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What speaker – under $10k – has the best timbre and tonal qualities?

Several years ago, a prominent reviewer had this to say as he was praising the natural and life-like tonal qualities of a particular speaker:

It’s [speakers] like these that make me question the priorities of audiophiles who relegate accuracy of timbre to secondary status. How are the richness and color of instruments, voices, ensembles, and textures to be reproduced in all their infinite variety and beauty if a loudspeaker has less than accurate reproduction of timbre? What do dynamics, imaging, detail, transparency, and the like matter if voices and instruments don’t sound like themselves?

I’ve come the same realization, late in the game. I recently made a lateral move from one of the most popular of recent speaker models to a different speaker, because it sounded so much more natural and realistic in timbre. I sacrificed a touch of image precision in doing so, but it has been well worth it. The sound is so much more engaging. It’s like going from a high-resolution black and white photograph – which is very detailed and impressive – to a color version of the same photo, but with slightly less resolution. The color version offers so much more in terms of realism.

So I’m now contemplating the purchase of what I hope will be my last speakers, with the objective of realistic, natural, and rich (but not artificially warm) tone being the primary attribute.  

What speakers, under $10k, would you recommend? (I’m driving them with a PrimaLuna Prologue Premium)


wester17
celestial__sound
102 posts
 
Sonus Faber Electa Amator III
tk21
237 posts
 
What high-quality loudspeakers, in your price range, are available for audition where you live? Harbeth sounds like a good suggestion, but that does not help much if no local dealers carry them and you cannot arrange an in-home demo. The USA distributor is at Fidelis (New Hampshire); maybe they would ship you a demo pair for in-home trial. 

You might want to consider electrostatic or planar magnetic loudspeakers. Major brands include Martin Logan and Magnepan. Smaller, boutique brands include Sanders and JansZen. JansZen only sells direct and will ship speakers to you for a 30-day in-home trial.  
eganmedia's avatar
eganmedia
26 posts
 
If used speakers are on the list and you're willing to look at some less-than-typical speakers, nothing I have seen comes close to the realism of JBL M2s.  They require DSP and lots of amplification, but I have seen whole systems, amps and DSP included, for around 12-13K.  The speakers themselves should be able to be found for <10K per pair.  I mix on them for a living and they are the first speakers I have ever heard that come close to replicating what my microphones are hearing in the live room.without knowing what the recording chain is there is no way of telling what you're hearing is an addition or subtraction to the real performance by real musicians in a real space.  M2s are unique in tat regard.
tablejockey
3,793 posts
 
  "has the best"

That's where you lose me. Who is qualified to tell your ears it's hearing "the best"?

Upgrade your PL PP to an EVO or used Dialogue, and you'll get more of what you're liking. All those speaker recommendations  are "the best"

The PL will drive most anything out there, Your ears will tell you what's "best" Look for home demo/return policy deals.
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
3,735 posts
 
I don’t know if one speaker will be able to produce all the right timbre of any instruments. iME my Andra using tube amps , piano sounds piano, I believe they were voice with  piano .My Technics c700 Sb Speaker Acoustic and string they sound real , using Plinius sa 100 amp , My Diapason Speakers using viva amp every instruments and voice all sounds real.My ps 12 Tekton is very close timbre on diapason.I did have to really listen a lot and use the right matching to get the right timbre for every systems I have , I takes a lot of listening experience to achieve the right timbre . Maybe why I end up having four system, If I would like to listen to piano, I go with Andra.The focal Kanta I heard at Music direct I like the timbre of that speakers they are using esoteric gear Audioquest pc and wireworld Speaker wire the expensive one Iam not sure if they are platinum.Its also very important to use good recording.I have reference cd by Gary Karr title Double bass , this cd make all my systems sounds so real.l
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