what is the best super speaker and why?

albert: i'm with you on the avantgarde's. i've listened, or tried to listen to them with numerous amps, tube and ss. in each instance, the uno's, duo's or trio's were set up by jim smith or one of his associates. they are the most fatiguing, strident speakers iv'e ever heard in their respective price ranges. -cfb

Albert, your mistaken. Call Brian Kurt, Sound Mind Audio..Austin Texas, there sitting in his home/showroom/ living room, just as big as life; if your interested he is apparently looking to move them at a very reasonable price. Roger West at Sound Lab is the one who put me on to Brian Kurt. As for the quality of the electronics driving them, that is a topic that is open to a whole other discussion that is at best subjective.
I have heard that the Avantgarde's can sound really bad if improperly setup..so I have no doubt as to the validity of your prior experience with them. I have heard them only once at Ne Plus Ultra..also in Austin. I guess I was just lucky enough to hear them properly setup.
To change the topic slightly, several of my recent listening experiences have been in home-based dealerships. I feel that this is by and far a better way to hear a system...as opposed to some of the near anechoic chambers or otherwise drastically altered sonic environments I have heard in several dealerships. In other words. if it can sound good in a living room, with minimal sonic treatments..it can sound good in my house..all other factors being somewhat equal. I have both bought and not bought in the past based upon dealership listening sessions, and have often been disappointed with purchases and likely lost out on good opportunities as well.

I took your advice and telephoned Sound Mind in Austin. What you heard are the (old) gold finish Soundlab U-3, not the U-1. There is no comparison between the two.

I hope you find what you are looking for.

It's possible that I was mistaken. I thought Brian Kurt indicated that they were the U-1 design, as he seemed to be describing all other models as being a step down from what I was listening to; if that is the case, I will need to make a point of hearing the U-1. But this just further confirms my point, as I was actually comparing a model U-3 with an Uno; which for my tastes and the circumstances under which I heard them were clearly better...no brightness or hardness at all; and both, I am assuming, around the same price point.
I am curious, as you seem to be well versed on Soundlab's line. The Sound lab website makes no mention of any model U-3; rather U-1, A-1, A-3, M-1, M-2 and M-3. Is the U-3 a discontinued model, like the A-2??? or is it an upgraded
A-2 or M-2?

The Soundlab U-3 is discontinued. If you want this size speaker, the new M-3 is better.

Sound Mind's web site lists these as new U-3, gold finish, and on sale for $12,888.00. The U-1 retails for $32,000.00, making the lowest dealer cost near 20K. I cannot imagine a dealer selling new stock at a $7,000.00 loss. That is why I doubted they were U-1's, but I guess anything is possible.

If you are ever in the DFW area, your welcome to listen to my U-1 Soundlabs.