Getting a Divorce and can now buy floor standing speakers

Here's some from my list of speakers I can't afford:

Legacy (anything)

Genelec 8381A

Vandersteen Audio Kento Carbon

German Physiks Borderland Mk IV

Joseph Audio Pearl 20/20 Graphene

Audiovector R6 Arreté

Paradigm Persona 9H

Monitor Audio Platinum PL500 II

Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4

Apertura Enigma mkII

Tidal Contriva G3

Monitor Audio Hyphn

Matterhorn Kroma Atelier Elektra

Audio Solutions Figaro XLm2

Rockport Technologies Atria II

MBL 120

Dali Epicore 11

Magico A5

PBN Audio MR!777

Inna stated, "Replacing a woman with speakers is a very unorthodox maneuver. Orthodox would be replacing a woman with a woman."

A very astute statement if I ever heard one.  As much as I like music...

Get some Tekton speakers, then you won't have to worry about getting married ever again.

with that budget, try out the DALI Epikore 11https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDicWaq0Fmw

Klipsch Forte IV or Cornwall IV.  Just remember, these were the most expensive speakers you'll ever buy!

@deep_333   Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel.

Not being critical. Just giving you a hard time.   I like your strong opinion on this.

Jerry

There are a few times in my life I regret not getting married. But then I look at my gun collection, my hobby collection and my JBL L222 Disco speakers and the regret goes away. I always wanted a JBL Paragon but never had the living quarters for it.

Piega  Master Line Source 2  Generation 2 

Depending on your room size 

Always listent before buying

https://youtu.be/SbQLvO9fXJY?feature=shared

https://piega.ch/de/products/master-line-source-2-gen2

Incorrect...a luxman c900u + m900u will drive any speaker at any price and can salvage many a undeserving turd posing as a high end speaker ( make it sound a whole lot better than it should). Boulder or Gryphon never knew how to design an amp better than Luxman. A heavier and a fancier looking chassis never meant a better amp.

Usually, Luxman is paired with speakers costing roughly up to 20k. If you get a top speaker, like the Magico M3, then the Luxman would be the sonic bottleneck. It’s best to have a balanced (near same level, minimizing bottlenecks) audio chain including cabling.

For imaging, sound stage, realism, and great bass look into Charney Audio. Depending on your room size no sub will be needed. I have the Companions with Voxativ AF 2.6 drivers. They are a 6” driver in my 11x15x8 room with accurate deep bass, sweet engaging midrange and great highs.  Vocals are off the charts! Listening to Holly Cole, Janis Ian, Diana Krall, Ella, Lady Blue,…is your own private concert! So much I can write about but let your ears make the decision! 
Charney Audio

HAPA Audio Musings

Speaker selection is so subjective and in your price range.  There's so many superlative speakers out there to choose from between 20K and 100K.  You've got a good idea of what great speakers are out there on the market in your price range.  Go listen to as many speakers as you possibly can.  That's the only way.  Happy listening.    

Best of luck to you both in the future

I miss my JSE Infinite Slope Model 2’s, they are Uniquely Remarkable

I put info about them on this site

JSE Model II, seller will ship from Texas

I would have my woodworker put a select veneer on them like they always deserved.

Good luck with everything. Most women are the winners in a divorce so I hope she doesn't go after your current system and that money you have to buy more.

@deadhead1000 

WBF = What’s Best Forum - much deeper pockets- they discuss through experience up to the very best audio components.

Usually, Luxman is paired with speakers costing roughly up to 20k.  If you get a top speaker, like the Magico M3, then the Luxman would be the sonic bottleneck.  It’s best to have a balanced (near same level, minimizing bottlenecks) audio chain including cabling.

Also, be careful not to get speakers too large for your space that may create excess bass issues.  Too small speakers may not be enough to pressurize the room- if that is your goal.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting 

Magico and Borresen...can't miss.

While picking up a pair of subs, my son and I were thrown the keys to these Legacy Valors. I have a very nice system.... these things made us astonished. You talk about strings! Wow, sounded like the guitar was sitting right in front of us. 80 grand. I recommend you go hear a pair.

Howard Stern’s advice to Chuck Norris while he was going through his difficult divorce years ago — “You know why divorce is so expensive?  Because it’s worth it!”  Can’t help thinking this is even more true for audiophiles. 

+1 on the Volti Vittora. Super efficient, beautiful, musical... and I doubt that one could find a more dynamic, engaging and fun speaker regardless of price. 

Given your budget, you could probably enlist a skilled builder/artisan and have a bespoke set made for you. Buying "off the shelf" speakers, you'll likely invest a lot of time and perhaps some $$ looking for synergy (which certainly could be fun). On the other hand, if you go with a builder, you can look at your current components' specs, strengths/weaknesses, etc., the specs of the physical space in which they'll perform, and your listening/sonic preferences... and build a speaker set to maximize synergy of your "constants." 

Noting your location, you may want to reach out to Fritz of Fritz Speakers: https://www.fritzspeakers.com/  I've no experience with his work, but have read a lot of very positive things about his speakers; to wit: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/fritz-speakers.

As SoCal has a lot of folks involved in audio & engineering, I have to guess that there are plenty of other people that can craft a wicked set of speakers too.

Unrelatedly, noting your username, are you headed to the Sphere this spring? ;^) 

@deadhead1000  The Wilsons I mentioned earlier are listed on Audiogon.  I contacted the owner and he would be glad to have you over to listen. I have heard this system and it is spectacular.  Steve is also a great guy.

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisbcjfb-wilson-audio-alexandria-x-2-series-ii-full-range

@pgaulke60 

+1 Sonus Faber Lilium

Whenever someone asks a generic question like this, 200 will respond with 200 different results.  I suggest spending a few $$$ and go to a couple of audio shows like the Tampa show coming up next month and Axpona and then go to a couple of dealers around the country to get a more intimate listening session or bring a couple pairs into your house for a 30 day trial. If you spend $100k on speakers and you decide you don’t like them, you will lose $20-$30k if you try to sell them.

As others have suggested, Soundlabs and high-watt OTLs or solid state, or humungous horns with low-watt SETs. Either way, you’ll be in bliss. Permanently single, but in bliss.

With the kind of music you listen to I would audition Magnepan speakers especially the larger models they give a you are there quality to music. 

Sometimes you don’t appreciate what you have.  My wife, a divorce attorney, told m to get new speakers (Charney with AER-BD3).  I guess I’m keeping her until the end.

I would say if you have the money go to high end Store and listen to Speakers and Amps and buy a combined system if something YOU HEAR really stands out.And really make yourself happy being single.Good Luck

The last few years of CAF, the room that I thought sounded the best was the mbl room. Perhaps it was the electronics, but I think the speakers are amazing. The have a number of offerings in your price range.  Definitely worth a listen. 

@deadhead1000

l wish l had originally posted this….

Such a profound subject. I commented on this just two days ago in one of my replies to another subject. Whether it would be good to get rid of the wife if said wife would not accommodate ‘your’ hobby.

This has created such a lot of serious and light-hearted banter on here. A common subject but has made me smile here in the UK. We have smaller houses in England than most counties and wife v hi-if contentions is probably a more volatile arguing point over here.

That’s my logic anyway!

https://voltiaudio.com/vittora/

+1 Volti Vittora’s if you have $50K to spend.  Greg Roberts is a pleasure to work with.

While you are researching your high end speakers, in the meantime get an inexpensive pair of Magnepan LRS+ and maybe a second subwoofer. 

 These will give you a massive soundstage and great imaging.

After my 1st marriage fell through the drain (no death no until part crap n all..), I got more tactical. I threw big house parties in a house filled with gear and scanned the party persons pool with more scrutiny.... looked to see if such an environment felt like a natural habitat to some or what.

Eventually, I discovered a rare bird at a very loud concert, who thought the sight of all that PA gear was ’memerizing’..can’t be real i thought at the moment......Needless to say, all the gear n my house looked mesmerizing to that bird as well...that is coming up on 25 years ago now. Hence, I am still married this time.

The right bird for anyone could be out there, if you are a bit more tactical with the scanner.

Von Schweikert is in Riverside, CA. 

@deadhead1000 

I would suggest you find a girlfriend, or several, who have floor standing speakers.  Win, win, win.

@deadhead1000 

I highly recommend you put Rockport speakers on your list. The Cygnus is below your price limit. Rockport speakers are universally praised and sound spectacular ! Good luck in your search

With that kind of money in play, you should go to a show or two to sample a wide variety of types of speakers.  That should include large panel speakers (planar magnetics or electrostatics), Multiway systems employing widerange drivers to cover most of the music (e.g., Voxativ), single driver systems (Charney Audio, Songer Audio), omni directional speakers (e.g., MBL), truly oddball unique systems (Bayz Audio), and open baffle designs (PureAudioProject, Cinnamon Audio). 

Of course, as I mentioned above, you should also consider compression horn systems.  I have not heard that many good, modern, compression horn systems except for the tremendously expensive Goto stuff ($100k might get you the drivers for a mono system).  Among the better modern systems are those offered by Volti at prices way below your target.  But, again, custom systems are much better than what is generally available.  If you insist on current, modern production drivers, the best are very expensive (e.g, G.I.P Laboratories in Japan make terrific Western Electric replicas) or ridiculously expensive (e.g., Goto, ALE or Cogent).  Deja Vu Audio that I mentioned above has made systems with only modern G.I.P. drivers, but that can be more expensive than using exotic vintage drivers.  Still, at your price level, a trip to Northern Virginia (suburb of DC) would be worthwhile.

I know there are many audiophiles who can afford many a speaker, and some choose Harbeth’s, I don’t think they are your weakest link. I have never owned Harbeth’s but I believe they have no problem imaging with complementary components.

Try some better amplification first- demo an Accuphase or Boulder integrated, or go separates?

I am sure you are going to upgrade your Luxman if you get larger floorstanders anyway, so maybe start there? Upgrade your source to get more refinement and resolution and tilt the sound from laid back to more detailed- what do you have now?

Unless there is this important underlying principle of "when she is gone the first thing I do is get my huge speakers because she never let me get them before" which I understand. Then put the Magico’s on the short list- they will have the opposite qualities of the Harbeth’s, and they are anti-female black which may appeal in your situation. Those Vivid Giya’s recommended earlier are quite anti-female also.

I agree with @larryi. I have listened to many of Vu’s, owner of DejaVu audio, creations and they are amazing. When I decide to replace my Audio Note speakers I will commission Vu to make me a pair. 
 

John 

PBN Audio is in Alpine, CA. Peter Norbeck has a tremendous line up of PBN high end speakers and audio components. I have the M2!5 speakers along with a PBN pre-amp and PBN amps and for me it’s my last system until I have a larger home. 

My suggestions-

Dieses, or Mágicos. You’ll likely have some change left over- get a pair of Hypex amps. 
 Then, invite all the babes over for some sweet spot fun. 
Audio nirvana!

I’m sure you can find a good woman who loves the Dead, and good sound from floor standing speakers.  They are not mutually exclusive.

I recommend Sonus Faber Liliums.  As beautiful looking as they are sounding.

Your current loudspeakers image very well.  With your new found freedom you might want to play with how they are located in the room.

Tell us what's already on your list. 

Perhaps it’s not the speakers but the speaker’s placement.  With no wife, pull them out away from the walls.

My choice would also be low-powered tube and high efficiency speakers.  In your price range, there are not that many commercial choices for horn-based systems.  I like Charney (back loaded horn for single cone driver).  But, you can go custom build that employ vintage compression drivers that are unmatched by anything currently being made.  I would talk to Deja Vu Audio in Virginia.  Custom means they can tune the system to your specific requirements.

Good luck to you. 

Congrats!

Have fun in all your future journeys…..including the speakers!