Talon Khorus - Why So Many So Cheap?

I have listened to the Talon Khorus X MkI & MkII and they are great speakers, I don't think they are worth there silly retail price of 14k or what ever it is. But for what most of them go for used 4k+ or - they are a good option. That being said in the same price range I wouldn't even think of trading my magnepans for them- both are very different creatures and I prefer the magnepan sound hands down.

I had to agree with Tireguy this time.

I also think the $4k 3.6's are one of the best out there, but we're comparing apples to oranges. They are the best for the money if you can live with the constraints of placement, appearance, amplifier load. They don't have anywhere close to the bass of a big boy full range speaker. Don't get me wrong, I think they are awesome, and they are easily the best speakers out there for conveying large scale music. Nothing else is even in the same building.

When we start talking about dynamic driver $15K speakers verses 5K speakers, what you are paying the extra 10K for IS the bass. As an example, one company I know of sells a $2500 monitor that has some of the most expensive and highest quality drivers out there. They also sell model for $8000. The top two drivers are identical to the monitor. It's pretty easy to hear this when they play side by side too.

It's expensive to add in that low range. I have yet to hear a speaker below 12-15K that had powerhouse bass AND high definition. To me, the $13K Vandersteen 5, the 15K Khorus X, 38K Wilson MAXX, 70K Karma 'Grand Exquisite?' are all in a class by themselves when it comes to bass. These speakers can produce a 'weighty' soundstage that makes you believe an actual performance is taking place. I use $23K avalon eidolons and don't include them in that club, nor do I include the Wilson Watt/Puppy.

Super hype leads to a super fall. These were declared by many as the speaker to end all speakers. They could play so loud. Anyone that values their hearing won't play that loud anyway. So effortless at 110db was one comment I heard, so what, Klipsch has done that for years.

jeff

The talons recreate the music more realistically than other speaker i have heard. Now the jm labs have a very different presentation they create huge thin but still rich sound. The talon sound is creamy and buttery but still oh so clear. The soundstage is smaller and personal. I dont hear any frequency roll offs in any extreme and if i had to choose between my talon peregrine xs or the utopias it would be a hard choice. The mids on the talons are so much more real sounding but the highs lose out to the uptopias. In the bass obviously there is no contest the talons are so much better its hard to compare but really no one compares in this region to the talons so its a moot point. Anyways they are very different sounding the talons are sweet intimate and exteremely palpable while the utopias are thinner and grander but more natural and the sound flows out more easily. Still its hard to say which is better niether is perfect. The talons are easily worth their 17k retail price as honestly i cant think of one speaker better than them for less.