Picking speakers 3000-5000 budget


Hello,

I'am new to the site and enjoying it very much so far.

I posted in the amplifier section looking to upgrade my modest 25 year old system.

I now have a  Auralic Vega g1 into a MacIntosh mx110 tuner/preamp into a Adcom gfa545 (100 per chnl) power amp,then out to a pair of Polk monitor 10 speakers.I also have a Rega p6 on the way for my turntable needs.I think it has a exact cartridge.

I 'am trying to decide which speakers and amplifier I want to get to finish this portion of my upgrade.

To start my room is 20x13 and currently have my system on the right 20ft wall ,and move the speakers out from the wall when listening.

I can put them at the end of the long wall facing me if I want,and do sometimes.

I have a 6,000-10,000 budget for the amp and speakers,but would like to spend less if possible.

I do not have any personal experience with most of the brands of speakers I hear talked about here,but I have bought many guitar amplifiers by listening to YouTube videos and I will probably do the same for my home speakers.

The speakers I have in person experience with that I like are Klipsch chorus 2,JBl Jubal's and L100'sand Thiel's(not sure what model).and some old DCM Time Windows.

The one's that I really like from watching YouTube are Sonus Faber,Wharfedale,Tannoy,some of the B&W's.

I listen to about 40%classic rock,and about 40% pop,soul,blues,with the last 20% jazz classical and misc.

I really need my speakers to be able to rock at a pretty good volume,I know the Klipsch's would probably do that,but also would like them to sound great for pop,soul,and acoustic stuff.I really like bluegrass and Celtic acoustic music.

I need some help to narrow down my choices in the 3-5000 range for those genres.

I'am not opposed to speakers on stands or tower speakers,or needing a subwoofer to achieve the goal.

It seems to me a lot of the high end speakers have a over accentuated treble,but this just could be my background of blues rock music.I just want cymbals to sound like cymbals not a sizzle sound.

I think if I can find a amplifier I like for less I could spend more on the speakers.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

 

 

twangy57

@twangy57 

As @soix pointed out, your suggestions and examples are all over the map.  And even you admit that your experiences with the current crop of audio equipment is minimal.  You are going to get a lot of good suggestions from the group, but they are going to be all over the map as well.  And there are a lot of great speakers available in the $3000 to $5000 range.  And until you actually listen to them, you just won't know.

So, my suggestion to you is to slow down a bit.  In reading your recent posts in the different Audiogon forums, I know your are in the process of doing a full upgrade to your system.  And that is both commendable and a big scary.  

Your profile lists you being in NW Indiana.  That puts you what, < 1 hr from downtown Chicago.  I would suggest that you put together a sample of music that you know and like (CD's or on a USB drive) and make a day trip or two of visiting and listening to different speakers at the audio stores in the area.  (And the Chicago area has quite a few.) I'm sure the guy is the group here can make several store recommendations to go visit.

Take notes, and figure out what you like and don't like. Then start narrowing down your list(s).

And, please, don't rely on listening to YouTube videos for how speakers sound.  It just doesn't work that way.  Think about it.  The poster is playing music through their sytem and speakers... then recording it, maybe on a cell phone, at who knows what resolution, then it is posted to YouTube in a compressed format (256 kbs maximum AAC, I think, which is a lossy compression coding), then transmitted to you over the Internet and played back on, at best, your stereo and through YOUR speakers.  How the original speakers sound is impossible to actually tell.

...just my 2 cents... (or now I guess it is 5 cents because of a tariff... lol)

- Jeff

We like the same kind of music.  I just bought a complete vinyl system with Rogue integrated tube amp, planar 8 turntable, Rega aria phono preamp, and Totem Twin Bison floor standing speakers.   The Totem speakers take 100-200 hours to breaking but once that’s done they totally melt into the soundstage.  They retail for $4000 a pair.  They have plenty of low end unless you want to shake the walls.

i highly recommend these Totems

Almost 2 years ago I picked up a pair of Polk L600 speakers at a discounted price just over $2k for the pair. Best $$ I've spent so far on my rig. Clear, not sterile sounding and no subwoofer needed(but it does help for me).