Mcintosh xrt20 or Gallo 3.1??

http://www.roundsound.com/reference-5-ls-speakers.html

This is what I'd be auditioning if I was interested in buying a new pair of line sources.

Yeah, it might be. I just got a call from my best friend - he got laid off today.

Definitely a sub amp/woofer would get you the boom effect. Have you tried different placements? I took me a quite a while to get my Ref 3.1s situated in a place where I was happy with them.

Yeah, I know what you mean about the "classic" sound. If you look at my system you'll see I built some speakers that are a nice blend of new tech materials using CAD in an old school sealed box cabinet. I use them for my surround speakers (I play 80% stereo). Occasionally I listen to them as my main stereo speakers, just to get that warm rich baffle resonance :) Am even thinking of going to that next level and buying a tube amp to drive them: all just for nostalgia!

Now there is no doubt that both the Gallos Ref 3.1s I currently own and the KEF 104/2 I previously owned are better sounding speakers. No doubt at all. I love 'em, wouldn't trade'm and listen to them for hours on end. But every now and then, I do get nostalgic for warm overtones and resonance. Go figure!?