Good speakers for Gaincard under $1500?


Hello,

I have the Silverline SR11 and borrowed a friend's ProAc Tab 50 Sig.

To make a long story short, I am listening to my old NHT SuperOne. SR11 sounds too recessed, and Tab50 sounds too hyper to me. I find the SuperOne more natural sounding than both ProAc and Silverline. Sad day for me indeed...

So, what are some good speakers around $1000 give or take a few Gs to match with the Gaincard? A few speakers that I got my eyes on and can afford and haven't listend to are:

Audio Physics Spark-avaialable used on Agon
Von Schweikert VR-1
Audio Physics Yara
Dunlavy SC1/AV or SC2/AV
HorneShoppe's The Horn
Moth Cicada
NHT 1.5, ST-4 or SB-3

Some speakers I'd love to hear but can't afford:

Rethm entire line
Konus Essence
Silverline Sonatina
Audio Physics Virgo
Dunlavy SC-iii
Von Schweikert VR-4 SE
*crying*

Rest of my system:
Meridian 500
Channel Island VDA-1 and VAC-1
Gaincard
All Bogdan cables except a Virtual Dynamic Audition Power on the transport

Please share your opinions with me. Thanks.
viggen
Hi Viggen:

Yes, I use the 47 Labs cable in single runs (your calculations are correct).

I did not notice any difference in the sound between 3' and 12' speaker cables (tried both on a near field system that I used to have in the spare room). I do however try to keep the length of small gauge single run speaker cables to 12' (or less) as longer will start to roll off the HF's.
I use Cain & Cain Abbys (95 dB), and they work extremely well with my 25 w/ch Gaincard.
I think this thread is dated. Didn't you get a knock off of the Konus audio speaker for the system...aka Carolina Audio. Now, you have sold everything else off.
I have paired a SVS 16-36 Subwoofer with a pair of Cain & Cain Abby's for a wonderful sound. However, even when this speakers are designed for low powered tube amps, I powered them thru a pair of Odyssey Stratos Monoblocks at around 180 RMS each. The result has been that I decided to stop my search for audio nirvana once and for all. The amplifiers flow effortless due to the huge efficiency of the Abby's and my subwoofer fill the gap and seems to dissappear. This is a set up that is quite inexpensive and that will bring such listening pleasure that will make you question the "supermegabucks" audio market's existence.