Speaker Help for 2000 to 3000

Audiobeer -

It sounds to me like the kind of voicing you are looking for, particularly in the bass, might be best rendered by a transmission line speaker. Two lines come to mind - Meadowlark and Buggtussel. The Buggtussels are the more lively while the Meadowlarks are more forgiving and laid-back. The Buggtussels in particular have a very tight, solid bottom end.

The little Cliffhanger Bulldogs are also very good at the things you place a premium on. They are also voiced lively and have tight bass, and convey emotion particularly well.

The Heil Kithara will give you a wide range of listening positions since the radiation is virtually omnidirectional. They need to be far from room boundaries to soundstage well, and the bass isn't as solid as the others mentioned here, but they are a very relaxing speaker to listen to long-term.

The Gradient Evidence has excellent imaging due to its point-source concentric mid/tweet, and also has bass tuning optimized for good transient response rather than maximum extension. The Evidence is voiced slightly warm.

A different approach is represented by the InnerSound Isis, a hybrid electrostat which has a relatively narrow sweet spot with superb imaging and very tight (but not terribly deep) bass.

Disclaimer - I sell some of the speakers mentioned here.

Best of luck in your quest!

I had B&W Nautilus 804s (802s briefly too) and got rid of them when I discovered the Paradigm Reference Studio 100s. They run much cheaper than the Nautilus line but sound so much smoother and laid back - more musical and less shrill (especially the highs). The detail and soundstaging is at least as good as its more expenisve competition. I won't go back to B&Ws now although I used to swear by them. I am going to get some Studio 60s for the rear when I get to home theater. I had Vandersteen 2ce before B&W and they were very nice too although I find slightly less detailed/clear in general. But like I said, the Paradigm 100s are to die for and at $2000, I dont have to! I use(d) various McIntosh, Crown, McCormack, and Proceed amps (although I like my McIntoshes the best by a good margin :). Best is just to listen to them before paying. PS, I would love to get my hands on an MA6900!

Consider the James 10 Loudspeakers. At one time there were several ads for them here on Audiogon. Bass response is excellent and the sound stage is huge. They are tunable and with your vaulted ceilings and hardwood floors that may be a very useful feature for you.

How about VMPS RM2's?

It might be hard to find used under $3k, but you might want to give a serious listen to a used black pair of Aerial Acoustic 10T's. Black because they'll be cheaper. Beautiful looks, craftsmanship, and full range sonics. Note: they love lots of power.