Musical full-range in the $3-4K range used?


I have been going back and forth on speakers for awhile now. Looking to get a new pair (used, most likely) and I live in a really remote area with nobody except a B&W dealer nearby. I can't reasonably drive 400 miles round trip to bring speakers back home for audition, and demos at the dealer are sketchy at best. I have a decent sized room (21x14x9) and would like a musical speaker, mostly for jazz, jazz vocals, classical. Full range would be best. My last speaker was a Soliloquy 6.3, which was great in a bigger room, but a little too warm, and not tight enough in the bass for my taste.

I can use it with solid state or tubes, either is fine. I have around $2500 to budget for an integrated amp, but figured it best to find speakers I like, then an amp down the road.

Budget is max $4,000.

Some speakers I have heard at dealers, or have heard good things about:

Coincident (haven't heard these, but lots of good reviews)

Sonus Faber (seemed very musical, easy to listen to)

Tyler Acoustics (again, musical, a touch warm, nice and detailed)

Opera (haven't heard them, reputation is that they are similar to SF)

Aerial Acoustics (heard the 7b, a little flat, but could have been the $1000 integrated powering it: 9 was superb and sounded huge)

Dynaudio (heard the 5.4 at a dealer, but room was poor and speaker sounded thin and lifeless)

Acoustic Zen (haven't heard these)

Thiel (heard the 2.4, sounded really thin)

Devore (dealer is 3 hours away, but might be worth checking out the Super 8)
komaki

Showing 2 responses by hchilcoat

I'd recommend Duke's Audiokinesis Jazz Modules. Efficient at around 93db sensitivity and can be used with a range of amps. I have a pair that I am very happy with and if you search the web, you will hear nothing but good things about them. Duke is located in Idaho, but will travel some distance for auditions or might be able to refer you to a local owner.

Cost is $4500, but he sometimes runs promotions. Parts cost about 60% of what he charges, and includes TAD prosound drivers for woofers and compression driver and waveguide for high end.

Plus Duke is one of the nicest guys in the business. Check out audiokinesis.com!
Komaki,
For AudioKinesis, go to audiokinesis.com and his speakers are under the products links.
Have fun checking out you options!