Some of the Best speakers for Prog Rock/Metal

Thanks for all your responses guys, I'm definitely going to look into all those models. One thing I'll throw out there is that I don't necessarily have to use tube amps. If a tubed CDP and/or tube pre-amp smoothed out some of the highs enough for a SS amp to work with it, then perfectly fine. I just keep hearing more and more about tubes and how they can be fantastic for my genre of music.

Also, I'm currently 23 with a very limited income...for now. I'm trying to get ideas for when I go out and actually do listening demos as I save up for my big rig in the future. Thanks again guys, keep the recommendations coming!

I may have written unclearly before, but I am looking for speakers UNDER the $8-10K range. Also, I'm CURRENTLY 23 and with a limited income. My tastes far exceed my wallet at this point in my life. I'm looking to save for a system of higher value in the future (hopefully within the 5 year range or so).

FTW, I'm going to say I'll go with SS Amps. I'll use a tubed CDP/pre-amp to go along with them. My will to save for such a system is extremely high.

I don't know how you guys feel about Paradigm, but would their Signature line be good for me to look into? Thanks again.

A high current SS amp will leave more speaker options open for you.

I'd start with dynamic speakers that can move a lot of air yet still reveal delicate or intricate detail that will fit and blend into your room well and go from there.

I'd recommend staying away from tubes in the power amp at least initially mainly because a good high current amp, say Wyred4Sound Class D, for example, would drive almost anything and cost less and most likely be more worry free in regards to maintenance, biasing, tube replacement etc.

I'd start with a simple single tubed DAC and feed that from the front end of choice. That could be using any decent CD player with digital output, which you may already have even. using the digital output bypasses the internal DAC. The mhdt Paradisea or havana are good ones. There are others as well.

Or, it could be a Windows Vista or Apple computer or notebook running a music server program, like Windows Media Player (see my system for an example) that feeds the DAC.

Then, toss in your good quality pre-amp of choice, tube or SS depending on your lust and/or tolerance for tubes.

For tubes on a budget, the Juicy Music Peach is an inexpensive highly regarded tube pre-amp that I would consider the VTL 1.5 is another.

For SS, Classe or Musical Fidelity would be tghe first choices I would consider.

Musical Fidelity makes some very fine SS amps that would work well also (that is what I use in my system).

Another cost effective option could be a tube/SS hybrid integrated rather than separate power and pre-amp. Unison Unico is a good example of this.

OR the budget basemet option for good sound might be a Peachtree Decco or more powerful Nova hybrid integrated+ DAC, which can be had refurbished these days for as little as $500. One of these would drive most speakers that will be in your price range pretty well I would think in a typical sized listening room.

BTW any of these combos (dynamic speakers with detail + a strategically placed tube or two) should sound pretty good with most any genre of music, including prog/metal.

if you do go with a lower powered amp, then make sure the speakers are more efficient, say 89-90 db or greater.