Kef LS50 competitors that fit on a desk

atc scm7 v3 have won the hifi choice shoot out against ls50 and many other bookshelves.
I also prefer the scm7 v3 over my P3esr.
the amphion one15/one18 would be a amazing choice as well.

 

Which is only natural for a speaker costing 50% more.

 

kef ls50 are 1500$ USD
ATC SCM7 V3 are 1749$ USD

I prefer also the SCM7 v3 over the more pricey P3ESR which I also own.

 

Oh, right - the LS50 costs around 1000EUR here in EU.

 

I know the price is astronomically more than the LS50, but has anyone heard the Joseph Audio Pulsar?

 

suppose to be excellent but have read so very few comparison between other speakers. Id never pay that much for a 2 way speaker though.
in that price range of 2 way, id really want to try vivid 1.5

 

Yeah, 2K is about the limit I'd go for any commercial loudspeaker. For that money you can build or order a tower speaker with pretty advanced drivers.

 

I picked up some John Blue JB3's the other day. Not in the same league as the LS50, but no slouch for such a small box. They need space around them though, or wind up getting shouty.

 

imo, paying over 5k for a small 2-way is insane when you can get big used jbl or used atc for not much more.

 

I've been looking at the Audience "The One" and 1+1 units: http://audience-av.com/loudspeakers/index.html. I specifically want passives, and something designed to work on a desk (with all the associated limitations), and "The One" seems pretty well suited. Perhaps even stretching to the 1+1 is an option. They seem to get good reviews...anyone here heard them?

 

During my internet window shopping for tiny passive desktop speakers, the Sampan FTL was another that I'd come across. No first-hand experience with it, but reviews seem generally positive and they boast a rather impressive low end: https://www.roleaudio.com/sampan-ftl

 

Thanks. Damn, I just can't get over the feeling that these mini's just can't be all that. Vs say the Dynaudio Excite X14, or even ATC SCM7. But they sure cost serious enough money and might actually be perfect for what I need. SPL is not an issue - I want a sense of music filling the space around me easily, though.

 

Has Amphion been mentioned on this thread?

 

Amphion Argon 1 and 0 are both very good options...

 

Amphion was mentioned in the other thread. But yeah - Amphion.

 

You have to accept certain limitations the further you shrink your speakers. Even with mini-subs thrown in, you're gonna get a bit of lower-mid suckout.

Hoffman's law, if you haven't heard of it yet: http://www.salksound.com/wp/?p=56

 

No replacement for displacement.

 

how about Gallo's Ref Strada 2? They're cool.

 

I like the Stradas -- I've lived with them for about 6 years. @zerodeefex was unimpressed with them but I'm not sure why and whether he tried them nearfield.

I recognize that they lack a bit of warmth/richness in the midrange and usually have poor bass extension, but they have a great sense of speed and immediacy and project an immense soundstage. They also have a smaller footprint than even 4" bookshelves (by virtue of design).

I honestly haven't found a convincing upgrade for nearfield applications despite wondering about moving to something else every now and again. Alternatives including the LS50 seem more to be sidegrades and different flavors than anything else.