From my
guide:
Here's bookshelves:
Under US$2200/pair:
| Recommendation | PS | LFX |
#1 | Kef R3 (Amir) (Erin) | 6.5 | 35 |
#2 | Polk R200* | 6.3 | 42 |
#3 | Elac Debut Reference DBR-62 (Amir) | 5.8 | 43 |
Worthy | Revel M105 (Amir) | 5.8 | 51 |
Worthy | Revel M106 (Amir) | 5.8 | 46 |
Worthy | Revel M16 (Amir) | 5.6 | 45 |
Worthy | JBL HDI-1600 (Amir) | 5.8 | 38 |
Worthy | Kef LS50 Meta (Amir) | 5.7 | 43 |
Worthy | Philharmonic BMR (Erin) | 5.1 | 46 |
Here's towers:
Under US$5500/pair:
| Recommendation | PS | LFX |
#1 | Revel F208 (Amir) | 6.7 | 26 |
#2 | Revel F206* | 6.4 | 36 |
#3 | Infinity R263* | 6.0 | 32 |
Worthy | Revel F226Be (Erin) | 6.0 | 43 |
Worthy | Revel F35 (Amir) | 5.7 | 39 |
Worthy | JBL 4309 (Amir) | 3.8 | 41 |
Worthy | Kef R5 (Erin) | 5.9 | 33 |
Worthy | Kef R7** | | |
Worthy | Kef R11*** | | |
** No spinorama for Kef R7. I'm including it because we have Kef R3, R5 spinorama already, so it's not a stretch to imagine these are better.
** No spinorama for Kef R11. I'm including it because we have Kef R3, R5 spinorama already, so it's not a stretch to imagine these are better.
where:
* = no precise spinorama is available, only quasi-anechoic spinorama available with less resolution
PS = preference score
LFX = low frequency extension = measured at -6db point
As you can see, there's plenty of options for each budget.
You have to decide what's important to you:
- Deepest bass you can afford? look at best LFX score (from my table above)
- Most theoretically preferred (aka best preference score)? Look at top "FS" score (from my table above)
- Best vertical directivity? Kef R series.
- Best wide dispersion speakers? Philharmonic BMR, and a few Revels
- Looks? Towers vs bookshelves. You decide.
- Best aesthetics/finish? That's subjective. You decide
- Power handling? Towers. Bookshelves are always weaker.
- Distortion handling? Look at each review, and look at 96db distortion plots, and compare to other speakers. Towers will mostly outperform bookshelves.
Luckily, we're not limited by GREAT OPTIONS, only by our imagination.