Opinions wanted: 10-30K Speakers for Jazz/Folk

With hundreds of speakers in that price range, you may want to narrow down your choices and ask again. Too many variables.  It would also be helpful if we knew what your equipment is, size of room etc. 

Thanks, it will be an entirely new system, room is 14 by 18 feet. 

Agreed.  Their are many products in this price rang that meet the "sounds great for jazz and folk" but there are so may styles and different types, it is tough to suggest anything. 

What are the room dimensions?  How far will you be sitting from the speakers.  What kind of flexibility will you have in terms of placement?  Within 2' of the wall.  2' to 4' from the wall.  4'+ from the wall.  This has a MASSIVE impact on what works?  Limitations in terms of design?  Floorstanding or Standmount?  Would you add a subwoofer or two?  What about acoustic treatments?  Are they an option?  

For listening experience, do you like the sound presented to you or do you want to immersed in the experience?  Do you like a more forward or laid back sound?  Any preferences in terms of energy usage?  Tubes okay or are they a no go?  

Here are four very different speakers that would be in your range - 

Avantgarde Zeros and Unos which are amazing speakers and can be driven by flea watt amps.  They are great in medium sized rooms where setup is a pretty optimal equilateral triangle.  Insanely good with an Art Audio PX25 but they look different and are you open to low powered amps?  How is your room?  

Wilson Benesch has 5 models in this range that work with normal placement but which model depends on a lot.  They work in a pretty typical room but require a minimum 100w of power and are a relatively neutral.  Could drive them with Chord or AVM and net result would be forward chord, neutral with AVM.

There is MBL which is omnidirectional and delivers a massive soundstage.  Best with their own electronics and they have three models in this range.  Wild speakers but need to know about your layout as they require certain spacing to be at their best.  . 

Vivid three or four models in this range.  They are a bit more forward but the designs are extremely unusual and work well with near wall placments.  They need warmer amplification like Naim or AVM.  

Focal has multiple products in the range as does Magico, Wilson, Kaiser, Raidho, B&W, Harbeth, YG, Stereokonzept, Sonus Faber, Rockport and many, many more.  Without narrowing, you will get so many things to research, it will be overwhelming with no good way to narrow it.  

@verdantaudio - Those are some excellent choices (especially MBL). Also, Magnapan.

Thank you for the detailed response  @verdantaudio  

Some more info, room is 14x18 feet and speakers can be anywhere but will be facing the longer dimension. No sub and I prefer floorstanding partially for that reason. I hope to install some acoustic tx, perhaps I will use some software on my laptop or something. Energy usage does not matter to me.  Was thinking solid state but could be convinced otherwise. I really like mids/vocals coming through, as for immersion that's tough for me to say. Anyway there's a little bit more info.  

Can I ask if you have any experience with audio note gear, marten design speakers, or spectral amps? Someone suggested these. Feel free to suggest others or expand on those you mentioned given this info, appreciate your thoughts, I know my ask is a bit vague :-)  

I would presume that $10k to $30k is the quality level you are going for, and your goal is not to spend that amount but to attain that level of performance. If you are in the Seattle area you are welcome to come by and hear first hand why you can do far better than $30k worth of performance for not much more than $10k. Then again you can also spend more than $30k and have nowhere near $10k of sound quality. It all depends on what your priorities truly are and what you are willing to do to achieve them.

When I say $30k by the way I am talking not just speakers but amp, speaker cables, and speakers. Good luck with some of that other stuff, you can spend 10X and not get there. I mean, unless the goal is to spend the money.

Revel Salon 2 used or 328be new.

nhb1
Thiel Audio - CS 2.4, CS 2.7 or CS 3.7 models.
Happy Listening!

You have a fine problem.   Everyone will recommend their own choice.  Please try for yourself , especilally the popular brands; Wilson , Sonus Fabre , Focal, Dynaudio , Vandersteen, Rockport,Vivid Audio etc. It would help knowing if you are pairing with an existing amp or you will choose that next 

The largest of the standmount, but bass-sufficient, Harbeths, Grahams and Spendor Classics might ft the bill perfectly.    

Marten speakers are great!  I have a friend who just moved from Kef Reference 5s to Marten Mingus Quartets. He is driving them with AVM Ovation MA 8.3 Mono-Blocks and it is insanely good using his Chord Dave as DAC and Preamp.    

I believe for floor standers, you are going to want to look at the Parker or Mingus lines from Marten which if you can't find them used, might be above your budget.  Great speakers and are best with lots of power and warmer amps.  

Which Audionote, UK or Japan?  I am familiar with the products.  I import and sell a competing line called Art Audio which, in the right application, are insanely good.  They tend to be lower power, tube amps.  

I know Spectral makes great gear.  I am not a huge fan of that 70s mainframe computer look personally but it is VERY good equipment.  

These amp recommendations are all assuming normal, neutralish sources.  You can always change up amplification if you use a particularly bright (Mola Mola DAC) or warm source (Lampizartor DAC).

So, here is what I think is a must consider.  Might cross it off after a second, but it's worth a look.  

Avantgarde Zeros and Unos.  They have fully powered units and ones that require separate amps.  Generally, a good low powered SET like an Art Audio PX-25 or Diavolo are best with these.  They have powered bass units so are VERY full range.  Take some effort to get setup and dialed in but when done, nothing sounds quite like Avantgarde.  

Vivid Kaya 45s and 90s New, Giyas used.  These are obscure looking speakers and are true form follows function designs.  Fiberglass cabinets with drivers that are created to properly interact with the cabinet.  The designs are no weird for the sake of being weird, they are their tom minimize standing wavs.  Technologically, designed to optimize sound.  They like a little bit of warmer power as the speakers are a bit forward naturally.  I would recommend AVM amplification to go with them and think the result would be brilliant.  I just spend time listening to a piano concerto on these and it was....memorable.  I personally am about to order a pair of Kaya 45s as demos.  

Wilson Benesch Vector is a brilliant speaker.  As you rise in WBs geometry series you get some really cool technology but even these base models are technologically incredible.  Carbon fiber cabinets and customer drivers.  This is a more neutral/natural sounding speaker and doesn't require warm amps to be at their best but will deliver beautiful sound with a warmer amp but will be decidedly laid back.  Good with AVM if you like a more laid back sound, Chord Ultima for a more forward sound.  

MBL Hybrid speakers.  I would look at 116s and they are definitely best with MBL amplification.  MBL are going to deliver a massive, immersive listening experience that is incredible.  You won't feel like you are in a small jazz hall, you will feel like you are on stage with the band.  It is incredible but not for everyone.  MBLs amps are shockingly powerful and yes, you need it.  

Magicos S3MKII or S5MKII.  These are aluminum cabinet speakers with a BE tweeter.  They look normal, but are very well designed and deliver precision.  The listening soundstage is presented to you and they do like a lot of power.  I would suggest AVM amplification.  

Martin Logan 15a electrostats.  These have powered base units as well and are going to deliver a huge and immersive soundstage.  Similar yet different approach compared to MBL.  They are power hungry and a bit bright.  Warm amplification is required so I would look at AVM.  

Focal Sopra with Naim amplification.  Focal is a unique looking speaker and they are super engaging.  Focal and Naim are owned by the same company and go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly.  Similar in presentation to Magico, they are delightful.  

B&W 800 series.  This is a must review speaker simply because.  To me, the deliver an incredible, detailed, image but I find the overall soundstage is less defined.  It sound different than many on here.  Goes well with McIntosh amplification and any other warmer amplification like AVM.  

Vandersteen.  I am not an expert on this line but it is legendary.  I think the Quattros would be in the right price range.  Best with Ayre amplification.  

Harbeth is a line like no other.  Where many brands try to dampen resonance, they embrace it and harness it in a positive way.  This brand has an intense and loyal following.  You either love it or nothing it.  I don't know if I have ever met someone who hates it.  Just too well made to dislike them.  They like power and you can drive them with something a bit brighter.  

Wilson Audio Sabrina X and I am sure one other model is in this range.  They use a cast resin cabinet and very traditional drivers to deliver  a huge sound.  They work with lots of different amplification but most prefer something neutral to warm like AVM or Luxman.  

There are others that are redundant to many of these.  If you love Harbeth, then you should also look at Spendor or Stenheim.  If you like Margico, check out YG and Stereokonzept, etc...

This to me is a good place to start your research.  I sell a lot of these, not all of them.  I will answer any question I can.  

nhb1, in your room with that money IMHO there is only one way to go. Sound Labs will make custom versions of their loudspeakers. What you want are 8 foot tall 545's. The 545 is 24" wide about right for a 14 foot wall. Their normal 8 footers are way too wide at 40". An 8 foot line source in a room with 8 foot ceilings produces a more life sized image and projects power better than the common point source speaker. It is like being right up front vs back of the hall. The sound of a modern electrostatic speaker is just so....right. Distortion levels are much lower and there is no crossover avoiding those pitfalls. There is a level of detail missing from dynamic speakers. Once you are use to these, other speakers including Wilsons, Magicos and YGs will sound just like what they are, fake. ESLs sound real. Once you are use to them you will never listen to another dynamic speaker. Cost? Right around $20 grand plus shipping. Call or email Roger West and he will tell you what to expect. You can dandy them up any way you want but in my book satin black with black grill cloth is the way to go. They become part of the room. People walking into the room won't know what they are. When you tell them they are speakers they look at you funny. Another advantage of modern ESLs is they are indestructible. The only way you can hurt them is by running a sword through them. Your grandson can run right into them and it won't hurt them a bit. There is no amplifier that can hurt them under normal operating circumstances although there may be a few amps they make uncomfortable. You do not see many of them on the used market for a reason. 

There are a lot. You don’t know me, but I may like these the most for lighter music:

Soundlabs are amazingly transparent; easy and relaxing. My favorite sounding speaker and certainly the best ESL. No speaker is perfect. There is that hard "thawp" upon excursion limit. Some will complain about limited dynamics. Not me. Big tube amps.

YG Carmel II is also refined and has that fatigue free sparkle of ESL and ribbons but in the box form. Bass is dry and limited on this model. I preferred Gryphon amp over Audionet.

Voxativ 9.87 is possible under thirty although lists higher. Rolled off highs but otherwise not varied in the tonal balance. The best double bass reproduction I have heard. You can listen to them forever; they sound beautiful. Voxativ has their own electronics. Easy.

Vandersteen's Quatro CT 
The sound is like being there 
$16315.00

Check out spatial audio labs  open baffle speakers with Beyma AMT tweeters,midrange  and powered sub the x3,X5 under $10 k and the x3  beats many speakers 2x this ,
also the latest Wilson Audio speakers just under $20 k 
have tons of $$ trickle down technologies very detailed and musical , both brands different but excellent .

In today’s market there are many, many wonderful speaker systems in your stated price range. I know you are looking for suggestions but it just does not work that way. What sounds good to me may not sound good to you and what works in my room may not work in your’s. You simply must do some work here. Get out and listen to as many speakers and audio systems as you can. This is important because you have to learn HOW to listen. Find a good reputable dealer who’s opinions you can trust. When you are ready to purchase (either new or used) remember to match your speakers to your room and equipment. Good luck!

Magico, Vandersteen, Legacy, JBL.

Martin-Logan electrostatic speakers, Ohm Walsh, biggest set of Magnepans you can find.  

You may want to provide more specific requirements.  Such as the rest of the system you intend to drive the speakers with - solid state, tube, SET, low power, high power, etc.  What type of room and furnishings you will be using.  What sound qualities are most important - detail resolution, clarity, soundstage, imaging, etc.  

If you prefer the sound of tubes, or even a SET amp, you will require more efficient speakers than if you prefer solid state amps with lots of power.  If you like the sound of Harbeth speakers, you will require a powerful solid state amp to achieve their best sound (as Harbeth demos their speakers with and suggests).  Etc, etc, etc.

You should also identify your budget for your system and the speakers.  It doesnt help you if you have a limited budget and you receive suggestions for speakers that cost $20,000 to $50,000+.

And - the greater your budget the more likely that you will benefit by attending an audio show such as AXPONA in Chicago to listen to various systems to see what you prefer.  Its at these shows that you will learn not only what sound you prefer, but also what electronics best mate with various speakers, because the mfrs always make sure they have the best system synergies to optimize the sound of their products.

I've had two types of planars and think you lose something with a solo voice coming off such a large membrane.  I now have dynamic floorstanders with ribbon tweeters and think the wavefronts produce a greater sense of a person standing in the room.

A little over two years ago, I went on a cross country mission to find new speakers in your price range.  Prior to this search, I had Wilson Audio Duette 2's and Sonus Faber Amati Traditin Homage speakers.  It is so hard to listen to speakers in various showrooms or shows around the country because they won't sound the same in your house.  

I tried Wilson DAW, Vandersteen, Stenheim, Eggleston, Evolution Acoustic, Focal, Magico, Texton, Salk, PureAudioProject, DejaVu, Klipsch, JBL, Meridien, Vivid, Spatial Audio  Raven, Legacy Aeris, Paradigm Personna 7/9, Kef Blades, just to name a few.

Then I came across this small boutique speaker maker in Sante Fe, NM named Viking Acoustic.  I called and talked to the owner, David Counsell and I visited his studio.  The build quality, unique shapes and sound blew me away.  I ended up buying Viking Acoustic Grande Voix's.  You won't be able to Demo them because they do not have any dealers.  That is why also you get so much speaker for your money.  

You asked to describe the sound.  Start with like being in the third row of a Symphony concert.  The separation of instruments, the guitar frets, piano pings, horns, drums are so clear and concise.  The sound stage is large and fills my room which is 25"W by 35'L.  It does not matter where I sit.  Absolutely no coloration and no fatigue.  I was worried about the bass but the bass is substantial.

Unlike most speaker makers you get what they deliver.  If you want a particular sound Viking can do that for you.  These speakers work great with genres of music these are the best bass speakers I have heard.  They have a multitude of speakers that he can build in any price range.  

In your price range you should take your time and hear as many speakers as possible.  Amps to me are then matched to your speaker selection.  The funny thing is I bought the Grande Voix's and I did not hear them first.  I did listen to two other Viking speakers but my wife loved the look of the Grande Voix's and that is half of the battle.

Good Luck.  If you are ever in Arizona you are welcome to a great concert!!!

You should listen to the monitor audio platinum 300 Gen 2 or 500 Gen 2. The 300s were chosen as a reference for one of the reviewers at Stereophile.

Given what you’re looking for I’d definitely make Harbeth speakers a must hear.  They’re voiced starting with the midrange and are very musical speakers.  ProAc, Verity Audio, Rockport Technologies, Sonus Faber, and DeVore would be some other good options off the top of my head.  Best of luck. 

Get off merry go round and buy some Tannoys....you also won't have to spend 30k...maybe 7 to 10k...

MC-give it up, we all know you have no system to talk about and you have no ears to actually hear a good system. There are many good brands of speakers in your price range but some of them will require good quality amps to get the best sound out of them. Some quality speakers to check out are from: Revel Salon2 or Studio2, Wilson, Usher be-10 or be-20’s, Raidho, and others. Or you can go the MC route, buy something you never heard for the cheap and claim it’s better than $1M systems, when he hasn’t actually heard these more expensive systems

I am not sure where you are located but I suggest you look at the Rockport Atria II. I picked up a pair after owning magicos and could not be happier. 

Thank you to everyone, luckily I am able to hear most of these brands as I am not too far from Boston. 

Can I ask those of you who have heard audio note speakers, how would you describe their sound and what other speaker company might you liken it to? I will be listening to those soon... hopefully!

@willgolf I got a kick out of the viking website. Checking out what the have to say critics, seeing mostly good feedback. Unsure about how horns effect sound, will read up.

@bassdude good call on apoxna, are there many 20k speakers there? All the pics I see are of insane $$$ gear. Insane that 20k is not insane in this world!

@p05129 who is MC and which speakers are you referring to?

@nhb1 One thing I did not read was your budget for the rest of your system.

lots of good ground covered here already... scott at verdant has made excellent contributions, esp. good with what amps drive what speakers well

i only have a few points to add...

- at this level of cost for speakers, all recommended ones are going to be excellent but they will each present the music in their special way, and will appeal to listeners seeking particular strengths -- and there are many many of them out there worth consideration

- given this, it would helpful if the op would share what speakers/systems he has owned or heard and particularly enjoyed, or that he was told were ’great systems’ that he was underwhelmed by

- also, if there are some other pieces of gear (tt, cartridge, dac etc etc) that op would like to run in this new system of amps/speakers, that would be good to factor in

more input of this sort would help narrow the field among a multitude of qualified and legit contenders

Be sure to audition planar speakers. Personally, I’m into Quad ESL arrays. 2905 / 2912 described as clarity without edge - but also, no head-banging volume. YMMV

I don't think it's a reasonable budget, it's such a wide range. You could get everything you need for that room size for 5K

Both pushing the top end of your budget, Avalon and Estelon are two brands to look for.

This might do. There is another pair on Audiogon, different colour.
Add D'Agostino Momentum integrated or separates, add some cables and cords and you are almost done. Yes, the source, but you didn't ask about that.
MBL and SoundLabs are interesting choices, so is Kharma.
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa6e33-wilson-audio-sabrina-loudspeaker-pair-galaxy-grey-full-ra...

One angle you might consider is whether you need thundering bass, level down to 16Hz.  There is no signal down there in jazz and folk.

If you forego that, on your budget you will now be able to afford real state of the art speakers, because of the money saved on not needing the last 10Hz.

On that programme I would go planar for holographic accuracy and real presence.  But there are loads and loads of other ways to go.

Cube nenuphar speakers

57 quads

@nhb1, since you're near Boston, I highly recommend Goodwin's in Waltham. They have a huge selection and several listening rooms with several different ranges of equipment and very knowledgeable and friendly salespeople. Not pushy in the slightest. They'll sit you down on a couch, give you a tablet for streaming and leave you alone for as long as you want.

I personally have a pair of Magico Mini IIs (stand-mounts) paired with a JL Audio sub and I'm very happy with the sound. Magico makes some great speakers in your price range. I have a narrow listening room, about 13 x 25, and prefer the flexibility of a separate sub with its own room correction. Bass is the hardest to get right in a room. A self-powered sub with automatic room correction will save you a ton of headaches trying to dial in the bass. And you can basically put it anywhere.

Enjoy the shopping and listening phase of your journey. It's one of the best stages of audio purchasing, and you probably won't find yourself in the market that often. So make the most of it. 

MAGICO,ROCKPORT or VIMBERG jump on a pair ASAP!!

I own 2 pair of Emerald Physics OB speakers. The 2.8s are their flagship MSRP was $10K but they're out of production. There's a pair for sale

https://www.usaudiomart.com/search.php?keywords=emerald+physics+&cat_id=25&price_min=&pr...
hth

See if you can find a Spendor dealer in your neck of the woods. The Spendor D-line might be the ticket!
https://www.spendoraudio.com/d-line-loudspeakers/
The Proac D48r is another option!
https://www.proac-loudspeakers.com/html_files/Speakers.php?Range=Response&Speaker=ResponseD48

@nhb1 Because you love Folk and Jazz you get where this music came from. You want to enjoy the music more. Music that  wasn't made for royalty or oligarchs, it is from and for regular people with challenging lives. You enjoy the soul of the music.

    So here is some advice that may get me ostracized here and which you would probably never get from any dealer. Give $25000 to a worthy charity or a University you respect. Endow a scholarship or help people put out of work by the pandemic. Aid those afflicted by the racism we have yet to come to terms with or a family who has lost it's breadwinner due to the pandemic. Find a music school and create a small scholarship fund. Make a difference in someones life with that money. Help create the folk and jazz of tomorrow.

    Then take whats left and by a pair of KEF LS50 metas  or Magnepan LRS's and a nice subwoofer or two and pair it with a good integrated like the Rogue Sphinx and really enjoy the music!

Hi, I have an Audio Note system and my main listening genere is jazz. I started in a different direction but ended up with AN. The sound is extremely musical. You will be immersed in it, not listening to the system. Set up right, the speakers disappear. There is only a big wall of three dimensional music, where every instrument is separated, distinct, enjoyable. It is not as detailed or clinical as other brands, but musical like no other. You must listen to AN before you make any decision. I run AN-J She speakers with a Meishu Silver 300B amp (only 8W/CH) all tied up with AN cables and wow, it is magical.
But, you have to listen for yourself and most of all, enjoy the process...

Although - I’m reluctant to suggest any speaker (system), when you’ve not fully identified all the relevant "specs" - I must agree with "Willgolf" (as I have elsewhere on the forums) - the Viking Acoustics speakers are exceptional - especially with jazz, classical, country (all things acoustic).

While Willgolf has one (or two) of Viking’s more expensive speakers, I have their Berlin R MKII stand mount monitors, which are superb with tube amps and "all things acoustic." I also have a collection of several other speakers (including Maggies, Harbeth’s, Linkwitz’s, LaHave’s, etc. to name a few)... and... the Vikings provide the most lifelike sound with tube amps of those I have (though they all sound superb with the right setup). They provide a sound a bit similar to the higher end Tannoy’s (Canterbury, Westminster, etc.)

And... as Will noted, I had Dave Counsel modify my Berlin’s caps and woofer / midrange to provide a bit more detail resolution, clarity and dynamics than the original design - though all his designs provide superb sound in all respects. I bought mine when Viking was known as dc10Audio - and Dave made the changes promptly with a minimum of cost with me just describing the sound I preferred.

As you’ve seen his product line is in your price range. And... if... you want to avoid the crowds of AXPONA (or similar), you might want to vacation in Santa Fe to hear the Viking’s - great place to visit any time of year, especially if you like to ski, or just enjoy Southwest cuisine, and interesting art. Or, I think Dave also makes some of the shows to demo his wares - so, you might check that out also. You won’t be disappointed and will have a great time, whichever. And... if you’re going to invest that kind of money, as indicated in your headline, it would well be worth your time and money.

I like the Tannoy. Beautiful cabinets. I heard Turnberry @ 6k a pair. They were smooth and effortless. They bigger ones should sound even better. Also Sonus Faber. The ones i heard were about $22K new. Preferred over Sasha DAW.  Rockport gets good recommendations.  Also curious about open baffles. Those would sound very good I think.  You can audition some of these at home.

nhb1, I live in southern New Hampshire. In about two weeks I will have a pair of Sound Labs Speakers set up. Even though you are leaning towards Dynamic speakers you are welcome to have a listen.
Mike

I think it is important to think of not just the speaker, but, the combination of speaker and amplifier.  If you already have, or have in mind, certain electronics, it would be useful information about compatibility.  For example, Magnepan and Soundlabs have been mentioned above, and they are certainly very good brands, but, they may not quite be right if you have low-powered tube amplification.

It would also help to know what you have already heard and liked and disliked and the reasons for these opinions.

As to your specific question about Audio Note speakers, they tend to be unimpressive and undistinguished--AT FIRST BLUSH.  But, if you go into the audition without a critical mindset and just listen for enjoyment, I think they will show you what they are about--musicality, relaxed sound, fully saturated harmonics, dense texture, and natural sounding dynamics (realistic attack and decay of notes).  I find the upper bass to be a bit excessive and bloated (if I put my critic's hat on), but, that might be part of the charm and I easily ignore this "issue."  Although they are only moderately efficient, they are an easy load and work well with low-powered tube amps (my favorite kind), and that is a BIG plus.

Among my personal favorites, at any price, are the speakers from Charney.  I've heard their Companion range with the Voxativ driver and with the AER driver (they offer different choices of the single driver).  Both sounded terrific to me, although I favored the AER driver (located in Northern New Jersey, no dealerships).  This is very efficient system that can be used with SET amps.  Other brands that I think are worth looking into are Trenner and Friedl (Austrian, I believe) and SoundKaos (Swiss, I believe).

If you are ever in the Washington DC area, you should check out Deja Vu Audio (Tyson's Corner, a suburb of DC).  It is a dealership that also makes its own gear (amplifiers, phono stages, linestages, preamps, DACs and loudspeakers).  Most of the custom made speakers utilize vintage drivers.  They make speakers in your price range that would be terrific for your choice of music.  They also carry Audio Note speakers.

Good luck in your search

Bruce19, I am sick and tired of hearing about racism. We have improved dramatically over the last 150 years. Nobody I know is racist in the least.
Unfortunately, it still and will always exist in some circles just like the environment will always change. Both topics are used a political bludgeons interestingly by the people who were best at propagating both. We are all humans. We all deserve the same rights, opportunities and respect. Any deviation from this is not acceptable. 
Our largest problem today is white collar crime. Just check out your email box.