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Best speaker for $1500???, Have Cary SLI-80

Hi Guys,

Have a Cary SLI-80. Currently using a pair of Shearwater Meadowlark's-Hotrod version. The speakers have a great bottom end, for a 8" speaker, but I think they lack at the top end. Please help with what to buy...I like low end, so I am not sure that monitors will work. A good used pair to get me into a higher end speaker is fine with me. Thank you.
Filzz
filzz
andy2
1,561 posts
 
How about a pair of Living Voice Auditorium -- I think their rating is in the 90's db? I have the Avatar and they are really good. Just a word of caution though. If you're looking for bass then these are probably not for you.
elevick
2,638 posts
 
Coincident Speakers are extremely tube friendly (92 to 102db depending on the model). They don't miss a beat!
scottht
398 posts
 
I am curious as to why you Shearwaters have no top end. There might be some other issue that could save you a lot of money and a big hassle. My Shearwaters are not the hot rod version and I look for ways to tame the top end.
mijknarf
266 posts
 
You need to consider Europas, for $600 used it's hard to go wrong. They outperformed Totem Forests (a very nice speaker) in my system during an A/B test. An in home trial is they only way to surely know.
tombowlus
416 posts
 
If you are going for new speakers, the best that I have heard under $1,500 are the Totem Arros and the NHT ST-4's, and both of these are more like $1,000. The ST-4's are an amazing speaker for the money, and the Arros are also noteworthy for their big sound from such a small cab.

In the used market, I think that you can score some Thiels or ProAcs for that price. The ProAcs would probably match up better with your Cary.
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