Searching for the most "accurate" speaker (below 15K)

Quad ESL - fast, natural, accurate

and you can also use them to electrocute flying insects!

If you want accurate speakers - someone mentioned the Emminent Technologies - but without the subwoofer, the new Carver ALS would be around 15K.  Though tall, they are very thin and sound good in both small and larger rooms.  TAS menyioned how very similar in the midrange they sound (but better!) compared to the ETs.

The Carvers at $15k, the Eminent Technology at $2499---one sixth the price. The $12,501 difference will buy a swarm of nice subs! Or a whole lotta music.

- for a "classical" direct reflecting, beautiful speaker, no doubt about the XTZ Divine Alpha - as    good as BW800D3 - about the best speaker under 10k, and worth double - not efficient
- scale, transparence, dynamic, presence, in your face, room filling envelopping sound Tannoy Legacy Arden
- for an efficient, ultra transparent/accurate, ultra dynamic and ultra capable speaker, Tannoy GRF (new versions) - normal price is US23,000, but you can get them for less 15k -  If you get this, prepared to be shocked (coming from a guy using Westminster GR)

It is refreshing to read the Tannoy name appearing in these discussion pages. Worthwhile remembering is that Tannoy have been producing loudspeakers since 1926. They must know something about this stuff!

For those who care about such things, Tannoy is neither fashionable nor trendy, and most definitely unsexy! But have a listen anyway. Tannoy  have more or less global representation, and a dealer should be relatively easy to find. You may like what you hear.

If shopping vintage is your taste, one of the best values is the late '90s Tannoy Churchill. Produced in limited numbers, I have seen lightly used examples go for well under $10K.  A steal!

Lastly, (and this is really going back!) do some reading on IMF, a mid 70's company among the first to successfully bring the transmission line speaker to market. http://www.imf-electronics.com/Home
Pioneered by the late Irving 'Bud' Fried, IMF's boasted a flat frequency responce which was as linear as I have ever seen. 'Accuracy' was not only graphically represented but also accoustically.  And because of the TL design, the bass was clean and true down to the nether reaches (depending on the model size). Not as musical as Tannoy IMO, but a classic in its' own right. They are out there.

Good luck on your search.