Most audiophile, neutral and balanced tower speakers under 2000$ for music only

[DEF]

I've got a pair of kh150s which are supposed to sound likewise. Harsh is really not how I'd call them. They got the best mids and highs i've ever heard, absolute clarity.

Well lets say it another way. They ring very subtly in a very narrow band. You can move your head and you get within the 'safe range' in and out.
It feels like you are going in and out of phase. That really matters for me as I play the Piano and I want to feel like I am playing the Piano, and not listening somebody play it.
Same for the Genelecs I tried.

 

[MartyAdmin]

Are those available in the EU?

Yes, they're but more expensive. 2.5K

 

[Karmacoma]

Well lets say it another way. They ring very subtly in a very narrow band. You can move your head and you get within the 'safe range' in and out.
It feels like you are going in and out of phase. That really matters for me as I play the Piano and I want to feel like I am playing the Piano, and not listening somebody play it.
Same for the Genelecs I tried.

In other words i guess you prefer a wider radiation and a bit more blurred spacialisation. In that regard, taste matters indeed, for the rest of the measurements it doesn't really.
For the record the r700's have a wider radiation pattern, the tweeter beams but hey, can't expect perfection at any price point.

 

[MartyAdmin]

Well lets say it another way. They ring very subtly in a very narrow band. You can move your head and you get within the 'safe range' in and out.
It feels like you are going in and out of phase. That really matters for me as I play the Piano and I want to feel like I am playing the Piano, and not listening somebody play it.
Same for the Genelecs I tried.

Anyway, kh150 are active monitors and I'm looking for passive tower speakers Because I've already KALI active monitors in my home studio for mixing purposes and there I'm happy.

 

[VMAT4]

Yes, they're but more expensive. 2.5K

While the new Q11 comes in at 1,999 GBP.

 

[Ziltoe]

To my mind comes "Nubert.de" As we have seen here, they built decent measured speakers, i.e. the Nuvero60, wondering as to whether the nuLine284 could make it? Haven't seen any measurements yet but can imaging they can provide something within your expectation.

 

[Petrushka]

The Polk R700 often get bargains. They measure really well and have been praised by objectivists reviewers.
Here, measurements from erin's audio corner.
+/- 2dB response, pretty clean, excellent directivity.
View attachment 397988

I’m a bit confused about Polk. I seldom hear them mentioned in the same sentence as audiophile, or state of the art, or whatever.

I’ve had a pair of low end Polk towers, the ones with the active woofers, for nearly ten years, as my TV speakers. Their sound has never gotten old or tiring. They seem to have no character at all. In particular, voices seem as uncolored as I have heard. That makes TV and movie watching enjoyable.

 

[Karmacoma]

I’m a bit confused about Polk. I seldom hear them mentioned in the same sentence as audiophile, or state of the art, or whatever.

I’ve had a pair of low end Polk towers, the ones with the active woofers, for nearly ten years, as my TV speakers. Their sound has never gotten old or tiring. They seem to have no character at all. In particular, voices seem as uncolored as I have heard. That makes TV and movie watching enjoyable.

I got the R200 for 2 years and R700 for a whole month, if you get them at their bargain price, it's definitely a good deal. They're both pretty neutral.

 

[kyuu]

Revel F208

Revel F208 Tower Speaker Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Revel F208 speaker. It was kindly purchased by a member and drop shipped to me for measurements. Revel F208 costs $2,500 each or US $5,000 for a pair. Note: our company, Madrona Digital is a dealer for Revel speakers. Feel free to read as...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Would be an easy recommendation, if not for the fact that the F208 is $2000 each, so $4000 for a pair.

Now you can currently get a couple of scratch-and-dent F206s on Crutchfield for a hair over $1000 each. Or, to stay strictly under $2000 for the pair, open-box F36s.

 

[Timcognito]

Click Review Index (upper left) > Click Speakers in banner > Click on Price column head (it will sort*) > Read including comments on interesting candidates as others have concerns and reveal facts > Ask questions
*Amir usually prices per speaker so start at $400? but not always so be careful and it is revealed in the first sentence.

 

[MarkS]

OP: you need room correction, not new speakers. "Muddy bass" is much more likely to be a room problem rather than a speaker problem (and all rooms have problems).

 

[MartyAdmin]

OP: you need room correction, not new speakers. "Muddy bass" is much more likely to be a room problem rather than a speaker problem (and all rooms have problems).

Well, I am used to have pretty extreme accurate sound from IEM when I am playing on drums, live or studio so I have kind of high standard here, especially for a kick(bass) drum. It does not mean of course, that my listening room does not need any acoustic treatment but I would rather say, that the "muddy" bass is a nature of these speakers because I do prefer very very accurate bass Interpretation. I have to make a measurement and based on that choose a proper correction I guess. I am not a big fun of EQing because it's always a compromise so physical acoustic treatment is always better way I do believe.

 

[Karmacoma]

Polk r700 compression test. It's good.
Kef Q11 meta's are also a good option, even though I haven't seen measurements yet, the Q3 meta's measured by Erin look ok we can assume how it'll look.
Focal chora's aren't bad either.
In the end you'd better try them all, but that's not easy.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi @MartyAdmin

Welcome to ASR, hope you stay . learn, share, enjoy our company..

The response of any speaker in the lower region, say under 300 Hz is dominated by the room. Are your open to equalize in the bass.? If yes, dyou could try right now with your PC and your current speakers...
This require that you measure
This is not as expensive or difficult as it , "sounds". A measurement microphone and the free REW software would get you started and of course, you ask the people here , ASR.
REW is free, we suggest a small donation, this software is powerful.
UMik-1 is the most popular microphone here for this task and it is about $100.
A Laptop or PC with USB.
Determination and patience.

You do that before you invest in new speakers ..

Heed this advice from @MarkS , emphasis is mine.

Peace.

OP: you need room correction, not new speakers. "Muddy bass" is much more likely to be a room problem rather than a speaker problem (and all rooms have problems).

 

[Paffi]

To my mind comes "Nubert.de" As we have seen here, they built decent measured speakers, i.e. the Nuvero60, wondering as to whether the nuLine284 could make it? Haven't seen any measurements yet but can imaging they can provide something within your expectation.

Probably next year a new line (replacing the Nuvero series) is expected (but much more expensive). Hence, I would assume, that they will sell the current Nuveros at reduced prices soon, but with risk they are only available in limited number / sold out soon (they are no longer produced now, so they already sell only their current stocks). Nevertheless, there are often used ones at "kleinanzeigen" for quite cheap. With the budget of the OP, he should be able to afford the Nuvero 110.

 

[Brent71]

Used pair Dunlavy SC-III or SC-IV.

 

[DSJR]

Hello community,

I am in a phase of looking for an upgrade of my Monitor Audio 300 speakers where I miss midrange especially and I do not like kind of muddy bass.

I've Yamaha A-S 701(801) amp and I would like to get neutral, balanced, audiophile sounds as much as possible by the new speakers.

Attic listening room is size 6X6m(19X19ft) treated only by carpet, heavy curtains , two bigger full bookcases and furniture. Walls are from plasterboard filled by insulation. Despite there is no any special acoustic room treatment it sounds pretty well without many reflections according to me.

I do listen through all music genres.

Budget limit is 2K$ for a pair.

My potential favorites are Focal Chora 826, KEF Q950, Wharfedale Evo 4.3 but I did not hear them yet.

I am located in EU.

Thanks everyone for your recommendations and insights.

I'm so terribly sorry, but it's my experience that the terms 'audiophile' and 'neutral sound' just DON't go together

I'm not able to give definitive recommendations here, but you won't go wrong with KEF and maybe the Wharfedales these days (assuming Peter Comeau was involved in the design of the latter). I did hear a pair of floor standing Choras a few years back and liked the sound, although the 'leaning back' look put me off! No idea if revel can still be got in Europe (dealer apathy has all but removed them from UK shores I think). I recall that Dynaudio's basic range of floor-standers didn't sound as 'intense Hifi' as their top models can and do, and I feel they're all the better for it.

Good luck. EU prices and US pricing can differ due to shipping and distributor profits, so you will find some variation in recommendations here.

No idea if you can get a listen, but the range of Russell K speakers may be worth consideration if available to you. I doubt any of them have ever seen anything remotely like a Klippel, but the few I've heard always 'sounded' well integrated and definitely not a 'showy' tone as B&Ws and PMCs can be.


P.S. Accurate bass performance in a 'tower' speaker *may* be asking a lot, as I was told by a speaker designer that floor standing 'tower types' can all too easily have an 'organ pipe' resonance at 60Hz or so which can prove difficult to tame. maybe multiple bass drivers situated at different points in the enclosure can break it up maybe (I'm clutching at straws). I also remain deeply suspicious of small speakers extending bass through dsp or other means to 50Hz or so...

 

[DEF]

I'm so terribly sorry, but it's my experience that the terms 'audiophile' and 'neutral sound' just DON't go together

I'm not able to give definitive recommendations here, but you won't go wrong with KEF and maybe the Wharfedales these days (assuming Peter Comeau was involved in the design of the latter). I did hear a pair of floor standing Choras a few years back and liked the sound, although the 'leaning back' look put me off! No idea if revel can still be got in Europe (dealer apathy has all but removed them from UK shores I think). I recall that Dynaudio's basic range of floor-standers didn't sound as 'intense Hifi' as their top models can and do, and I feel they're all the better for it.

Good luck. EU prices and US pricing can differ due to shipping and distributor profits, so you will find some variation in recommendations here.

No idea if you can get a listen, but the range of Russell K speakers may be worth consideration if available to you. I doubt any of them have ever seen anything remotely like a Klippel, but the few I've heard always 'sounded' well integrated and definitely not a 'showy' tone as B&Ws and PMCs can be.


P.S. Accurate bass performance in a 'tower' speaker *may* be asking a lot, as I was told by a speaker designer that floor standing 'tower types' can all too easily have an 'organ pipe' resonance at 60Hz or so which can prove difficult to tame. maybe multiple bass drivers situated at different points in the enclosure can break it up maybe (I'm clutching at straws). I also remain deeply suspicious of small speakers extending bass through dsp or other means to 50Hz or so...

Have a look what I did some years ago

Sturdy and solid speaker stands for Klasik 2020 with at least 100cm height

Location: DE Speaker: Klasik 2020 + RME ADI 2 DAC FS Purpose: Digital Piano ( from PianoTeq => high quality audio ) Acoustic treatment: Basstraps in each corner to ceiling Potential options: Pair HOFA BASSTRAP V2 388 EUR Pair K&M 26791 444 EUR Pair Sound Anchors ADJ-2 1899 EUR ( Germany)...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[DSJR]

Have a look what I did some years ago

Sturdy and solid speaker stands for Klasik 2020 with at least 100cm height

Location: DE Speaker: Klasik 2020 + RME ADI 2 DAC FS Purpose: Digital Piano ( from PianoTeq => high quality audio ) Acoustic treatment: Basstraps in each corner to ceiling Potential options: Pair HOFA BASSTRAP V2 388 EUR Pair K&M 26791 444 EUR Pair Sound Anchors ADJ-2 1899 EUR ( Germany)...

audiosciencereview.com

If your rig is still similar, I'd say a VERY bare acoustic with no soft furnishings it seems? Not sure if ceiling and corner 'traps' are enough, but happy to be proved wrong

 

[MartyAdmin]

Hi @MartyAdmin

Welcome to ASR, hope you stay . learn, share, enjoy our company..

The response of any speaker in the lower region, say under 300 Hz is dominated by the room. Are your open to equalize in the bass.? If yes, dyou could try right now with your PC and your current speakers...
This require that you measure
This is not as expensive or difficult as it , "sounds". A measurement microphone and the free REW software would get you started and of course, you ask the people here , ASR.
REW is free, we suggest a small donation, this software is powerful.
UMik-1 is the most popular microphone here for this task and it is about $100.
A Laptop or PC with USB.
Determination and patience.

You do that before you invest in new speakers ..

Heed this advice from @MarkS , emphasis is mine.

Peace.

@FrantzM Thanks, apparently I can't avoid to the measurement anymore Any recommendation for a video or a website guidelines? Thanks.