What are the best speakers for Mahler?

BIG speakers!! :^) Seriously, while any system can play Mahler symphonies and be satisfying in its own way, in my view to get the full emotional impact of Mahler you need full range speakers (nearly flat extension at least into the mid-30s (bass drum fundamental is usually around 40 hz) and which can move a lot of air as well at those frequencies) with big power handling capabilities, and electronics in front of them that can deliver the goods for the huge dynamic swings Mahler's music contains. My speaker system works very well with Mahler symphonies, but it's not really commercially available yet so you can't audition it (unless you come to my house!) and it isn't everyone's cup of tea. Think big Thiels, Dunlavys, Dynaudios, Vandersteens, the big Maggies and Soundlabs perhaps--speakers that can create a large soundstage, give deep bass and move a lot of air. And you'd need a big room to go with them as well! Or try a good pair of headphones??

Vienna Acoustic's Mahler's ought to do the trick. But they might be outside of your budget, which is? How big a room do you have? How loud would you play them? Do you have an amp - is that a consideration or will you be buying an amp to drive your new speakers. Give us some more details and I'm sure you will get some good recommendations.

"Bozak Concert Grands"!

John Marks (Stereophile) says Shainian Obelisks are the "cheapest" speakers that can reproduce classical music with serious bass (e.g. Mahler 6). I have them, and they do--but they need a high current amp (Plinius is his recommendation). There is a pair right now on Audiogon, $2750, I think; about $4000 new.

If you live near N. VA you are welcome to come hear them, if you want,

Good luck,

David

I have a very large living room( an understanding and loving wife) with high ceilings and ability to listen from open second and third level "balconies".My front speakers are german physics Loreleys and side and center speakers by german physics.Mahler recordings sound live fantastics.
In my bedroom,relatively large I have JMlab utopia 5 speaker system does a decent job on Mahler but no comparison with the german physics setup.