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Recommended speakers around $10K used

Looking for recommendations on speakers to audition...

Current gear: Bel Canto DAC2, via Bryston SP1 and Bel Canto Evo 2 monos, to Talon Peregrines. Love the deep, fast bass, but midrange is lacking something -- it just doesn't grab me like the Silverline Sonatas used to -- and the soundstage is unnaturally recessed... back behind the wall somewhere.

Good news: I have $10K budget, perhaps a little more, and I am happy to buy used equipment.

Bad news: speaker placement is limited. Room is smallish (14' x 17') and speakers have to be on 14' wall, pushed back toward corners with TV and audio equipment in between. Back wall is actually only a partial wall...opens onto dining room.

I'm looking for speakers that excel at reproducing guitar (acoustic and electric), image well, and go deep. I like monitors but always end up missing the visceral bass of big floorstanders. Current ideas from trolling A'gon:

- Revel Studio or Salon
- Aerial 20T
- Wilson Sophia...listened to thess recently and was impressed by quantity of bass, but it seemed a little muddy and overall presentation was uninvolving...or maybe I was just in a bad mood
- JMLab Alto Be...really liked these with Sim Audio W5 amp, but thought they might be missing the last ounce of bass. Maybe my Evos would match better? Front ported should help with placement.

Would Dali Megaline be a significant step up for the extra $5K?

Any & all opinions appreciated. Thanks.
jezzholland
kurt_tank
1,189 posts
 
I own and can recommend the Revel Studio speakers, as they are very good and a nearly full range speaker. (They have good treble extension, and the mid-range is quite good, and it has deep bass response, albeit not a deep as the Salon though.) They can be had, used, for around $6-7K.

However, if you can afford to stretch your budget a bit, you can get a truly world class speaker, IMHO anyway.
The Avalon Eidolon is one of my favorite speakers.
They typically run around $11-12K used, depending on finish, although I did see one pair go for $10K, only once though. I will point out that these speakers are somewhat difficult to drive (they like a lot of power, like the Revels actually), and are very finicky about both the associated electronics as well as their room placement. (They sound only their best with really high end amplification and need to be pulled well into the room.)
If you are going to spend the full $10K on speakers, I highly recommend that you give them a listen.

Good Luck in your search.
tekhifi
15 posts
 
My speaker placement situation is VERY similar to yours, in that I'm forced into near wall speaker placement. You absolutely should not consider a rear ported design, such as the Revel Studio/Salon, Wilson's, etc., regardless of how good they are, because they need about 3' behind them to breath... and you don't have that.

I'm presently looking to replace my Piega P10 which are rear ported. An outstanding speaker, but underperforming because of the near wall placement.

What I would recommend to you is "My" short list of speakers (non of which are rear ported) that would work near the front wall:

- Piega C10 Ltd
- Dunlavy SC-V
- B&W 802D (a huge improvement over the 802)

... and others. These will all be in your price range and should work well in your application.

Happy listening.
beheme
231 posts
 
Avalon Ascendant brand enew for $8500, especially if you have a smaller room.
jimmy2615
440 posts
 
If you must spend 10k then ignore this, but for what you want I highly recommend Tyler acoustics, the Linbrook (monitors only). Guitar/acoustic instruments are gorgeous through them, with fine detail and spacial info. They will give you the bass you are looking for (35 Hz), can be placed closer to the walls, and for another 3-4K add two good used REL subwoofers, one on each side. Really a fantastic system, and if you don't like the speakers you can send them back. If you're more into the svelte looks of the more expensive gear then go for it...! But room placement does seem to be a limiting factor.
drseid
201 posts
 
I think the Megalines might be overkill for your room size (although I did like their sound)... Maybe a better choice from Dali for your needs is to look at their Helicon800s. I liked those too, and they are more practical, IMO.

I concur with the Tyler recommendation by the way, but the Linbrook Signature Monitors are rear ported, so I would not recommend that particular model for your needs. That said, Tyler has a Linbrook Signature System 1 piece model that is front ported, and goes down to 25hz cleanly for about 5K new (for disclosure purposes, I own the two piece, rear ported version of these that sells for the same price and has the exact same specs). Also from Tyler in your range are their top-of-the-line Woodmeres at 10.2K new that would also work nicely (also front ported)... They go down to 22hz, and are amazing speakers in every way.

Other contenders I can easily recommend are the McIntosh XRT-28s (at about 9K used, a fabulous speaker that goes down to 18hz with ease -- these sound great with rock and female vocals in particular), the VonSchweikert DB99SEs (6-7K used -- great all-arounder, that does not take up a lot of floor space), and the Ayon Butterflies at $5.5K new (hard to find, and bass extension to only 38 hz, but *very* clean).

---Dave
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