What is the Best Sounding Stand Mount Speaker in the world?

BBC LS3/5A - Rogers, Goodman's, Chartwell, Spendor, KEF ... all produced them! They still command high resale prices - around $2K/pr. I have the Rogers. Yes, they need a sub for the bottom octave but the rest of the frequency range is so well balanced that nothing seems amiss!

In whose room with what amp? I like active speakers but if I chose passive the Focal Diablo Utopia and their custom stands.

"price no object?"

Where do you live? LOL!

Best I have ever heard is the Nola Micro Reference, but I bought them 9 years ago and haven't really listened to anything since then.  I'm sure that the state of the art has moved since then.

I don't know if it's the best as I haven't heard many, but I have the Reference 3A Reflector's that I'm very happy with.  I had to downsize to a smaller room and sold my Legacy Focus as they were too large.

Really like the PMC IB2se- but range goes up to MB5se (hard to call them stand mount though)

Borresen 01. I’ve heard them fill medium to large sized rooms without a sub, and their openness and tonal balance are worth drooling over. 

“Best sounding standmount speaker” is an undefined and highly variable bespoke value judgement, so I will post it in two different ways:

(1) Best I’ve auditioned at length AND thus purchased and currently own

TOP CHOICE : HARBETH 30.2XD on TonTraeger speaker stands ( because of their thin wall cabinet build that permits this BBC monitor derivative to resonate like a grand piano or violin soundboard )

- derived from the BBC’s LS5/9 design, - my personal experiences mirror the following review excerpt:

” …. Used on 24"-tall stands from TonTräger Audio ($1495/pair), the Harbeths delighted HR with easy-flowing music, vivid colors and textures, "unshakable clarity," and stereo images that were "tangibly there." Herb’s verdict: "the most tuneful, accurate, neutral, fun, and music-loving stand-mounted two-way speaker I’ve I’ve heard.""

CONTENDER: HARBETH 40.2 XD . These were key contenders but my room size, and acoustics were primary drivers to consider the 30.2’s. Surprisingly , the latter is the “sweet spot” in their model offerings, so they were the “Best Buy Option’ for me.

 

(2) Excluded “Best ,,,,” but strictly only a whimsical option.

There are several “ fantasy wish-list” options composed of Uber-expensive, interesting and engaging standmount speakers I’ve auditioned at audio expos that I will never be able to afford.

They were setup with $500,000+ electronics and graced with ka-Ching NORDOST ODIN cables that sounded fabulous but an impossibility for most of us … thus a pass on this post .

 

What qualifies as a stand mounted speaker?  I noticed someone mentioning the Harbeth 40.2 XD.  It is a box on a stand, but, it is a big box on a stand and is meant to be treated as a big speaker--placed in big room, well away from the walls.

My local dealer, Deja Vu Audio in Northern Virginia makes custom speakers, including a stand mounted speaker that looks very much like a 40.2 Harbeth on steroids--similar proportions.  The drivers include an 18" woofer and Western Electric horn and compression drivers that now cost well north of $20k just for the drivers, and a Fostex tweeter.  The crossover includes some scary expensive Audio Note capacitors.  This is one of the better stand mounted speakers I've heard, that is, if it qualifies.

Very, very subjective.

I am going to say the ones you are listening to now. 

Borresen 05 Silver Supreme Edition.

I've heard the whole line even the new M1.

Dutch and Dutch 8c 

Sf  Guarneri Tradition. Still love the sound, cant afford them. 

NIMBUS 2000 (I actually prefer it to the more expensive NIMBUS 2001).

It sweeps the competition.

 

DeKay

@thieliste I think you meant to say Borresen 01 SSE. The 05 is the biggest floorstander. :)

I have heard the 01, the 02 SSE, and the 05. All are endgame. I own the Borresen Z3 Cryo myself. 

Alta Celesta 

No need for a subwoofer 

 

Never a fan of stand mounted speakers.  But I did hear some Raidho 1.2's backed up with REL subwoofers that were very good.

-ADC L710, L910. for vintage they are remarkable. 

-Proac Tablets these are what got me started as an audiophile. 

- BBC monitors, as above with the tablets they were based, as so many, on BBC's work so you really need to consider the BBC monitors as some of the best as they influenced so many other designs. 

-Omega SAM, inexpensive and one of the best at sound stage I've heard. most full rangers excel in this area though these are just one of the less expensive ones that really shined.  

- Living voice, auditorium line, they are superb at making music. wish i didn't sell mine...

There is no best. In a youtube channel someone said: "let’s not use ’best’ - let’s say my favorite"

Wilson Benesch Endeavour 3zero has got to be on this list.  I have the Discovery 3zeros and the Audiophile Junkie speculated they might be the best stand-mount speaker in the world when he was in my room at AXPONA.  The Endeavours are technically superior in terms of cabinet design and should push the absolute limits in terms of sound quality.  

MBL Radialstrahler 120

Best Sounding Stand Mount Speaker in the world ?

I don`t have to hear it. Totally subjective.

It is what sounds best to you.

Jeff, what maker is claiming to be the best? 

It’s a big stand-mounted speaker, but nonetheless: the ATC SCM150ASL Pro’s certainly sound great, as does their even bigger stand-mounted sibling - grotesquely big in this category, I know - the SCM300ASL Pro. That being said, thinking that the latter with built-in amps, electronic cross-over and top-of-line drivers (incl. dual 15" woofers and what’s arguably one of the best midrange drivers around) can be had in the same price category or cheaper than some more typically sized passively configured mini monitors appears much more grotesque to me. For that reason in particular I’d gladly bend the rules a bit for the ’typically expected size of a stand-mounted speaker’..

Graham LS 5/5; and you're done.

Response Recap in no particular order-

 

1.PMC MB2 $73,800

2.Wilson Benesch Endeavour 3zero $74,000

3.MBL Radialstrahler 120 $24,000

4.Borresen M1 $100,000.  Plain 01  a mere  $30,000

5.SCM 300 ASL Pro (Active) $44,000

6. Graham LS 5/5 $25,000

7.Sonus Faber  Guarneri Tradition $15,100

8.Focal Diablo Utopia 3  $15,000

9.Dutch & Dutch 8C (Active) $12,500

10.Alta Audio Celesta $15,000

 

No one voted for the self proclaimed "Best Stand Mount in the World"!

We are missing a couple brands I expected votes for.

I am extending this another day. Euros please chime in.

 

 

 

 

 

GIve us a hint Jeff!! lol. How much approx is the self proclaimed best stand mount in the world? 

Wow! I just looked up those Borresen M1. I was expecting something way more impressive looking for 100k. Cabinet is made of good ole wood.  

I can give you some hints which should make it easy.

1.  Made in USA

2. MSRP $9,000

3. I share the same first name.

 

Drum roll....Anybody?

“I share the same first name”
@jeffseight 
Joseph Audio PULSAR2 Graphene - $8995

As a suggestion, don’t buy above until you hear TAD CE1.

Really enjoyed hearing the Wilson Benesch Discovery 3Z monitors.  

($31,000 US) 

Jeff Rowland making speakers now?

No such thing. There are many that are very good and they all sound different. So it's the one you like. In my case the one I'd pick.

That’s a loaded question ,for everyone has their own perspectives 

i am buying a MBL standmount either 120 or 126 

since I use good subs for the bottom end under 50HZ it’s a great Omni directional speaker.

Marten is another excellent Loudspeaker  using ceramic drivers.

both are excellent in.  Every respect, 

there are many others , you decide what is right for you !

Lalik gets the cupey doll!

The TAD looks like the Kii Speaker which I thought might show up

here. 

Any love for the Vimberg Ameas?

Others-Don't get hung up on wording. Just tell me your favorite 

Stand Mount.

Bose 😜 cubes . 

A little biased, but I have never heard a better stand mount than the Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage.

From my recent interests the Acora SRB speakers would be on my short list

davey,

How does the Guarneri compare to the Electa Amator 3s?

Impossible to say. You hear differently than anyone else, otherwise there'd only be one speaker.

that's a real dumb question, I highly doubt that anyone on here has heard every super expensive stand Mount bookshelf speaker in the world so how can you expect them to know the answer to that question.

 

but if I have to give you an answer the Borresson bookshelf speakers are very good

they cost $27,000 us though check them out online and they also have a more expensive silver edition which is $65,000 that's just stupid price for a bookshelf speaker the monitor audio platinum 100 Gen 2 is also very good it's only about $7,500.

Thank you to everyone who had a preference

and mentioned it here. Very Helpful!

 

The back story for this question is that in 2023

I plan to hold a speaker exhibition of the BEST

standmounts made in the world.

 

Love that word BEST!!

 

BEST means BEST TO YOU !!!!

Nobody else counts buts you!

In your room!

With your Music!

Using your ears!

 

Got it now???

 

So if you have heard one you loved send it on please!

 

You need not have heard every speaker in the world.

You need not even be able to afford these speakers.

You do need an opinion.

The Sonus Faber, Maxima Amator can make me smile.

for your consideration:

Fritz Carrera BE

I thought for sure someone would mention Wilson Audio Tune Tots.  The rest of their line is great.  I thought they sounded great, but then they also had a sub connected to the system. I could be entirely off base since I've really not reviewed but a few other stand mounted speakers.

The Audiovector R1 (not sure if it was Avantgarde or Arrete) sounded really good at the Vietnam Hi End show recently.  Very impressive amount and quality of sound coming from those small 2 way stand mounts.

I have listened a lot to both Focal Diablo and Sopra No.1 and love the Sopra more…the Diablo is less musically balanced to my ears. No other stand mount I’ve heard comes close to these.