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Speaker upgrade help needed: 4500$ used

Like you all I have the upgrade itch and have decided that the speakers are what I want to change out next.

1. My goal is the most holographic soundstage and best imaging I can afford at this price range
2. I have no preference between bookshelf and tower speakers
3. I have no bass requirements as I currently live in an apartment and wouldn't want the bass to annoy the neighbors anyway!
4. Resale value and demand is very important, so rare/old models or companies that come out with new versions/revisions each year are out of the question.
5. My next speaker upgrade probably wont be for 2-5 years
6. Appearence isn't important, although I'd like to keep a reasonable footprint for the speakers
7. This is for a 2 channel only system

My current system:
Tyler Reference Monitors
Plinius 8200 mkII integrated
Muse model 9 Sig version 4 (cdp)
Ridge Street MSE gII interconnect
Harmonic Tech ProAC-11 powercord
Signal Audio biwire shotgun speaker cable

Current room is 14x18, but I do consulting work and move every year or two (so not shopping for room specific speakers!)

The cd's I've been playing a lot of lately:
Cyndi Lauper - At Last
Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue
Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Sessions
Paul Simon - Graceland
Peter, Paul & Mary - 1st LP
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Steely Dan - 2 Against Nature
Laureena McKennit - The Visit
Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac and Rumors

I have enjoyed the Tylers. They are my first step into home audio unless you count NHT SuperTwos. The Tylers were an ENORMOUS step-up from them in terms of clarity, seperation, imaging and soundstage. However, they dont get me to the toe tapping, emersed in the music state that I am looking for eventually.

My ear and audio vocabulary isn't at a point where I could say what I would like to improve upon or what in particular I'm looking for.

Speakers I'm considering:
B&W N 803
SF Electa Amator II
Merlin VSM-M
Aerial 10T
Von Schweikert VR4 JR
Martin Logan Request

any of these stand out above the rest?
any to remove? other recommendations?

Thanks for any help!
Geoff
geoffgarcia
mac10
34 posts
 
Magnapan 3.6 sounds like what you're looking for. Use the extra grand to buy the new B&W PV1 cicular subwoofer. I had the pleasure of listening to this combo and it leaves very little on the table.

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrplan&1114895733

http://www.bwspeakers.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.models/label/PV1
mthieme
74 posts
 
another vote for magnepans. Awesome with image and soundstage, and most of all a great value. They are not a "small footprint" however.
audiokinesis
2,736 posts
 
You can easily accomplish what you want at that price range.

Given that "holographic soundstaging and best imaging" are at the top of your list, then a first-order crossover speaker or a single full-range driver speaker are the most promising approaches. To the best of my knowledge, none of the speakers on your list use first-order crossovers.

Green Mountain Audio, Theil, Vandersteen, and Meadowlark come to mind among multi-way loudspeakers. I don't think full-range single-driver speakers are likely to work well with your amplifier; they tend to prefer SET or OTL amps. If an amplifier change is feasible, then your possibilities include Rethm, Omega, Cain & Cain, Lowther, and Supravox among others. Green Mountain Audio would be my suggestion among the multi-way speakers (yes I sell 'em), and the Supravox 8" field coil driver would be my suggestion among the full-rangers (nope, I sell Omega instead). InnerSound electrostatic hybrids also image extremely well (nope, don't sell those either). There is a tradeoff relationship between wide sweet spot and superb imaging, and most of the speakers I've suggested here trade off sweet spot width for best possible imaging.

Best of luck to you,

Duke
dts
11 posts
 
I think you should give Vienna Acoustic Beethoven a try. I owned a pair of Beethoven almost three years and still loving it. I listen to a lot of jazz...Diana Krall..Patricia Barber, Mile Davis...!!!!
rysa4
266 posts
 
Silverline Sonata 3 used if you can find them. I listened to them at CES 2005 and they were AWESOME.

The list was around 7000 if I remember correctly. They were ahead of the VS 4Jr, Usher 6311, Gallo Ref 3s, Green Mountain Callistos and a host of other very worthy contenders.

After that-- yep-- Magnepan 3.6s would be a great choice too.
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