The M4's are exceptional! They are ALSO a great value! I show with them because they sound great with our gear! I could show with much more expensive speakers, but I show with Studio Electric because they are great!
At Axpona we showed with the new F2 floor standers. These are based on the M4 monitor, with an additional bass driver and separate volume, all built into a much larger floor standing speaker. They sell for $6900/pr. This was perhaps more in line with the $8495 KWH 225i Hybrid integrated amp that we showed them with.
The point of my pairing with Studio Electric speakers and Zu cables, is that we are able to display a ~$25K complete system, amp, source, speakers, cabling, complete, for less than some systems' single component or even cabling costs! The system that we put together at shows sounds fantastic and people can relate to the sound and budget.
Could Dave (Studio Electric) show with cheaper electronics? Yes he could. Would it sound as good? I would say probably not. But that is NOT because the M4 speakers are not great! They will rise to the level of any associated gear. Lastly, why would I show with affordable speakers, if I did not feel that they would make our gear sound great?
In short, I OWN a pair of M4's and use them daily in my reference system. Yes, they ARE that good! If you want a bigger and deeper sound, the F2 floor standers are also REALLY GOOD! We REALLY killed it at Axpona! Show coverage will follow.
You can pay a lot more for monitors, but there is no reason to! The M4 monitors are outstanding! In Maple or other exotic wood veneer with custom grilles, they are truly stunning. There is added cost for nicer finishes and grilles. The grilles are custom fabricated using the same wire mesh material used to make Neumann microphones!
Contact Studio Electric if you are looking for a great speaker!
Dan Wright