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Looking for "realistic" speakers

I just had my pair of Cary Audio Silver Oak speakers get fried along with the rest of my Cary gear in some kind of power surge (sniff sniff). And absolutely loved the Silver Oaks because they just made everything sound authentic.

The instruments had the right timbre, scale, the balance was just right, and aside for perhaps a touch of richness had no character of their own. This made them sound great for any type of music.

I can't afford the $8K I spent in the day to replace so am looking for something closer to $2K-$3K max (used Ok). I'm looking less for something with super trick staging, imaging and some of the other high end niceties (though I wouldn't kick them out of bed).

More for a musical speaker that just makes the music musical and the presentation realistic sounding. That makes you forget you're listening to speakers/electronics and hearing the music the way it should sound.

Easy to say, I know.

My preamps and amps are solid state Cary stuff that will be replaced by insurance though sadly the Silver Oaks are no longer made.

Any ideas?
larrybou

Showing 3 responses by johnnyb53

johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
Now that Sonus Faber's Olympica line has replaced their Cremona line, you can find lightly used Cremona M's (a $10K floorstander) in excellent condition for around $6K. There are two such A-gon listings right now (I have no affiliation with either of them). I think the Cremona M is a fabulous speaker, musical, articulate, detailed, and emotionally involving. It doesn't take a very expensive amp to bring them alive, either.

They are also drop-dead gorgeous, so there's a good chance that they'd have a high WAF as well.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
^^^ ... well, true enough, but the Cremona M is a $10K speaker now available on the lightly used market for $6K. Reviews can't capture how the Cremona Ms put a smile on your face, even when driven by the right $1K integrated amp. It is one fast and resonance-free box speaker.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I love my 1.7s. They sound so right that the initially imposing frontal area just blends in with the room now, leaving me with very realistic, musical, and involving sound for a mere $2K. Well, I do augment them with a pair of little sealed 8" subs which blend very well.
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