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Seeking advice on Speakers that create an intimate 2 channel listening experience

So the past month I started a couple of threads on speaker choice on AVS forum (One asked for Powered/Active floor standing Speaker choices and another one around non-active FS speakers for a tube amp I was looking at).

But I've come to realize this was the wrong tact, got lots of flack much deserved and wanted to try to solicit the advice/opinions on this forum which I just discovered.

Short background...Hunkered down in a suburb just outside NYC now for the past 3-4 months, I started to get the itch for a dedicated 2 channel stereo Turntable setup in our living room in May. After much research and twists and turns and immediate upgraditis, as some know on here from other posts, I've finally settled in and now own a Rega Planar 10 Turntable. I also own a Sutherland phono --20/20 with LPS and that's staying. Right now the phono preamp is hooked up direct to a pair of ELAC ARF51 floorstanding speakers (all drivers powered by built in AB amps) which I like a lot BUT ITS HERE THAT I WANT MORE. Btw, I love the ELAC design of mounting the tweeter concentric in the mid driver -- makes sense to me.  I kinda wish ELAC would take the same design and make a reference speaker but thats for another day.

So to swap out the ELACs, I will obviously need an amp, but I will figure that out later and want to focus on getting the right speakers for me for what I want. So what do I want?

1. Floorstanders. Close to full range as possible. No subs.
2. Looks count since in my main living room.
3. Speakers that prioritize Imaging Imaging Imaging. That disappear in the room creating an intimate but 3D listening experience. Clean (Accurate) warm sound. No distortion. I would easily sacrifice low end for untiring highs and warm mids I don't listen to metal or hiphop anymore so I don't need loudness, more like lounge experience if that makes sense. Apologize if I got the adjectives wrong but its personal description of what I'm seeking.
4. Price Point - -$10k-25k. Room is 22x18 with 25 foot ceiling

I would like to audition/demo before I buy and since I live in the Tri-State area it should be possible. But I'm finding that obviously difficult to do right now. I listened to a pair of Salk speakers but didn't love them. And have an appt with the Audio Doctor in NJ in two weeks.

Thanks in advance.
aj523
aj523 OP
360 posts
 
@cleeds 
Ok I'm learning. :) Their own website refers to them as electrostatics but a diff magnet technology. Regardless, they are often compared and contrasted to ML and Soundlab.  So have you listened to compare?
johnto
983 posts
 
I heard them both to me the ML sounded much thinner than the Maggie’s. Not sure of the ML model but in the 1.7 price range made me pick the 1.7 by a lot. I have since moved up to the 3.7i.
Audio Connection also carries Maggie's.
aj523 OP
360 posts
 
As the 3 day holiday weekend here in the US closes out (beautiful weather here in the northeast), I’m spending some time setting up an excel spreadsheet on the various recommendations and where I can hear them.

So far I’ve tallied 29 different speaker choices. I had to leave out some recommendations - for example, I left out all speakers requiring stands except the Harbeths because they got the highest amount of votes -5 to be exact which is telling.

While still taking recommendations, the next cut will eliminate speakers that aren’t available to demo either at a dealer or a audiophiles home within 90 minutes of my address- meaning the metro NY, Nj, CT area is wide open. Cuomos covid response is also potentially a limiting factor.

It is wild how so many people truly believe theirs is the very best for what I’m looking for. How could 29 different speakers be the very best audio nirvana....TBC

P.S. Interestingly, some of the bigger high profile names didn’t garnish one vote, Revel and Focal and B&W come to mind.

P.S.S  And I did get one addtl VERY STRONG recommendation over at AVS forum for Wharfedale and their newest Elysian 4.


djones51
4,947 posts
 
That reminded me if you can listen to the Revel Salon 2 or Studio 2. 
aj523 OP
360 posts
 
@djones51
Yep. The Revel Salon 2 supposedly beats out every speaker time amd time again in blind tests at John Scheurmann's The Screening Room in Colorado. 
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