Speaker recomendation


I just bought a second home and the room where the new system will go is quite large (60’x20’) with a wall of windows.  I’m looking for a pair of speakers that will be more for listening in position close to the system but that can still move enough air for when we have lots of people over.  Budget is about $10-15K for an amp and speakers.  I have a Moon 340i but fear it doesn’t have enough power to move the speakers I’ll get.  I was thinking about Golden Ear reference but my wife and I are more classical and jazz listeners and these are better for rock?  Suggestions appreciated!
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Wow, so I come on here to read another 'which speaker to buy' thread and see what folks are listening to.  What a surprise, it has turned into another exhaustive Audio Troy is the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz promotional commercial.  Highly informative.  He does have a ton of gear in his home that he sells, but no dedicated rooms so there is that.  I love Vandy's and they continually win best in show awards, but you still can't judge most gear at a show.  Too many strange things going on there, including listening in a theater setting etc...  It is what it is. Nice to go listen, but to make a lasting decision no that shows inexperience in listening and most knowledgeable folks would agree.

You have been given some great choices by many to listen to.  The key though is getting to audition somehow.  We are all jaded by what we own and listen to daily.  If we spend money on a piece of gear, we normally will come on here to tell yo about it.  I know many of us have owned or do own the Vandy Treo's and love them for their timber, dynamics etc..., but I disagree with some points in this thread.

This happens all the time in audio and I personally feel is a fallacy.  If a speaker is designed properly, it will play ALL music and not just rock or small jazz or orchestral etc...  If your speakers are only good on a few types of music folks, ..... you have THE WRONG SPEAKERS.  

We all like different things and I get that, but I promise you that my speakers play everyone well in MY room for MY ears (as well as all the others I invite over to listen).  Many of you (I wish it was all) feel the same about your speakers.  This is why I won't go with a speaker that isn't full range and I HATE speakers that are tipped up in the high end or overly ripe in the bass.  I was a drummer and I hate bloated upper bass down, especially if it bleeds into the mids.

No, I'm not making a recommendation, just pointing out that any speaker you get in the 8k range or so had better play all types of music properly to your ears as you have too many choices.  I auditioned so many speakers before deciding on my Treo's and then upgraded to Quatro's, but not before auditioning even more speakers in the upper ranges down to the 5k range to make sure I was getting what I wanted for my well earned money.  i'ms sure you will do the same and will look for YOUR posts in-between the dealer ads.  Have fun with this and get out to audition.  Many folks will let you come to their houses to listen to gear.  I've been to many folks houses to audition as well as folks who sell out of their homes and that even includes Dave's house after he kept telling me that teh speakers I didn't like in a few stores, I'd like at his. (they still weren't good for me as they sounded the exact same as in other stores).  Good luck. 
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Quote:aalenik.."The Legacy Focus is a very nice-sounding loudspeaker. However, it is not in the same class as the Acoustic Zen Crescendo, which is an outstanding speaker and one of the few I covet.

If your choice is between those two.... well, you should hear them both and make your own decision, but I think I've made my feelings clear.

A better comparison would be the Crescendo vs. the Legacy Aeris. THAT would be a tough decision!" End Quote.

I'm not sure why you feel Legacy Focus SE's are not in the same class as the Acoustic Zen Crescendo. In MHO (and everybody has an opinion) the Focus SE's are a much better speaker both sound, looks and value for the dollar then the Zen..and a comparison between the Aeris and the Zen would be unfair, it would be like taking a knife to a gun fight...The Aeris are THAT GOOD.  

Since my last post was removed, I'll repost.  I'd go listen to as many speakers as you can of course.  That's for anything you purchase as we all know.  There are many different sounding speakers in this group.  Go listen to some live music and then audition speakers.  It's so much easier that way.  Listen to YOUR ears and not what we all post.  

Focal, Vandersteen, Wilson, Legacy, Proac, Maggies, even Harbeth and Magico's could be on that list.  Great tone will always shine through.  Coherency will too.  Sometimes the 'boring' audition is the best one over the long haul. If a speaker 'shines' in one area, then I'd be concerned as that can often be like buying teh 'brightest' TV on the shelf, only to realize that was a bad choice over time.  Fatigue is strange as you may not hear it in a 30 minute session in a store, but over time at home, it will make you want to change cables, amps, sources adn then speakers again in two years.  

I'd also look at resale values over 3 years incase you aren't happy.  I knew that I was going to upgrade after two years, so the Vandy's were an easy choice as they were SOOO easy to move onto another great home (Bob loves them and those who know me personally, realize that is important to me).

We all espouse our speakers that we own or that some sell, but it's room and system dependent for sure.  go find a dealer you can visit and listen.  Sometimes you may want to change the whole system to get the sound that you love.  I did this and continue to do so, but I have used a road map and budget that I set a few years ago, so it's not just willy nilly.  

JMHO and others do it differently.
@ctsooner Thanks for re-posting.  I completely agree, listening is the only source of truth, but listening in your own home is 100x better than listening in a dealer's room.