Speakers under $750.00...Preposterous Notion?


Sometimes an audiophile lives on a $100.00 a week salary (theater wages). When you try to get a serious answer from those who know, they say, "save and get such and such..." Well, my wife disagrees, and for good reason. One must "settle" for products which can be realistically obtained. I think, though that there will be some of you out there who are interested in helping others get truly affordable high-quality gear.
My theory is this: take two hypothetical speaker companies. One starts its entry level model at $1k and proceeds to a flagship going for $50k or more. The other speaker company produces only speakers costing less than $3k. Wouldn't the latter company invest more of its energy into producing true quality at the lower prices (provided it is a relatively good company)?
I'm looking for high-sensitivity (90db or more), wide dynamic range (@35hz-20khz or better), and strong, clear bass. Is all of this too much to ask? Well, here's another request: it would be nice if they're floorstanders since my listening room is about 16'x26'x11'.
I found some speakers @$600.00 in a discount magazine, Athena Technologies Audition AS-F2.2, wonder if they're any good....(must rely on forums...no car to audition speakers in the city with...need water...help....please....)
mr_stain
I'd seriously look into used Triangles for the budget you mention. The Zerius or Comete would give you everything your looking for in the used market they can be had for $600 or less.
I guess DIY is a good option, there are a lot of things you can do with 750 diy.

I would guess the company that produces only 3k and lower speakers wont even look twice at expensive components, remember with dealer discount the 3k speaker cost should be around $750. I want to believe that a company making a 50k speaker knows about good components, and sometimes use some of those on cheaper models, some trickle down technology would help also.
Magnepan MMG's factory direct for $550 is a bargain! Plus you get a 1 year full refund if you upgrade in the magnepan line! They even have a 60 satisfaction guarentee
http://www.magnepan.com/model_MMG
Get a good 200watt solid state amp and you will be amazed. A used pair of MG12's is another option..

Add a sub (DYI) later..
Buy used, use the zip code search at Audiogon, then you can go listen... Why pay shipping, plus damage risk? Lots of good advice above....Vandersteem 2Ce is a good one.

Watch "Craigslist" like a hawk (mostly junk, but with a few gems)....I grabbed a pair of Apogee MiniGrands, delivered to my home....($650) not long ago. I can't even begin to tell you how nice these sound....you can see them at my system link if you click it.

Dave
Maybe you can consider selling your amp and using the money plus your budget and buying a used active speaker. You also save on speaker cable.