Speaker recommendation for married couple

Thank you for the replies! I should have given more info in my first post, sorry.

My wife read all the replies too. So, let me try to give more info.

The Sonus Faber was a monitor. I still cannot recall the model.

With the Harbeths/ATC/Spendor, she said the vocals sounded flat. That was her exact word, flat.

I agree SF and LS50 are different sounding speakers. She probably again went for the vocals only (not necessarily same sound but probably the way she likes it). She does not like when the vocals make that "TISSSSS" sound where it scratches your ears. She also likes good bass, more than I do for sure.

We pretty much listen to similar music and not limited to artists below. We listen to heavy metal and rap the least probably.

Radiohead
Beck
Coldplay
Wilco, etc.

Lately, she started to listen more jazz/female vocals like me (I love female vocals).

Norah Jones
Diana Krall
Billie Holiday
Agnes Obel
Fay Claassen,etc.

We do not have the biggest room, about 300sq ft. but the problem is the ceiling (wood) is low, only 6ft.

Let's get back to recommendations.

All the brands I know and some I have heard. I always wanted to hear the Vandersteens but never had a chance to.

Let me rephrase Johnny because this is exactly what I want to achieve. ".. feel the music instead of analyzing parts of the stereo." 
I want to sit down and enjoy the music without any distraction and without trying to find out what can be better with my system.

Anyway, although we cannot probably find all the speakers to audition but we will do our best :)

Thanks again!

More info: In case there is an excellent price on a new equipment, I do not buy new. So, for a used speaker our budget is max $2000

Unfortunately, almost entire room. It is an attic but we have furniture and stuff (it is our hobby room). Current speakers 32 inches floor standers. A friend did the measurements with his MiniDSP and the results were not that bad. He was actually surprised.

I am definitely considering a tube amplifier. I just ordered this passive LDR preamp so I used my option for the preamp there.

I used to have ProAcs. I was never too wowed with them. They were tonality right I think, but I remember getting bored after a while. They were ProAc Studio 125s (floor standers). The bass was too much for my room also. This specific model was just not an exciting speaker to listen to. 

Thanks guys!

I will try to answer most of your questions/comments. And if I miss some, I am sorry.

I did mention the budget in my second post, $2000 used. Demo speakers are fine too. Just don't like to buy luxury items new.

Very good question:) We are currently in Europe. I can listen to pretty much every brand from Elac to Rockport, PSB to Magico.

I thought exactly like you did! I thought let me go by what she likes most as long as I am happy too. Almost wanted to end the search with the LS50 but we still want to listen to more speakers.

As I mentioned before the ceiling is all wood. No concrete. And my friend measured it with his mic/minidsp and found the acoustics pretty good actually. He was surprised too.

Thanks again guys!

Notes from the wife :)

Thanks everyone for the input! I really do leave these decisions to my audio geek - he can have whatever he wants and I just want him to be happy. Unfortunately for him, he has a burning urge to pass it through me for approval because he thinks I have better ears 😂

I want to feel the music in my bones, I want to feel like I can close my eyes and am listening to it live. The full reverberation of the bass, the nuances in the metal strings of an acoustic guitar. The sibilance in vocals just grates my ears. I basically want to sit in the 1980s Maxell poster and be blown away.

I don't particularly remember the Sonus Fabers except that they were very expensive 😂

The KEF LS50, it's tiny and aesthetic perfection (imho). We've listened a few times. It's a very tight and clean sound, bass is pretty damn good (even better supplemented with a sub), but perhaps not as natural in the vocals for me to be blown away. Not as warm as I'd prefer.

Harbeths, I cannot pinpoint it, but I just didn't feel it. I felt like it was a simple speaker, and it just felt flat. Definitely a warm sound but I just didn't feel the power in the vocals. I think the lows drowned the sound.

So, I guess I am looking for warmth and bass, detail in mids, and no/low sibilance in vocals.

Thanks again everyone for your recommendations.

@cory1985 I have met Adrian years ago. Very funny guy and loves what he is doing. He did a demo. Can’t recall the model but I remember him trying to distort his mini (maybe should call micro) monitors with Pass Labs amp. That thing didn’t distort! Took all the beating. Couldn’t believe it. He makes very good speakers but very hard to audition the new models.

I felt bad and happy when I found this killer deal on a barely used SHL5 (not Plus) Harbeths. See, I was not too crazy for the SHL5 Plus version. Actually liked the Compact 7ES3 better. I have never heard the SHL5 before but I compared the 40.1 & 40.2 (not that I could afford). I liked the 40.1 better. So, I thought I have a chance of my wife liking the non Plus version. Because from what I have heard from people they are different speakers.

They are playing as I type and they are AMAZING! I love them. I don't want to talk big but I think the search is over. After all these years I have found the speakers I have been looking for. I don't think it is everyone's cup of tea though.

OK. Let's see what wife thinks. She loves them (at least that's what she says). She is a very honest person though. I know she would tell me if she didn't like them. Actually when she was listening Taro by Alt-J like me she couldn't believe how real and emotional the vocals were. She also loves the Tiger Ebony finish and surprised how cool even the stands are!

These speakers are amazing! Thanks to all of you for your suggestions. We both appreciate it.


Wife says, "Yes, I really love them too :) The warm sound, the look, and my happy husband :)"