Looking for New Speakers - Suggestions

What's the rest of your system, particularly your amp? Budget? The answer to those may get you more specific responses.

Just in general, nothing is as fast and dynamic as horns that I've heard. Maggies certainly wouldn't be my choice. I've listened extensively to 20.1's and 3.6's and neither would be my idea of dynamic powerhouse speakers. When you say you don't like Klipsch, have you heard the Heritage stuff like Khorns, properly set up, or are you talking about their current AV offerings? Plenty of other horn options out there though the good ones are pretty large and expensive - Oregon's suggestion to attend one of the shows is a great idea. I was hooked on the dynamics of horns for a long time. Eventually I went to a smaller listening room in my home where horns didn't pass the WAF so I spent a long time trying to find something as fast and dynamic. Everything else was a compromise, but I have ended up with a pair of Coincident speakers that satisfy me in that way (Super Eclipse III's). I also like listening relatively loud, though not to the same music you mentioned. These speakers do a fine job and are lightening fast and dynamic (though, again, horns are in a different league there, though these come close). Of what you mentioned, the only ones I've liked and would have thought fit your criteria very well are offerings by Vienna Acoustics (their Beethoven's and Motzarts come to mind as very good choices).

Good luck!

Jax2,

I have a lot of equipment.

Amps - Bryston SST, Lexicon LX-7, Anthem MCA-20, Krell KAV-300i

Receivers - B&K AVR507S2, Denon AVR2807

Processors - Lexicon MC-1 V4, Krell Showcase (not working)

Budget is around $2k for the front speakers.

I have heard Khorns and La Scala's. There were quite dynamic but something about the horns just did not sit right with me. Hard to explain.

I have been to CEDIA and CES over 10 times each but unfortunately just don't have time to listen much as I am usually working the entire time.

Waste no more time. Go Directly to JBL Everest speakers. They were in the RMAF Kimber room, hope you took a listen. If not, take a leap of faith. Visually they will take your breath away. You may think of these as HT stuff, but in the right room, two channel will never be better. Yes, they are horn's plus. So, stop fooling around and just get the best.

Amps - Bryston SST, Lexicon LX-7, Anthem MCA-20, Krell KAV-300i

You may have lots of gear, but it's all solid state, all muscle amps. I would definitely not pair any of those with Khorns or Lascalas so if your impressions were with those kinds of amps I can understand your reaction. Even if not, I do get that horns are not everyone's cup-o-joe. No need to explain the preference further. There are very few SS amps I've heard making music I'd like to listen to with Khorns (McIntosh does a fine job though for some reason, and I'm sure there are some others, but in general it is a challenging match-up IMO, and more often than not tends to sound harsh or shouty to my ears).

Have you thought of putting tubes in the mix somewhere? Perhaps a tube pre with HT bypass? Or perhaps using SS amps known more for their finesse with music than for their muscle (Pass, Ayre, Plinius, etc)? It may be something worth considering if you want to put any kind of stress on 2-channel music listening. That's not to harsh your amp selection...but I could certainly think of better choices for music. That said, I've heard some older Krell amps sounding really great with Martin Logan speakers. I can't recall the combination as this was many years ago. The only amp I have any exposure to that you own is the Bryston (I think I've heard their 3 and 7). It's fine, but not something that particularly would float my boat for music.

go 'ohm' and don't come back.