However good are Magneplanar speakers, the are probably be out of the running. For smaller stand-mounted speakers and space saving floorstanders, I would look at ProAc speakers, Harbeth 30.2, various LS3/5a clones, Audio Note AN-J or AN-K (particularly if you have to place speakers near the room corners), Vandersteens, and Neat speakers. At the low end of your range, I like the Rhythm Bahaava. I also really like the Tekton Double impacts at the low end of your range. The new Mo-Fi is a contender too. Good luck on your search.
Candidates for best speakers in the $2000-5000 market
I’m asking for listeners’ experience in this bracket, buttressed by reviews and/or data; I am not a fan of "whatever sounds good to you." Ultimately, yes, that will be the case. But in getting to that point, I’m looking to benefit from the advantage of a thousand pairs of ears rather than mine alone. Those ears can include the inanimate. Thank you.
My experience has included my own Elac 403, Elac 407, and Dynaudio Special 40. Auditions have included various Sonus Faber, and Magico. All of this is in preparation for justifying the leap for an Electa Amator lll or its equivalent. But that’s for another day, another forum.
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A used pair of Joseph Audio Pulsars would be worth considering, and while I’m no interior designer I think your wife would not be offended by their looks. If looking for new speakers I’d look at the Usher Mini-X DMD that uses the same top diamond tweeter as in their $28k flagship speakers yet only costs $3990 and is gorgeous and a great value. Usher is one of the few manufacturers who make their own drivers and hugely flies under the radar here in the US. Best of luck. |
Thank you for the thoughtful answers, and questions. Room is about 12" x 12" x 22", mostly hard surfaces, including the wooden floor, and opens onto three other spaces. Current equipment iinludes a PrimaLuna EvoLution 400, Audiolab 6000 CD transport, a Soekris dac2541, a DSPeaker 2.0 "room correction device, an SVS SB-3000 sub, and last but not least, a wife...in interior design. I'm thinking monitors. |
@stereo5 Maybe. My personal experience has been speakers that are 2 - 3 years old (which is nothing) and in mint condition, have sold for 50% off list. And who ever pays list to start with? Anyway, that was my line of reasoning. Cheers. |
It would help to know more about your specific circumstances, such as, room dimensions and speaker location requirements (near the corners, how far from wall, etc.), how loud you like to play your music, type of music, kind of speaker (floorstanding, stand-mounted, panel), other gear in your system, what other speakers you have heard and liked or disliked, your priorities in speaker performance (bass freak, liveliness, imaging, smoothness, etc.) and pet peeves with stuff that disappoints. I have my doubts that this kind of survey will be able to identify what is most popular, and even if it could, common taste may not align with yours. |