Moving to a dynamic speaker from a Electrostatic

Rleff --

Many compare electrostatic speakers with good horn dittos (the latter with better dynamics, certainly macro-wise), and though I've yet to audition them I'd recommend you look into the Oswalds Mill Audio Mini's:

http://oswaldsmillaudio.com/mini

They're healthily priced I must add (~$20k pair), and a sub is necessary if one is to expect sub-like information with true weight, but they are very interesting nonetheless.

My reason for recommending them is also that they share some similar traits, perhaps more or less vaguely so, to my own speakers, which have often been compared to panel-speakers of some sort.

First and foremost though Mr. Weiss' endeavor with OMA is highly intriguing in how it breaks with the more established hifi-approach - unfortunately more exclusively for the ones to savor with their pockets filled...

I had similar story with headphones
I can't still forget how Stax SR7 with ss driver sounded and still miss selling them.
Since that I had Sennheiser HD600, AKG K701, Beyerdynamic T72 and still miss the touch of that oustanding resolution quality of STAX.

Czar,

I have old Stax phones still that I use regularly and just added a set of Sennheiser Momentum phones, which deliver the expected Sennheiser sound out of a more portable and easy to drive package than some other Senns.

Sennheiser and Stax are two different beasts with two different sounds for sure, but I do enjoy each on their own terms in that each is VERY GOOD, but in different ways.

Headphones are interesting in that no two probably sound exactly the same, yet so many can be quite enjoyable. REinforces to me what I already believe in that there is no absolute sound. Just like there is no absolute wine, ice cream, car, woman, etc. But with headphones, there is a huge # of very good ones to choose from these days, geared towards different users.

Interesting stuff.

I think my price point will be near 15k and less.My system right now has audiovalve challenger monoblocks with kt88's and I also have a pair of roland model 6 monoblocks so I can go either way but maybe leaning to going back to solid state. I always find myself recommending Merlin speakers to people so it will probally be one I will be considering as well as Aerial, YG Acoustics, Focal, Wilson, Nola, Von Schweikert and Verity.

I would recommend that you also consider the Daedalus Ulysses, which I believe is presently just slightly above the price point you indicated. Or, if the Ulysses is too large for the space or more expensive than you would prefer, consider the smaller Athena model.

The Daedalus speakers manage to combine a rich, full-bodied, natural and unfatiguing tonal character with speed and resolution that I don't think you would be disappointed with. They would also be compatible matches with pretty much any well-designed amplifier known to mankind other than very low power SETs, although the two models you have are most likely more powerful than necessary (the Ulysses are 98 db/1W/1m; the Athena 96 db).

I've never had electrostatic speakers in my system, but I regularly use a pair of older Stax electrostatic headphones. Obviously their presentation is very different than that of my Ulysses, and each has its strong points and weak points relative to the other, but when I listen to the speakers it's rare that I find myself missing the speed, resolution, clean transient response, etc., of the headphones to a significant degree.

Regards,
-- Al

I haven't made the move, but for me the obvious answer is: Thiels.