Nice find on the Sopras and if they work will with the Coda amp and in the space you had to deal with then that's great. :)
I was going to make a suggestion on a bit of an outlier - the Acoustic Zen Crescendo II. Somewhat similar to the Sopras (tall-ish full ranger at likely a similar used price).
Congrats again. |
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I know all of Audiogon has been on pins and needles wondering what decision was made. You can now all relax and sleep easier :) I found a mint pair of used Sopra 2’s and couldn’t be happier. Way more balanced and a sense of depth that I didn’t have with the 85F’s. HA! As someone who recommended a different speaker, I’m nothing but THRILLED that you made a great choice. That’s ALL this site is about, and my most sincere CONGRATS on your purchase. ENJOY THE HELL OUT OF THEM MAN!!! |
I know all of Audiogon has been on pins and needles wondering what decision was made. You can now all relax and sleep easier :)
I found a mint pair of used Sopra 2’s and couldn’t be happier. Way more balanced and a sense of depth that I didn’t have with the 85F’s.
Thanks for the recommendation above because I don’t think they would have been on my radar otherwise, |
Axiom towers. They are amazing, sound great, and are close to u if you need service. Great speakers. The m-80s’ or larger.
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Used Sopra 2. Light years better than Kanta and in your price range. |
I totally agree with the TRITON REFERENCE
suggestion as l have their step brother that l purchased years ago, the Definitive Technology Mythos ST's with built in sub woofers In my case l downsized and also had a difficult small listening room If feed high quality amplification I'm sure they will sound excellent, especially with their built-in sub woofers making them a full range speaker with a small foot print FYI there is a good vid on the Triton Reference at Upscale Audio |
From what has been already suggested above I would recommend Vivid, Sonus, Vandersteen and I would add Gershman Acoustics especially for female vocals. |
This is interesting. The Paradigm is a brighter speaker but your gear is tailored to temper it so I think that your system is well designed. This means your should probably stick to speakers with a more forward sound profile. Certain brands mentioned above (Spendor, Vandersteen, etc...) are much warmer than the Paradigms. You may find that your system could be a but dark vs. what you are used to with some of these options.
I really like the Kantas and the Sopras. I think they are brilliant and would work well for you. I am not sure how much better the Kantas would be but the Sopras are definitely a step up.
Other options:
Magico A3
Used Magico S1 or S3s
Used Vivid Kaya 45 or new if you save ($18K USD)
Used YG Carmel IIs
Used Wilson Sabrinas or new they are a stretch like Kaya 45
VonSchweikert Endeavour e3 MK II
The most musical on this list are the Vivids and the Wilson's in my opinion but lets remember that my opinion is worth what you paid for it. They are worth trying to hunt down though.
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Second the GE Triton One R… I have a pair and they are truly full range and I have been very pleased with them.. |
If available in Canada, check out GOLDEN EAR TECHNOLOGY.
The TRITON REFERENCE or the TRITON ONE . R. People don't talk about them much, which is unfortunate. A truly "full range" pair of speakers at realistic prices. Only come in one finish. If your not familiar with them you might catch reviews in TAS or STEREOPHILE. I think you'll be surprised |
Thanks everyone for their suggestions, too bad the brands listed for the most part are not in these parts. I think I can find the Dali's, Sonus Faber and maybe the Magneplanar but after the Martin Logan I'm not motivated.
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Best thing you can do is buy used on here. If you buy used you can step up to the focal Sopra 2 (these need subs imo unless placed close ((24-36”))to the front wall which can be questionable for sound stage but ok in the right room). They go for about $10,000 USD used.
I would add used wilson audio Sabrina’s to your list. They are a great speaker at their used prices of roughly $10,000. New they are a pass for me, just too pricy. There are a bunch of them on here right now.
The Sonus Saber Olympica III is very close to the Sopra/Sabrina in performance and go for $7500 used (a few pairs on here too). The nova is the newer model and goes for $10,000 used. The nova and the older model are very close in performance.
The Revel 228be is another good speaker that flys under the radar for some reason. They are right in your price range new and “cheap” used at $6500. Like the Sopra I feel these needs subs unless placed somewhat close to the wall for room gain.
The 803d3 etc are bright for me. Good for a demo but hard on the ears when played loud for long. I feel the same way about top end Paradigm.
1st chose for me would be the Sabrina then followed equally by the Sopra 2, Revel 228be, and Olympica III. If you are using subs I would move the Revel and Sopra ahead of the Wilsons. Just my opinion. |
Notwithstanding the narrowness of your room, which would preclude me spending that sort of coin on new speakers, you might look at Spendor D9.2, set up 6’ from front wall and at least 2 feet from side wall on window side. Does Tidal streaming merit speakers of this caliber? Looking at the music you play, maybe a pair of Tekton Moabs might be fun and save you a bundle. |
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How narrow is your room? That will make a big difference. |
Magneplanar 20.7's. There is no such thing as overdriving a room. It is all about what you can tolerate in the space from a visual perspective.
The 20.7s are big head on but they are very narrow and if dampen the wall behind them you can keep them 2 feet from the wall. With the tweeters inboard you can put them right up against a side wall. There are those that think the tweeter in the 20.7 is the best tweeter ever made. I am inclined to agree and I currently use 8 foot Sound Labs ESLs.
Relative to any of the dynamic speakers you have mentioned the 20.7s are in a different league. Higher definition, faster transient response, larger more life like imaging. The only significant deficit is below 40 Hz.
On the other hand the speakers you mention do not go any lower. Frequency response measurements are taken at one meter. Bass dies off very quickly after that with point source drivers.
Finally Magneplanar has a great reputation for customer service.
Hope You succeed in finding the right speaker for you. I have made the wrong choice on several occasions. |
The founder 120 is easier to work with than the 3f for sure and for most of us would sound better. When you shop on ag for used speakers what are you looking for? I saw a pair of legacy Aeris for $12k in a hi gloss wood finish I would have jumped on if I needed speakers. Kant a 3 bass drops like a rock from 80hz so subs gotta be factored. Dali makes some great sounding speakers and their latest line that uses a single tweeter may be the best bang for the buck right now. |
Vandersteen Treo CT $9000 or used Quatro CT $8000 and up
Enjoy the journey
Enjoy the Music
Tom |
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The Joseph Audio Perspectives will be a big upgrade across the board and are quite nice looking as well, if that matters. Best of luck. |
