Top monitors 3K - 6K range

Oh the one mentioned I've heard, I think the Evolution MMM, Selah Veritas, and Vapor Cirrus are all excellent. I'd ad Fritz's Carbon 7 to this list, at under 2k. I'd expect of these would play pretty well with SS amplification, and I'm betting with any of them, a bit of grunt would be helpful in your middle-sized room.

Cirrus may be the most impressive on this list, to many ears. It is also the priciest, but it competes with speakers that are a lot pricier.

I prefer all of the above to the Dyn C1, and also to the Totem monitor I've heard (can't remember name, but top of their range).

There are lots of good choices here, and no substitute for hearing them *in your room, with your kit*. I believe Selah and Fritz in particular will be very helpful on this.

John

Selah Audio Tempestas. Easily better than those models on your list that I've heard (and owned), C1, VL-2, 805, Usher, and Totem. A friend owns Vapor Cirrus and he prefers my Tempestas to those too. I've not heard the MMMicro.
A great speaker by any standard.

You have some very good speakers there - what is the rest of your system? Perhaps you're looking in the wrong place for improvement.

You mentioned Dynaudio C1's. If you listen loud most of the time they are great. The originals sound much better as you crank them up. On the other hand if you listen at lower to moderate levels the new MKII/Signatures really shine. They sound really good at all levels.

That being said I almost bought the SF Cremora auditor M's. Then I heard the Dyn C1's. I bought the C1's and have since upgraded to the C1 Signature. BTW the MKII and Signature sound the same where the Signatures comes with either the Mocha or Bordeaux high gloss finish and 10 yr warranty.

The Odyssey Kismet are a nice speaker in your price range. Vapor Cirrus also falls in that price range. Also, there is currently a pair of Ridge Street Audio Sason for sale here for $3800 and they would be an excellent choice. No connection with the seller. One last suggestion is the Intuitive Design Summit. Really a great speaker. It would be hard to go wrong with any of them.

Hi Michaelkingdom,

In the last year I have been on a kind of marathon reviewing two-way stand mount reference level speakers for the website hometheaterreview.com as a staff reviewer. No, I did not audition the speakers on your list, but have a very good take on six of the seven you mention based on actually heraing them, and would very highly recommend you put on your list the Lawrence Audio Mandolins, that retail for around $3500.00, which includes stands. These have turned out to be my favorite stand mount for the following reasons: 1)Great dynamics and extension on the bottom end for a small speaker. 2) Seamless intergration between the Ribbon tweeter and cone driver. )Beautiful/natural timbres and tonality. 3) The best soundstaging/layering of any two way that I have heard for review.

The build quality is first rate and the Mandolin's physical apperance is quite attractive indeed. If you have never seen what they look like go to the Lawrence Audio website for pictures and other reviews on these speakers that praised them very highly.

Because Mr. Lawrence and his speaker models just got to the states in the last cuople of years, they priced them to be a great bargain because of all of the above mentioned details.

I recently went from Proac response 2.5 to the Dynaudio C1 and have been quite pleased. Just about broken in, and I feel as if I'm in a live venue.

Quite a significant upgrade.

You really need to hear Lipinski L505 or L 707's. Fantastic sound. The only way I'll ever sell my L707's is to move up to the bigger models @ 10K each. Happy listening.

I've been reading great things about the Tekton M-Lores, perhaps they should be added to your list, $649/pr....Very efficient speakers, too. And the Tekton Model 81T's look to be very nice for only $650/pr.

Gallo Classico CL-2s are getting great reviews, too..And only $795/pr.! If you simply must spend more, take a good look at the Gallo Stradas ($999 ea.), Audiogon member Dave Pogue swears by 'em, and Dave surely knows great sound...

BTW, all of these speakers are available direct from the mfgrs. and have 30-60 day in-home trials - woo-hoo!!

-RW-