The one in the right room
What is the Best Sounding Stand Mount Speaker in the world?
Price no object.
Brand and Model is adequate.
If you have not listened to it, please restrain yourself.
I raise this question because there is a maker claiming
to be the best. I am curious if it will garner votes.
Conclusion out tomorrow!!
Stay tuned!!!
166 responses Add your response
I currently own both the Focal Diablo Utopias and the Borresen 01s, and while both are truly fantastic, the Borresen 01s are by far the best standmounts I've ever heard. They just break onto that next level we're all tirelessly searching for and the non-fatiguing nature of the tweeter is an added plus. |
When I was looking for myself a couple of years ago (and price was definitely part of the consideration), I ended up with the Piega Coax 311s. I expected to go with smaller Harbeths but they ended up sounding too laid back for my taste and listening room. I'm adding the Piegas to the conversation here because they don't often get mentioned. |
Seems silly but I will say Fritz Carerra BE. Have heard standmounts in shows that cost well over 20k that are bested by the Fritz. Just had to throw Fritz in the running just to get people to look more at his speakers. He is the nicest guy you will talk to and deserves more recognition in my opinion. |
With price no object there are some stunning possibilities out there. I also have heard the Borresen B01s and they show Michael's further success. (Had older borrowed Raidho D1s for two months and now 'suffering' with older D2s :-) Without having heard the latest I'd consider Sonus Faber, TAD and others too. |
Best sounding "Stand Mount" speakers I ever heard has to be Dick Sequerra’s MET 7’s. Hands down the best sound state and realistic presentation of anything I’ve heard in that class. The bottom end can be lacking, but let’s face it; they're stand mount for a reason and with that you will always give up a solid bottom end. |
It is a stretch to call the Yamaha NS5000 a standmount. It is an incredible sounding speaker. My second choice behind the KEF Blade 2. The Yamaha NS300 (not heard) is a standmount and suitable for a smaller room. I was all set to buy the NS3000 from a dealer in Canada, but my old KEF LS50 got damaged so I replaced it with the new KEF LS50 Meta standmount + KC62 sub. After that, I realized I do not need to spend $9K on the NS3000. The KEF LS50 Meta is great. The TAD ME-1 is also a great standmount. I saw a used one pop up last week on A'gon. You need some warmer electronics for it though. There is likely more detail on the TAD than my KEF LS50 Meta but that is going on different listening sessions. |
I’d prolly go with the ATC’s or maybe the GAMUT's... But... these would be the contenders with the right electronics (Harbeths require something like the Hegel H590 to sound their best). 1. TAD-CR1TX =OR= ATC SCM100ASL or 150ASL =OR= GAMUT RS3i 2. HARBETH 30.2 or 40.2 or XX.1 (which I have driven by the H590) |
@mofojo I've seen the Borresen 5 for real and they look exquisite! I'm sure the M1 are also great looking.
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Yamaha calls the NS-5000 a bookshelf speaker, but it has to be put on a stand so Absolute Sound classifies it as stand-mounted and the stands are included and integral to the design. It's a shame AS did not give it its own review but included it in a review of the series, and Stereophile didn't review it. There's a bias in the USA against Japanese audiophile speakers although it's true basically only Yamaha and Sony in that market and then only when they want to be. That said, name me another full-range (bass down to low 20's) speaker with a 12" woofer, a dome midrange (hard to do) AND all three drivers made from the same high tech material and innovations inside, with Yamaha's superb piano finish, AND at $14,995, Yamaha hasn't even raised the price. With the Blade Runner 2049 soundtrack, the room will vibrate, but the speaker won't. With piano music, well it's Yamaha after all. Ask Sir Elton. |
The Borresen 01's seem to be the consensus winner here, a speaker that I never have listened to. I am surprised that the Focal Diablo Utopia III's have been nominated for that category of the "best ever." I had them and they are great speakers, especially with a tube amp, but the "best ever," . . .? The Joseph Audio Pulsars, another speaker that I have owned, is a fantastic well-rounded stand mounted speaker, but I would put them in the same league with the Focal's. A different sound between the two, both enjoyable. Maybe I'm just jaded now regarding what the "best" stand mounted speaker should sound like . . .
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There are numerous candidates one could identify as excellent stand mount speakers, but there is no such thing as "best-sounding" because the matter is a subjective one. No two persons' ears/brains are identical and therefore personal perception is a major factor. Moreover, one cannot discount personal biases, brand loyalties, aesthetic preferences coming having an influence. |
Hiding in plain sight is the often overlooked (but never under rated when heard) ESTELON XC DIAMOND. SOA drivers (ceramic & Diamond) in an equally SOA cabinet. Widely agreed to have transparency & balanced musical sound second to nothing else. Of course there are other ways to go, but nothing can be said to obviously beat them in really any area (bearing in mind a subwoofer is always recommended for any stand mount). I mean ANY area including surprisingly enough, compatibility with lowish power tube amplifiers. Their impedance is extremely high, as is their sensitivity. Probably the only SOA speaker that could be adequately powered by Lamm amplifiers or Conrad Johnson’s ART 27A for example. Could the same be said overall, of any of the other speakers listed here (or existing elsewhere)? Exactly. |
