Help with speaker selection, please


I run everything in my system through my main speakers...satellite, PlayStation 2, VCR, CD, etc. I also listen to virtually every type of music--rap, country, classical, jazz, and so on. I'm about to buy new speakers in the $8,000 range, and I prefer to use solid-state equipment, although I will be buying a new amp with whichever speakers I choose. Would you please weigh in on the following possibilities:

Quad 989
Merlin VSM-Millenium
Red Rose Classic
ProAc Response (new 3.8's or used 4.0's)
USED Talon Khoruses
USED Avantgarde Duo 2.1

OR
Any other speaker you might recommend. Thanks so much for your input.
thedautch
It's me...the poster of the original message. My system consists of a Theta Data Basic II transport, which I intend to replace with a high-caliber universal player over the next couple years. It runs into an MSB Gold Link III DAC, which will be able to upsample my universal player to 24/192. My interconnects are all Kimber Select 1030. My pre-amp is an Adcom GFP-750, which I intend to keep for a while. My amp, a Rotel RB-981, will be replaced with the speakers, as will my kimber 4TC speaker cable. My thought is to get the best amp I can afford for whichever speakers I choose, and also buy the appropriate speaker wire at that time. As I said originally, I run VCR, DSS, PlayStation2, CD/DAC into my pre-amp, as my living situation requires that I have a single, comprehensive system. Again, thanks so much for all the input that's already been supplied, as well as for any further assistance you might provide.--Brian
It may be best for you, if you have the chance, to listen to as many of your speaker choices with some of your favorite music. And then make your speaker choice.

The best amp for the Quad's may not be the best choice for some of the others...etc.

The forum history is a great place to find info on many of these possibilities.
As others have pointed out, each of those speakers may have different drive requirements. Besides that, your "short list" is so diverse that i see NO continuity to the choices. In my opinion, NO electrostat or "monitor" type speaker can do justice to "rap" or anything with a LOT of high level low frequency output. While i hate to sound like "Mr Negative", you really do need to sit down and figure out what your main priorities and goals for this system are and then make your selections based on that info. There are TONS of good speakers out there, but some may be MUCH better suited to your tastes and goals than others. Sean
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I have owned the ProAc 308's and enjoyed them in my system. At that time I ran them with a Bryston 4B ST and a Bryston BP 25. They were not at all difficult to run. I know of people who use relatively low powered tube amps to run their ProAc speakers. It is a speaker that sounds very good with many different types of music.
Many of the speakers that you have listed sound exceptional with certain music in certain setups and sound poor with other types of music and different setups. I believe that the ProAcs will sound very good with many different setups, in many different locations, with many different sources. A safe bet. Good Luck!!!!!
Drew
If you've got $8k to burn, you might be best off to get 2 pair of speakers on the used market. Allocate, say, $1000 for a pair of thrashers to listen to rap, country, and your playstation on. Then funnel the remaining $7000 into a worthy pair of exotics to listen to MUSIC on. Let your ears be the judge. And as many have pointed out, different speakers will behave differently with associated equipment. What is the output voltage and impedance of a playstation anyways? Yikes! The very thought makes me cringe. And just out of curiosity, what type of performance/ characteristics does one look for in a pair of $8000 video game speakers??