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Next step up from Acoustic Zen Crescendo II's

I have had my Acoustic Zen Crescendo II’s for over three years now and am getting the itch to upgrade. They sound phenomenal and I have zero complaints but the desire for the next best thing is hitting me hard. There has not been a speaker under $30k I’ve found that makes me want to move them. I have no issue replacing them with a $30k to $40k speaker but looking for feedback. Considering my preference for the Crescendo’s the logical move would be the AZ Maestro’s but I believe they are now $47k which is stretching my budget. I am thinking Wilson, possibly Focal, Paradigm Persona or EgglestonWorks to name a few. Looking for an upgrade not a lateral move. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Ancillary gear is:
Lumin X1 Rega P10Luxman EQ-500 phono pre
Luxman C-900u preamp(2) Luxman M-900u amps (mono)
Cardas Clear Beyond XLR's & spkr cblAudioquest Hurricane power cables
128x128everestaudio
soix
9,002 posts
 
What improvements are you looking for and what sound characteristics are most important to you?
verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio
1,470 posts
 
I am a HUGE fan of Acoustic Zen.  Awesome speakers.  

I would second @soix question.  Also, how big is your room?  How far do you sit from the speakers?  What type of music do you listen too?  Aesthetcally, do you have any limitations or are you open to more interesting speakers?

There are a ton of great speakers in this price range. There are some that will definitely be an upgrade.  Just need to find the right one for your taste.  Obvious brands to start with are Raidho and Audiovector but there are many more like Vivid, Wilson Benesch, MBL (though your amps are low in power for MBLs) that are amazing and worth considering.  


everestaudio's avatar
everestaudio OP
17 posts
 
@soix Looking for deeper bass and more punch in the mid-bass. This could be missing because I am on a concrete floor under carpet. So larger drivers would probably solve this.

@verdantaudio My room is 14x25 with 8' ceiling. I set about 8 feet from speakers. I listen to rock, folk, jazz, and vocals for the most part. I don't have any limitations aesthetically but do prefer a speaker that is not too "odd" looking if that makes sense.

I would need to go with a speaker that would be easy to unload without a huge loss if I didn't like them. The brands you mentioned are questionable on resale market. MBL's need more than 600 wpc?
soix
9,002 posts
 
Have you thought about adding a couple good subs or, even better, a Swarm?  That might give you everything you’re looking for and be much cheaper as well.  Just a thought. 
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