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

Yes, reproducing piano is hard.  But all is not lost.  I saw this thread and immediately thought about Maggies.  Biggest you can find/afford/power.  Others have mentioned Vandys and Quad.  Sure.  There are many other choices for used speakers available on Agon right now that can do a respectable job with reproducing piano.  Problem is, will they be the “best” in your system with your other gear in your room?  That requires trial and error.

Here is the list of potential piano stars available as of today under $4K:

Aerial Acoustics Model 9
ATC SCM-40
Monitor Audio GX200
Revel Ultima Studio
PSB Imagine T3
Harbeth HL-5
PMC Twenty.24
ProAc Response 3.8

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Also, I had meant to weigh in on the suggestions for monitor speakers.  Of course smaller speakers will struggle to reproduce the scale that larger speakers can, but with many of these you can get within 90%, with potentially better spatial resolution and less cabinet coloration.  And integrating a very good sub can get you 102% of what you can get with most larger speakers alone. Right now I would look at these on Agon, many already recommended above:

Focal Electra 1007 Be
Monitor Audio Platinum PL 100
Harbeth 7es3
Harbeth 30.1
Harbeth Super HL5 Plus (stretch for these)
Audio Note AN-E SPE
Wilson Benesch Trinity
Dynaudio C1
Revel Ultima Gem

All of these can reproduce piano music convincingly.  The Dyanaidios look like they were in a car wreck but if operating to spec are a steal.

@snapsc “What do you mean when you say the sound is too difffused.”

Let me take a whack at this.  I have a family member who had a 5.2 Ohm system with reasonable AB amps and run of the mill DAC.  Big Ohms in the front and smaller Ohms in the back. That system in either 2.2 or 5.2 formats excelled at presenting music with accurate tone and dynamic impact. And it could be enjoyed in anyplace in his large listening/living room.  While there was a sweet spot, especially in 5.2, every place sounded pretty sweet. 

But the kind of spatial definition and seemless placement of instruments you get from excellent dynamic drivers in two channels in a traditional listening “sweet spot” just was not there. In contrast, you felt like you were inside the performance - perhaps more like a live venue. Piano music sounded fine, but not remarkable.  Perhaps better electronics and cables could have helped there.

He moved and sold all that gear and replaced it with a Focal/SVS 5.2 system powered by Emotiva electronics.  Same basic cables used.  This system is more resolving, with the spatial definition that I have come to expect from Focals.  Piano music is convincing.  Good recordings of classical, jazz, country or alternative are breathtaking.  The deficiencies of most pop and some old rock recordings are exposed in the glare of accuracy.

So, my experience was that the Ohm based system presented naturally throughout a larger listening area, and was more forgiving of poor recordings, while a Focal system was more incisive but less forgiving. I find both enjoyable in different ways.