Floorstanding speaker experiences/recommendations in the $12-25k range

@njkrebs

Taking your time and deep research are good ideas as speaker sonic preferences are highly subjective. When I searched for speakers, I went to audio shows and audio stores to demo. Keep in mind that commonly poor hotel room sonics at audio shows may or not reflect the speaker’s performance - I love Magico, but at one audio show they sounded meh.

Often, speaker manufactures have a "brand" sonic signature. My strategy was to listen to the best speakers I could demo, then try to recreate the sonics within my budget.

Stereophile puts out recommended components here. TAS (The Absolute Sound) magazine put out a 2024 Annual Buyers Guide in their November 2023 issue#343.

After intense research, I demoed 2 speakers of interest at AXPONA 2022. One sounded with better treble, the other more balanced but somewhat muffled. The speaker I really liked was out of my price range, but after I told my trusted dealer he negotiated a lower price and I raised my budget so I now own the demoed speakers.

Good luck and wishing you the very best in your search

The Quad Electrostatics for 15k are the most transparent windows into the music hands down in that price point 

 Lots of incite and great response.  I own the QLN P5's that you mentioned with the Devores.  Devores were one of the speakers I really wanted to hear but didn't. My Final 2 choices were the P5's and the Joseph Perspectives. The P5's are everything you'll read about them, really good. Soix had mention of your amp and I think it would be ok but suggest you call James at Choice Audio in Mpls and get his opinion , he knows the Qln like the roof of his mouth.

I didn’t read all the posts. I also have Dynaudio HS on the stand 20. My suggestion is a pair of REL subs. They will do much more than just add the bottom end. A pair of S/510 or S/812 would do it all. I have a single S/510 but my space is much smaller than yours. Oh and I think the the Octave Research might not have enough grunt for the HS. I use an Aestheix Mimas on mine it’s about double the amount of power the Octave has. Dynaudio’s really love power!

I’ll second Vuch. I have the Magico A3 and love them, and they have ample bass for me w/o sub(s). Not sure how they sound with low power. I’m pushing with 300 w Hegel 590.