Is $3000 pushing the limits for a geat monitor??

Check out Volent speakers. I will also second the Evolution Acoustic speakers for an endorsement. One of the biggest mistakes out there is that people don't pair these less costly speakers with great gear. Looking forward to seeing where you land.

To Afterhours. Maybe,I missed something in your response above, but what brand and model are you referring of the monitor that was $2K outstanding" You auditioned it at Wavetouch Audio in Los Angeles. Could you please clarify

BTW JMReynaud website page "could not be found" via the Audiogon directory of manufacturers

Sunny,

The JM Reynaud speaks are tremendous as well as many others i.e. Tonian labs, Audiomachina and several other little discussed brands that, at the top of their line are as realistic and pure as the rest of the best on earth. Point is there are many superb, esoteric brands that are out of reach at the price point you're shooting for. I have had exposure to many world-class speakers including monitors through the years as have many others here, but very few under $10k speakers that are actually tremendous in my opinion. There are great VALUES to be had but very few truly great speakers in the four digit range, in my opinion. The cost to get there for a manufacturer is just too high. I don't mean to sound erudite but many here would agree with me. That being said I rarely get excited in the sub $10k range let alone sub $5k (although as I said there are many great values) so when I heard and subsequently now own a pair of newly designed Wavetouch Grand Teton Monitors (GEN 2's) my previously stated loudspeaker price to performance ratio experience was genuinely affected. Direct to consumer manufacturer's explain the greater values that are available these days but doesn't get me closer to why these $2k little speaks from a small company in L.A. (hardly on the radar) are as good as they are. There is something to his frontal (apparatus) but not until he began experimenting with tandem wire gauge choices (blending gauges), directionality of everything and getting more deeply involved the the synergy of the internal minutia did things begin to go beyond the the ordinary of potential. He is very transparent as a person and explained his journey and openness to learning etc. I should leave it there. I know nothing of how this guy does business through the mail but the power of these little speakers to communicate the essence of the recording goes well beyond great value...in my experience.

Cheers

After_hrs, thanks for the tip on Wavetouch. This pretty exciting news because I now live in a much smaller apartment and my 6' speakers plus dual subwoofers do not fit

I am in Los Angeles, too, and will be checking them out sometime in the next few weeks.

Darkmoebius,

For a small apartment these would be awesome... but they don't sound small, they have an enormous sound stage presentation.

I've got a few hundred hours on this pair and they are incredibly truthful, accurate, and revealing without the least bit of ear fatigue. In fact the body and weight to each note literally hangs (front to back) within a huge sound stage that seems limitless. I'm using a 160 watt mosfet and strictly digital playback that with these speakers has all the naturalness and sound stage layering of great vinyl...No exaggeration.

BTW I noticed that Wavetouch is selling a new pair of G2's that has a small ding on the front for 1/2 price on the L.A. CL.

Cheers