Talon Ravens vs. JM Lab Mezzo Utopias??? comment

What about the new Diva utopia BE????

I've heard them and they don't have the weight that I'm looking for. To be honest the micros with a sub sound better.

I own a pair of the Talon Audio Ravens and they are phenominal. I must have listened to over 25+ different types of speakers before purchasing these, but I always went back to the Ravens. Revels, B & W's, Alon, Definitive Technologies, Infinity, Paradigm, etc... Taking into consideration all their features, price, performance... Talon has put together an unbelievable product. Incredible range... highs to lows, its all there. Oh by the way, this is what they mean by "bang for your buck." Find a local guy who has these; bring music & movies you've heard before on other systems (try to remember EXACTLY what you heard on both media's in previous setups); and bring your check book with a nice pen. They sound wide, tall, warm yet detailed when needed to be... I can go on & on. No, I don't sell these & I'm not affiliated to any dealer. I just love my Ravens! The Ravens can be compared to other speakers in the $10,000 to $15,000 range.
The only thing that makes me upset is I don't have the money for the Firebirds ($30,000+). From what I've heard, those speakers have to be amoung the best on the market (regardless of price).
Take a good long look at the Ravens... you will not be disappointed at all!

Am not familiar with the JM products but I have owned or experience with the Peregrines, Peregrine X, Khorus, Khorus X mk II, Raven 2002 with the new X-over, ProAc 2.5, Wharfedale EVO 10 monitors, Soliloquy 6.2's - all in the last 3 years. What a mess I am! The Talons are just plain different. In my opinion better, but all in all different. The ProAc's are the worst by far: aggressive, limiting, small sounding. The Wharfedales are by a huge margin the best value. Incredible at any price, even better given what they fetch in $$$. The Talons feature excellent bass, uncanny scale - everything sounds immense. Hard to describe. The older Talons sounded dull to begin with, then brightened up; the newer Talons break in just the opposite: they start a bit hot then settle down - you must be patient. Once broken in, they are a different speaker than what you have listened to before. Couple delicacy and sweetness with a huge soundstage and incredible dynamics. Pitch correctness, the full frequency range top to bottom. And they favor no particular type of music. Can't understand those who buy certain products because they sound 'best' with certain types of music! Isn't good stereo supposed to broaden our musical horizons, not limit them?? MM

Forgot a little experience also lately with Reference 3A monitors, Silverline, Ruark, and a Danish (I believe) named speaker whose name escapes me at the moment. Again -
the Talon products just offer a much more believable sound. Drama, scale: more realistic timbre I think says it best - they sound like instruments and voices really sound - a more realistic representation of actual vocals and instrumentation. Most recreations sound small and somewhat thin, the Talons sound larger, more lifelike. MM

Anyone looking at excellent speakers like the Talons should check out Meadowlarks, either the new Nighthawks or the giant killer Blue Heron 2's, and by giant killer I'm talking about Grand Utopia, Wilson X-1 caliber. It's all determined by what you drive them with. Just a suggestion to check out, it certainly doesn't hurt to check something out, you might be pleasantly surprised. Just make sure you find a dealer who has them fully broken in.
Keith
Holy Grail Audio

continue to remember some experimentation done with speakers lately: in the last few years listened to or owned Soliloquy 5.3 (awful!), Jamo, and Merlin VSM-SE (not bad), and Totem Mites - great little monitor. Talon is no doubt the best of the lot.

Would like to rescind my negative comment re: the Soliloquy 5.3 speakers. I must have had some problems with system synergy, or more specifically with an amp I powered the Soliloquys with. Currently have borrowed a pair of 5.3's while awaiting new speakers. The 5.3's may not be the most resolving speaker in the world, but they are pretty nice little speakers. Musical with decent bass. Small footprint, attractive finish and a full midrange that is quite musical. A good package at the price point! Sorry for being negative.

would like to modify my negative comments re: the Soliloquy 5.3; have actually borrowed my old pair back and they are not bad as a modestly priced floor stander. Must have had bad synergy or something? They are actcually pretty nice little speakers, sorry for being negative.