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Need speaker advise for "budget" speakers

Last year I bought the wonderful Symphonic Line La Musica amp second hand. I just love that amp. But now I'm getting an upgrade itch again. Maybe I just need to ignore the itch maybe I need to scratch it.

Anyway I am thinking about selling my speakers and buying other speakers. I'm looking for speaker in the €2000-€3000 range 2nd hand. My current speakers are Impulse Aria SE. They are rather nice speaker but I miss a bit of grunt. To be honest I'm not even sure if there are any speakers in my price range that can do better.

Some examples of speakers I like but are to expensive for me.
Wilson Audio Watt/Puppy 7 not the most accurate but they sure made me smile
Verety Audio Rienzi, Parcifal etc. Haven't heard the Finn. They give a really nice 3d sound stage, wide open sound.
Martin Logan, Vantage, Spire, summit. The play the music effortless, and the powered sub give that nice extra push
Totem Audio. Can't remember all the models but most of that I heard were great, I love the wind. powerful sound but not over the top.

Speakers that I didn't like.
WLM Diva monitor, only any good when you play at low volumes and simple music. Play some rock/metal at +80dB and the choke.
Transmission line speaker. The low notes always seem to be lagging behind.
Horn speaker. Great for PA not for my living room. Horn speaker sound like a horn. Klipsch Klipschorn was one of the most overpriced speakers I ever heard.
Speakers with the bass reflex port in the top or bottom. The port should be in the front or back.
Linn speakers, I heard some Linn speakers that sounded muffled. The only decent Linn speakers are the ones that are actively filtered.
Sonus Faber, great speakers but just to polite for my taste.
Speakers with overly complicated filters, many of those speakers tend to suck the life out of the music.

This Friday I will be reviewing a set of Usher mini dancer 2. The Totem mani-2 is also on my to do list. I never heard Dynaudio speakers and I’m curious about the contour S3.4 but they don’t seem to go very low.

So what do you suggest.
mordante
8 responses Add your response
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,432 posts
 
Mordante - after reading your post again, Hyperions might be too polite for you. They are more for Classical or Jazz but less for heavy metal. They are still very dynamic but have overall sound just opposite to hi-fiish (dramatic) sounding speakers.

I wouldn't avoid speakers with bass refleks firing down. Some excellent speakers like Revel Saloon 2 do that to better control bass coupling. Review states that they have the most even and natural sounding bass (plus great extension).
sthomas12321
408 posts
 
$2700 aprox will get you the Legacy 20/20's.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,432 posts
 
I bought 6 month old demo of Hyperion HPS-938 for $3k with a warranty. Used go for about $2500. It looks like Wilson Puppy but, according to reviews, sounds better. It had whole bunch of awards including component of the decade from "Enjoy the Music" and was sensation in 2004. They have speed comparable to electrostats.

http://hyperionsound.com/HPS-938.htm

I've never heard Wilsons but Hyperion sound fuller and more relaxed (according to review). I drive them with pretty unforgiving gear (Benchmark DAC1, Rowland 102 - class D) and even bright recordings sound normal. They are very dynamic and vivid but midrange is simply superb. Read reviews (links on their website - some links might not work and you'll need to modify them slightly)

On negative side - it is smaller company (Taiwanese that builds them in California) that have very limited dealership. Also it looks like Wilson Puppy - black coffin (It is slowly growing on me).
rleff
1,065 posts
 
I agree with the snell CV recommendation and would add dunlavy sc4,5 or 6's as well.
mordante OP
511 posts
 
I will try to find a Dynaudio dealer. Hopefully one that carries the countour S3.4. That abd the C1 are the models I'm most interested in 2nd hand.

Steveaudio. Do you know what the difference is between the Mani-2 and the Mani-2 sig? I have been around long enough to know that not every change is an upgrade. The Dali Helicon 400 is a very nice speaker the Dali Helicon 400mkII isn't. That made me a bit weary for mkII models.
steveaudio
331 posts
 
"Totem Audio. Can't remember all the models but most of that I heard were great, I love the wind. powerful sound but not over the top."

I've had Totem Mani 2 Sigs. for 2-3 years & love them. Very "neutral", like great studio monitors, but with all the good audiophile qualities. Whatever you put into them with your amp, pre-amp, cables, source, CD's or LP's, etc., is just what you'll hear.....
xti16
1,525 posts
 
If possible give Dynaudio a chance. Even though the specs look like don't have much bass you need to hear them for yourself.
blueskiespbd's avatar
blueskiespbd
161 posts
 
Find a used set of Snell Cv Towers for $1000 then spend the other $2000 on some new music. They have the grunt of which you seek.
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