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Possible Upgrade: requesting ideas

I will b moving residences next month. New room dimensions are 5m x 11.5m but this serves both as listening/living room and dining area: listening position will thus be the room divider...Using this an "excuse" (OK, I am hopeless) to explore upgrading speakers and if necessary amplification.

Cost not a major issue, and I will not be really thinking in terms of performance/cost value proposition. Truly outlandish pricing (say, Alexendria) excepted (as it relates to my willingness to spend). WAF factor is important but in terms of design but physical size. The very large models such as Maxx2, Dali Megalines, the new Gryophons, Pipe Dreams, Soundlabs etc are all ruled out.

I listen to a wide variety of music but mainly jazz, rock, funk, blues. I do like my current speakers but just want to explore. At min probably will want to update my own to diamond tweeters to fully capture SACDs. Frequency extension requirements for me is at min what I have and hopefully more (so again rule out some excellent smaller monitors). Would prefer to avoid using a subwoofer.

Any suggestions?

Some that I have thought about

upgrade within Kharma line: Reference 1A 1B, Midi and the new Mini Equisites. Anybody able to compare them agst each other ( the new Reference Exquisite seems too large)
Watt Puppy 7: I had auditioned them awhile back and found them some what bare/dry sounding in the mid range though transient attack was superb. Having said that it was brief and only vai Spectral amplification so perhaps it was the amp.
Sonus Faber Strads: though from purely indirect feedback doesn't sound what I will really like. Probably will check out nevertheless. Too polite and warm?
Avalon Diamond: Isis is too big for me
Mbl 101E: Are they too big? May just be OK size wise.
Von Schweikert: the 9s I think too big in terms of depth. What about the new 7s?

Any comments/suggestions/ideas would be most welcome.
henryhk
douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Do a little poking around and check into Chapman Audio Systems at 206-463-3008

That should get you in touch wih Stuart Jones, the owner/designer. His T-7 speakers are highly regarded, and better known on the West coast. He doesn't do the internet thing, so it's difficult to find info on the web, but he makes killer speakers. He can build them to suit, whether one desires simple or ornate aesthetics.

His flagship model is the T-77, which he can customize to your sonic tastes. I have been working with him for three months to custom build a pair of T-77's for my HT. You would likely enjoy a conversation with him, whether you end up a customer or not. He is quite knowledgable about speaker design/construction and is a marvelous conversationalist.
henryhk OP
648 posts
 
Thanks....never tried Zu, but did find out they have distribution where I live so definitely will be adding the Definition to the audition list. Have no idea what to expect except that there appear to be die hard fans and I do like the idea of the bass attentuator/high efficiency certis paribus.
henryhk OP
648 posts
 
I have just mini-auditioned the new Sonus Faber Amati and Goldund Epilogue. Both were not my cup of tea and some ways quite disappointing. Comments on my thread on my evolving system: Virtual Systems/Final Make Over, I think. See no need to upgrade from my current Kharma 2.3F to either one....in fact would counter productive...at least for my own tastes.
mdhoover
695 posts
 
Intuitive Design Pingoras or even Denalis, at least worth a listen. Maybe even the Summits (possibly too small for your space, though).
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