Best High End Floor Standing Speakers under $2,000

[JerryLove]

The reason why I find the Songtowers (same goes for the Ascend Sierra Towers) hard to recommend is because they use tiny 5" midwoofers. They really have no realistic bass extension, or output. And at that price point, there are many better options.

The bass extension on the SuperCharged SongTowers (also 5" drivers) is *excellent*. I just finished running through "Imperial March" running them fullrange, in a large space.

I would , for severe listening, and especially with the standard SongTowers (which don't go as low as the SCSTs, but lower than, and at $2k are cheaper than (say) Paradigm S2's), recommend pairing them with a sub.

Take a look at the upcoming SVS Ultra 45 towers. They use dual 7" Peerless HDS woofers with fiber glass cones. The motors are state of the art in low distortion, featuring shorting rings. The bass should have excellent extension, output, and sound as clean as it gets. That is how a proper speaker is made

A proper speaker you've never heard and for which no measurements are available.

If I thought there was better than the STs at their price, I would have bought the better speaker; and while individual tastes vary, it's inane or dingenuous to claim that the ST's have "no realistic bass extension".

And given the number of audioholics that heard the STs a few weeks back...

All that said: The SongTowers are not properly a speaker of discussion here because the OP ruled them out already.

 

[JerryLove]

Given that there is no Salk matching the required criteria for the OP, you are just trolling at this point and with that post.

 

[ridikas]

I've just plugged in the ER15RLY Seas midwoofers into Unibox... And I can actually get pretty good bass from them (43Hz, or so, close enough to what Salk lists). Low Q as well. So I take that part of my previous comment back.

However, the excursion is very limited and the output is not even anywhere near what a 7" midwoofer can do. The ER15RLY midwoofers also don't have shorting rings in their motors and it shows in their lower end distortion: Zaph|Audio

In a THX set-up, with an 80Hz crossover, and a good subwoofer (HSU/SVS), these speakers can reach high volumes and sound good. I still wouldn't pick them over anything on my list

 

[PENG]

I agree. I heard the R700 and loved it. I think the R series has upgraded drivers vs. the Q. But the retail on the R500 is $2,500. I also heard the Dynaudio DM 3/7. Very nice speaker. I slightly preferred the Focal 816v and 826v though.

It is listed at 2800 but you can get them for 2000 cash, probably best sounding speakers money can buy excluding ID brands.

 

[caper26]

Perhaps Energy Veritas in Piano (black or rosenut) finish. Huge discount with promo code
EARLYBIRD
Veritas 6.2 - $299 ea

or

Veritas 6.3 - $699

Add to cart, then apply promo code. Hard to beat these I think. They are $1,800 EACH in Canada.

 

[billy p]

The bass extension on the SuperCharged SongTowers (also 5" drivers) is *excellent*. I just finished running through "Imperial March" running them fullrange, in a large space.

I would , for severe listening, and especially with the standard SongTowers (which don't go as low as the SCSTs, but lower than, and at $2k are cheaper than (say) Paradigm S2's), recommend pairing them with a sub.

A proper speaker you've never heard and for which no measurements are available.

If I thought there was better than the STs at their price, I would have bought the better speaker; and while individual tastes vary, it's inane or dingenuous to claim that the ST's have "no realistic bass extension".

And given the number of audioholics that heard the STs a few weeks back...

All that said: The SongTowers are not properly a speaker of discussion here because the OP ruled them out already.

Well just for the record the Salks do come into play because the question asks about best floor stander under 2k....the member who ruled out the Salk is from another thread....trolling 101 here ...btw this thread was nearly 2yrs old before somebody in post 60 started it up...26 posts later....common guys...

 

[cpp]

Well just for the record the Salks do come into play because the question asks about best floor stander under 2k....the member who ruled out the Salk is from another thread....trolling 101 here ...btw this thread was nearly 2yrs old before somebody in post 60 started it up...26 posts later....common guys...

that crazy person in post 60 did it

but someone else took off on the my list tangent

 

[JerryLove]

Fair enough: confused my threads.

 

[caper26]

ugh. I didnt look at the date that's for sure.

 

[PENG]

ugh. I didnt look at the date that's for sure.

That's why we have billy p..

 

[mtrot]

Here are my ultimate tower recommendations if we can relax the budget a little, but not go crazy high:

Coming Soon (if you can wait until the end of the year, these towers will be absolutely reference):

SVS Ultra 45 $2000pr.
Revel F208 $5000pr.
Revel F206 $3500pr.

Readily Available:

Polk Audio LSiM707 $4000pr.
Polk Audio LSiM705 $3000pr.
PSB Synchrony One $5500pr.
Klipsch RF-7 II $3200pr.
Philharmonic 3 $3500pr.
KEF R900 $5000pr.
KEF R700 $3600pr.
Dynaudio Focus 260 $4900pr.
Dynaudio Excite X36 $3800pr.
Dynaudio Excite X32 $3000pr.
Sonus Faber Liuto $5000pr.
Sonus Faber Toy Tower $3000pr.
Sonus Faber Venere 2.5 $2500pr.

I noticed the Dyns on your list. For those of us with limited budgets, do you know how a used set of Dynaudio Audience 82s will compare to the newer Dyns you listed? They can be had for ~$1200 for a pair.

 

[ridikas]

I noticed the Dyns on your list. For those of us with limited budgets, do you know how a used set of Dynaudio Audience 82s will compare to the newer Dyns you listed? They can be had for ~$1200 for a pair.

For the price, they are great.

 

[tstan7777]

I noticed the Dyns on your list. For those of us with limited budgets, do you know how a used set of Dynaudio Audience 82s will compare to the newer Dyns you listed? They can be had for ~$1200 for a pair.

mtrot, not sure if you're looking for a set of dynaudio's, or if you've seen them yet, but there is a pair for sale probably within driving distance of you. Which is kind of rare where were live, lol. They are listed on agon and southeasttexas.com

southeasttexas.com - Classifieds - Results

Dynaudio Excite 32's Piano Black | Full range | Silsbee, Texas 77656 | AudiogoN - The High-end Audio Community

 

[mtrot]

mtrot, not sure if you're looking for a set of dynaudio's, or if you've seen them yet, but there is a pair for sale probably within driving distance of you. Which is kind of rare where were live, lol. They are listed on agon and southeasttexas.com

southeasttexas.com - Classifieds - Results

Dynaudio Excite 32's Piano Black | Full range | Silsbee, Texas 77656 | AudiogoN - The High-end Audio Community

Yes, I bought a mint used set of Audience 82s a couple months ago. I wanted to try to get ridikas' opinion on how the 82s stack up to the newer Dynaudios he recommended. So far, I am very impressed with the impact and dynamics they deliver, but I don't know how much superior the newer lines are.

 

[tstan7777]

Well I would think any dynaudios would be pretty good. Do you listen to much modern/hard rock?

 

[mtrot]

Well I would think any dynaudios would be pretty good. Do you listen to much modern/hard rock?

Well, I ummm...I like 70s and 80s rock I recently picked up the Walmart exclusive Lynyrd Skynyrd Southern Surroundings DVD-Audio pack. Wow, the sound of the DVD-Audio is outstanding. I also like Foreigner, Journey, Asia, Ambrosia, Toto, Kansas, etc. You get the picture.

I also really like soft jazz, classical, and country music, so I need what I would call "all around" speakers. I also watch a lot of movies, so I need/like dynamic abilities. So far the 82s seem to be a good choice for me.

 

[ridikas]

Yes, I bought a mint used set of Audience 82s a couple months ago. I wanted to try to get ridikas' opinion on how the 82s stack up to the newer Dynaudios he recommended. So far, I am very impressed with the impact and dynamics they deliver, but I don't know how much superior the newer lines are.

The Audience line is as good, if not superior to the new Dynaudio Excite line. Here are some measurements for the Audience 80 (just for reference): SoundStage! Measurements - Dynaudio Audience 80 (10/2000)

Looks excellent to me.

Sure, there are better towers out there, but not many and for a lot more money.

P.S. I never understood that whole idea behind certain speakers are better for rock, or for pop, or for classical, or for movies, etc. A good speaker is a good speaker. Flat SPL, low distortion, good off-axis and power response, good high frequency extension, good low frequency extension, etc. Should sound equally good for anything. Case closed.

 

[PENG]

The Audience line is as good, if not superior to the new Dynaudio Excite line. Here are some measurements for the Audience 80 (just for reference): SoundStage! Measurements - Dynaudio Audience 80 (10/2000)

Looks excellent to me.

Very nice impedance curve, have you seen one for the phase angle?

 

[mtrot]

The Audience line is as good, if not superior to the new Dynaudio Excite line. Here are some measurements for the Audience 80 (just for reference): SoundStage! Measurements - Dynaudio Audience 80 (10/2000)

Looks excellent to me.

Sure, there are better towers out there, but not many and for a lot more money.

P.S. I never understood that whole idea behind certain speakers are better for rock, or for pop, or for classical, or for movies, etc. A good speaker is a good speaker. Flat SPL, low distortion, good off-axis and power response, good high frequency extension, good low frequency extension, etc. Should sound equally good for anything. Case closed.

Hey, thanks for that link and info! Looks like the Audience 80 is just a bit smaller than my 82, so hopefully the 82 shares the good measurements of the 80, but with more bass impact and extension. One thing I do like about the 82 is the port being on the front, in case I ever have to set it close to a wall.

BTW, now there is a set of 82s on Agon for under $1000. Man, that is tempting me to pick them up as well--who knows when one can use another set of quality towers!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The Audience line is as good, if not superior to the new Dynaudio Excite line. Here are some measurements for the Audience 80 (just for reference): SoundStage! Measurements - Dynaudio Audience 80 (10/2000)

Looks excellent to me.

Sure, there are better towers out there, but not many and for a lot more money.

P.S. I never understood that whole idea behind certain speakers are better for rock, or for pop, or for classical, or for movies, etc. A good speaker is a good speaker. Flat SPL, low distortion, good off-axis and power response, good high frequency extension, good low frequency extension, etc. Should sound equally good for anything. Case closed.

Did your speakers have flat SPL, low distortion, good off-axis and power response, good high frequency extension, good low frequency extension, etc, on Soundstage or Stereophile?