2. speakers
  3. 132865-105325

What are the best loudspeakers under $4000 to re-create lifelike piano

Over the past 4 months I've spent time with five loudspeakers.  On a scale of 1-10 I'd rate them as follows in their ability (with my equipment in my room) to recreate a lifelike piano.  Tekton Lore - 6.5 (great scale but tonal accuracy and clarity somewhat lacking),    Kef LS50 - 7.0 (moderate scale but slightly better clarity and tonal accuracy)  Kef R500 - 8.0  (great scale and very good clarity and tonal accuracy), Spatial Audio M3TurboS -8.1 (great scale and very good clarity and tonal accuracy and very smooth)  Magnepan 1.7i - 9.0 (very good scale with excellent clarity and tonal accuracy - very lifelike).

In your room with your equipment, what loudspeakers are you listening too and how would you rate them for their ability to recreate a lifelife piano and if possible a few comments as to why?
snapsc
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
1. Maggies

2. Vandies

3. LS50
shadorne's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
shadorne
7,333 posts
 
Not sure if one can do justice to a life like piano for only $4000. Piano is one of the more difficult instruments to get right. My top of the line Nord Keyboard with Genelec speakers and a huge Traynor keyboard stage amp comes close but at more than twice $4000. My ATC do a good job too (the owner/designer of ATC is a jazz pianist) but again not at anything close to the $4000 price point. That is a really tall order.
s1nn3r's avatar
s1nn3r
141 posts
 
For 4K, you can buy a used piano. Problem solved. ;^) 
newbee
4,093 posts
 
Before you evaluate your speakers for their piano recreation's ability try to attend a live performance in a recital hall (preferably), a concert hall, or even a jazz club. The first thing to note is the size of the room!  Then note how loud (or soft) and distortion free the sound is (or should be anyway). 

We would all like to hear a real piano 'speaker' in our home but if Bosendorfer couldn't do it, and they tried, lets just close our eyes and fantasize. :-) 
snapsc OP
148 posts
 
I think we may all agree that there is no perfect speaker for reproducing the piano  but what comes closest?  What about Zu, or tekton brilliance or double impact, or Martin Logan, or dynaudio or legacy or golden ear or any of the dozens I've missed??
More to discover