https://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0423/Alsyvox_Audio_Design_Botticelli_X_Loudspeaker_Review.htm

Over our entire day of listening, the resultant degree of coherence the Botticelli effortlessly delivered, its ability to convincingly speak with one continuous voice, was simply extraordinary. That voice is full-bodied, replete with the complex harmonic structures of individual instrumental accents that it presents with an overall tonal balance that is as faultless as I’ve ever experienced from any ribbon driver-based loudspeaker. As such, the piano was superbly represented time and time again, and the Botticelli’s ability to convey micro-dynamic shadings, combined with its truthful depiction of timbre, was simply and convincingly real sounding. Tone color is richly vibrant and texturally complete. Instrumental decay is portrayed exceptionally faithfully, with a sense of unrestricted speed that allowed for a very natural interpretation of its natural linger and air, all attributes of their remarkable coherence and astonishing speed.

To my ears and sensibilities, Daniele Coen’s Alsyvox Botticelli X not only clearly represents the state of the art as currently applied to the category of planar dynamic loudspeakers, but they are so easy to listen to, so engrossingly musical, and so emotionally engaging, that they would be my first choice in their price point, a rather ambitious range that includes such “fan” favorites as the Børresen Acoustics 05 or the Wilson Audio Alexx V.

Over the last 3 years, I have added the Harbeth SHL5 Plus XD / MJ Acoustics Kensington subwoofer, Sonus faber Maxima Amitor / Gravis VI subwoofers, and the Vaughan Line Array Major/MJ Acoustics Kensington subwoofers to my personal reference speaker systems. All are outstanding performers within their limits.

The Focus XD has taken the position within my personal reference speakers, as my (until something knocks them off the top) ultimate reference loudspeaker system. They best the above-mentioned reference speakers at every level. They play deeper, with less distortion, and with a sense of ease that the other speakers cannot quite accomplish and do so in an elegant package. They are more than highly recommended: they are the reason one might ask ‘why pay more?’

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/jbl-4305p-studio-monitor

Of course, in absolute terms the JBL 4305P Studio Monitor offer a lot for very little in a hi-fi system context – built-in access to a world of music streams, the opportunity to add external sources, and a bigger, clearer, punchier sound than anything else we’ve heard out of a two-box system at this price level. For many people, this will rightfully be enough system… until the inevitable upgrade bug kicks in, that is.

The 4305P may be some sonic refinement and dynamic expression short of being heralded ‘miniature marvels’, but they’re much closer to that description than that of ‘try-hard do-it-alls’. Here we have yet another likeable set of JBL speakers, then.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/sonus-faber-homage-amati-g5-loudspeaker

That’s not to say they don’t do all kinds of music very well indeed, for they are as ‘universal’ a speaker as we’ve heard at this price point. The Amati G5s certainly give a glowingly close-up view of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s voice on ‘Tokyo’ [Hana; Cooking Vinyl download], her (slightly overlong) romantic/bittersweet paean to Japan, written after an early 2020 trip just before the pandemic struck.

So too, they are light and sprightly with Bill Charlap’s ‘Not A Care In The World’ [Notes From New York, Impulse!; 96kHz/24-bit], while big and thunderous with the pulsing bass and synths from Alison Goldfrapp’s ‘Fever (Special Request Club Mix)’ from her gorgeous The Love Invention solo set [Skint/BMG BRASSIC128CD]. Indeed, from Bach Brandenburgs to Armin van Buuren’s chilled yet mighty A State Of Trance 2023 mix [Armada ARMA482], complete with suitably pounding club bass, these fifth-generation Amatis came up shining. Now all you have to do is find an amp capable of keeping them under control

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/q-acoustics-5040

We switch to Drake’s Under Ground Kings and the 5040s continue to impress. They convey the music’s momentum with conviction while allowing us to track every word of his distinctive drawl. These towers sound fast and fun. There is plenty of attack but enough in the way of solidity and refinement to avoid accusations of aggression. 

This impression of a properly-rounded performer is reinforced as we work our way through our music collection. We spend an afternoon moving from Post Malone to Nitin Sawhney and then finishing with Miles Davis’s Sketches Of Spain, and never do these speakers sound out of their comfort zone. 

Beyond that though, it’s as if they have an almost bottomless lung capacity at their disposal. They can be pushed to really absurd levels and remain eerily clean-sounding and totally composed, almost daring you to push them further. And for such big speakers, they are incredibly light on their feet with an almost instant attack to the music throughout its entire operating band. It especially drives a stake in the heart of that long-in-the-tooth old chestnut “big driver equals slow bass” nonsense.

At almost $40K per pair, there are plenty of passive speakers that try to compete with these active ATCs. Some will legitimately get you close.

But for me, the ATC SCM100ASLT, don’t just look and sound exceptional, and have the studio pedigree, but they have a personality and character that makes them utterly unique and adds to the whole pride of ownership. They are special, and well worth auditioning if you have the opportunity. Oh, and when you do don’t forget to bring some Van Halen along to the demo and politely ask the dealer to turn it up.