What Speaker are Great for Rock and Roll $5K-20K

B&W800's. .. I have the FPB300/KRC-HR driving them. These are the original 800's not the N version. They were actually designed for just your reason. The 801's were not capable of producing the sound pressure levels needed.
The 800's will easily produce 120db at 3 meters!

I listen to primarily classical and feel that they are the most realisticly sounding speaker ever made (especially when one actively bi-amps them).

Also, FYI: The Krells will be greatly improved by using the Pure Note Sigma power cords. (www.purenote.com)

Richard

Hackmaster brings up a good point. When trying to generate high levels of sustained SPL's, one needs to actually consider the dispersion pattern of the speaker into the distance and not just how loud the speaker will play at one meter. In this case, line arrays, large multiple driver MTM ( Mid - Tweeter - Mid ) type designs ( Dunlavy, Montana, Legacy, etc.. ) or horns are what will hold up best. In order to achieve the same type of SPL into the farfield with drivers arrayed in a more conventional 3 or 4 design, you would literally have to push the hell out of the amp and speakers. The further that you backed away from the speakers, the more noticeable this would become. This has to do with how the sound coming out of the multiple drivers "focus" or "blend together". This is not to say that speakers using a more standard design are not capable of playing loud into the distance, only that the designs previously mentioned are more suited to such requirements. Obviously, one would need a good sized room with adequate listening distance to take advantage of such designs, otherwise one with a smaller room and / or closer seated listening position would be better off with a more conventional design. Sean
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2nd the big, expensive McIntosh speakers. If you are willing to pay the money, McIntosh sounds clear, dynamic, lot of fun to listen to.

Thank you everyone, I love this web-site, all you guys are great, I learn something everyday off audiogon site. My brother is now looking at the Talon x and the Lemniscus. He is very lucky as the Las Vegas show is just around the corner and he can go and see some of this great speakers. I myself have the MTS Prelude with the RABOS , with full Krell," sounds great", for now!
Peter

He's going to love the talons. Just tell him to take the time to listen to them for a while. It takes a long long time to get used to their sound. They sound different from most other speakers, but once one gets accustomed there's no turning back!