check out the escalante fremonts!!!! |
I too have heard the Excalante speakers are very nice. No dealer in my area :-(
At this price range, it really is worth listening to the Wilson Duettes and many others. But per the initial comments about the satisfaction with the Dynaudio's, why not go with those. They make a nice speaker that perform well. You don't hear of too many people that grow dissatisfied with them, other than to possibly work up their line. Very well rounded speakers. |
Best monitor I ever heard were the Platinum Audio Reference 1's they needed juice but could they play. |
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Has anyone who has heard the Magico Minis thought any other mini-monitor was better? I have not heard one. I heard them at the Stereophile show with VAC Phi integrated and that was surely the best monitor performance I ever heard - at a very steep price though. |
My friend has the Magico Minis.Previously a wonderful pair(too big for room) of three way Kharmas.I have heard a load of superb mini monitors.Love the Dynaudio C-1's,and the Sonus Faber Guarneri Momentos.I do Think the C-1's are hands down,the best overall value....including the best I have heard,and by a good margin,which are definitely the Magico Minis!...But...the current asking price(30,000 dollars) of the Minis is definitely way out of line,IMO.They are superb,but don't kill the C-1's,to the degree of the price differential.
I think the TAD monitor,which is still being developed,will come in a bit lower in price than the Magico(if TAD is clever),and give it a real run for the money.I hope so,anyway!
Good luck. |
Pubul57,
A friend has the Magico's which I've heard many many times. Yes they are good but I prefer the Ridgestreet Sason's to the Mini's for a couple of reasons. First, the Sason's disappear like no other speaker I've heard. They, the Sason's, also layer front to back better than any other speaker I've heard. I also think the Sason's are the more transparent to the source of the two. Factor in price and it's a no brainer. Even if price weren't a factor, it wouldn't change my preference. Ridgestreet is a low profile company so you may have to work at it a bit to hear a pair but it will be worh it. |
I second the Ridge Street Sason
I'm biased I own a pair |
In terms of price/quality ratio, I think the Triangle Titus are an amazing value. You can find them for around $500, and at that price I have yet to find anything even close to them. |
What Musicfile said. But before I owned them, I auditioned no less than 3 dozen monitors, with no biases and an open mind.
Nothing even came close to the Sason, regardless of price.
Honorable mention at a budget price point is the Tyler Taylo Reference. Tiny box, big sound, and they disappear better than Houdini. |
I also agree that the Ridgestreet Audio Sasons best the Magico minis in virtually every respect, especially their full range bass! |
I just had too trade Rubys and Maimus - too much dynamic range, sound too big for small room. Got B&W 805 in return. Compared with ruby, Ruby more detail, better balance throughout, Killer Bass. Where were all of you when I need to trade these???? |
You should have just traded your small room for a bigger room! Just kidding. Yes, the Ruby's have a huge lively sound for such a small speaker or any speaker for that matter. |
I have owned pretty much every Sonus Faber monitor including the Guarneri Homage and currently own the Guarneri memento's (which I find MUCH better than the H) but one speaker that sticks out as being purely magical is the Merlin TSM-MM I owned about 5 years ago on Osiris stands using Cary tube pre/amp and CDP. BUT I just acquired the Guarneri Memento and while they do not sound quite as "organic" as the Merlins, they have one of the most pleasing, full, mellow, delicate sounds I have ever heard from any speaker. Bass is NOT lacking at all and the mids are to die for. The Merlins mids were a bit drier but the Merlin top end was amazing as was the imaging.
For about $2k, anyone wanting a world class speaker, the Merlin TSM-MX is one to beat. |
Majico? For the price of a new Audi they should be. |
My Vapor Breeze speakers are wonderful!!! Awesome tonality, fast tight bass, great detail, midrange is liquid. The speakers are detailed and musical. Highs are superb with the Raal tweeter. A stunning speaker in every way. |
Majico's are good but way over priced. Ridge St Sassons are suburb and easily account for the Majico's as does the Lenehan ML1 Reference at just $5K. But the best monitor, and indeed speaker, I have heard is a new all out speaker Lenehan Audio has built called the ML2 Limited Edition. Duelund Cast Capacitors and Resistors, lined with copper, massive copper clad steel differential bracing, and 10 gauge air core inductors.
There is a thread about it in Aus:
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/46808-lenehan-ml-ii-reference-limited-edition/
I simply couldn't resist it and ordered one myself - amazing speaker.
Thanks
Bill |
Ridge St Sassons are suburb
...Obviously a typo, but one of the most amusing that I have seen in a long time. |
Sorry guys - yea a typo - it should of course be superb - that's the problem with spell checkers - if your typo is an actual word you are out of luck.
And the Sassons are indeed superb but I think this new Lenehan speaker has it beat. Hopefully somewhere, sometime a direct comparison can be arranged.
BTW this is not to poo poo Majico - still a good speaker - but they have a different model than Lenehan or Ridge St who spend virtually nothing on marketing. What do Majico spend on it? Well over in Singapore when some new Majico speakers were released they held a champagne and caviar breakfast - and it wasn't cheap champagne - it was Bollinger. I have been told they sell for about nine times the cost of parts while guys with like Lenehan and I suspect Ridge St its more like twice. Marketing costs - and costs big.
Thanks
Bill |
Another vote for the Lenehan ML1's. Put some good tubes in front of them and you are set! Oh and forget about the sub.... you wont need it. |
Yea the ML1's are very interesting like that - some love em with powerful SS others with valve gear. When I had mine I used two amps a Leben and a NAKSA depending on mood and music - I couldn't really decide which was best - well maybe the Leben by a smidgen on the type of music I tend to listen to like Diana Krall.
A sub is definitely optional except for home theatre.
Thanks
Bill |
