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Looking for a Speaker in the $15,000 Range

Category: Speakers

MY SYSTEM CURRENTLY CONSISTS OF QUAD 988'S, THOR AUDIO
TP-60'S, THOR AUDIO TA-2000 PREAMPLIFIER WITH PHONE STAGE
AND A CARY 306/200 CD TRANSPORT/PLAYER. I AM VERY HAPPY WITH
THE SYSTEM BUT MY QAUDS LACK BASS AND DO NOT CREATE ANY SENSE THAT 80-100 PEOPLE MAY BE ON STATE AT ONCE, AS IN A LARGE ORCHESTRA. DOESN'T CREATE A LARGE SOUNDSTAGE. PERHAPS,
ANOTHER SPEAKER WOULD HELP? MY POTENTIALS ARE:

1. VANDERSTEEN 5A
2. WILSON WATT PUPPY 7
3. AVALON EIDELON
4. VERITY PARSIFAL ENCORE

HAS ANYBODY HEARD ANY OF THE ABOVE 4?. MY THOR POWER AMP
PUT OUT 60 WATTS OF ULTRLINEAR POWER PER MONBLOCK AND
REALLY CAN DRIVE MOST SPEAKERS WITH GREAT EASE. I AM WONDERING IF THERE IS A SPEAKER SYSTEM THAT WOULD HAVE THE
MAGNIFICENT CLARITY OF THE QAUD 988 MIDRANGE, WITH A
LARGER SOUNDSTAGE AND THE ABILITY TO A MORE REALISTIC AURAL
PICTURE. I HAVE LEFT OUT THE KHARMA 3.2 BECAUSE AT $19,000
FOR THE PAIR IT IS MISSING BASS AND THERE IS NO DEALER
IN NEW YORK STATE TO EVEN AUDITION KHARMA. THANKS FOR ANY LIGHT THAT YOU MAY SHED ON MY SEARCH.
kjl
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Jeez Duke, everytime you describe the attributes of the Soundlabs I become more and more curious, heard the A-3 many moons ago but under show conditions. You, Albert Porter and Brian Walsh are just too compelling in your case to ignore. Sounds like my cup of tea if not their immense size and power requirements. Just had to get that out of my system, er, off my chest.

Question- Can one live with limited dynamics at the "expense" of "You are there" realism? Ah, if these aren't some damn tough choices in life I don't know what is. Maybe we should all heed Clueless's advice, attend more concerts!
lenny_zwik
259 posts
 
I own WATT/PUPPY 7s and they're amazing, although 1/2 again as much outside your range. They through a huge stage, are extremely efficient at 92db/w/m, and are a rather benign 4 ohm impedance.
cvl1
1 posts
 
Give the Kharma 3.2 a listen before knocking its bass. In a modest size room with a top quality modestly powered amp, the Kharma's rock! Great pacing, tuneful, and puchy. Even though it does not shake the house, the bass sounds RIGHT!
Anyway, with the 60W TP-60, you may have better luck in bass with the 3.2 than with any of the 3 way power speakers you listed.
dawgbyte's avatar
dawgbyte
325 posts
 
A new pair of EgglestonWorks (http://www.egglestonworks.com/Products.htm) Rosa's are in your range or possibly a used pair of Andra's could be the answer. The Andra II received very good reviews at the '03 CES show. You may also want to entertain the new VMPS RM/X Elixir, which was also the talk of this years CES show.

FWIW I think your list is too short, there a lot of very good speakers in the $10-15K range that you should research. There is also a short list of speakers in the sub $10K range that will hang with the 20 grand big boys. You may want to talk to Roy Johnson at Green Mountain Audio about his new C-3's.

Best of luck on your search.
gkcc3
25 posts
 
Since Avalon's introduction of the "Diamonds," I have noticed quite a few Eidolons on sale in the $10,000-$14,000 range. I actually like these better than the newer Diamonds, in the set-ups I have heard (I've never heard them together, in the same environment). The Vandy's are among the best I have ever heard. They are practical, in that you can move 'em anywhere, what with the tuneable bass procedure. Both of the above have better soundstaging than the Quads I have heard, but I don't think you will ever hear a more integrated, neutral timbre than what the Quads provide. Both the Quads and Vandy's "disappear" in the right set-up. Also, I noticed a pair of Triangle Magellans for $12,000 on Audiogon. Take a peek at my review of Triangle's Volante...Magellans do all of that with bigger "presence," but they are 8' tall. Hope this helps. Good luck!
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