered me his ProAc Response 2's we found they threw the same seamless image but with better bass. We've had them ever since, about 25 years. I would look at ProAcs, but a speaker I'm intrigued by these days is the small Acora. |
Compared the Harbeth 5, C7 and 30s. The C7 is the sweet spot. Less monitor sounding, more open, more transparent. Biggest soundstage. Much better low end than the 30s. My room is 17x15’ and the C7s sound wonderful. That midrange with a silky smooth high end and a low end with output down to the mid 30s are all I need. Listen to Classical, Soundtracks and Jazz These speakers have a big sound.
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Ahhhhh! So many good suggestions to look into. Gosh, I love the Audiogon community. I planned to responded back to each person individually with follow on questions, but need to do some research first. So THANKS to everyone. Lots of clicking and looking to do! Such an opportunity. 😀 And keep them coming! |
OP site works fine for me, but here is their email and there maybe a dealer near you in Northern IL. info@sonneraudio.com |
Check out the Wolf von Langa SERENDIPITY+. Won pt.audio’s Reviewer’s Choice award recently: https://pt.audio/2025/03/21/wolf-von-langa-serendipity-loudspeakers-review/
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If you liked the planar sound. Then I would look for speakers with Air Motion Transducers (AMT or Heil). They are kind of like folded Maggies for the high and mid frequencies. This will help you through, by giving you the liquid mids and high of the ribbon speakers. You can just google speakers with Air Motion Transducers. If you want to move on from planar. I did. I realize as great a sound as planar gave, I wanted a more natural and musical sound. Your electronics are well set up for that. I prefer Sonus Faber (you like listening to the music and not your system)... they have many different stand mounted models. If you want more precise and a bit more audiophile sounding (you like listening to your system a bit more) then DynAudio. If you want a bit more happy, punchy, fun to listen to sound ( a bit less audiophile), have a look at Totem. |
Joseph Audio uses Richard Modafferi's patented Infinite Slope Crossover for his top models including the Pulsar, and they do sound terrific. These are the original JSE Model 2's that use that crossover, and also RM's Phase Shift patent to get both extended and clean lows.
I heard/wanted/got/loved them for years, until I went back to my current inherited horns/15" woofer/tube setup, gave them to my son, they were too big for his wife, a friend has them now. Seller calls these Rosewood, however I believe they are Walnut veneer stained reddish. I would put white linen (just a lot of staples on a wood frame), and it would be easy to pick a new veneer with the wife if you both agree they are worth it.
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