Name 3 classic mini-monitors worth keeping- Why?



Anyone can name any 3 classic moni-monitors which worth keeping? and why?

Mark
mark
I have had most of the great small monitors over the last 45 years: LS3/5a, Double LS3/5a, Braun Output-C, KEF 101, Celestion SL6, Spica, ProAc Tablette, Reference 3a mm de Capo, Silverline SR-16, and I must be forgetting one or two more. Any of these are "worth keeping" if you have them matched to appropriate amplification, but I also must point out that if you want or need a small monitor, there are a few modern alternatives that outclass every one of these in every way. Well, the current Ref 3a deCapo is in the realm.

1/ Audience ClairAudient 1+1 v3. Simply the best truly small monitor ever. No crossover, so it sounds impeccably coherent. Neutral but rich in tone; fast, transparent; expansive imaging and can output reasonable bass alone. Everything vintage will sound by comparison choked and small, however tonally neutral one might sound.

2/ If you don't have the $2800 or so for the above, the ClairAudient The One gets you the same basic attributes, with less scale and foundation, for a less than half that. And it fits in your palm.

3/ Zu Cube. A full Zu FRD with coaxial supertweeter, no crossover, stuffed in a 10.5" cube. Also intrinsically coherent. Very high resolution. These cost, depending on finish, between $1000 - $1400 pair but they demand no skimping on the amp. All the Zu essential virtues in a compact, sealed cube, with bass rolling off below 60Hz. 98db and robust, so power them with 2 watts or 200. They'll rock either way and won't break the bank.

Phil
B&W Silver Signature: Nothing like it anymore.  All that silver, with Slate Stands

Totem Mani 2: The most bass I ever heard in a small speaker

Sonus Faber Extrema: Best looking, best sounding monitor I ever had
Many have heard of the Platinum Audio Solos which most seem to agree was a fine monitor but I have the Platinum Audio Reference One's Circa. 1997-1999 which are a  more refined version of the Solos.  I'm as amazed as I am baffled with how much bass these produce for their size as well as the other typical audiophile attributes.  They do need alot of clean power to sound their best  but will play very loud all the while maintaining their coherency.    Still a little uncertain what qualifies as "mini monitor" though
I am letting all my "extra speakers " go except the Spica TC 50's. They look cool, sound great and give me lots of memories of the good old days.