Well you can't expect to buy this all at once and end up with the killer system to end all systems...I can tell you that right now! YOu'll have to have patience, and probably try different gear..maybe even speakers.
I'd suggest buying used if you are trying to budget out. You'll get better bang for the buck. If you are only after new, then you'll be confined a bit more. But such is life.
I'm sure you'd like to get it all right in one shot. But it definitely "don't" work that way..as with anything in life.
You'll have to focus on one component at a time to find the magic pairing, of sorts.
That all said, you need to get the speakers first..as always with audio. The Speakers are where it's at. Then you "fine tune" and "system match" the gear to the speakers.
With your room and music tastes, set up will be critical for best speaker performance overall. It's always important. But if your set up is done wrong in "that room" you'll be getting too much "room involvment and reflection" mixed in with your sound. This would be most problematic wit speakers designed like the Sofia's(i.e, Open architecture with tweeter over midrange). In short, if you sit closer to the speakers, or have good acoustic treatment working for you, coffered or vaulted ceilings, or have the speakers set up on the long wall (thus sitting proximaly closer) you will have good results with less challenge potentially with these speakers. If you sit back further, set up along he "short wall", or have no acoustic help on the ceiling and sidewalls, you'll do better with more controlled focus designs, like Dappolito's (JM Utopia's, Dunlavy's, Genesis, PBS Montana's, NHT's top, similar), Horns (Avantgardes especially good), planner speakers (ML's, etc).
That all said, rock speakers should be dynamic as hell, NOT BE TOO LAID BACK INTENTIONALLY, like most audiophile speakers tend to be, have great pressence, and be very high sensitivity and efficient preferably! This latter part is a huge advantage for rock!...just like good pro audio speakers and active designs.
The old addage of "a good speaker is a good speaker" is not specific enough, nor accurate! Infact, most audiophile desings are very very lackluster when you pop in some Metalica, rap, techno, or other heavy dynamic material!...an that's even the one's that have big woofers!
Having high efficiency is a big plus here. Also, speakers wiht active woofers help greatly. Multiple driver array's have some strong advantages in efficiency and adding sensitivity. Basically, some speakers DEFINTELY DO ROCK(AND MOVIES FOR THAT MATTER better than others!!!.
The deal with the Wilson's is that they're revealing sounding (which isn't necessarily the greatest priority IMO for most rock recordings...which often are in a scence "distortion", overblown, over-mixed, and ill-recorded often) and offer pretty high sensitivity compared to most audiophile offerings. In that respect, speakers like the WATT Puppies are more dynamic than most home audiophile desings because of dual bass drivers, ported desings, and highish sensitivity(like, what, 95db?). Infact, W7's sound strong with tubes even!..which doesn't apply to you, however.
Another consideration, in a traditional configured speaker are the ATC even PMC actives!(especially the higher end ATC)
These active speakers excell in dynamics and pressence, mostly due to their "active design"! Avlar's are another killer rock speaker, and I'm sure there's others.
Another superb rock speaker choice are the Avantgarde horns!
They are like 105db or better at one watt! The advantage here is huge for rock playback, like with better pro audio speakrs...which aren't necessarily so refined overall however.
Basically, I'd like to see you with speakers that are suited for the job! You wanna rock?...have high end refinement, tranparancy, dynamics, soundstage, purity, speed, involvment, etc? Then you should chose wisely.
Also keep in mind what I said about most rock recordings NOT BEING as well recorded as other genre's. That's the way it is. In that case, refinement shouldn't be your number one priority...even though there are high end desings mentioned that let you "have your cake, and eat it too".
IF you chose something like Avantgarde's(maybe a used pair of Duo's or new Uno's would suffice), consider that you MUST SIT DIRRECTLY INFRONT OF THEM for best sound...as they fall off tonal-wise from off axis listening, and are beamy.
On the bottom end, used NHT 3.3's are clear and dynamic, if not quite as resolved and detailed as the very best...but good speakers non-the-less.
With rock, SS electronics, I'm thinking it's a hard match for you Wilson's for your application. It will be difficult not to drift into a "fatiguing" sound...espeically with rock. But, you could do it. Maybe the Theta' and a good tube preamp would work for your. But, if you gotta keep everything one manufacture/make, then you might be more limited in chioces. But you defintely want something "forgiving in that system". I've sold Wilson's, they are very matter of fact, very revealing, critical of equipment, and not freindly to harsh recordings.
Anyway, that's the long of it. The short of it is that, if you like the Sofia's new for that price range(sounds like you can afford all the gear withough a sweat, and want it done all at once) with what you put through them recently, then I suggest you try them. Then, be prepared to "experiment" with gear selection, until you find the right match!
May I recommend considering "mix-n-matching" the gear for best results? Again, maybe tube preamp with SS amp might work for you. Good luck
I'd suggest buying used if you are trying to budget out. You'll get better bang for the buck. If you are only after new, then you'll be confined a bit more. But such is life.
I'm sure you'd like to get it all right in one shot. But it definitely "don't" work that way..as with anything in life.
You'll have to focus on one component at a time to find the magic pairing, of sorts.
That all said, you need to get the speakers first..as always with audio. The Speakers are where it's at. Then you "fine tune" and "system match" the gear to the speakers.
With your room and music tastes, set up will be critical for best speaker performance overall. It's always important. But if your set up is done wrong in "that room" you'll be getting too much "room involvment and reflection" mixed in with your sound. This would be most problematic wit speakers designed like the Sofia's(i.e, Open architecture with tweeter over midrange). In short, if you sit closer to the speakers, or have good acoustic treatment working for you, coffered or vaulted ceilings, or have the speakers set up on the long wall (thus sitting proximaly closer) you will have good results with less challenge potentially with these speakers. If you sit back further, set up along he "short wall", or have no acoustic help on the ceiling and sidewalls, you'll do better with more controlled focus designs, like Dappolito's (JM Utopia's, Dunlavy's, Genesis, PBS Montana's, NHT's top, similar), Horns (Avantgardes especially good), planner speakers (ML's, etc).
That all said, rock speakers should be dynamic as hell, NOT BE TOO LAID BACK INTENTIONALLY, like most audiophile speakers tend to be, have great pressence, and be very high sensitivity and efficient preferably! This latter part is a huge advantage for rock!...just like good pro audio speakers and active designs.
The old addage of "a good speaker is a good speaker" is not specific enough, nor accurate! Infact, most audiophile desings are very very lackluster when you pop in some Metalica, rap, techno, or other heavy dynamic material!...an that's even the one's that have big woofers!
Having high efficiency is a big plus here. Also, speakers wiht active woofers help greatly. Multiple driver array's have some strong advantages in efficiency and adding sensitivity. Basically, some speakers DEFINTELY DO ROCK(AND MOVIES FOR THAT MATTER better than others!!!.
The deal with the Wilson's is that they're revealing sounding (which isn't necessarily the greatest priority IMO for most rock recordings...which often are in a scence "distortion", overblown, over-mixed, and ill-recorded often) and offer pretty high sensitivity compared to most audiophile offerings. In that respect, speakers like the WATT Puppies are more dynamic than most home audiophile desings because of dual bass drivers, ported desings, and highish sensitivity(like, what, 95db?). Infact, W7's sound strong with tubes even!..which doesn't apply to you, however.
Another consideration, in a traditional configured speaker are the ATC even PMC actives!(especially the higher end ATC)
These active speakers excell in dynamics and pressence, mostly due to their "active design"! Avlar's are another killer rock speaker, and I'm sure there's others.
Another superb rock speaker choice are the Avantgarde horns!
They are like 105db or better at one watt! The advantage here is huge for rock playback, like with better pro audio speakrs...which aren't necessarily so refined overall however.
Basically, I'd like to see you with speakers that are suited for the job! You wanna rock?...have high end refinement, tranparancy, dynamics, soundstage, purity, speed, involvment, etc? Then you should chose wisely.
Also keep in mind what I said about most rock recordings NOT BEING as well recorded as other genre's. That's the way it is. In that case, refinement shouldn't be your number one priority...even though there are high end desings mentioned that let you "have your cake, and eat it too".
IF you chose something like Avantgarde's(maybe a used pair of Duo's or new Uno's would suffice), consider that you MUST SIT DIRRECTLY INFRONT OF THEM for best sound...as they fall off tonal-wise from off axis listening, and are beamy.
On the bottom end, used NHT 3.3's are clear and dynamic, if not quite as resolved and detailed as the very best...but good speakers non-the-less.
With rock, SS electronics, I'm thinking it's a hard match for you Wilson's for your application. It will be difficult not to drift into a "fatiguing" sound...espeically with rock. But, you could do it. Maybe the Theta' and a good tube preamp would work for your. But, if you gotta keep everything one manufacture/make, then you might be more limited in chioces. But you defintely want something "forgiving in that system". I've sold Wilson's, they are very matter of fact, very revealing, critical of equipment, and not freindly to harsh recordings.
Anyway, that's the long of it. The short of it is that, if you like the Sofia's new for that price range(sounds like you can afford all the gear withough a sweat, and want it done all at once) with what you put through them recently, then I suggest you try them. Then, be prepared to "experiment" with gear selection, until you find the right match!
May I recommend considering "mix-n-matching" the gear for best results? Again, maybe tube preamp with SS amp might work for you. Good luck