Looking for new speakers

the totem or joseph audio products are very good. depending on price, i auditioned many speakers and moved from my totem mani 2's to a large pair of usher speakers. very very nice. if you like the forest (2 way), listen to the usher cp-6311 floorstander. used you can get them for around $1000. for a bigger room, get their larger 3-way speakers. i also have a pair of usher x-719's in my family room ad they too are very musical. i preferred the ushers to the spendors, proac, and totems.

I used to own the Forests. I enjoyed them quite a bit at the time. GIven, I had just gotten into audiophile-grade gear, so they sounded like a huge leap forward from the TEAC bookshelf speakers I had. I listened to them again recently at a dealer, for fun, and while they sound very good, I like the Dyn's better. That being said, for what you're looking for, I think the Devore super 8's would be a great pair of speakers. Since you're not in a dealer-heavy area, it may be worth emailing some dealers and seeing if you can audition in-home with a deposit. You never know! One last pair of speakers would be the Verity Fidelios, which come up used for about $3000 and are great for what you're looking for.

Your list of speakers is great. I have heard all except the Joseph Audio's and liked each I listened to. The Devore idea is also a sound choice. While from an aesthetic perspective I like the Totems and Dynaudios best (and of course, this is highly subjective). Of the speakers I have heard, I guess I could say that the Totems are going to be a little hotter in the high end and the Spenders a little rolled off with the Epos, Dynaudios and Devores somewhere in between. Warning, if buying new, the Dynaudios will take a month of Sundays to break in fully.

Ultimately it is very difficult to tell you what you are going to like best in your listening room with your gear. My suggestion is that you look for nice copies of these used here on Agon and buy the first one that comes available. Try it in your home with your system and keep if you like it. If you aren't fully satisfied and paid a fair price, you will likely be able to sell and replace for the price of shipping.

Check out Omega Loudspeakers.

Give Louis a call, he is always more than willing to chat about his products. He also has a thirty day return polcy. You don't like them, you aren't stuck with them!! :-)

I've owned three different types of his creations and was very satisfied with their performance.

Check out the Omega Forum over at Audio Circle.

http://www.omegaloudspeakers.com/

(203) 847-2800

Good Luck