Top 5 Entry-level audiophile speakers $1500-2000?

Aguablue,

If you're looking for speakers like Paradigm, NHT or Energy you might go to Audio Buys. For B&W, I believe Myers-Emco carries them. Of course, I feel that Spendor, Quad, Proac, ect are better sounding speakers than similiar priced Paradigm or B&W. But you need to let your ears be the judge. Btw, for amplification are you going solid-state or tube? Makes a big difference in the speakers that you select. When you go to Deja Vu, you quickly find out that Vu like tubes. Just from reading your last post, it sounds like you're putting a complete system together. If that's a fact, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you work with Vu at Deja Vu, as I feel that he could help you put together a system that would not only meet your budget, but could also exceed your musical expectation. btw, I have no connection with Deja Vu Audio other than being a customer.

As for SACD, it's pretty much dead. If it was I would get a high quality CD player, and stay two-channel.

used, the choices are infinite...here are some 'new' jewels.....ohm micro walsh, totem one, acoustic energy AE1, klipsch heresy, paradigm studio 60's.....they are all so different though, it really depends on what's important to you.......for 2k used, you can pretty much find a pair that will give you sound well above models that cost 5k or more.

Vandersteen 2s are usually the first thought at this price point - for good reason - they're excellent speakers. My other "go to" in this $ range is the Eminent Tech hybrid planar. The cardoid dispersion pattern may be useful if you plan to place the speakers on the short wall of your room. They will need some power, though.

Good Luck,

Marty

If you can set up on the long wall 9+ feet apart Audio Physic Virgo II's are hard ot beat about $1,700 used. There has been a ton written about them, stereophile class A rated in late 1990's. Good luck

Hi Aqua, as a fellow DC audiophile, I thought I'd chime in on some of the local dealers. My favorite audio shops in the DC area are Deja Vu, which has already been mentioned; Sound Images on Rt. 50 in Falls Church; and Gifted Listener Audio in Centreville, VA (out Rt 66). You can bring music and listen to your heart's content at any of these stores; ask for Randy at Sound Images, he's the best informed of their sales staff in my opinion. At Deja Vu, you will listen to amps, speakers and CD players from mfrs you may never have heard of, but the music played in that shop is incredibly beautiful no matter how much you can afford to spend. Vu has some gorgeous yet very reasonably priced integrated amps and CD players from an Italian company (I think called Synthesis) that I found astonishing esp given the price. I was listening to small ProAcs with a small Synthesis integrated amp that cost $1300 new, plus a small Synthesis CD player that looked exquisite and sounded the same. Sound Images has Harbeths now and lots of JM Labs, PSB and other brands. Gifted Listener is a big Linn dealer but he also carries other brands like Thiel, Magnapan, Piega, Vienna Acoustics, Ayre and others. If you are creating a new system, it really pays to work with a dealer where you can put it all together and hear it all in one place.