You really must listen to a pair of GoldenEar Aons before you buy. Depending on room size you could go with the larger Aon3s for $1K/pair or the Aon2s for $800/pair. I heard the Aon3s just this past February at a high end open house, and they impressed the hell out of me. That's saying something given that I'd just heard a demo of the new Wilson Alexia. The Aons have the dynamics, sensitivity, and bass extension of a small floor stander (real bass into the 30s), but the clarity and imaging of a standmount (which they are). They also have a very sophisticated folded ribbon tweeter with response out to around 40Khz, and the air and transparency that go with it. Unlike most piston tweeters, however, these ribbons give you treble with all the detail and air with none of the overshoot, ringing, or harshness we often hear with it.
There are many rave reviews out there about these speakers. I can't get them out of my mind. They have the inert cabinets, the speed, clarity, and transparency of much more expensive minimonitors, while also having greater sensitivity and bass extension than is typical of the genre. Easy to find locally, too.
There are many rave reviews out there about these speakers. I can't get them out of my mind. They have the inert cabinets, the speed, clarity, and transparency of much more expensive minimonitors, while also having greater sensitivity and bass extension than is typical of the genre. Easy to find locally, too.