Best speakers around $130k?

@noske 

Glad you agree about the Ventures.  Interesting about the 4 Ohms.  Not to many speakers I know of like that.

Is the idea that 4 ohms constrains amp choices?  I'm guessing folks buying 130k speakers aren't so worried about that :)

@hilde45

GR Research makes fine kits and speakers, but so far as I know, they top out at a few grand.

What do 125 grand in mods look like?

More generally, I'm guessing a build at the price point would exceed the competence of all but a few audiophiles, or even professionals.

The Venture Grand Ultimate is now up to MKIV.  I listened to a previous iteration at a show; the best speakers I have ever heard. Amazing.  (Their entry level model, in the high 30's when I heard it, was lovely too.)

Of course, Venture is far too refined to list MSRP in their website, but I imagine it is well into 6 figures.

noske's amusing remark about the stuff of nightmares is well taken.

While the Ventures would not be the malevolent visual presence of the big  Wilson's in your listening room, they are, while attractive (actually pretty tasteful by super speaker standards), imposing, and would be best suited to a dedicated listening space approximately the size of modest aircraft hanger.

Do let us know how this comes out!

@noske 

When I heard the big Ventures, the designer, "Didi" as he is apparently called, was in the room.  I must have been staring, thinking, "That guy is a friggin' genius!"  He looked over, and caught me.  Very slight smile, very slight nod.  Classy.  Nice moment.

@hilde45 

The question of bespoke speakers is an interesting once, actually.

Numerous good small companies do, or would probably, "build to suit" : GR, Salk, Selah, Vapor, Fritz.  I've listed to all of these, and owned a pair of GR's, and all are excellent (different presentations for different tastes, noted).

But all of them build to way lower pricepoint. Even Rick Craig's dramatic line arrays at Selah probably don't tickle a quarter of the pricepoint in the OP.

Interesting question what these guys would do with a blank check, or whether one could approach a luxury maker with a custom request.

"Err do you think you could make those Wilson's sound a bit less etched?" 😉

Exotic veneer or high end automotive finish is obviously bling.

But does finish account for a high percentage of costs on luxury speakers? I dunno.  10 v. 2 bucks per sf. of veneer doesn't add up to much.

A lot of stuff that kinda feels bling-y, like the multi-piece cabinets on the big Wilsons,  is of course supposed to positively influence sonics.

Since Maggie's have been mentioned, interesting to note they are relatively  low bling free - a sock is a sock 😊 - and their flagship model is much less expensive than many luxury speakers to which it might be compared.