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New or used???

I'm currently building a two-channel system starting with the speakers, and of all the speakers in the $3-$6K price range I have listened to (including Joseph RM25XL, Paradigm S6, B&W 804S, Totem Forest, Thiel CS 2.4, PSB Synchrony 1) the Von Schweikert VR-4JR, Dali Helicon 400 and Sonus Faber Grand Pianos and Cremonas all stood out for me.

Here's my dilemma ... For budgetary concerns (and so my fiancée doesn't kill me), I'm trying to keep the speaker purchase near $5K. I was wondering if any of you have any advice on buying new (the VR-4JRs or Dalis) vs. used (such as picking up the Cremonas or a pair of VR-4SRs used) as well as your opinion on how these speakers compare to each other. Thanks for your help.
jhkear
schipo
1,268 posts
 
Tiger
Im just curious did you offer these so called bereaved widows anything else besides cash for their dearly departed ones stereo gear?
phaelon
1,053 posts
 
"Look for widows that are selling the husband's system."

And just how in the world does one go about finding these outraged widows? Does one surreptitiously slither into a passing funeral procession, cozy up to the bereaved, rat him out and suggest it would serve him right if his most prized possession wound up in your hands? Good god man!
phaelon
1,053 posts
 
On second thought - In spite of the occasionally heated rhetoric, I've always thought of my fellow Audiogoners as family. In keeping with that sentiment in which I'm sure many of us share, I hereby call upon audiogon to post obituaries of it's deceased members and... Oh my!... this is just too sad, I'm overcome with grief, I can't go on.
jhkear OP
8 posts
 
Wow ... I didn't expect my question to cast us into a moral quandary. However, all this mention of surreptitious slithering and other sibilant descriptors does get me really interested in delving into the dark side of audiophilia :)

On a more serious note, thanks to everyone for responding. This is the first true high-end system I'm purchasing for myself (I'm still using the old Bose 550 receiver I bought more than 20 years ago with my paper route money - it may not be high-end, but it's served me well for a long time), and it's a bit intimidating when there are so many choices and a huge spectrum of prices.

Thanks, Tiger for the formula, and Bongofury and Phaelon for the additional suggestions. I'll see if I can find those brands locally (I'm in Denver) to listen to them.
jj2468
280 posts
 
Rather than putting $5,000 toward speakers, you may want to consider putting something like $2,500 toward a good integrated tube amp (example: used VTL integrated IT-85) and the other $2,500 toward a used pair of Sonus Faber Grand Pianos or something similar. I fear your Bose 550 receiver may not be up to making music of $5,000 speakers and for that budget there are a lot of combinations folks could recommend. IHMO of course. Jeff
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