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Speaker Suggestions/Opinions

I’m in the market for some new speakers. Budget up to about 3k. I prefer to buy used. Currently running some Totem Rainmakers. Have also Run Totem Forest and Arros. I love the Totem sound clearly, but still curious what I’m missing out on.  
Most important to me is a lush midrange, musical, the ability to disappear, and they have to image very well. I run McIntosh for amplification so I’m comfortable with a speaker that may be a touch hot in the tweeter. I’m very drawn to Harbeths based on everything I’ve read but really don’t dig the look of those fat boxes.  And why for the love of god do they have 20 screws visible on the front baffle. It’s almost as if they trademarked the look, but it’s terrible. Proac, Spendor, and Sonus Faber are few others I also find intriguing. Especially Spendor but they don’t seem to have a large market in the US. I also find there line up a bit confusing, lots of options. I really don’t like to purchase anything that doesn’t have good resale value and a fairly high demand on the used market as well. Anyways look forward to all your thoughts. 
brylandgoodman
e3co
12 posts
 
I have Ascend Acoustic's Sierra towers with raal ribbon tweeters paired with a Vincent sv 500. This set up checks all the boxes for me and you can get them new for your budget. I don't know how much they bring used. For me they are definitely worth the money new.
E3
speakermaster
738 posts
 
The spendor and the harbeth are designed as studio monitors so the screws are functional but spendor puts the screws on the back instead of the front the screws are for any repairs needed in the field but i would look for a spendor s100 it is the big british monitor 13.5 inch three way about 90 pounds and it will outperform the other models of british monitors.
bondmanp
1,824 posts
 
In your budget, I would audition one of Ohm's Walsh line of speakers.  I think they tick off the boxes you listed in your original post. You can afford to buy new if your room isn't too big for the 2000s (my current speaker, bought over 10 years ago). Check out the room size and model guide on the Ohm web site.  The looks appeal to some more than others, that's your call, of course, but IMHO, the value preposition is off the charts.
anotherbob's avatar
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anotherbob
344 posts
 
I have Monitor Audio Gold 100 bookshelf speakers and absolutely love them, beautiful airy highs from the ribbon tweeters, great midrange and bass so deep and tight I removed my subwoofer from the system.  Keep  in mind that mine is in a smallish bedroom set-up, though well treated, too.  Sound is via a NAD M33, 200 wpc into 4 or 8 ohms.  The speakers are 4 ohm and the M33 can drive them to levels well over what anyone would sanely listen too.  I was so taken by the MA’s that I bought their silver line 100’s for my living room set-up, both right and left, as well as a center channel.  A bigger room might call for floorstanders.  They come up occasionally here and on US Audio Mart.
terry9
2,354 posts
 
Suggest you audition planar speakers. Different sound, but can deliver what you say you want.
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