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Best used speakers under $10000

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Here is the type of sound I like:

1. A tad bit warm while still having a lot of punch (nothing muddled about it)
2. Vocals (Diana Krall, John Mayer etc) have a level of cleanliness to it
3. Guitar (Gipsy kings, Jesse cook) sound airy without being lean
4. Speakers can fill a medium to large room (16’x16’x9’) even at modest volume and sitting on my sofa (9 ft away from speakers), I feel engulfed by the sound. Key is even at moderate volume.
5. It may be related to my first point above; forgiving of average source (eg high quality Spotify streaming, which isn’t that high quality after all )

Based on reading a lot of threads on Audiogon I have selected the following
1. Dynaudio Contour 60 - I haven’t listened to Contour 60 but 8 years ago had one of the best listening sessions on C1
2. Focal Sopra 2
3. Vandersteen Quattro Wood CT - though their size won’t pass WAF
4. PMC Twenty5.26
5. ATC SCM40
6. Proac Response D48R
7. Wilson Audio Sabrina
8. KEF Reference 3

From a WAF I want to keep height < 45” and width < 12”.

While outside my budget, I am wondering if I also include Joseph Audio Pearl3 (though very rarely available) and Vandersteen Carbon 5A (size is too large). 


I am currently in an assignment in Sydney and back in NY in Nov. So will be able to audition many of these then. Meanwhile I wanted to get opinions here.
marrduk24
ddafoe
259 posts
 
I thought the Spendor D9 suggestion was a good one as well.  Anyway, sorry if I just made this harder rather than easier, and best of luck in finding the right speaker.

A  +1 on the D9 recommendation.

I think they hit all 5 requirements right on, and specifically 1) to 3).
To my ears they have a beautiful mid-range centric sound (I purchased the D9 after listening to Harbeths) and they also love to boogie...

twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,320 posts
 
If you possibly can, try to listen to *both* the D9 and the Classic 100, and see which one you prefer.  A lot of what you list in the OP sounds like Classic 100 to me.
ejr1953
918 posts
 
I have a pair of Sopra No2's in a 24x26' room and have no plans to change, love the sound of the Focal's!  I've had some of my audio buddies over for some "ear candy" and all of them comment about the clarity of the midrange.
I would recommend the Dynaudio Confidence C2's (or C4's, which are sometimes offered around the budget you mentioned).  Though they do sound quite different than the Sopra's, it was one of the other speakers I really liked when I was doing my last search.
philjolet's avatar
philjolet
2,306 posts
 
the TAS review of the Rockport Atria is a rave

just saying...
marrduk24 OP
36 posts
 
@soix thanks for those suggestions. I actually did have D9 in my list originally. I am going to add that back. Given I now have 9 on my list and it is going to be challenging to audition all of them (let alone control for source gear), I will have to prune my list. 

Another complexity is that in the last 7 years we have moved thrice.  So the speakers can’t be fussy in terms of placement.

i might also do Axpona in April. Feels like a good way to listen to these and more. 
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