$1000 Books Suggestions

[snakeeyes]

How sturdy is your setup with the 836s on the LS300 stands? I have a special needs kid who I need to guard against, and curious if I could get away with the cheaper LS300 stands. Can you screw in the speakers with those stands? Thanks!

Yes 2 screws to attach and sturdy. I use carpet spikes on base.

You could add sand to cylinder too if you wanted to.

The more expensive stands have 2 cylinders so that’s why they cost more.

 

[snakeeyes]

If you were to get the Reference 9.2 books, unsure if their added weight would force you to use sand. If the screws are 4.5 inch apart, they would also screw in. I would definitely gamble $179 that it probably would.

I don’t have any kids running around. Just cats and the dog.

 

[AudioGekko]

I love my Ultras and they are legit good speakers. If you decide to give them a try I suggest keeping an eye on their outlet and look for open box or a miniscule imperfection in the finish. That's how I ended up getting all of my speakers and saved a few hundred dollars.

That being said, if I were shopping today I'd be taking a hard look at the Cantons with the ceramic tweeters. Kurt and I have listened to a few of the same speakers now and we share a lot of the same impressions. I think if he's recommending them then you know they're excellent speakers for the money.

Have you hear the SVS Primes? What are the differences to your ear between the Canton ceramic tweeter and the SVS aluminum dome tweeter?

 

[Pogre]

Have you hear the SVS Primes? What are the differences to your ear between the Canton ceramic tweeter and the SVS aluminum dome tweeter?

I have not listened to the Primes nor have I heard anything from Canton yet. You'd have to ask @KEW for impressions about the Canton's v Ultras. The way he describes it is the ceramic tweeter in the Canton outperforms the tweeter in the Ultra, but he would have to have them side by side for instant comparison to be able to pick it out. If he had only heard the Ultras he would never know there was anything missing.

 

[KEW]

I am limited to my phone so will keep it short.
Both are very nicely finished speakers with great sound.
Size them up, because the Canton is smaller than you probably expect.
When compared side by side level matched, the Vento is the winner, but if I had to leave the room for 5 minutes between switching, I am not at all sure I could establish the difference with any confidence.
Generally, I would say that if you have any uncertainty, go with SVS for their great return/customer service.
The good thing here is both the Vento and the Ultra get you into a very nice level of quality and I can't imagine anyone regretting either unless you are looking for a specific "house sound" out of the speakers.