Speaker Recommendation: 20K range

Ever consider the Sanders 10e speakers
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/sanders-model-10e-hybrid-electrostatic-loudspeaker/
Electrostatic speakers are just so quick and clean sounding. Try and have a listen.

I like the Sanders and the Tekton speakers sonically; however, they are directional and not appealing for an off axis, wide listening experience.  I had to get rid of my Martin Logan Monolith IIIs because my wife used to listen with me and that was not pleasant for one of us (the one not in the center).  So, with they being said, yes electrostatic speakers with big amps work well.

Guys

I have a quite a few amps and 11 speakers - 2 bryston 4bsst2’s, a bryston 4b3, an ML 533H and the MC452 for amps, and various B&W and ML speakers - b/c I am running an 11.2 multichannel HT system via an Anthem AVM60, in addition to 2 channel for music. To date I have not compared any of my other speakers to the Kantas, but that just changed..

So my ML 533H normally drives a pair of B&W CM 10S2s and a CMC2 center - yesterday I altered the hookup a bit and I now have the CM10 S2 speakers also connected to my C2600 preamp, by connecting the C2600 to the ML533H. I hooked things up this way just in case I wanted to listen to music using 4 instead of 2 speakers.

Today I listened to music from my Lumin/C2600 and both the MC452 and ML533H - so out of 4 speakers - the Kantas and CM10S2s.

I did a test - I powered off the MC452 and just listened to the CM10 S2’s out of the Lumin/C2600.

And I was hard pressed to find a significant difference between the Kantas and CM10 S2s. The only difference is that the Kantas are more sensitive and so sound louder than the CM10 S2s at a set C2600 volume level. But when I disabled the Kantas, and pumped up the volume, the CM10s sounded virtually as good as the Kantas. I doubt this is because the ML533H is better than the MC452, I think the speakers are just in the same league. Which is a massive disappointment.

Now I need to do more listening, and listening not under the influence since I am enjoying NFL sunday and drinking copious amounts of fine wine , but I think I might have stumbled onto an unexpected finding here..the Kantas at >2x the price of the B&Ws, may not be much better, if they are better at all..than the CM10 S2’s..

Oh boy..this just changed everything..I need to tread very carefully before forking over a lot of money for a new pair of speakers..I cant buy something that isnt unequivocally and indisputably better than what I have..I think this just reiterates the need for a home audition..

More to come after I do additional tests in better controlled and less intoxicated conditions..hope this is just an artifact of ethanol..but Im not so sure..I plan to compare various permutations of amp/speaker combos to confirm these initial findings..

I want something clearly better than the Kantas, but unless I do home auditions or listening at showrooms under like conditions with the same electronics, I may just end up spending 2x what I spent for the Kanta's for nothing or for negligible gain..

chandybe

Very nice gear that you own. I would be interested in reading about your impressions, thoughts on the Bryston 4B-SST2 vs. 4B3.  Then, the Bryston 4B3 vs. Mark Levinson No. 533H for comparison. 

Happy Listening!

Note that I did not pump up the volume that much - just by a few DBs..

So I do not think I fell prey to the volume trap where intensity of sound might seemingly influence or be equated with sonic quality..