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Best Kept Speaker Secret?

OK all you speaker experts out there here goes. There are always "sleepers" or "exceptions to every rule or cost" in high end audio equipment. In your opinion what is the best kept secret or exception to the cost for the very best speaker you can buy for $4000 or less (Used). Your feedback will be greatly appreciated toward building my short list. Thank you.
golfnut
tweekerman
473 posts
 
Hey Tireguy i'm just the opposite i go for the "esoteric" if there is such a thing. Maybe Jadis qualifies as a secret which is why i got the little Orchestra as a start. I've gone "major brands", recently NAD Rotel B&W ,you can't get more brand popular than that. Never again not at any price. Not with Audiogon around and threads like this one.
hawaiikid
107 posts
 
Here's one to toss in this arena, for roughly $1,400 used, you can buy the Totem Hawk speaker. These speakers are ideal for small to mid size rooms and when driven correctly, they are dynamic, transparent, spacial, and very musical. Very difficult to find another speaker for the price that can match the performance, soundstage, and sophistication of the Totem Hawk speaker.
thorty40
149 posts
 
Used full-range Soundlab or Acoustat 2+2 and professional series, maybe used Martin Logan CLS2z's also. They are all tremendous bargains in the used market, at least for the right person ready to accomodate larger speakers. Properly set up, a good full range esl is very hard to beat in every aspect.

Chris
tweekerman
473 posts
 
Thorty thats probably true. But those electros really drink the juice!! Powerholics!! True they sound great except the low end is soft. They are QUITE BIG. I prefer a great small AFFORDABLE quality intregrated to drive efficent speakers as opposed to BIG POWER amps driving nice sounding electros. But like i say if you have the large room and have a big amp say like the Electrocompaniet NEMO or their 160 watt class A monos WOW!!!!! Maybe the ML CLS2Z or the SL.
aball
2,018 posts
 
I have to say that of all the speakers I have had and critically listened, the Paradigm Reference Studio 100s are my favorite. I was truly surprised when I first heard them. I ditched my expensive B&W N804s and got a pair of 100s. I love them! I want to hear the new McIntosh Academy speakers however.
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