[James Romeyn]

Please, no matter the temptation, ignore it & do not add to this list to confuse the issue.  With all due respect, & I’m truly sorry, this is not about your short list; you are cordially invited to start your own related threads. 

The MSRP is for reader’s reference only.  Beauty, being in the beholder’s eyes, is even more personal than the listening so those comments are interesting but secondary to sound.  Besides, they’re all good lookers. 

The author requests your opinion if you've heard the speaker or a derivative by the same manufacturer.  I am neurotically predisposed against drivers wired w/ inverted phase/polarity & am highly interested in specific information on this subject relative to the speakers &/or the maker's history/philosophy. 
 
A sub will be employed.  All USD pairs MSRP, but again, for reader’s reference only.  My current ranking:
6
5
4 & 7 tied
2
3 & 1 tied

1.   $3500 Silverline SR 17.5, Dynaudio Esotec drivers same as ASA, long-time high-priced builder enlarging (confusing?) it’s image & market position w/ extremely well received $600 & $1200 models
http://www.silverlineaudio.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=78
 
2.   $2300 Salk HT1 though I generally disfavor metal cones for musicality/listenabilty the HT-QW sounded good, per pics absolutely top-echelon pure-artist woodwork & cabinetry may be unmatched & probably impossible to reproduce in high volume ala Ferrari or other low-volume high-end product http://www.salksound.com/HT1.html

3.   $7k Avalon Acoustics Mixing Monitor by Neal Patel, indications are more detailed, transparent & revealing than any other Avalon, the Edge/Avalon audition at CES '07 was extremely good w/ NON-Acuton drivers (MM is the only Acuton-equipped Avalon).  Expensive but that’s what Avalon is & this is their premium technology.  Author is less serious & more curious about this uber-speaker.  Though current Acuton are probably different, a soft, etched, wispy, lightweight character (like older ribbon technology, especially at higher altitudes) was noticed w/ 1st generation Acuton ceramic drivers in a speaker from another manufacturer, also heard the same w/ a friend's custom standmount employing a 1st generation Acuton tweeter http://www.avalonacoustics.com/

4.   $4900 Green Mountain Audio (GMA) Callisto Reference replaces & looks same as well-received $2900 Callisto, arrives early July ‘07.  Upgraded wire, terminals, woofer frame damping.  Tweeter is from the new Eos.  Interesting synthetic enclosure, beautiful shape follows form & function.  Borderline price for a US-built standmount reflects technology, lofty marketing goals or both.  1st-order in-phase xo & time-aligned drivers endorsed by author, builder is a physicist (not that all physicists have great ears), author has an intuition GMA may prefer a soft back row perspective ala Vandersteen but correct author if this intuition is wrong. http://www.greenmountainaudio.com/Speakers/Callisto/Welcome.htm

5.   $1500-$2000 base price direct only, Rick Craig's Selah brand, R3CR natural cone 6-1/2" (author’s preference) or Tanzanite metal cone, 45 lbs may be heaviest speaker on the list.  Author estimates that only cost prevents this unique 3-way architecture w/ large dome & ribbon from being an industry standard (Legacy sadly replaced theirs w/ an 8” 2-way).  Extremely smooth & eminently musical when auditioned w/ borderline siting & well-selected mid-priced components in untreated living room.  Early Selah tied #1 w/ highly regarded Salk in independent enthusiast competition, would probably add outboard XO & Peter Moncreiff's uber-expensive TRT Dynamicaps, Rick's frosting is the cake's personality  http://www.selahaudio.com/id15.html

6.   $5500 Atelier de Synergie Acoustique (ASA) Pro Monitor from France, Dynaudio Esotec drivers (same as Silverline), imported by Walter Swanbon's Fidelis in New Hampshire, a well-known highly respected music-loving record producer's favorite standmount by a huge margin, a favorite editing tool by music producers indicating supreme musicality & long-term listenabilty (painstaking meticulous editing hours on end), probably the most “lovely” & touchable on the list (well it is French), same producer predicted I would be "knocked out" to hear guitar like my Martin HD28LSV Adirondack on these (the more I play it the better it sounds, finally the calluses returned), unfortunately price reflects horrid current exchange rate (Euro's buying American must be gleeful)  http://www.smsfrance.com/produits/index,idproduit,40483,page,technique,impression,1.html

7.   $2800 Green Mountain Audio (GMA) Eos, priced similar to discontinued & well-received Callisto.  Arrives early July ’07.  The improved tweeter (big brother of the new Europa’s) adjusts fore-aft in a separate marble chamber.  Omitted are adjustable base & hardwood trim; cabinet construction labor costs are reduced.  Looks more “contemporary”.  1st-order in-phase xo & time-aligned drivers endorsed by author, builder is a physicist (not that all physicists have great ears), author has an intuition GMA may prefer soft back row perspective ala Vandersteen but correct author if this intuition is wrong.  Photos promised late June. http://www.greenmountainaudio.com/Speakers/Callisto/Welcome.htm

[PaulFolbrecht]

Own the GMA Callistos.  I would have to say unbeatable anywhere near the price range in terms of monitors, or in about any terms, really.  Extremely seamless (coherent).  Entirely usable bass even without a sub - mid 40s.  Plays very well with a single 300B (8W) despite the mid-sensitivity.  Completely disappear and throw huge stage.  Really superb value, considering only the drivers and cabinets (nearly 60lb!).

[James Romeyn]

GMA just wrote that the original pre-existing Callisto being replaced by better Eos ($2800, $100 below Callisto), & Callisto Reference is on the way ($4900, 65% over original Callisto).  The original post now edited to reflect this change, & one speaker removed from list

[topround]

Heard the Silverline 17.5's and did not like them at all. Very fast and detailed but no musicality or warmth at all. Heard them out of the box and about 500 hours later. The 500 hours helped but they never really warmed up. The owner/ friend was also suprised/ upset.

[James Romeyn]

Bless you mr topround, may all your steaks by cooked to perfection!  That particular model had crept up my list because of the same drivers as the ASA for less mooolah...(moo, get it, pun intended)  

[Rocket]

Hi Jim,

Thanks for comparing the different models.  It seems like some of the lesser known manufacturers' speakers are very good value.

Great post!!

Regards

Rod

[James Romeyn]

On the way home from hearing Rick's RC3R I heard some Thiel model, maybe in the mid-$3k to $5k range.  Flat, uninvolving & unmusical by comparison, though I admit there is huge potential for problems when many other unused unshorted speakers are in the room (the case at that time).

This was once proven effectively by a Linn dealer: he played music w/ only the playing speakers in the room, then walked in & set down an unused unshorted speaker: incredible & immediate damage was done to the performance.  It was a good British system that was effective especially at timing & pace, natural Brit hallmarks.  These are exactly the types of performance parameters prone to suffer from the unused speaker phenomena described here. 

I'm personally unsure how much shorting the unused speaker helps but it can't hurt.  The theory is the passive woofer's pumping creates a voltage/music signal in the tweeter that screws up the sound.  Shorting does two things: it damps the woofer cones' movement & eliminates the possibility of a musical wafeform appearing at the tweeter.  Woofer pumping alone (such as a sub) might not hurt, & my theory is it could help absorb/damp bass modes, but I'd rather a new thread be started on this subject rather than ruining mine like I just did!   

[Rocket]

Hi Jim,

Why do mass produced speakers sound so poor?  I spent years searching for speakers to replace my energy pro 22's and could found none until I heard of speakers from a person who made custom made speakers here in Perth.

I've built a pair of zalytron speakers called the phenomenal which use raven 2 speakers and 2 x 6.5 inch phl mid/bass drivers in a slimmish floorstander.  They sound very good but the bass there isn't much bass response and i'm now looking at a subwoofer.

I wish i lived closer as there are so many good value options to purchase speakers in the US.

Regards

Rod