Good Speakers for Rock and Roll Under 15K

I listen to 98% rock.

Given your equipment, I would consider something with powered woofers or more.

My current favorites are the Paradigm Founder 120H.  All the bass you could possibly want, powered from 300hz down, and those tubes will give you a nice combo up top.  They put you in the first 5 rows, have a huge soundstage but they also have built in ARC room correction.  Just a heck of a package.

I would also have the Legacy Focus and Signature XD’s on your list, great rock speakers that can thump, but you don’t get the EQ built in.  Fun Speakers.  

Same with the big Golden Ear Tritons with those powered woofers.

With many of the horn speakers, as long as you are comfortable using a sub to give you that bottom end thump, you will likely also be happy.  

I’ve heard the Tektons.  I think the Double Impact is a heck of a speakers for the money, my issues with Tektons are the law of diminishing returns kicks in faster than most as you move up the line.  They just don’t sound “that” much better.  That, and the various feelings about Tekton customer support.

Altec Lansing 604C.

I’ve been using them for 46 years.

At 101db, they get very loud very fast with little juice or distortion, though that is only one of their virtues. If they were good enough for Bruce Botnick (The Doors, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, etc) they might just be good enough for you.

A pair of drivers with stock crossovers can be had for $1,200 - $2,400. Cabs about $1,800. Mastering Lab crossovers are another $1,200.

Use the balance saved to buy your wife something even more expensive.

For your electronics you will definitely need very efficient speakers. My system is much like yours, mainly tube. The 845s are limiting your choices but certainly provide a very musical, engaging signal. No one has mentioned ZU Definition IV but believe me, with the right amplification, which you have, they are dynamic as hell with outstanding bass. Sean Casey has a term-shove. Regardless of the critics who regard these as shouty, I can say without reservation that is a fallacy derived from listening to these through the wrong amplification. There is a pair listed at TMR.

I’m still an Ohm Walsh fan in particular for these things, if you can even find a pair for sale these days, especially for their overall good sound, versatility and ability to bring a recording into your room and make it sound like live performers there.

If one’s preference is to take you into the recording more than to take the recording into your room, then more conventional box designs are well suited for the job. I lean towards larger neutral sounding speakers that can go loud and clear here. KEF meta and Revel are two of my current favorites, but many many others would do as well. Any good, reputable speaker that is truly "good" and that is driven by a good quality amp that is similarly up to the job, will do rock and roll very well along with all the rest. I’d shoot for good speakers in general, not ones advertised to excel with only some kinds of music.

Speakers alone can’t get you all the way. YOu need good speakers and a good amp to drive them well at louder volume levels suitable for a lot of rock music.  A good modern Class D amp will provide a lot of bang for the buck.  Good luck and cheers!

Legacy Audio Focus XD, Klipsch Klipschorn, Vaughn Line Array Major (need a subwoofer, but for $9000 per pair and 100 dB sensitivity, worth the look), JBL 4367 are all worth the look. We have reviewed all of them, and all are exceptional.