What's the best small standmount

For all the good this is going to do...
The very best small standmount is the Harbeth P3, the best rather larger standmount is the Harbeth C7.
They are the best, that is, if you are looking for the music rather than "ooh er" audiophool fx and fancy, bordel-chic marquetry.
Unfortunately, great as these speakers are, even they are not the answer to Merlin's quest.

Joel
$300 poorer today after ordering a 17CD set "The Music of Islam". Poorer, but happier too.

 

Joel, you forgot to add, "But they're not as good as ATC".

-- Ian (£200 poorer after buying a job lot of 30 hatology CDs)

 

Me and Mr Lonorgan will be round for a quiet chat.
30CDs eh. That's only slightly more than you shall soon be getting in the post (well, as soon as I finsh the *&*&$^%#@(*&$%^ labels). Of course, by the time the CDs arrive you will have sold the hifi to pay your dental & physio bills

 

There's only one manufacturer for standmounts, and that's Castle.

Joel, I'll have the kettle on ready for you and TonyL for a cuppa before you get started

Cheers

 

hmmm. There really is no point on here is there.
Whatever.
Back to the Dynaudios, Sonus Fabers and Castles it is then.

 

Dynaudio's standmounts are just a logical evolution of the LS3/5a concept, and they've moved the whole game forward instead of just making LS3/5a clones like Harbeth :JOEL:

Michael.

 

hmm. Sounds like you don't know what you're talking about to be honest.
I'll pick up my CDs at the door. See y'all.

 

Quite correct My last post was a rather poor attempt at a wind up which just pulled out of thin air with no facts to back it up whatsoever :shame:

What's so good about Harbeths then...?

Michael.

 

Actually mine should have read:

..before you get started on me (as opposed to Ian).

Have you got your new Harberths yet Joel?

Cheers

 

Must say I'd be quite interested to know too! Might be moving house in the near future, more rooms but smaller. Suspect my Audio Physic Sparks will be too big aesthetically and will be too fussy positionally for the new lounge :cry: so have been looking at alternatives and the Harbeths were recommended bya dealer who carries both.

 

Joel,

I think that is a rather sweeping statement. I for one do not think any of the aforementioned brands are the last word in small speakers. they are good yes but there's other kit out there as well.

 

It's all about the midrange Michael, much like the music we listen to really

Trouble is, I've yet to hear a Spendor or Harbeth that has the high frequency quality of the Merlins. Latest thinking is to graduate to the compression driver used in the 9800K2, cost about 700 quid each, then get the new JBL slot supertweeter for the top

Basically build my own 9800K2's using digital crossovers, for about 20% of the cost of the packaged product. Will try the subs with the Dyns and some Spendors first though, you never know.

 

How about some Neats, either the new ones (MFS or summit like that) or the Petites. I should imagine both of these would mate well with a sub or two.

 

Damned fine suggestion Lee (neat, neat, neat) I have decided that the two models at the top of the shortlist will be.............

Dynaudio Special 25

and

Harbeth Monitor 30

It seems to make sense to mate a 15" bass cone with an 8" midrange unit from a dispersion point of view, and both the above employ 8" midrange units. The more I read about the Harbeths, the more I think that they will provide the sound I am looking for. I fondly remember the Spendor SP2 I owned many years ago, sounded like music rather than the etched hifi of todays massmarket.

So Joel just might be in for a shock (although he'll never get me to listen to Amazonian throat warbling in C)

 

I know the Harbeths are supposed to be considerably better but if they are anything like my 3/5As I think you'll be a very happy camper..

 

If he ever comes over here again!

I interpreted his coments yesterday to mean that he was quitting the forum

 

Some people really do think they know everything dont they!!!
Good luck in ur quest Merlin

Curt

 

To quote Aristotle

 

Any man who thinks that 'nothing can be known', does not know whether he can know even that thing by which he asserts that he knows nothing.

To quote Lucretius.

 

I know Nothing, but I know nothing with a passion WM 2003