Considering a POSSIBLE replacement for speakers. Opinions?


Upfront, this isn't for Home Theater, just two floor standing speakers and a separate subwoofer. So there is full disclosure. The speakers I am considering replacing are 2008 Monitor Audio Silver RS8's.

Sadly, unlike the Neolithic Era of high end audio, it can be very hard to find a brick and mortar store to visit, listen and compare individual components. That's the way it was done waaay back in the day
 Now, comparisons seem easiest to get by asking questions like this and finding a consensus. So, if you were looking to replace 12 year old speakers that are highly regarded for their day, what are some brands you'd consider without losing your mind and deciding you need $4,000 speakers? And thanks as always.

j
stereoisomer
Post removed 
IMHO, after chasing that perfect sound for 3 decades now, I have found a brand that seems very forgiving no matter that amp/ pre amp. Sonus Faber. 
At that price point, it's a no-brainer to go with the Linkwitz LX521.   Not even close.  Mind you, it's a DIY project that will take some research on your part to learn about them and the amplification choices, but this is a loudspeaker system that does NOT require a sub-woofer and images exceptionally well.  It takes you into the land of open baffle loudspeakers, tri-amplification and DSP EQ.  They compare well to the big MBL loudspeakers which retail at $70,000+.

Do your homework.   You won't find them on the used market.   People build them and love them.  This would be the very last loudspeaker you would ever purchase.  Read about them at The Linkwitz Lab website.

If you're not brave enough to do that, then seriously consider the SEAS Thor kit from Madisound.    The bare kit costs $2231.40.  Madisound has a cabinet maker they work with who will build them and have them shipped to your door for about $1000 more if you're not brave enough to build them yourself.   There is a used pair on US Audio Mart. 

This is a design that is extremely similar to the Joseph Audio Perspective 2 Graphene, which retails for $13,000.   Both are transmission line enclosures which used SEAS Excel drivers.

As someone else wrote, the Monitor Audio Silver 300's are the new model version of yours, if you like Monitor Audio Speakers. I have a pair of Silver 500's and I really like them .They are the same speakers but with 8" woofers instead of 6". For some people the 500's might have too much bass and they prefer the 300's.