TAS 2010 Editors’ Choice Awards: Loudspeakers ($2000 - $3000)
Editor's Note: The Absolute Sound recently published its 2010 Editors' Choice Award Winners. Following are the selections in the loudspeakers from $2,000 to $3,000 category. Many have links to the full reviews. Enjoy! JH
B&W CM7
$2000
bwspeakers.com
Hailing from B&W’s recently built Chinese factory, the CM7 is a handsome-looking small-tower design. Behind the grille is the company’s trademarked Nautilus-loaded aluminum dome tweeter, as well as a 5” woven Kevlar midrange cone and a 6.6” paper/Kevlar bass driver. The CM7’s sound is notably big, detailed, and refined, with a wide open soundstage, excellent overall frequency balance, and impressive extension at both frequency extremes. The CM7 delivers a lot of sound, impressive engineering, and musical satisfaction at a moderate price point. WG
To Read The Full Review, Click Here
DALI Ikon 6
$2000
soundorg.com
If power, substance, and clarity are important qualities to you, the DALI Ikon 6 should be on your very short list. This speaker is easy to drive, effortlessly delivers the goods dynamically, and has a smooth overall balance. The midrange and treble are a touch forward, so match electronics with care. REG
To Read The Full Review, Click Here
KEF XQ20
$2000
kef.com
Based on KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver array and equipped with a dispersion-controlling “tangerine” waveguide, the XQ20 offers a remarkably open and focused sound, with stunning 3-D imaging that remains convincing even when you sit off-axis. Though not the last word in dynamic clout or deep bass, this speaker delivers sonic refinement out of all proportion to its price. CM (Playback 20)
PSB Imagine T
$2000
psbspeakers.com
Tonally neutral and dynamically turbocharged, this short, two-and-a-half-way tower offers a balance of audio virtues that is classic PSB. From the vivid midrange to the powerful and extended midbass, nothing seems out of joint—and that goes for the T’s seamless curvilinear enclosure, the absence of exposed hardware, and the luxe fit ’n’ finish. Not as nuanced as Synchrony but more than good enough to make you feel like a big spender. NG
To Read The Full Review, Click Here
Harbeth P3ESR
$2095–$2395
(depending on finish)
fidelisav.com
This latest version of Alan Shaw’s subcompact monitor is so cannily designed it almost transcends the limitations of its genre. Neutrality and natural tonal balance reign supreme, but this one can also play loud and descend to depths in the bass that leave both the original LS3/5a and its other British derivatives at the post. Exceptional driver integration, coherence, and openness also characterize the design. PS’s favorite mini-monitor. PS
To Read The Full Review, Click Here
MartinLogan Source
$2195
martinlogan.com
This modestly sized, attractive, two-way, electrostatic/cone hybrid sounds astonishingly like a “single-driver” speaker, with simply outstanding transient response (particularly in the midband), superior low-level resolution, and superb treble. Though the Sources don’t soundstage as well as certain other speakers and are a little “forward” in imaging (sort of like headphones), they are, nevertheless, one of the most successful electrostatic hybrids ML has yet offered. JV
To Read The Full Review, Click Here
Vandersteen 2Ce Signature II
$2195
vandersteen.com
This classic three-way floorstander delivers excellent top-to-bottom balance and an engaging musicality. Moreover, Vandersteen’s baffle-less, time-and-phase-coherent design can suggest the spatial focus usually heard with planars. It benefits from bi-wiring and should be placed away from walls. SB (TAS #139)
Spendor SA1
$2395
bluebirdmusic.com
Due to its not-insubstantial price of $2395, a pair the Spendor SA1 has a lot of competition. But for a small listening room, the SA1 may well prove to be a far more musically rewarding choice than the vast majority of larger, more physically imposing transducers. If you are assembling a high-end nearfield computer-desktop system, the Spendor SA1 definitely deserves to be among your top-five must-audition options. SS
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Comments
I have to say I have heard about 1/4 these speakers and at $1995 the new Magnepan 1.7s are worth a listen, especially if you like the Martin Logans
I have to agree with MikeH. At just under $2K, the Maggie 1.7 probably will beat most, if not all these choices. I haven't heard them all, of course, but several of them, and I think the Maggie is in a different class than these little boxes.
For JV's comments on the Magnepan 1.7:
http://www.avguide.com/blog/magneplanar-17-first-listen
CEO and Editorial Director, Nextscreen LLC
Suprised not to see the Mark and Daniels or Odyessey Lorelies
in the offering, I would hazard a guess that both could equal or best any of these offerings.
Like many others, I immediately wondered about the new Maggie 1.7s and how they would fare on this list. I guess they just miss being on this list by being $5 too "cheap". I hope JV, RH or someone can chime in about this.
I have heard about half of these speakers. The now discontinued Magnepan 1.6s are superior in most ways to the models I've heard, and the 1.7s, which I have not yet heard, are undoubtedly even more so. Of course, planars have particular demands with respect to placement that most of the 10 picks do not (the Martin Logans excluded, and perhaps the Emerald Physics as well), which in itself justifies the existence of these models.
An undiscovered gem at about $2,800 is the ATC SCM20SL Pro, which is identical to the much lauded ATC SCM20, save for the matte black finsh of its cabinets. This is a monitor which has extraordinary transparency and is uncannily realistic in its portrayal of instrumental timbres. With sufficient time spent on optimizing placement, a very neutral tonal balance can be had, coupled with ATCs well known and rather remarkable clarity. Also, while these are standmounts, they are not small, and do not play small-no "toy violins on a toy stage" with the SCM 20s.
The standard recording studio mixing monitor, and a great speaker in absolute terms, in addition to being a great value for the money.
Where is Focal???
I'd be interested in comparisons between any of these speakers and Eminent Technology LFT-8b hybrid planar (mids & highs) + cone (bass) speakers, which have long been on the market and now sell for $2K or so. They should be especially comparable with Magnepans and Martin Logans, which are all-planar or hybrid planar+cone depending on model.
I've had these ETs for a couple of years, driven by a pair of NuForce 190w class D amps. While I like their clarity and non-boomy bass I've found the integration between bass and mid/high frequencies somewhat problematic, especially for instruments such as string bass that span these frequency ranges. A bit more bass oomph would also be nice at times, depending on material.
That is an extremely difficult choice that I have to make as most of the reviews seem to be one up on the other. But I must say that the whole write up was a boon for me as I intend to set up a sound studio with a sound proof room and all the works basically. I think you have given me the best that is available in the market as of now. Though my decision is a little confusing I have my options before me.
Brown from beatmaker.net
Nice List! Perhaps not mainstream enough for this article, I have VMPS RM30's (a planar/hybrid, with some upgrades to capacitors), which I power with a pair of Nuforce 9 V2 SE's. They were under 3K and offer a ton of tweakability. I can't say they would be the best in this group since I haven't heard all of these, but consider them for the next list! They are the most natural and detailed presentation I have yet heard - and I've heard all the B&W's.
Um are the Revel M22's still current? These are fenominally tight and reward good electronics and source selection in spades!!
I dont know why the Reference 3A DeCapo i are not on this list. Probably one of the best sounding speakers Under 3000.00. Or do I have a tin ear.
I listened extensively (alone except for Ref. employees) to the Ref 3A DeCapo at THE Show circa 2009. Their charms are well known. Being an ex-owner of speakers with WCF cones, I'm well tuned in to WCF Achilee's heel. The ultra-high self damping characteristic of WCF is good and bad. Good is it's extremely smooth, requires minimal to no Xo (simplifying and lowering cost), and has no funny resonances/idiosyncrasy to tune around. The downside is it over-damps, taking dynamics with it. My 2c. YMMV.
www.jamesromeyn.com James Romeyn Fine Guitars and Audiohphile Components
www.prime-Vibe.com Seasons All Guitar Family and All Violin Family Instruments! 
another surprised-by-the-omission post: thought the gallo stradas would be here.
Where are the Salk Songtower RTs?
Magnepan 1.7's, Gallo 3.5's, Salk Songtower's, and Paradigm ref. 100v 5's are all glaring omissions. I do agree with the selection of Emerald Physics, B&W, and ML's though. The idea that a speaker should be used for mainly nearfield listening, or have shortcomings in dynamics should be reason to automatically dismiss them from the list. Just my 2 cents....SL
Pretty good list for the $2k region, but agree that Maggie 1.7 is a big omission and for those with 2 -8 watts Tekton Uruz are very good speakers. The Ref 3a, very nice nice, but more like $3k.
The Harbeth P3ESR awarded is actually not the speaker reviewed, which is in fact its predecessor, the Harbeth HL-P3-ES2.
Not that the P3ESR doesn't deserve it: good as the older speaker was (and no mistake, it was very good), the P3ESR is substantially better. The award should stand, but a new review is definitely warranted.
They Forgot CDN Speakers?
No Totem Accoustic Speakers Anywhere?
Hawks & Forest Well Worth a Listen.
Why didn't the Usher be-718 make the list. With the rave reviews they've received the past several years (from many TAS writers even), I would have expected them on this list. And, at $2,795, they sure seem to be a great value. What do you think
Usher BE-718 is in the list!!
KEF but not Thiel?!
Where are the Anthony Gallo Reference Stradas? No mention at all made of them. I can't take very seriously a list of "best" speakers that doesn't include them.
The Magnepan 1.7s should definitely be on this list. They're as good as Jonathan Valin said in an extended demo at my local dealer.
High-end, nearfield computer desktop system.... PULL-EEZ !! If a speaker cannot fill a medium sized room with dynamics, detail, and tonal accuracy, then it should'nt be on the list (Spendor SA1). This is what AKG 701's and Sennheiser 800's are for. It seems as though half the posts (or more) make reference to the Maggie 1.7's exclusion from this list. maybe we all have it wrong. As an aside, there has been a fair amount written in recent years about blind comparisons as they relate to sound quality. Magnepan on their website said ( I'll paraphrase); We do a lot of blind listening tests with both audiophiles and non audiophiles. If the new speaker does not consistently sound better it will not be released. Case in point, the 1.6 enjoyed a 12 year run before being shelved for something that consistently sounded better in "blind listening tests." - Out.
I think the best valued speaker in this category is by far the new Proac Studio 140 Mk2 & Proac Response D18. The first is my new 'king' for the money asking and the second is less extended down low but incredibly seductive.
Having heard most of the speakers on the list, I would have to agree that the Maggie 1.7 was in fact a glaring ommision. Its ablity to communicate the musical event to the listener is significantly better than the speakers on the list.
What?
None from Paradigm?
Amazing
This is impressive content and in particular I like the fact that you have included links to the specific product sites. I am a keen audio and music buff and am often looking for new products that have a proven record.
Great article, thanks for posting!