Best used speakers under $3,500?

There are lots of "great" speakers under $3500, but they all sound different - and all have their strengths and weaknesses. And more importantly, everyone's ears and tastes are different. Lots of people will tell you that what THEY like is the best is THE best, lots of people are swayed by marketing hype here and in the audio media, many "professional" reviewers have no idea what they're actually hearing but are experts at convincing the public they could hear a dog bark 300 miles away, and lots of older (hence cheaper) speakers are every bit as good as the latest, unbelievable-super-breakthrough "they're as good as others at 3 times-the-price" speakers. (Have you noticed that almost ALL new speakers are now touted as being as good as others at 2 to 3 times the price?) How does that work?

So, what I'm saying is - the only way to judge is to listen for yourself (preferably in your own room) and while doing so:

Completely ignore what anyone on Audiogon hypes.
Completely ignore the orignal list price AND the current used value!
Completely ignore any "technological" issues.

Just listen to them and decided what really pleases your ear the most.

I'm fairly well off, with reasonably expensive front end components, but I have $500, 15 year old, main speakers (used Dahlquist DQ20i's) - because:
1. I like them better than anything I have heard up to $5,000 (used)
2. Their strengths/weaknesses mate well with my room properties and constraints.
3. I don't care about impressing audio-snobs.
4. My wife like the way they look and sound, too!

Most importantly - enjoy The Hunt!

I'd add Merlin VSM-Ms to that list. You should be able to get a pair for under $3500.

From Jonsher (I'm posting from another computer and having trouble logging on)

Boa2, Dseid, Nickatkins -- Thanks for the recommendations. I'll try to audition your suggestions, Any comments on how your favourite compares to others in the price range?

Alxg - The VR4jr are on my short list, as I noted. Do you have any thoughts about room size and accoustics and the interplay with the speakers. I posted the dimensions of my room, which currently has too many reflective surfaces. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Opalchip - I agree with much of what you wrote. What amuses me are the many audio reviewers who only compare their test product to those that are several times more expensive, writing, for example, that the soundstage is the equal of units twice as expensive and nearly as good a their 8-zillion dollar reference speakers. Comparisons between models at the same price point are rare. The only caveat I have is this: There are hundreds of speakers, perhaps thousands, I could buy, and since I don't have the time to listen to more than a dozen or so, it makes some sense to try to winnow down a list. Do you have any thoughts about what I should consider given my room dimensions, the accoustic quality of the room (a lot of reflective surfaces, most of which I can dampen or disperse, but not all)?

Hi - I didn't mean to be too hard on private Audiogoner recommendations, because in general, they'll point in the VARIOUS right directions. To me, the trade-offs inherent in the recent "crop" of speakers in the under $5000 range are (in order of importance):

Resolution vs. Brightness - The cheaper (under $3000) new designs seem to err on the side of brightness, probably because it Sells in the showroom. Good example of this (IMHO) are the Gallo Ref III's. I suspect there'll be quite a few of these showing up here used shortly. Some people love 'em - their ears may be less sensitive to HF than mine? So they're worth a try, esp. very fun for Rock and most jazz. Personally, I thought they were horrendous for classical.

"Openness" vs. Imaging - There was a long thread recently w/ some very good info and discussion about omni-directional speakers such as Shahinian Obelisks (which would fall in your price range). It would probably be good to read that - but again, it's your tastes that matter. I prefer a sealed box, minimal baffle design that has pinpoint imaging - at the expense (according to some) of that live "presence".

Slam vs. Finesse - The VR4jr's are a ported Transmission Line design which give a lot of slam for the size (and buck). Possibly a good all-around choice for the combo of HT and 2 channel, Rock vs. Classical. But something about them, I dunno... a little too gimicky for me, with the rear firing tweeter, the need for lead shot filling, etc. Judging by the steady flow on Audiogon already, there seems to be a number people who change their mind on them after a few months. But a lot of people love them, too.

The Silverline Sonata III's and Vandersteen 3A Signatures recommended above are definitely both worth considering for 2 channel. I personally find the 3A's a bit "boring" - very smooth and coherent, but somehow not that engaging and probably not a great HT choice.

I'm not into HT at all, but I'll tell you if I was going to set up a contemporary combo HT/2-channel system on a $3500 budget, what I would probably start with at the top of my list:

Joseph Audio RM25 MK2 speakers and a REL Strata or Storm III sub. Crank the sub up for movies, drop it back down or just turn it off for real music - or splurge for RM33's and forget the sub!

Of course, you should ignore my opinions just as much as everyone else's....

Sherpalumbo,

My speakers are placed on the short wall, 42” from the front wall and 16” from the sidewalls. I ended-up spreading VR-4jr about 9 feet apart in order to get decent center image.

My room is 11’ 8” wide and 29’ long, where the kitchen counter top and hanging cabinet divide the length of this room and create the family room length of 18’8” from the front wall to these cabinets.

I sit approximately 13’ away from the front wall. My left wall has a 120” window and the right wall has French doors leading into to huge living room. As you can tell from my room dimensions, I’ve audio unfriendly room.

It took me about 2 months to break-in my speakers and about a month to correctly position them. 50 pounds of lead shot, speaker spikes and bi-wiring is a mandatory requirement. Beware, it’s an expensive hobby, once I was able to position them correctly I knew right there and then that I had to upgrade the rest of my electronics just to keep-up with VR-4jr’s performance.

Best regards,
Alex