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Excellent Speakers for Classical Music - $2,000 USD Budget

Hello All...I am primarily a classical music listener, leaning more towards solo piano, symphony/orchestral, and chamber music. I have a Rotel A14 integrated amp in which I plan to add mono amplifiers to at some point in the future. I let a pair of B&W 804 Nautilus Speakers slip through my fingers recently. There is a B&W 804 Matrix set for sale near me, but don’t know if the Nautilus are better than the Matrix. So, I let a good pair slip through my fingers. But, it got me to thinking...Are there any other brands that I should consider besides B&W? I had in mind to audition Magenpan and Martin Logan electrostatics. Seeing that I only want to spend around $2,000, does anyone have any ideas?

In my office, I use Adam A7x nearfield monitors with ribbon tweeters, and for headphones, I love my Sennheiser 800S’. I like a nice detailed, clear, and forward sound. Would another ribbon tweeter floor standing set do it for me? Electrostats the way to go?

Looking forward to your suggestions.
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edcyn
1,876 posts
 
I have no idea if they're still produced but I've never stopped loving my NOLA Boxer speakers. Yeah, I use a subwoofer to descend below about a hundred hertz, but above that it's all clean, beautiful, spacious tonality.  They can and often do put a chamber ensemble in my room.  Solo voices and small vocal ensembles, as well.  Sure, operas and full symphony orchestras are reduced in size, but they sure sound true and lovely.
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audionoobie's avatar
audionoobie
361 posts
 
There are literally hundreds of speakers in the very competitive $2k price range market. Some of my favorites are: Vandersteen 1ci, Ohm Walsh Tall 1000, Magnepan 1.7i, and Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary.  

But with you saying, "I like a nice detailed, clear, and forward sound," maybe try the Magnepans or perhaps Klipsch? 

How big is your room? Perhaps you could tell us about what speakers you've heard in the past and what you liked and didn't like?
audionoobie's avatar
audionoobie
361 posts
 
Also, where do you live? Do you have a reputable Hifi dealer by you? Have you gone out and listened/ demoe’d anything?

That is half the fun!!! If you have the ability, get out there and listen.
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Having sold Ohm Walsh loudspeakers for 4 years at Luskin's HiFi in Miami Florida. I can say that they are certainly room filling and have a confused image probably from too much reflected sound but, I never lied the high end either. 
In your price range with your current amp I would be inclined to recommend a set of used Klipsch Heritage speakers like Heresy's or Cornwalls. Martin Logans will be OK for your purposes. I really do not like Magnepans until you get to the 3.7i which is a great speaker for the money but have neither the power or finances for them. You want an efficient speaker with reasonable directivity. This is where horn speakers excel. 
Reproducing a symphony orchestra is no joke. You have to be ready to reproduce 100dB peaks effortlessly if you want to get bass and Kettle drums right. 
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