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Dual duty and LOUD

I have the upgrade bug and am looking to replace my main speakers (Infinity kappa 9). My room size is 17x21 and my speakers are about 12 feet apart and I sit 10 feet back in a sweet spot. I need a speaker that is for music 80% of the time and AV for the rest. I have plenty of amplification so efficent is not an issue. I use aragon pallidium mono blocks for my mains and an aragon 2005 for the center and surrounds. I'm not opposed to using a sub-woofer, I have a M&k Mk70. but it not nessary to use it. I mainly listen to classic rock and Blues. I have a second system for Jazz and classical that I listen to at much lower volume levels. I was wondering if my room is too small for planners. I do like full range speakers but would consider a monitor if it was large enough to put out some decent bass. Paradigm studio 40s come to mind.
What I'm looking for is a speaker and has lots of detail and plays crystal clear at high volume with good punch in the bass and crispy highs. It would also be nice if they sounded good at lower volume too! I haven't heard many high end speakers and I don't have many good stores in the Cleveland area to audition speakers so this site will have to be my startig point
Here are some of the speakers I have been considering
1. Vandersteens A good rock speaker or so they say
2. Paradigm studio 100s or their larger monitors
3. Canton Ergo 902. I love the clairity and detail of Cantons I have heard in the past but I haven't heard any of their currunt offereings
4. Maggies I will need some help here. anyone care to chime in?
5 Von schweikirt Maybe??
If there are others you feel I should consider let me know. It has been my experence that most expensive audiofile speakers are not loud enough for my liking so please keep this in mind. These speakers will be abused and used for movies also. I will most likely buy used so I can get more bang for my buck. <5k.
Does this speaker exist? Let my hear your comments
coman61
ngjockey
1,042 posts
 
I don't think you'll find anything new that compares to the Kappa 9's for under 5K. You do have the power to drive Apogees/Analysis or Maggies which will be smoother but still prefer to be fairly loud. Neither has the bass you're used to and might require sub. The room is plenty big.

My humble suggestion is to set your sights, budget and patience a bit higher. I went from Kappa 8's to Genesis 350's and never looked back.
drseid
201 posts
 
While you won't find these in any store, I would suggest auditioning a pair of Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature (Is) in an owner's home. Used they go for about 3.5-4.5K/pr. and should meet your needs and preferences nicely. Superb bass extension that is as clean as it gets, with natural sounding highs that don't miss the detail either, and mids that are pure heaven. The Linbrooks have a slight warm character that only adds to their musical enjoyment, IMO. Great build quality too, BTW.

Another possibility used (albeit a stretch financially) are the Von Schweikert DB99s. These go for 12K/pr new, but only a year ago they were selling for 10K/pr., so a used price of 5K is not *entirely* out of the question (even though it would be tough to find them for that price)... I found these to be about equal in overall sound to the Tylers, and you should be able to find a pair in stores to audition. *Very* nice sound, and while you really don't need their 99db efficiency at all with your amps, you will be able to play these *extremely* loud, low and clean. The DB99s and up are where I feel the VS line really begins to distinguish itself.

---Dave
woodman's avatar
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woodman
152 posts
 
I used to own a pair of Polk SDA SRSs. They could easily play well beyond stupid loud and with no distortion. They're big and I often wonder how they would sound today compared to my Hales Rev 3s, which cannot be played near as loud. The good news is that I just don't listen at high levels. I do some pro sound, try never to exceed 90db, and am happier around 80 to 85db with live music.

fishwater
178 posts
 
I had a pair of the Tyler's & loved them. They can rock out as well, they are worth a shot & the quality is superb.
driver's avatar
driver
750 posts
 
Years ago I owned the older style Kappa 8's & was running them with the Adcom mono-blocks with a Cary preamp. Yes, they could rock out big time & I wound up with VR4 GenIII's powered with an Ayre V-1xe using an Atma-sphere preamp. Good quality floorstanders, good quality big power & a good quality tube preamp makes for an excellent presentation at both 105 dB+ and low 70's.

My tastes are mostly rock but I also enjoy female vocals and have recently been listening to some jazz & blues. I also have two teenagers, so am constantly exposed to newer music, some which is pretty good.

Anyway, I just sold my entire system just to try something else but if I were to recreate what I just had, I would start with some VR4 to mod 5 spkrs, which are a factory modification/upgrade. With Kappa 9's you obviously want some bass impact & the VR's will redefine bass, as you know it.

I had my VR4GenIII's for almost 4 yrs & wrote a review on them here. That should give you some idea of what they can do.

Regardless of which spkr you choose, do try & have a listen if at all possible. Have fun picking out new gear!
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