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Looking for speaker recommendations

I retired a couple of years ago and as a hobby have become a bit of an audiophile.  I need some speaker advice from those of you who know more than I. 

I listen mostly to classical and jazz. System is on most of the day for background music.  I do more critical listen from 8-10 in the evening at low volume (50-60 db.)


Been buying and selling gear and my current system is a Mac computer, Teac UD-301 DAC/preamp, Classe CT-2300 amp, Vandersteen 2CE signature speakers. My listening space is a 20 X 18 foot living room with cathedral ceilings. Due to WAF restrictions, the stereo system is in a corner of the room with the speakers 10 feet apart, directed at my listening chair that is 12 feet away.  


The Vandys sound nice but I suspect they are too directional for my listening space and style.  I am looking for a speaker that has a more fuller sound stage and will fill the room with sound. Speakers will need to have a better WAF than the Vandys. (Wife does not like the black socks on the Vandys.)


I prefer to buy used and am looking in the $2-5K range.


My current short-list for speakers is-

Legacy-Signature SE

DeVore-Gibbon X


Any advice/recommendations would be appreciated.



2tuby
caphill
680 posts
 
@2tuby 

I wouldn't get the Classe CT-SSP/SSP 800 av preamp surround processor if I were you. The CT-SSP does not have a USB input. It does have HDMI, spdif (coax digital audio), and optical digital (Toslink) inputs. Lacking USB input can be troublesome if you want to connect your computer to stream music files. 
Don't get me wrong the CT-SSP/SSP 800 sounded great for two channels but I would wait and get a stereo preamp/DAC or a DAC + stereo preamp. From time to time I spotted a Classe CP 800 stereo preamp/DAC here on Audiogon. This one has USB DAC input and will perform better than the CT-SSP/SSP 800. 

There are also countless other options out there as far as the DAC/preamp options. PS Audio Direct Stream DAC is awesome and has built-in volume control / preamp and recently there are quite a few of them offered for sale here on Agon. This will even be better than the Classe CP 800 stereo preamp/DAC.

Benchmark also makes spectacular sounding DAC for the money and they have built-in volume control as well. 
bache's avatar
bache
551 posts
 
@2tuby 
  
I have couple model to nice working in you room and feet you 
budget . Tribeca-001 and Urban-001. You can listen  Staten Island
any time
2tuby's avatar
2tuby OP
36 posts
 
I will start looking at DACs.

Thank you all for your sage advice.  
jacob483
1 posts
 
Anything from Focal's Aria series is quite nice, I currently have a pair of Aria 906's that run around 1500/pair. They are standmounters but if you're into full range their tower speakers from the same series are wonderful. Very airy highs with lean but punchy bass. 
gdnrbob
4,506 posts
 
@2tuby,
You should definitely reach out to John Rutan at Audioconnection (that is his tag here on Agon, should you want to pm him). He is in Verona NJ, so near NYC.
He knows just about all the manufacturers and can give you lots of free advice, with no hard sell.

Bob
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