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2017 ‘Keeper’ speakers under - $25K

Heading towards the second half of 2017, I thought to ask here what other’s feel based on their experiences, wants or desires, exactly which recent production speakers under $25K, would be the ones you would want to marry.

Or be in a very long term fundamentally though not totally committed, relationship.

One wherein if they promise to satisfy on demand, you promise to keep them clean and sufficiently supplied with power and the purest of signals, not to leave dirty clothes on the floor, and to take the trash out daily, er, uh, regularly.

Actually, those last two items are predominately conscience driven and do not command perfect adherence.

Which speakers hands down just flat out captivated your attention, fancy, or were so compelling they made a significant impact.

In short, Speakers that have taken your breath away .

As speakers are merely one part of the ching let’s qualify things somewhat.

1. Speakers which can run very well in medium sized rooms. EX. 14 to 18ft wide, and 17 to 25ft long or deep, with ceilings from 8.5ft to 10ft H, or so.

2. If a sub was or should have been added, please, mention that as well.

3. If an Ultra high end setup, massive SS power amps, Tubes, or flea watt amps, were feeding and or driving them noting it would be appropriate.

4. Recent production since 2015. New or used.

Although it seems prudent to list only current production speakers, I know adding on the facet of pre-owned adds a lot more choices for the ‘desert island’ I got mine, you get your’s, scenario, but what the hey. It beats that 250 to 500 plus hours of run in new units usually insist upon.

If links to accounts or info on them is available, please include it.

As this is about options anyhow, let no design be excluded.

blindjim
pryso
1,967 posts
 
Jim, Janszen is an old company with a history back to the '60s.  David Janszen's father developed advancements in electrostatic panel designs for his own company as well as others, such as the famous KLH Nine full range electrostatics.  I became aware of them in the '70s when they offered a few hybrid models which appeared like other standard bookshelf speakers but utilized electrostatic mid/tweeters with dynamic cone woofers.

More recently David revitalized the company with updates to his father's basic designs.  Reviews have been offered in TAS and Positive Feedback as well as owner comments online.

None of this is to be confused with the Jensen speaker company.
blindjim OP
3,092 posts
 
 

mr_m said: …the Treos are in hard cabinets. The sub has top panels and socks.

Yeah. I was. Thank you.


, Stephan Said, Bastanis Speaker are the Best i ever heard
http://www.bastanis.de/index.php/audio/open-baffles-1/open-baffle-sagarmatha-duo

thanks much for the input. Cheers, Jim


pryso
Jim, Janszen is an old company with a history back to the '60s. David Janszen's father developed advancements in electrostatic panel designs for his own company as well as others, such as the famous KLH Nine full range electrostatics. I became aware of them in the '70s when they offered a few hybrid models which appeared like other standard bookshelf speakers but utilized electrostatic mid/tweeters with dynamic cone woofers.

Cool. Thanks a lot. Active subs on panels would be the only panel speakers that would interest me, if then. To date, IMHO, the articulation and imaging of panels is alluring, if setup well, yet they just lack the boogie factor I’m prone to lust for periodically.

I’ve been poking about online articles and user opinions regarding way too many speakers. Its confusing but enlightening.

Some names have not appeared here from other A’goners, like YG; Legacy Aries; GamuT; AZ Cresendo, Daedalus, Salk, Focal, or even Coincident.

Lots of panels, a couple horn mentions, some open baffle sorts and I must admit I’m still stuck in the mud on seeing traditional built cabinet types as hwere I’d be prone to hang my hat. Old habits die hard.

ediver
29 posts
 
I have always liked Martin-Logans (though they were always with a subwoofer, usually beyond my budget). I liked the newest, bigger Maggies.  Never ever liked Golden Tritons, I thought they were un-listenable or so restricted to a sweet spot they were worse than almost any electrostatic I have ever heard. Good dynamic speakers - Vandersteen, Wilson, etc., I usually liked (especially those two mentioned) but to me they were possibly missing just a bit that I hear from electrostatics or good ribbons. At the LA Show, I really liked the Wilson-Benesch, mbl, and liked the bigger RaidHo in previous shows (one or two away from the top), but those are all way beyond the budget the OP mentioned. 

For realism and accuracy,as well as sound stage, I liked Bob Carver's new ALS (Amazing Line Source) which are well within your budget, do wonders in a big or small room, come with a good (maybe not great) sub, and are almost infinitely configurable, as they come with an outboard cross-over (and a dynamic sub adjustment with the external sub amplifier). They are a mix of ribbons and dynamic conventional speaker cones.  They were so close, imv, to big Martin-Logans that I bought a pair from the second production run.
bmontani
193 posts
 
Really like my Thiel 3.7s.  A bargain at 16 K retail.  Now probably 6 or 7 k.  They are a great speaker.
davidclarke
43 posts
 
QUAD ESL2912 WITH 4 KEF sub-woofers and  2 Raal Ribbon Ribbon Tweeters...  
http://www.quad-hifi.co.uk/product-detail.php?pid=11

Few things can approach the transient response of an electrostatic speaker.

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