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UNDECIDED UTOPIA.

I have put forth a few post lately regarding floor standing speakers in the crowded 10k range. Living in a rural area of the US precludes my listening to speakers before buying, so input from Audiogoners is critical. I have my choices narrowed down to two or three speakers that are WAF certified. As I have JM Lab Micro Utopia Be's, I think it would be a safe bet to move up the line to the Diva or the Alto. On paper, both of these speakers have specifications very close to each other.The Alto's would be a stretch both for my pocket book, think used here, and for my space, think limited placement options here. The other speaker is the Audio Physics Avanti 3. In talking to two dealers that carry both lines, both have stated that they preferred the Diva to the Avanti 3 by a wide margin. However, I would love to hear from Audiogoners who have owned or extensively listened to these speakers. Room= 14x14x8 in a square with a small open passage leading to vanitys for a total of around 210 ft( Master bedroom). It is important for the speaker to sound good or full at lower volume levels, and for the speaker to have really good bass extension. I will not have room for a sub woofer.The Diva's and the Avanti's are similar in specifications, with the Avanti's having a slightly lower specified bass range. However, several dealers have stated that they felt the Diva's to have better bass. Listening tastes=instrumental Classical and Jazz( From orchestral, chamber, to solo). Gear= Bryston 4B-SST amp and BP-26 pre-amp, with an Ayre CX 7E cd player. Sorry for the length of the post, but at this price range, I can not afford to get this wrong.
jhwalker

Showing 1 response by larryi

larryi
4,154 posts
 
What have you heard that you like in a speaker? Why do you want to replace the Micro Be? Not knowing your taste, it's hard to make a recommendation.

I personally prefer the JM Lab stuff to Audio Physics. I've heard the Avanti and several other AP speakers and I find them to be so lean in the midbass region that they sound cold, astringent and analytical. But, they do image beautifully and while lean, they are not really bright or harsh on top. I liked, but did not really love the Alto Be, but then again, I only heard it in a dealer's system and not in a system I am really familiar with.

In the price range you are looking at, and coupled with solid state amplification, I personally like the Sonus Faber Cremona. It is not the ultimate in speed, detail, or top end extension, but it is an extremely musical speaker. It manages the tough act of being on the warmish side without being muddled and lacking in clarity. I can only guess, but I bet it would work well with Bryston electronics which I find to be a touch hard and mechanical sounding with speakers that also lean in that direction.

It looks like you are putting together a pretty nice bedroom system. Good luck.
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