$3000 Speaker Search


I'm celebrating my 20th year working for the same company this coming spring (knock on wood). I decided to treat myself to some new speakers to celebrate. My budget is about $3k. I generally purchase used/demo gear only, but I'm open to something new since this is a special purchase for me. I stream music only and my current system is a Primaluna Dialogue One integrated, Eastern Electric MiniMax Dac Plus and Totem Acoustic Hawks. I like the Hawks a lot but I think the highs are a bit "etchy" and sometimes a bit bright. I'd prefer a 3 way speaker and something more efficient that the Hawks since I'm pretty committed to the tube integrated. I generally listen to indie rock, jazz, and acoustic rock. I listen to a lot of other music, but these are the genres most important so the speaker must excel with string and percussion instruments as well as vocals. I'm also more interested in a speaker with excellent imaging and soundstage over detail, but I also want a natural and dynamic sound. My listening space is a nook off the main living space. It's supposed to be a dining area I think. It's about 11x12, but open on one side to about 1000-1200 sq ft living space. You can watch this youtube video to see my system and room. Since the speaker is in my main living room it will have to be a good looking speaker, preferably in a wood finish, and it can't be huge.

I'm looking for any suggestions given my equipment, music tastes, room, and preferred genres. My current favroite is the Salk Song3 or maybe Song3-A, even though I haven't listened to them. I had Songtowers before and loved them so I'm pretty sure I'd be happy with these, but not sure if going the Song3-A is worth the extra money for me. If you have any other suggestions let me know. I'm in Portland, OR so I have a lot of good brands to listen to around here but its not a huge audiophile town. Thanks!
abd1

Showing 2 responses by cordobaman

This is pretty timely, I just went thru this same exercise. My room is 12’ x 11’ and we have similar music tastes. I ended up ordering the Revel Perfoma3 F206 for a great deal so I am going to try those. One I have them tuned in, I plan on trying internet-direct sellers that offer a free trial period and compare till I get what I like. Check out the SH music forums for the thread http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/speaker-shopping-with-3000-budget-what-have-you-heard-opinions.708014/


Here is the list of possibilities I have compiled:
Ascend Acoustics Sierra Tower RAAL
Aperion Audio Verus II Grand Tower
Axiom M100
B&W 703 S2
B&W CM9 S2
Cabasse Egea 3
Canton Vento 809.2
Coincident Dynamite
Dynaudio Excite X34
Focal Aria 926/936
GoldenEar Triton Two
Harbeth Compact 7es3
KEF R500/R700
Klipsch RF-7 II
Legacy Expression
Magnepan MG 1.7i
Martin Logan Motion 60XT
Monitor Audio Silver 10
Paradigm Prestige 75F
Philharmonic Slims Tower
Polk Audio LSi M 705
Proac Response DT8
PSB Imagine T2
RBH SV-6500
Revel Performa F208/F308
Ryan 620
Salk Song3
Scansonic MB-2.5
Sonus Faber Venere 2.5/3.0
Spatial Audio’s M3 TurboS
Spendor A5R
SVS Ultra Tower
Tannoy Revolution XT 8F
Tekton Double Impact (Electron, Pendragon, Impact, Enzo 2.7)
Vandersteen 2Ce
Von Schweikert VR-22
Wharfedale Diamond 250
Zu SOUL Mk.II/Superfly

Very much enjoying my Revel Performa3 F206. Were a bit forward in the beginning, but as they break in they get better and better and better by the day.  They are cosmetically very nice, I like the magnetic grills.

Been a few late nights lately, just one more song....