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Not Enough Options for Auditioning Speakers

am in the market for a great two channel music system. They will be set up in a dedicated listening room that is 12'x17'x9'. The room is carpeted but not treated.

My budget is around $15k-$20k for speakers, wires, amp+preamp (or integrated).

I prefer towers as I like the full range and have had bad luck with integrating a sub. I started my search with B&W 805's and Sonus Faber Olympica I's (which are still on my short list)

My problem is that most of the dealers in my area do not carry very many brands, so it is hard to compare. I cannot even find one that carries the KEF reference.

I am leaning right now to the Sonus Faber Olympica III's but also really like the B&W 803 D3. I wish I could hear them side by side. The dealer with the SF's is great and has let me do home testing with several speakers and he is recommending the Olympica's.

I read a lot online about auditioning several different speakers but cannot find any place in central Florida that has most of the lines they are suggesting. I know if I pick the SF Olympica's I will be very happy, but I have not even heard the III's! I am just a little frustrated that the consistent advice is to listen to a lot of others, but I can't.

Am I the only one with this problem?

Thanks!
-Mobius
mobiusmu
jnovak's avatar
jnovak
413 posts
 
One very frustrating aspect of speaker shopping is the fact that most are rarely set up to sound their best! I haven't visited a high end store in a long time but, back 20 years ago when I had the time and energy, listening in most audio salons was difficult at best. Dealers acted like high end art dealers who wanted your allegiance and money before helping you out. Audio shows are great fun but must be taken for what they are; compromised rooms with terrible acoustics. The best you can do is enjoy the ride. If something grabs you then that's a start. Joe 
david_ten
5,480 posts
 
I'm surprised that some of our senior...I use the term with respect to wisdom & experience and not age...members are guiding towards self-replicating pairing validations. Certainly a dis-service to the pedigree and performance of both the speakers and electronics that are mentioned. Binary, I think not. All the kit mentioned are well recognized brands that are surely not restrictive in what chains they can exist and excel within.

Wouldn't parings that don't work so well be a better guide and more informative?
mrmb's avatar
mrmb
299 posts
 
My son and I went to RMAF in 2010 to do what others have recommended.  It was a great experience and one that caused me to stick with panels vs cones and domes.  While show conditions are generally less than optimal, one does have the opportunity to audition varying speaker types.  In my experience, a speaker type should be at the top of any speaker priority list.  Do you prefer boxes, horns, open baffles, electrostats, full-range ribbons, etc.?  While there are obviously many sonic overlaps between speaker types, ones preference to a type is oftentimes a stable one.  At the very least, it should be one that all audiophiles make an attempt to experience.  A show like RMAF gave us the ability to hear most all of the speaker types that were available.  Not something that is possible to easily do outside of a show like RMAF or AXPONA in Chicago etc....


asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,526 posts
 
mobius...My standard (and obvious) comment on attending any show:

-Take a CD of music you like and are familiar with.  If they won't play, Walk.

-Take a pair of sound muffs.  Save your ears and sanity for what strikes your interest and/or your budget.  If people look at you 'funny', just grin and shrug...

After a couple of hours, they'll stop. ;)
folkfreak's avatar
folkfreak
1,349 posts
 
@asvjerry unfortunately the majority of exhibitors don't bring CD players these days -you'd be better off with a USB stick, or an LP 😉
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