Road trip to demo $10,000 speakers

@ieales I interpreted your post to mean you recorded and mixed Al J...well that is astounding....I set about building my own digital and analog rack to push myself , learn but also know what the feeds sound like....keeps me from chasing my tail....Ruby is certainly great also....
I am a Vandersteen fanboy...since 1977 chasing time and phase and doing it scientifically.....but again I own and listen to other gear, including panels.....including the vaunted “ squids”as you call them!

Mike the OP - i think you will find your room sounds better than most...get some natural diffration in those book shelves, rugs, java tables, art, etc..most audiophile dedicated rooms are sterile beyond belief including the forest of reflective gear planted between speakers and a barrier to actually using the turntable...

i think you should add The Vandersteen Treo CT to your list, yes I do own them, so factor that in...
might I suggest you keep the DQ 10 also...persue a slow do it your self to learn rebuild program..start w caps and ridding yourself of the Piezo honker, go from there....every now and then sub them in to your system and learn to listen critically vs whatever it is you settle in on

my two cents..

have fun

    VAndersteen

I interpreted your post to mean you recorded and mixed Al J

yes

...since 1977 chasing time and phase and doing it scientifically...

As were recording studios. Our large monitors were designed for the room, set and aligned with precision that would make most audiophiles envious. Ditto small monitors on stands to orient in 3d. Phase and time aligned for the best imaging. Coherence was king.

And manufacturers. Deane Jensen transformers and mic pre’s using them designed for minimum group delay. Rupert Neve, George Massenberg, Roger Nichols, Alan Sides et al all trying to bring the same sound to both sides of the glass.

For the technically inclined, this was interesting reading. It’s a 14-part series on designing a recording console from the early 80’s. http://www.vintagewindings.com/gen%20pop/8299543VW8335/ProAudio1/Steve%20Dove%20Console%20Design.pdf

Most systems totally destroy the imaging and layering crafted into the mixes. Some denigrate pop recordings because they are not the same as an acoustic live performance. They were never intended to be!! Any system that can unravel the references mentioned can handle ANY other program be it opera, full orchestra, mono 40’s big band, acoustic anything with aplomb.

Salesmen, reviewers and audiophiles blather on about balance, focus, imaging never having heard a system that can reproduce what’s actually on the disc.

Most playback is so unbelievably and egregiously incoherent as to be unlistenable. The brain can easily adjust for frequency anomalies but it has no delay lane or early machine to time align the foot’s point* with the heft* when they arrive asynchronously.
* point is beater hitting head and heft is the ’weight’ of the sound of a kick drum. We often took the front head off and stuffed the bottom with a packing blanket to achieve the desired sonics. Selected mic placed [angle and distance] with precision rivalling cartridge alignment. Different drummer, drum, head, studio all required specific mic and treatment. Good systems easily delineate the differences.

...most audiophile dedicated rooms are sterile beyond belief including the forest of reflective gear planted between speakers and a barrier to actually using the turntable...

a-effing-men!

Jon Dalhquist knew that It’s not the frequency. It’s the time!

@ieales...right on !!!!!

I was at axpona in march and I was looking to spend about $10k on speakers I mean why not? the banks giving .1% on my money, well that lame a$$ excuse was enough to get my wife on board. I didn't care for most of the big speakers in the hotel rooms and loved the little 2 ways. My 3 make that 4 favorite rooms were Neat acoustics, fugly little things that sound musical, Magnepan and Carver also sounded good in the small rooms and the little $20,000 Raidho was amazing. I ended up buying a pair of Revel Salon2's used but they need power and room to breathe. I believe when we get up to $5k with speakers the listening room becomes the most significant factor in how a system is going to sound and that's why I buy used. What happens if after spending 3 days listening to the best on offer you pull the trigger on a pair and they don't jel with your room? I guarantee the salesman will say they need time to break in. Once you pick the speakers you like GET an in home demo!