Klipsch or Definitive Tech

I like DefTech gear, but this is a trade off. The Dev Tech are more sensitive allowing louder volume at lower levels, but the Klipsch have better low frequency response. The only negative between the two is that the Klipsch will require a bit more care in placement due to the horn.
I haven’t heard either speaker live, but Steve Guttenberg gave the Klipsch a good review.
Due to the broadcast horn and lower bass response of the Klipsch it would probably sound “larger” than the DefTech.

Just wanted to add that you should check out the ELAC B6. Guru audiophiles far and wide have been raving about them and the price point is very attractive.

Thanks Jay, I will look into that.
So many great choices these days

The only way to know if a speaker is to your taste is to listen to it. Preferably in the target room with the target music. 100% sincere opinions of other people will still always be subjective and may be used for drawing up a short list. If in EU/UK add Dali Zensor 1 and 3 to the list. In the US, they are usually too expensive.

I agree, but where I live there are very limited options to listen to all the various contenders, my only realistic option is BestBuy.

Then the way to do this is give the store assistant a budget and listen to all in the store for around that price point in the store to see what sounds best to you. Then, if the store allows, take the top two choices home to decide which one to keep.

And what you can for sure also do, is carry your favourite music to the store.

The only way to know if a speaker is to your taste is to listen to it. Preferably in the target room with the target music. 100% sincere opinions of other people will still always be subjective and may be used for drawing up a short list. If in EU/UK add Dali Zensor 1 and 3 to the list. In the US, they are usually too expensive.

I agree to a point. I have read and watched long form articles dedicated to the evils of electronic specs. While music can be plotted and charted to theoretical perfect reproduction standards, everyone has a personal taste and different hearing capabilities. However, I have firsthand knowledge of tricks to suck in customers, and I do not trust a salesman showcasing a product in a showroom environment.
Due to time constraints I prefer to shop online and because of that, I tend to watch reviews from trusted names in the industry who bring the equipment into their own audiophile reference rooms and form well experienced opinions.

Michael Fremer and Steve Guttenberg are two I follow along with Paul McGowan who doesn’t do reviews but is an equipment builder who is a pioneer in the Hifi world.

Good luck with Fremer. He lost all credibility with me many years ago with his touting of high end - read high priced - electronics that completely failed in meeting expectations created. I will grant him the ability to say the same thing in many flowery ways though. Fremer also believes that Hi Res is not snake oil and vinyl sounds better than digital even on an apples to apples basis. None of which now forms any part of my world view of home audio after over a decade of having succumbed to such nonsense.

Guttenberg is marginally better, he does not at least live in the stratosphere.

In general, I am convinced that these folk are touts pandering to the dictates of the audiophile kit makers.

YMMV.

Back to the OP - a quick review of the Best Buy website throws up two other brands that are worth a listen as well, to pick the couple of pairs based on in store listening, to listen to at home if possible before buying: Wharfedale Diamonds and Boston Audio A26.

Make sure that the amp that the store is using is in the same region for power delivery as the Connect Amp - 55 watts per channel, RMS. It is likely to be, that is the sweet spot for many, but making sure will help because then you will not find any amp power driven differences when you play the speakers at home with your Connect Amp. Note here that you will almost certainly have to play the Connect Amp at a higher level on its volume control slider than you may notice for the amp in the store. This is only because the Connect Amp follows a better architecture for its volume control that does not try to pull the trick of going loud early in the knob/slider movement to give the false impression of more power than an amp that does not do so.