[Gatepc]

I'm sure this has been asked a million times before but I would like to ask it anyway with a bit more personalization to my responses. Right now I have a HRT MS II+ as a dac feeding into a Little Dot MK III as a pre amp and then into a Emotiva UPA-2 power amp which I heard pair well with Magnepans. I'm currently just power some old cheapo bookshelf speakers I've had laying around in the basement. Just some cheap sony's and Jensens. These speakers are not that good and not meant to be either they are just holding me over until I can afford better.

Now I've heard a lot of headphones and I still really like my k702s, I like the soundstage mostly. The soundstage is one of the most important things to me. What I'm looking for in speakers is a more refined and bigger soundstage. I want the sound to sound well, big and expansive. I loved the low bass reproduction and mids of the LCD 2s and I fell in love with them. I know the Magnepans use similar technology although I've heard the bass response is a little lacking. Though if they can reproduce similar magical mids as the LCD2s but with the soundstage (or better) then the k702s I would be in haven even if the bass was lacking.

Now I'm open to other speakers though and I've heard a lot about the wharfedale 10.2s but what else is out there? Midrange and soundstage are by far the most important thing for me. I also don't want to go over $500 (used or new) so what do you guys think?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Lenni]

I'd personally give the Paradigm's Monitor Series 7 a listen.... or maybe a pair of used Vienna Hayden monitors at Audiogon. I saw them going for about $600 sometimes. my 2c

 

[Gatepc]

I'd personally give the Paradigm's Monitor Series 7 a listen.... or maybe a pair of used Vienna Hayden monitors at Audiogon. I saw them going for about $600 sometimes. my 2c

Awesome I'll keep that in mind. Eventually I plan on taking a listen to a few of these. There are not a whole lot of dealers in my area so it might be tough but I want to go in and listen to the stuff if possible. Thats one thing I liked about magnepan the 30 day trail/return policy. But I'll keep these in mind too!

I found a pair of the Monitor 7 series for 400 plus shipping (used on audiogon) http://app.audiogon.com/listings/27167 (is this an older model or something?)

 

[chinesedevil]

Those Monitor 7's are the version 5's. (2 versions behind the series 7).
 
Paradigm did a huge redesign for their Monitor lineup and also changed the latest rendition to be called "Series 7" instead of "version 7".  This is what the Paradigm Monitor 7 Series 7 actually look like:
 
http://www.paradigm.com/products/products-by-category/floorstanding/paradigm/monitor-series-7/monitor-7

 

[Gatepc]

Alright thanks! For now I've ordered a pair of Polk Monitor 70s to hold me over until I can spend more. I'm thinking that this way I can put more money into my real upgrade eventually, but that these will hold me over until the. Plus one of my friends is splitting the cost with me haha Thanks for all your help everyone!

So until I can expand my budget I guess I"m set!

 

[cifani090]

JBL L100's and a Marantz 2 series receiver.

 

[UteroiD]

i would shop around for some used B&W's 600s series, i love how mine sound, using them with vintage marantz receiver.

 

[mcmalden]

If you want soundstage you should also take a look at some dynaudio speakers. The contour series are very 'airy'. Paradigm is pretty open sounding IMO, but I personnaly don't like the colour of the mini monitor. The montor 7 should be a lot better though. For soundstage the B&W 600 series wouldn't be my choice. If ELAC exports to America you should take a listen to the 60series, but they rather have a natural soundstage than an artificially big one which is a bit of the case with the K702 IMO. Klipsch sounds a bit holographic, might sound good to your ears, not to mine however. 

 

[Gatepc]

Thanks again to all those contributing. I'll be sure to look into all of these speakers before I upgrade your opinions are valued!

 

[scalar vortices]

Room size would be helpful as well as flexibility of speaker placement.  Maggies love elbow room but even their model refresh still has the membrane resonance coloration which my ears detect every time (Magnepan 1.7 & 3.7).  If you find some ESS Labs Eclipse B-102 on craigslist give them a try, older speakers but utilize AMT Heil ribbon tweeter and 10" passive radiator.  Make sure the speaker and radiator foam's have been updated.