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GMA Europa vs. Soliloquy 5.3?

Hi. I posted awhile back on suitable monitors at the $1000 price point, and several people mentioned the GMA Europa. How would this speaker compare with the Soliloquy 5.3? I know the Soliloquy is a floorstander, but with 2 relatively small 5" drivers, I don't expect it to be especially overpowering. I have heard nothing but great things.

My only real concern about the Europas is that, being a monitor rated only down to 48hz, they may not have much low end. Some of the electronic music I listen to sounds really flat on the other monitors I have tried in the $1200 price-point. Therefore, I decided to look at smaller floorstanders as well. Of course, I can't have TOO much low end in a smaller room-that is the reason my Von Schweikert's are being replaced (these speakers are great, BTW).

My room is a living-room area that is approximately 14x11, but there is an attached kitchen that sound waves may diffuse into as well. I will eventually move into a house-this is a temporary apartment while my fiancee and I look for a house/good job in the area.

My listening tastes range from classic jazz to electronic (ambient, some trance), as well as classical, and vocals. Associated equipment is C-J PV10A preamp, C-J MF-2200 amp, Arcam CD73T. The tube/SS combo is pretty effective, and I expect it to improve as I replace the tubes on the preamp. Currently running Von Schweikert VR-2000's (4-way w/10" driver, sound great in the store but too big for this situation).
chiho
mauiaudioman
171 posts
 
Don't know if this helps or not, but when I listened to the Sonus Faber monitors ($1500/pr) the one thing that bothered me as a Europa owner was that I could not follow the bass riffs on any cd I listened to. The Europa's were far more detailed in the bass. Mine go below 45hz in my room (24x16)
Most recordings sound fine....a few rare ones seem a little light in the low end, but this could just be the recording. I think they do well in the low end for their size. Really well. They do the open "E" string on a contra bass with ease. Whats that? Has to be below 40 cycles.
rysa4
266 posts
 
Thought I'd chime in. I have the Soliloquy 5.3s. Room is 19 x 12 currently with opening to kitchen as well. Carpet. The 5.3s really do have an excellent sound stage and transparency in a way that reveals the music quite well. They are rated to 30 HZ, so I assume they go to 35HZ well and drop off from there. Some of that is placement and room no doubt.

The occasional addition of my Rocket UFW-10 sub to 2 channel for grins does indeed flesh out the lower octave dimension so perhaps the lower extension of the 5.3s has room for criticism.

Onething I will say is that the Sols really do need to be moved out from the wall about the 3 feet mentioned. Thats an important consideration. I am very satisfied with the SOLs and have never heard anything that made me wish I wanted something else, even the modified Vivaldis that list at 6000/pr take a back seat ( no lie).

I have never had the opportunity to listen to the GM Europas so obviously I cant make any comparison there at all.

I think for Jazz/Classical the Soliloquy is VERY strong. Weaker for hard rock but not too bad. The insides use oval-plus wiring so if you are into that type of consideraton oval plus wiring would seem to be optimal for speaker cables; I use cobalt cable but I know lots of folks dont think that kind of thing makes a big difference.

Good luck!
girardian
13 posts
 
I have owned both of these in the past year. First the 5.3s and next the Europas. I had a pair of Maggies in between. Like you, I have a small listening room. I found that the Sol's produced ample bass and were very detailed in the mid-highs. The Europas are a bit more 'laid back' -- not in the sense of being softer, just in the sense of being more neutral and transparent. I found the Sol's to be warmer than the Europas, but I can get a wall of sound with the Europas on stands (disclaimer: this is a bedroom system and my listening postion is not ideal and floorstanders were obscured by my bed a bit) that the Soliloquy's never achieved with my limited ability to position them.

This is a tough choice. Both are *great* speakers IMHO (Soliloquy's don't get enough praise in my book).

If you're stuck in a small space and are happy with the 'warmth' and forwardness of your components, I'd give the Europas the edge as I think they are easier to 'open up' on stands with tight positioning.

If your system needs a nudge of 'sparkle' and detail and would benefit from a bit more forward presentation, I'd recommend the Soliloquy's.
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