1. Acapella
2. Audio Note
3. Devore
4. Martin (Bird 1)
If you had to narrow your choices to 4 - 5 speakers
To listen to at the upcoming Axpona, in the 10 - 20k range driven by a great solid state amp which ones would you search for? Yes understand listening conditions and room setups can make or break a system but just trying to narrow some choices. Thank you.
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"If you can afford $30K speakers you certainly deserve them" I know 14 or so people personally on this Planet who can afford 30K speakers (without starving their children) and at least 12 of them don’t deserve it, according to me, their parents, their children and all our mutual acquaintances. But those are not representatives of the wealthy necessarily just the lowlifes in my bubble. And I also know about about 120 who definitely deserve it but couldn’t afford 3K speakers or even 300 dollar speakers. That was my socialist nonsense for April, everybody can relax. |
@willywonka Yeah I didn’t see it either but someone else mentioned them and thought maybe they know something I don’t. Probably not though. |
@soix Don't see Verity Audio on the list. |
I am really sorry to hear about your dilemma. I saw your post from 2019 looking for speakers. I guess I’m a youngster at 70, but I would not be wasting time and doing nothing. I would schedule a trip to a city or two and hit several dealers (well reviewed) that represent half dozen of the highest respected brands… I showed what I think those are. Time is going by, tick tock. My system is one of the great delights of my life / retirement. I enjoy it so much. If you can afford $30K speakers you certainly deserve them and should be able to find some great ones for that price. There are a lot of amazing speakers in your price category. I would just go try and listen to speakers until you emotionally connect with a brand. They have a house sound… then buy the one of appropriate scale and price. For speakers of this cost you can certainly justify some travel. |
In my 40+ years of reviewing, collecting, owning, and enjoying audio equipment, I can say with some degree of certainty that the following speaker brands make products that are relatively affordable and, most importantly, very easy to own and enjoy for a very long time: Harbeth, Golden Ear, Dynaudio, Audio Vector, and DeVore Fidelity. I would recommend against speaker brands that attempt to “wow” you with detail and impress you with exotic materials. These products often disappoint and become rather irritating over time. Remember, more expensive does not necessarily mean better. Also, make sure you get a good match for your electronics; this can be an ever-evolving process. Enjoy your journey! |
I digress. My listening pleasure comes from both hearing the music as well as feeling it. A product of my intro to good tunes back in the early 1970s and I prefer it loud with a punch. I have upgraded integral pieces of my system right along but have never changed my speakers. I like horns and hard hitting bass and my Altec model 19s have remained in the forefront no matter what other upgrades I made. Easy listening aside, when I want to rock I want the big box sound my Altecs provide. Sure I have heard many much better speakers but dollar for dollar I just keep them. |
Thanks again for all the suggestions but @smatsui is correct I'm looking to hear speakers at Axpona and usually buy new, just a personal preference. |
The OP asked for recommendations of speakers he can listen to at Axpona. Many of the suggestions aren’t going to be at Axpona. Here’s a link to a list of Axpona exhibitors: https://axpona.com/exhibitors/
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first choice, always: Epi 100, probably updated w Human Speakers parts... but those are older speakers and won't be in any shows at this point, although the handcrafted new builds by Human deserve to be. then, something from the latest iterations of the Klipsch Heritage line; I have the Heresy IV, but I’d probably bump it to the Forte IV finally, what will be my last speaker: Q Acoustics Concept 50. (so @cleebeauregard +1 for that one.) I don't need to spend any more money than that, like about $4500 for the Forte as the most expensive speaker on my list... and the Concept 50 at $3000 is a bargain as well. There's just nothing "more up there" that I care to chase.
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As I’m turning 80 this year and have had my loudspeakers for about 25 years and not very happy with them I’m trying to find my bucket list loudspeaker. The price should be below $30k. I was planning to attend Axpona but decided not too because several top brands were missing. I’m very disappointed in the dealerships selling audio as well as the reviews of equipment. There are not enough dealers and they don’t help much as they don’t carry enough choices and I feel I’m being pigeon holed into what they have. |
Attended the Florida Audio Expo in Tampa this February-- while it’s no AXPONA, the number and quality of manufacturers represented was still impressive. There’s actually a number of good threads here on Audiogon with impressions from the show. If you’ve got a spare $230,000 laying about, by all means pick up a pair of the Acora VRCs, they were absolute knockouts, lol. In the $20k range there are a large number of excellent choices; I think personal preferences, room size/acoustics, type of music most frequently listened to, etc. are important considerations, and I think regardless of the limitations imposed by the lack of ideal room conditions, etc., you will come away from the show with your own list of possible choices. I’ll approach this a little different than some of the responses above-- looking at value per dollar, these were the speakers that stood out to me:
Q Acoustics Concept 50. Dollar for dollar, the most impressive little floor stander I’ve heard. Seriously, I went back to this room several times just to recheck my impression. These diminutive, $3000/pair speakers were to me one of the stars of the show. Easily matched or exceeded sound quality of speakers 5 times their price. Most definitely at least worth a look. If you’re a basshead, you’ll need a couple of good subs to go with them, but for a small to medium sized room, I think they’ll stand surprisingly well on their own. MoFi Electronics Sourcepoint 10. Another seriously good speaker for not a lot of $. About $4500/pair with stands. Eminent Technology DSP Open Baffle-- get an entire setup for $15k Volti Razz - if you’re "horn-y" Soundfield Audio Monitor 1-- lots of compliments for a $2200 monitor, with surprisingly good bass.
On the more expensive, but still within reach of your $20k cap: Joseph Audio Pulsar Monitor Audio Platinum 300series List prices a little above $20k, but still in the ballpark: Focal Sopra #3 Sonus Faber Amati Tradition Von Schweikert Endeavor SE-- these were probably my favorite "achievable" speaker (i.e. not 6 figures $$$). Outstanding musicality. I just loved the sound of these.
You might also consider looking at some used options-- I found some Wilson Watt/Puppy 8’s in almost unused condition for $7,200. I know lots of people like to bash on Wilsons, and I’d probably join them if I had to pay $28,000 for them, but for $7k, they are absolutely awesome.
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Treehaus speakers.....! *LOL* Never thought of using the live edge locust slabs I've got laying about here... We typically make benches with them. Rubina is very heavy, and laughs at carbide bits, saw blades....even chain saws.... Subject to checking...but it's a thought..... "Thermionic tubes".....? *G* Sounds like Formula E tech to me.... ;) |
@soix I think I remember reading the same account on another thread on agon. I was actually using a pair of REL S/510 subs with the Joseph Audio, but ever since I got the Aavik U-280 I felt the subs were redundant. The combo of JA and Aavik is superb. Something tells me that the Perspective2s are just perfect for my room size. I guess I should be grateful and enjoy the ride instead of thinking about the P2s bigger brother. High-quality problem it sure is! |
