Speaker Suggestions $30K Sasha DAW competitor?

I was looking in that price range a few years ago.

Had Wilson Watt/Puppy 7's, which have the same tweeter as the Sasha 1's.

The contenders were:

Von Schweikert VR 44's and 55's, YG Haley 2's, Sasha DAW's, Rockport Avia 2's, Magico A5's, Marten's forget the model, and Joseph Audio either Perspective 2 or the top of the line.

Bottom line ended up with 2 systems, featuring the Magico A5 in one and the Joseph Audio Pulsar 2 Graphene in the other.

In short:

The Schwekert's were too pricey and not as good.

Sasha DAW's not transparent enough (the new Alex V and Alexia V use newer tweeters and midrange that the DAW does not have and are fantastic, both too expensive for me).

The Marten I like is too expensive (Coltrane 3).

Rockports are warmer in tone, I had no local dealer so they were out.

YG also no local dealer and the Haley was more expensive than the other 2 speakers I bought, combined.  

I love the A5, competitive in sound to my buddy's hot off the press Alexia V, at 1/3 the cost.  He agrees.

The Pulsar 2 is also fantastic, but a "smaller" sound which slightly favors mid and high frequencies.  I think the bigger Joseph models would give more bass in a larger room.

The PS Audio is interesting, but I haven't heard it.  The review in TAS is worthless: Cordesman as a reviewer has always written in generalities and never really describes what something sounds like.  He's been like that for 30+ years - I discount anything he says.

Hope that helps.

+1

Audition extensively the A5 against Haley 2. Was hard to accept, but the A5 were better at 1/2 the price. I skipped the Rockport, they are too soft for my taste.

New KMD Orchestralls Reference speakers $30K From South Korea

 KMD 700R

Best speakers we have ever heard

www.kmdeng.co.kr/KMD/en/elementor-1042/

I contacted Paul McGowan at PS about some of the covid related comments mentioned above.  Here is his response.

"No that is no longer true (but it was).

We require visitors to be masked. Not vaccinated.

I would suggest listening to the Dali Epicon 8 speakers.  They are relatively tall at 50 inches with the stands.  They have a 29mm textile dome tweeter with a 55mm ribbon and they sound smooth and accurate IMHO.  The 6.5 inch mid is above the tweeters which really helps raise/expand the soundstage, like the more expensive Wison speakers. The two 8inch woofers create very natural sounding bass and the speakers are rated at 112 db.  I do use JL subs because my room is on the large size. And lastly they are gorgeous in the walnut or ruby macassar finishes.  Cost is about $25k. Hope you find a satisfactory solution.