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Best new/demo/used value for $7.5K range

Hello all!

I will be buying new speakers at the end of September.

My budget is roughly $7.5K (can flex some if a steal is found).

I am currently looking at:
-B&W 802N (5000K used and 7K demo)
-JM lab Mezzo Utopia (7k used)
-Revel Studio (7.5K used)
-Dynaudio Confidence 5 (5k used)
-Wilson Sophia Used (8.5K? used)
-Wilson Watt/Puppy6 (8.5K? used)

I like all of these speakers for different reasons. I would be happy with any of them, but wish I could afford the wilsons - my favorite.

Any thoughts? At this price I want to know I considered everything.

My gear: EAD 8000pro preamp, Levinson No.27, Classe CAV150, SACD XA-777es, Pioneer Elite DV-47 DVDm, Transparent Audio and Audioquest interconnects...
jtee
tinynottow162d
2 posts
 
I love ACI speakers. So, in your price range, the first thing I'd look at would be the Jaguar/LFM combo. I would think it would be ideal for a room of your size. I have not personally heard them, but every other ACI model I've heard has been great. In fact, though I've heard many fine systems with B&Ws, Wilsons, Thiels, etc., one of the finest systems I've ever heard was a pair of ACI Talismans. It was just so real. The Talismans are what I plan to buy when I have the room and the money.
jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,038 posts
 
Andra eggleston,my friends and I we audition them side by side
with Wilson watt puppy,B&W N02,Verity Fidelio,No
one of these speakers came close.IMHO, you can find
them sometimes used for your price range.Thats why
they are speaker of the year.Read the review of Wes
Philip on the original Andra.I have them, they are not
for sale.
lrsky
1,118 posts
 
Ehider,
Wondering if you got my questions?
Larry
bombaywalla's avatar
bombaywalla
1,958 posts
 
My vote goes to Green Mountain Audio C3, which is the company's flagship model. You can get it for $6700 in the standard black finish but the price goes up slightly if you want a wood veneer. For $7.5K you can get a very nice looking GMA C3, brand new!

I offer this recommendation from personal experience of GMA speakers as I own the smaller C1.5i. There are a number of people here who own the new C3 & I think you can find references to them if the archives are searched on A'gon.

For some more info, you can visit the GMA website: www.greenmountainaudio.com
Roy Johnson is really a nice fellow to deal with & will answer practically all your questions (save trade secrets obviously!). IMHO.
ritteri
223 posts
 
There are some good choices there. My favorite of the bunch would either be the Revel Studio's or the JM Lab's a close 2nd. But both have different sound characteristics in my view.

I personally wouldnt put either of the Wilson products(especially the Sophia)in that list from a SQ perspective though. If they are your favorite sounding speaker truely, the Revel's will be right up your ally as they give alot more with the same presentation. If you can do a direct sound comparison between em Im sure you will be quite impressed, just make sure the rest of the system is up to snuff.

I also like'd the other suggestion of Vandy 3a Sig's with a pair of Vandy subs, that IS a great setup too.
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