Seeking Speaker Recommendations


Greetings,

I've been away from the hobby for quite a while, but am now ready to slowly edge my way back in.  Many moons ago I sold my Altec Model 19's, and have never been able to find a replacement for them.  Their dynamics, their liveliness, their punch, the way they recreated the music on a grand scale.  Even at lower volumes their dynamic swings were amazing.  They sounded so lifelike.  I'm sure their measured performance was likely abysmal, but the sound they generated, to my ears, was like sitting at a performance.

Having been to the CES/Comdex show many, many times years ago, I had seen and listened to hundreds of speakers by hundreds of manufacturers.  What I liked was significantly out of my price range.  I've personally owned systems by Thiel, Von Schweikert, Martin Logan, Magnepan, Legacy, Focal, and the list goes on.  I even went to great expense and custom built a pair of Altec 604 based speakers.  All have left me wanting my old Altec 19's back.

I know they can be had today, and you can even build a "new" pair with the cabinets and drivers available, but I can no longer house a pair of speakers larger than a washer/dryer!  What I'm looking for is a small to medium sized floor-standing speaker, preferably under $3,000/pair, that will recreate that Altec Model 19 magic.  I assume it would have to be high efficiency and horn based.

Can anyone kindly recommend a system that might come close to what I'm seeking?

Thanks!!
seadweller
How about re-visiting one of the Audio Show for first hand listening experience to a wide variety of speakers and gear. 

AXPONA in April and LAAS in June coming up. 


The DCM Time Windows were very good speakers in their day.  I loved them.  However there's no way that they are live, as in possessing jump factor dynamics like a horn.

There ill be a speaker returning to the scene that does have the jump factor, is in a monitor size, and will play at all volume levels without break up.  They also have a very details sound without harshness.  They will be coming out soon.  The speakers will be made by the same guy that designed the extremely well reviewed SP Tech Timepiece speakers and others with the similar technology involved.  The new Aether Audio Spirit I speakers have less than a 2 cubic ft. cabinet, but use a wide, but shallow throat waveguide on the tweeter.  It also has a powerful 7" woofer.  I've heard the speakers that Bob Smith designed and I can tell you that you WILL NOT WANT for dynamics with this speaker because they have it in spades.  The amount of small details that are heard will match most ESL speakers.  And the best news is they will cost around $2000.


dorkwad:  Regarding the dynamic range of the TW's: Steve Eberbach tested them by using a bridged pair of Ampzilla's (800 watts) and dropping a tonearm/cartridge onto an LP at FULL gain! 
Not to be ignorant, roberjerman, but what does doing that prove about the speakers dynamic sound?