Best imaging stand mounted speakers?

Seandtaylor99, thanks for your observations. No offense taken concerning your recommendations about placement. As far as price is concerned I'd like to stay in the range of $2500 new or about $1200 used. The speakers would be set up in nearfield listening conditions and driven by a Pass Aleph 30 for starters. I would change the amp if necessary.I mostly listen to show music, classical, opera, female pop (i. e.- Eva Cassidy, Ella), folk, soft rock...no heavy metal. Thanks to all for suggestions offered so far.

Thanks Beemerrider. I'd have thought in that price range you'd have to consider the AudioPhysic Steps. Not that I have heard them, but I have read glowing testimony to their imaging ability, and they're from the same company as the Virgo. Another speaker that I haven't heard but would be the absolute top of my demo list is the Harbeth Compact 7, which is Harbeths latest incarnation of a BBC monitor design. Have fun shopping for toys ... I think it's a good buyers market in that price range.

Listen to Seandtaylor...positioning is everything in regard to imaging...no speaker...regardless of price...sounds good buried against a wall...in fact...you can improve most speakers by simply "bringing them into the room"...for the majority...this alone is an upgrade...

A 30 watt amp, 40 into 4 ohms, may not be enough power for some of the speakers mentioned above. The one with which I am most familiar, the Harbeth Compact 7, will sound nice with a low power amp with the kind of music you listen to, but you won't be getting as much out of the speaker as it is capable of delivering. Although it is my favorite speaker, and Seandt's advice is good, as usual, the Compact 7 does very well at imaging and soundstaging, its primary strengths are tonal accuracy and midrange clarity, especially in vocals.

The Compact 7 was actually designed in 1994 (later changes were all cosmetic), and was not derived from a BBC design, except to the extent that the designer's work is informed by the BBC tradition. It replaced the earlier Harbeth Compact, which was also designed by Harbeth md Alan Shaw, for home use. Harbeth did make a BBC LS3/5a and a BBC LS5/12a, and currently offers a range of Monitor speakers that are "drop-in" replacements for BBC monitors, but the Compact 7 isn't one of them.

The Compact 7 is a fairly large box. Most speakers that are considered good for imaging are narrower, like the Audio Physic speakers Seandt also mentions. One Harbeth speaker that is absolutely uncanny in its imaging ability is the HL-P3ES, about the size of a shoebox, made to replace the LS3/5a. I had a pair of the predecessor HL-P3 (no ES), and properly set up, I could almost walk up to one of them without having a centered vocalist or soloist move from the middle. Also exceptional, as is the Compact 7, at producing the illusion of a solid three dimensional performer in your listening room. With the P3's, you would need to add a very good subwoofer, and probably a more powerful amp.

Paul

6995.00 plus 1395.00 for the matching stand.