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
pokey77 > I am at the point that I want to find the synergy and do the "give me it all" option. I don't want to experiment… , I just want to get it as good as I can and start enjoying. I'm some ways from making any choic….

blindjim > man! Do I hear that! As usual, huge gratitude.

I’m hung up on what I want as the power line and what could be eual or better than that for the power train of my system.

By the time I’m ready & able, they’ll have chips we can have imbedded into our physiology that will produce live concert experiences and we can download anywhere at anytime.

I feel I’d very much like to go with VAC sig preamp and to start with, one 200 IQ amp. Immediately, this is a bit more than a drop in the bucket no matter . how deep the pockets. $42K MSRP. Add another 200 I Q? $14K mor to get to 200wpc from the 100 wpc stereo amp. The 2nd amp is of course, an option.

An alternative view here is using only the VAC sig pre with ??? SS or hybrid amp (s). Master Audio’s Classsic is around the VAC amp cost. PSA BHK 300 amps are similarly priced as the ‘Classic’. Haggle, Vitas, and others in that range are considerations. Even the Boulder 800 series amp, constellation entry level amp, and even on an older brand loyalty frame, BATs latest 655? Is still on the list.

I’ve found a component of speaker and amp combinating is the actual ‘control’ of the drivers using at least, or more than sufficient watts. There is IMHO a notable improvement in SQ and all of its respects. Usually.

It seems regardless the sonic quality coming from the speaker, more often than not, an ‘as’ compentnt amp with more power sounds better. This is of course, plus or minus tube power vs. SS power. It is a better or more fair comparison to look from SS to SS as most tube amps simply don’t always come in the option of 300, 400, 500, or more wpc. As well, SS watts are far cheaper.

Hearing your accounts of what IMO is minimal power of 75wpc as applied to the speakers you point out, is not too surprising, as I don’t know of the listening levels achieved, yet as said, feel mo’ watts would be better. Keeping the same or closely similar quality in the more powerful amp.

In any event quality power equates to quality results. Everytime. Everytime so far in my EXP. The idea of the PL power adds another bolt of zest as does another amp matching you mentioned previously.

I do very much like the idea of coming out of this without having to drop $20 - $25K on speakers and would prefer, in spite of the boring run in periods for new one, buy new speakers, not used. $20K + speakers would have hidden costs as I’m likely gonna want to go see them first and theres that fee too.

Oil well. Hearing your exp has been quite beneficial as it usually is with any actual personal experiences from private owners.

@blindjim 

I have not heard VAC in a good setting but get that they can sound great on the right speaker. Kinda out of my ballpark cost wise.

You wrote: "Hearing your accounts of what IMO is minimal power of 75wpc as applied to the speakers you point out, is not too surprising, as I don’t know of the listening levels achieved, yet as said, feel mo’ watts would be better. Keeping the same or closely similar quality in the more powerful amp". I can tell you the first time I heard this was the ARC GSi75 integrated and it sounds like it has many more than 75 WPC. Myself and others in that room couldn't believe the authority with which it played the Sabrina's. I've only heard at moderate but toe-tapping volumes and all I can say is wow.

You mention Hegel and I like their sound. I heard at three of their products at LAAS: a very nice combo was the $6k integrated with internal DAC paired with KEF Blade 2s. Very nice. Maybe not ARC/Sabrina good but very nice and not fatiguing or outlandish. Just nice music reproduction. They had a demo where they played their new Rost Integrated, switched to the H360 Integrated with built in DAC, then to their reference separates; all with the KEF Blade 2. There was much greater difference between the Rost and the H360 than between the H360 and the reference separates. Was a great demo.

You mentioned Constellation. I've heard some of their gear in an unfamiliar situation. Would like to hear their entry-level integrated paired with Sabrina's or Vandersteen. As you wrote, "In any event quality power equates to quality results. Everytime.". Very much agreed. Heard a friends very nice T+A components work wonders on some Craigslist $300 speakers (don't recall manufacturer). Really, a system is only as good as its weakest link. A $100k pair of speakers with a $1k integrated will sound like the cheap integrated. Not that you have to spend exorbitant sums of $$$, but you need to spend a decent sum to get there. The difference to me in systems in the $5-15k total cost range vs $30-45k systems is huge. Kinda wish I had never heard the more expensive offerings!

@pokey77
Don’t look!! stay out of the big room!!! Always.

Did I hear you say the haegel monos were akin to the sound of older Levinson amps?

Although I’ve heard the Levinson amps sound very nice, they’ve always seemed to polite to my ears. I like the older Krell AB amps better…. Almost. Krell can be a bit strident up top depending on the upstream gear and accessories.

I had a KAV 250 with a Sony ES HT receiver as preamp, and some BW and Monitor audio Gold series speakers until I sprang for the KAV preamp. It sure calmed the Krell amp way down to a more civilized presentation. This was prior to my being convinced wires do matter. .

Another pr of Phase Technology speakers came on board, then another pair but those were Floor standers. Tuff 2ohm loads. BAT vk500 replaced the Krell. VR4 JRs evicted the monitor Audios.

The Thor MK II pre and Dodd monos chased the BAT vk5 & VK500, and a pair of Silverline Sonata IIIs took over the speaker duties.

Its tuff for me to stray far from where I feel the sound actually occurs. At the source and within the amp (s). its where I default to put the largest part of the investment. Thereafter, the better I can manage with speakers, the better things ‘should’ be.

I’d always rather have more ahead of the speakers than in the speakers themselves, ‘if’ I have to choose how to split up the funds.

Heard many of the big rooms........... Since they are so far outside my budget,  no problem. It is the $30-45k total-cost systems that get me dreaming and thinking............

I have not heard the Hegel monos but have heard the reference stereo amp.
How can a cheap $15,000 speaker like the   Vandy Quatro Wood CT be #1 ???

Something that ...ahem... "inexpensive" do better than speakers which cost 3x or 5x as much?