Getting a Divorce and can now buy floor standing speakers

Bwaaaaaaaaahahahahaha bwaaah

Song of the century @asvjerry

....life is So complicated...

"....you run into this sorta thang ’ere in th’ South...."

I live in southern California and have Harbeth 40.1"s which in my opinion come very close in sound to the original Quad ESL's....so why not give a listen to the larger Harbeths

Congratulations!!! Single life rules! 

Lots of fine suggestions!  I have a couple as well, Wilson Audio (used, so someone else eats the depreciation) and the Joseph Audio Pearls.  I haven't hear the Pearls, but I am a big fan of the JA sound.  I have Wilson Sabrina X's right now, but at your price range, might as well go for some big boys that would have really flipped your wife off, LOL!  My wife, on the other hand, supports my little hobby and likes my Sabrina X's.  If I had a bigger music room, I would have gotten the Wilson Sasha DAW's.  It is also important to have balance.  Luxman makes a good integrated, of course, but with that kind of budget, I would spend a little less on the speakers and get next level electronics as well.  And don't forget the DAC . .  an MSB Premier would be nice.  And there goes the $100,000 . . .  Just like that!

I would probably go with Vandersteens. They give an awesome "you are there" sound stage. MMMV

Unless the acoustics of the room are worked out there isn't a reason to spend the crazy money. The main reason we all trade out gear is room acoustics. You can't hear what the room won't allow.

Get thee to Stereo Unlimited and check out the vanderstten family of speakers

just magnificent at each pricepoint. 

That’s Vandersteen

+1 Vivid Audio Giya. Just spent three hours listening to the G2 S2 and I am buying them. 

So the OP drops this massive thread on the community and just disappears? What’s up with that?

Given the kind of music you listen to (which aligns pretty closely to mine), I would give the Egglestonworks Viginti's a listen.  They were a reach for me, but I have been thrilled with mine for 5 years now.  Sunny's in Covina has a demo pair listed for sale.  These speakers sound amazing to me.  I would be interested in hearing your views about them if you happen to audition them.  Trust your ears.

And my wife not only is happy with my having this hobby, she also encouraged me to buy the 911.

Congratulations on your found freedom! And if I might say great choice on the way you chose to spend your or her money!

Vacations? what for?

New car? Already have one.

I’d recommend the ProAc K6 signature big and beautiful sound, Vandersteen 7’s, Dynaudio Confidence 60

I’d recommend the ProAc K6 signature big and beautiful sound, Vandersteen 7’s, Dynaudio Confidence 60

@deep_333 ....my fear is that it's catchy....like a COVID with no cure.

....but being a weapon-less SoCal expat in the midst of it, feeling doomed to a IRL player in a 'The Last of Us' scenario....
It's late....
I leave y'all with this....a fav....*s*

Why not move up the Harbeth line.

I have the 40.3 XDs and love them.

They would do well with the rest of your setup.

My super biased opinion - go big or go home :-)

https://pbnaudio.com/mr-777/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgy2wqQIOzQ

Left Southern CA last year - setting up Shop in the DFW TX Area.

Happy Listening

Peter

So the OP drops this massive thread on the community and just disappears? What’s up with that?

I heard they got back together. 

Yes back together and looking at Totem in wall speakers lol.

you will soon tire of new speakers as well...Deadhead

I own Dynaudio Confidence speakers, and I can’t recommend them highly enough. And I know Harbeth. I’ve had monitor 40.2’s, Compact 7 ES3’s, and P3ESR’s. I loved the Monitor 30’s, but they just didn’t move enough air (that’s why I got the 40.2”s). Harbeth makes FANTASTIC speakers, but I think they work best in more intimate listening areas. It seems that your budget allows for just about anything in the Dynaudio lineup, so I strongly recommend you go to a top-tier Dynaudio dealer that has the full range of Confidence speakers so you can judge for yourself. As I always say, you can pay more money if you want, but expensive and flashy are not always better. Dynaudio is a speaker you can listen to and enjoy for a long time. Cheers. 

I know even the most expensive would be WAY under your max budget, but I would HIGHLY recommend Pure Audio Project.

Of all the speakers I've had or heard over the years (and those are MANY), they're most natural, engaging speakers ever.

I am sorry to hear that you are getting divorced. It sounds like it was a long time in the making and that you are enjoying your freedom. Outside of AV publishing, I work with a high net worth divorce attorney in CT. It is amazing what goes down in big dollar divorces. 

Although I am exiled from my audiophile system because of the fire in Pacific Palisades - I would suggest to you that you likely can be happy with speakers that are under $100,000. Like really happy.

Here is my recommendation to you... 
1. Look in to Bowers & Wilkins 802s for $28,000. I use them. Skywalker Ranch, Abbey Road Studio. Easy to power. 102 engineers. 3000 grit robot sanders on a better than a McLaren paint job. NOT BRIGHT like in the past. 
2. I loved the Stenheim Alumine Two.Five although you could go up in their product line with your budget and still have plenty left over. These were like $23,000 but they make bigger ones for more money. Least boxy sounding "box" (made of aluminum) speaker EVER - sorry Magico (I like those too)
3. The Estelon Aura speakers from Estonia are a HOT TICKET. Great form factor. Great imaging. Better bass than you might expect even from the $20,000 pair that I reviewed. 

There are MANY MANY MORE than you could consider. Email me at FutureAudiophile.com OR DM me here (email would be better) if I can help you more. 

Last bit of advice (I gave this to Kobe and he loved the place via our travel agent) is to take your NEW GIRLFRIEND to Las Ventanas in Cabo. Four days. During the winter. Best resort that I've ever been too worldwide. Very few rooms. Very private. Incredible food. A ceviche and tequila bar (I stopped drinking but this is such a great little spot). 

Best of luck to you. If I can help you more (make some introductions or more advice) please feel free to find me. 

Sincerely, 

Jerry Del Colliano
Publisher
FutureAudiophile.com

Condolences OP

Fischer & Fischer

Another option.  For $100,000 you could hire musicians to play for you.

How, exactly can one drop 100k on speakers and not  love them, ANY of them?  At that point it seems like it is no longer about the music.

Hey fellow Deadhead! I live in Dallas but I do business with Sunil at Sunny Components in Covina. He's a great guy and has both Rockport and Stenheim (plus others).  IMO you couldn't go wrong with either of those lines. Personally, I have the Stenheim 5SE's. I'm extremely happy. Someone said- at that price point how could you be unhappy with any of the speakers?  I tend to agree. But ultimately it comes down to your taste and what you think sounds good. There is no best. Working with a quality individual like Sunil can certainly aid in helping you get the most out of your system- he's certainly helped me build a system that has exceeded my wildest expectations. 

You guys are responding to a ghost…..

So...I have to ask if upgrading your audio system is a catalyst for divorce? It was never a factor in any of mine and with being down for the count 3 times, you would think it would rear its ugly head. Never happened. Just wondering what you guys think? :)

You like the harbeth, why not the m40s. Or maybe spendor floor stander

I remember when I got divorced the last thing I was thinking about was buying speakers.  I was lucky to have enough cash to buy my headphone amp and a new pair of Grados.     

I packed up my system and put it in storage until the dust settled.   Fortunately I did not get "taken to the cleaners"  but a lot of guys do....    OP's priorities out of whack maybe????

Better sounding speakers than the Harbeth but similar design are the Revival speakers.

I also was told that the new model PMC speakers are excellent.  I have not had the chance to hear them yet.

Other that that, find some used Vandersteens and enjoy.

gosh--so few choices below 100K but i'll try:

High Efficiency if you want to try some cool tube flea amps:  Avantgarde--definitely a statement speaker i've always wanted to hear

Low Efficiency:  I'm with the Rockport crowd--heard some Cygnus at a high end shop in Phoenix and didn't want to leave the store--i could have bought them if i also wanted a divorce....

take the advice to spend some of it on plane tickets to listen to as many as you can

I see folk have mentioned Steve @WBF's move up from Wilson

Strange that no-one has disclosed the brand he is moving to: Zellaton.

Fairly confident they will wipe the floor with most of the recommended alternatives.

Tbh WBF is a far better place to ask about high end gear.

Still MIA…..

Well I'm divorced twice .I have a house full of audio equipment, lps,cds....no wife but 2 girls friends who are great  So....at 73 I'm having the time of my life....good luck my man..   

Proac...

Word has it he and his wife reconciled and he bought a Bose soundbar. 

What a surprise. Guy creates a stupid post and disappeared. Hasn’t this happened a million times by an OP who wants simple attention?

Seems like most of the members responding to this thread are surprised. They just keep posting.

TAD Reference! 

I am not sure where you are in the process, but if it is not already over, then calculations of Alimony Pendente Lite, spousal support, etc may be affected by what you post here, The gist of her attorney's argument would typically be "look at what he is considering buying, so he can afford to give her [fill in the blank] per month". For a man getting divorced I recmmend that they take a "slug approach" - stay low and keep moving!

Ah - and now I read he has gone. Perhaps he listened to an attorney!

I feel pretty lucky in having a wife who loves music as much as I do. My life wouldn't be nearly as full without music OR her in it.

"I feel pretty lucky in having a wife who loves music as much as I do. My life wouldn't be nearly as full without music OR her in it."

Agreed!  I am blessed with an amazing woman.

OP - Sorry to hear about your divorce, but sometimes it's the only option.

I'm a Rockport fan. :)

Yeah whatever, she and her attorney will be looking at this thread on the internet, identify him to be deadhead100, etc like Stephen Hawking started doing ballet one fine morning.

I am not sure where you are in the process, but if it is not already over, then calculations of Alimony Pendente Lite, spousal support, etc may be affected by what you post here, The gist of her attorney's argument would typically be "look at what he is considering buying, so he can afford to give her [fill in the blank] per month". For a man getting divorced I recmmend that they take a "slug approach" - stay low and keep moving!

I have always believed that good audio gear is on balance a lot less trouble that any woman I have known including my current wife. Somebody once pointed out to me that audio gear doesn’t keep you warm at night, but I beg to differ, especially if you have class A amps or tube equipment. Warmth, both audibly and literally, is easily derived from tube equipment. :)

This is not my preferred method for staying warm... :)