What used speaker would you buy with $20,000-$35,000 and why?


I'm closer to the 20,000 part, but if I get stretched i would like to know higher recommendations. Remember, this is on the used market - not retail. I'm even interested if you think I should make a huge jump (say to 50,000), but I want to know what justifies that jump. I'd like the best bang for the buck and even the worse bang for the buck. Are there speaker lines that are totally overlooked that sound wonderful in this price range that I need to be exposed to? I may go higher, but lets start there.

PS Let's just assume the upstream equipment is adequate to drive any recommended speaker. We are not limited by upstream components.
Ag insider logo xs@2xnab2
What: TANNOY Kingdom Royals (used )

Why: do NOT just rely on their stellar reviews, make the effort to actually audition them.

when you do audition them, it is quite apparent that you are in the presence of something quite special

Eg. http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue64/tannoy_royal.htm


If you have the room for them, forget the used journey
and get Magnepan 20.7s and apply the difference
to your source and amplification chain.......around 13K
90% of the way to the 20.7s are the 3.7i's at around 6K

You can attempt to do better, but you won't..........

I also cast a vote for the Linkwitz 521, but the multichannel
discrete aspect makes it a difficult speaker.....plus you have
to build it yourself.......
I have entertained the Magnepan's. I'd like to set them up A/B in my room with my speakers. Before I pull the trigger on this I'm fixing the room dynamics (in part by stiffening up the floor and removing the carpet). It's a near perfect cuboid, but the structure behind the walls and underneath the floor is lacking (listening room is in part of the old house).

Only downside of shows is that it's all cutting edge stuff not used stuff like I'm asking about here. A slightly used high end car generally drives pretty close to a new one at a fraction of the price. Electronic gear is even closer due to the nature of electronic components.
I'd say in most cases, especially ss amps and preamps that holds very true......speakers are all over the map, there's a 30K pair of Martens on GON for 12900......will they beat a pair of Mag 20's in most categories?  no.......so does that mean they're overpriced?  who's to say.......most would say new Maggies are severely underpriced........

So what do you get with Maggies that others can't touch:

There's a definite sense of space around instruments that create an eerie realness and it's primarily a function not only of speed, but also dipole dispersion that's close to perfect.....instruments on a stage create a lot of their image by reflecting off the back wall as well as directly and dynamic speakers with a few exceptions just don't reach that element.....

The downside has always been the low end, but the 20.7s pretty much negate even that argument if you feed them what they want, which is a lot of SS watts with high current, coupled with a great tube preamp......

I've owned 30K speakers......I now own 6K speakers......

Give them a chance if you can deal with their size......they're very forgiving in terms of placement.......some listeners even listen to them with the edge of the panel facing them.......LOL


I would try some Grado PS1000e headphones for a paltry $1,700 and see if they satisfy your musical needs. Amazing sound there, IMHO.