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What are the best loudspeakers under $4000 to re-create lifelike piano

Over the past 4 months I've spent time with five loudspeakers.  On a scale of 1-10 I'd rate them as follows in their ability (with my equipment in my room) to recreate a lifelike piano.  Tekton Lore - 6.5 (great scale but tonal accuracy and clarity somewhat lacking),    Kef LS50 - 7.0 (moderate scale but slightly better clarity and tonal accuracy)  Kef R500 - 8.0  (great scale and very good clarity and tonal accuracy), Spatial Audio M3TurboS -8.1 (great scale and very good clarity and tonal accuracy and very smooth)  Magnepan 1.7i - 9.0 (very good scale with excellent clarity and tonal accuracy - very lifelike).

In your room with your equipment, what loudspeakers are you listening too and how would you rate them for their ability to recreate a lifelife piano and if possible a few comments as to why?
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Showing 2 responses by grannyring

grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,592 posts
 
Tekton Double Impact will get you 100% of what you want.  No compromise at all for piano or any other type of music. They replaced $16,000 and $22,000 speakers for me.  I did modify mine, but even stock they play beautiful piano. 
grannyring's avatar
grannyring
6,592 posts
 
Great speakers those Bolero’s.  I never modified my set and owned them for 2 years I think. Loved them. Very easy to listen to with no listener fatigue at all. Great imaging and a warm inviting sound. Beautiful to look at also! Very smooth highs.  Mids were a tad recessed as I recall. 

The DI is really a different speaker. It is more full range with much deeper and more impactful bass. The DI is more resolving of the Micro details and of the instruments themselves. They sound more live and alive.  The DI does this without sounding bright or aggressive at all. The DI speakers are more dynamic and easier to drive.  

The Bolero speakers sound warmer and darker.  They are more romantic sounding and that is certainly very appealing to many of us. The Bolero is a more refined sounding speaker. The DIs can be upgraded/modified to sound as refined.  They simply need better quality crossover parts. 

I think the Bolero would open up more in the mids with simple XO upgrades. It would be a very easy speaker to upgrade. Very easy. I would place the XO outboard and use better wire. Don’t change the XO parts values, but just use Mills MRA or Path Audio resistors and Jupiter copper foil caps. Keep the same inductors. 

The Boleros will always hold a special place in my audio memory. Beautiful speaker in many ways. 
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