The search among the great ones - 20k+ speakers

I would include the Revel Salon2's as well. I don't own them but I just read the June '08 review and they seem like they belong in this group of fine speakers.

Melchor -

How about going active:

http://www.atcloudspeakers.co.uk/scm100slat.php

(or, if looks doesn't matter much you'd save money with this variant: http://www.atcloudspeakers.co.uk/scm100aslpro.php)

http://www.whathifi.com/review/scm-100a

A good DAC with a build-in volume control(a la Bel Canto's DAC3.5, or the likes), and you're up an running with an extremely capable, simple, and reasonably priced system.

I would add to your impressive list the TAD CR1's (and not just because I sell them).

They present a tremendous amount of detail woven throughout the spectrum, yet are not bright, brittle, fatiguing, thin or mechanical sounding.

Either tube or solid state can yield very natural results. I get to hear live acoustic instruments from up close on a regular basis and the CST beryllium driver delivers many of those qualities I hear live.

Another thing it excels at is taking average or lesser recordings and revealing so much information that they will sound like an audiophile recording. I've heard pedestrian recordings on outstanding cutting edge systems (that are great with stellar recordings), just kind of lay there. Back at my system those average recordings come to life with inner detail, vitality, complexity, drama and naturalness.

Best of luck in your search for a reference speaker.

>>10-22-11: Emailists
I would add to your impressive list the TAD CR1's (and not just because I sell them).<<

Oh, I'd bet that has something to do with it.

Every one of your posts is about something you sell.

You are all over the board, the Maestro's are ~$50k, and the 800's are like $24k.

All are good speakers in their own right, but you need to go listen to them as you will be the one living with them!

I have heard the 800's, VS 7's (don't like these at all) the Burmester, and Focal.

I went with the Sasha W/P's though the Focal Maestro's were my other choice, YMMV......... I didn't hear the Rockports until after I had pulled the trigger on the Sasha's but they would have been in the running, not sure which way I would have gone as Rockport makes some insanely good speakers.