I'll tell you a real sleeper--the Aperion 633T or its followup, the Aperion Intimus 6T. Either of these is a 6-1/2" 2-1/2 way with two 6.5" drivers and a 1" textile dome tweeter. Cabinet is 9"w x39"h x 18" d, made of 1" thick HDF throughout. Speakers weigh about 85 lbs each! And yet, Tone Publications rated the 633T as the $1K speaker to beat in 2006.
I heard a pair when I was demo-ing an amp and the speakers' sound still haunts me. Still wish I'd picked them up at the time. They are impeccably finished in real natural cherry veneer. Bass goes well down into the 30s.
Best of all, used ones--if you can find them--can be had for under $400. They're about 89-91 dB sensitive, so are fairly easy on amps.
Another series I like a lot is the Mirage M_si series from the mid-'90s. I still use a pair of M5si's from 1996 daily. They practically give it all--bass down into the high 20s, transparent, lifelike midrange, smooth natural tweeter, and room-filling bipolar dispersion pattern. Not the most sensitive, but used ones go for $500 or so, which is ridiculous for the great sound they give up for that money.
I heard a pair when I was demo-ing an amp and the speakers' sound still haunts me. Still wish I'd picked them up at the time. They are impeccably finished in real natural cherry veneer. Bass goes well down into the 30s.
Best of all, used ones--if you can find them--can be had for under $400. They're about 89-91 dB sensitive, so are fairly easy on amps.
Another series I like a lot is the Mirage M_si series from the mid-'90s. I still use a pair of M5si's from 1996 daily. They practically give it all--bass down into the high 20s, transparent, lifelike midrange, smooth natural tweeter, and room-filling bipolar dispersion pattern. Not the most sensitive, but used ones go for $500 or so, which is ridiculous for the great sound they give up for that money.