Quest to achieve live sound

Seeking 'live' concert sound is the last thing you want to replicate in your home. Concert sound is 'pro' to fill the venue, not provide quality listening. JBL and Peevey excel at filling space, leaving quality out. That does not say that JBL does not make a quality speaker for home use. JBL has a speaker line called Everest, a pair goes for about $60K and you need a room that can accommodate 'large'. The Kimber room at the recent RMAF had a pair. Perhaps someone who listened to them can comment on their sound. Our cohorts in Japan love them.

This has been a long and misunderstood debate. The quest for live sound in the home is based on an acoustic live set say a large symphony or an acoustic jazz set. Even more closely acoustic guitar or piano.

I dont think a live concert through JBL's heavily EQ'd & at blistering distorted SPL is what the goal is in the home except maybe from a teenager.

Try to play a well recorded symphony through your home system and compare it to 10 rows back center orchestra seats at a live symphony. Do you get that same pin point accuracy from your home system with Bass notes that you hear cleanly pass through you in waves at 20hz flat!

If you're a Jazz enthusiast compare it to a live acoustic jazz bop set in a club. Instruments you can pick out side to side and from front to back. Drums that have that tight snap from the sticks or brushes that sound like you can reach out and touch. Very tight 3-D sound without sounding 25 feet tall from your speakers in your listen room.
Thats the goal trying to be reached

My personal favorite speakers for this kind of sound is a very under rated company called Westlake audio & PMC's larger speakers would be my second choice. These speakers seem to do everything well without over emphasizing any one characteristic. They do require precise setup, tweaking with a room large enough to accept their girth and presence.

It you want that live sound in the home experience it will require a larger speaker that is able to reproduce the entire frequency band with accuracy and with low distortion. The speaker also has to be able to not over emphasize the sound giving you a Jimi Hendrix with his guitar that seems like he is standing 10 feet tall.

Unfortunately most of us have the WAF to deal with and that already has limited our chance for the quest for live sound in the home

My suggestion is go to a number of acoustic type concert/symphony's and get a better feel for the live experience. Really see what you do and dont like about how your system and speakers sound in your listening room.

There is only one way to achieve live sound. Go to a concert

Get a nice pair of JBL Hartsfields (even the reproduction with JBL pro drivers) and a competent amplifier and you'll be pretty close. Tannoy Churchills would be my second choice recommendation.

Hire a band.