speaker shooout: AE, B&W, JMLAB, Wharfedale, MA

[TEEZR]

I'm looking for two main speakers for a receiver. My receiver shortlist is Denon 2106, Pioneer 1015, Yamaha 757, and Marantz 5500, by order of preference.

My question is: Which is/are the best speakers for the Denon from the following list, and why.

AE Evo 3
B&W 603 S3
JMLAB chorus 716S
MA B4
Wharfedale Pacific Evo 30
Wharfedale Diamond 9.6 or 9.5

Please say if your prefer one of the speakers with one of the other receivers, and please also why.

Please restrain also your opinions to combinations you have actually heard/demoed/compared.

TIA

 

[Dfour]

I can vouch for the EA Evos as I own a set and they rank very highly with me and my Yammy 1400. The only problem with them is they need a lot of room to breathe properly otherwise they will boom.

Not heard the rest.

Is there no way you can hear any of the combo's you list? The only person who will know what the best combo is is YOU.

 

[TEEZR]

The only person who will know what the best combo is is YOU.

Sure.

I'm trying to get some time to demo at least some of them.
I was just trying to get directions on what to demo first...
One can never know, I might like the first demos so much that I would never demo the others

 

[Markie Boy]

Another vote for the AEs here, specially with Yamaha gear.

 

[TEEZR]

no more opinions?

 

[bazh76]

The 603s go very well with my Denon 3802, subjective tho as what appeals to me may leave some else distraught

 

[Mentally]

I liked most the JM Lab and Wharfedales with Marantz amps.

How is the 603 goes in with the rest? Its from a higher class.

 

[tot2day]

Got the MA B4s with the Yammy 657 and they sound ace...
Have also tested the Wharfadale's when I was about to get speakers for my amp
but thought that the MAs were far better.. Good lows very controled base even at high volumes and loud..

 

[Falp]

I'm looking for two main speakers for a receiver. My receiver shortlist is Denon 2106, Pioneer 1015, Yamaha 757, and Marantz 5500, by order of preference.

My question is: Which is/are the best speakers for the Denon from the following list, and why.

AE Evo 3
B&W 603 S3
JMLAB chorus 716S
MA B4
Wharfedale Pacific Evo 30
Wharfedale Diamond 9.6 or 9.5

Please say if your prefer one of the speakers with one of the other receivers, and please also why.

Please restrain also your opinions to combinations you have actually heard/demoed/compared.

TIA

Does sound quality matters or only effects?

Anyhow I would take any standmounter of those ranges first than a floorstander, they are better, and for a surround setup you'll get a sub, it leaves you money to buy a good one!

The ones I would never buy... B&W, Yamaha.

The ones I would recomend, MA, AE, JMLab, Marantz and maybe Denon.
Marantz would match all, the other Japanese for non-metal tweeters only,
IMHO and experience, as requested...

 

[gmoney80]

i have the evo 30's matched with a pioneer elite 56txi (us version) and i coulden't ask for better sound they are extremely balanced as the amp and the evo 30's are warm

 

[Docta teef]

Is there nothing in the mordaunt shaurt range that would fit the group?

 

[JazzyG73]

Have had B&W 603 S3's 5.0 set up for just under three years. Very good performers if you have a good amp and sufficient space to let them breathe. I have a good amp, Denon 2805, but have never been able to find a satisfactory domestic set up that keeps my wife happy and that doesn't involve boom at high volume. Room 21ftx13ft.

Gonna sell them in new year and buy a sub/sat setup.

 

[dartagnain]

i've listened to the MA, AE, pacific evo 30 and b&w

I thought the B&W was terrible. the rest was depending on your type.

MA have a nice soundstage and very deep bass but lack in detail. The AE loads of detail great for classic and jazz but less pleasin soundstage. I heard the wharfedale for just a moment and all I can say is that it just seemed very pleasing.

with th MA i'd chose the denon
for the AE probably the yamaha
would not choose th B&W

at this price range i'd also consider the KEF

 

[JazzyG73]

Opinions are just that and we are all entitled to them but some are more credible than others. I've had the B&W603's for three years... that's one hell of a demo..

 

[dartagnain]

'some are more credible than others'....hmmmmmm

I thought the B&W were way to colourful took my atention away from the music and that is why I disliked them so much...I just kept hearing thing that weren't supposed to be there

I mainly listen to classical and jazz never head them with pop rock.

I own some pretty nice speakers and they are not the most..how shall I put it....neutral compared to say the B&W 800 series but very very pleasing and don't actually add anything to the music. but again they are in a different price range.

 

[JazzyG73]

Sorry! Didn't mean to sound so harsh, dartagnain. It just seemed from your post that you hadn't owned a pair or hadn't given them much of a chance. I agree they do not suit your taste in music and can even sound bass-heavy with rock/pop. They are better suited as the fronts of a cinema surround package.

 

[Dom996]

Try Rega R5s. I have played them against B&W 603S3s at home and the Regas were more open, vivid and dynamic. They do a matching centre as well.

 

[Knyght_byte]

if you go with the denon then the MA's will suit you well, altho if you can stretch a little more i suggest you contemplate the MA RS5's......their bass wont be quite as powerful as the B4's in respect to outright volume, but they go just as deep just as nicely, and their top end control is definitely superior...

against the other speakers, hmm, well, they all have different family sounds so it would depend on what music you like and what films you like etc......my advice is go listen to it all at a shop....sevenoaks stock a lot of what you've mentioned if memory serves correct......book a demo room for a few hours and have a blast ;-)