New Speaker advice

I have the Aria 926 and I have compared them head to head in my listening room with Sonus Faber Sonetto III, Quad S series and Now going head to head with Quad Z-4. Finally I think i might like the Z-4s a little better but I still love the "Big Open Sound Stage" the Focal produce. I swear I think the flax driver gets better over time.

I also know a person here in Denver who has a pair of Aria 948s for sale for $3.4K locally. If your interested I could ask if he would ship. But your proly look at high $3k range by time you get them in your home.

Several years ago, after extensive auditioning of multiple varying brands of speakers, I ended up with a pair of Revel Salon 2 speakers, and let me tell you something, I honestly don't believe I'll ever let these bad boys go.  They're just absolutely phenomenal speakers in every way!!!  After all these years, they still outclass most of the newer, insanely priced speakers that I've heard (especially for the $$$$).  The Revel Salon 2 speakers were just incredibly and brilliantly designed and imagined speakers from the very start, and still compare very favorably with some of the very best speakers on the market today, which is quite an achievement considering how long they've been around.  My Revel Salon 2s are everything I ever dreamed a speaker should be, and they've made me one extremely happy Audiophile, and  that's what this wonderful passion of a hobby is all about.     

If you haven't had the opportunity to experience the Vivid Audio Kaya series loudspeakers you're in for a treat. But don't listen in haste - the longer you listen the more you become completely enthralled. The Kaya series possess the qualities which you appear to desire most: extremely wide off axis linear response, big soundstage (the biggest, but with focus), instrumental texture (w/breathtaking detail and transparency), and excitement (assisted by remarkable dynamic contrasts between micro and macro dynamics). The Vivids may be at the upper end of your price range, but you must experience them (S12 - $6,900, K25 - $11,000).  

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650026237-dynaudio-focus-380-floor-standing-speakers-local-pickup-only/

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649979124-dynaudio-focus-380-floor-standing-speakers-will-ship-conus-via-freight/

I really appreciate all the feedback from everyone! I’ve been reading these forums for years, and it really feels like a community, and as a relative newcomer / rookie to hifi, I’m really grateful for the support! I used to talk with my dad about all this stuff, but since his passing, I just inherited his gear and not as much of his wisdom as I would have liked. Anyway, wish I could take y’all out for a beer or coffee and really pick your brain(s) more!! This thread has me convinced on a two-pronged attack...I feel that upgrading the Vandys is definitely in order, but the suggestion to go with a dedicated separate preamp is well taken and also now part of the plan. Based on recommendations here, I am really interested in the Focal Electra line with the beryllium tweater. I’m in Philadelphia, and there are a few options on the used market within a 3-4 hour drive...the 1028 towers as well as the 1007 and 1008 bookshelves (which would surely prompt me to go dual sub). Additionally, I have a lead on a pair of Focal Aria 936 that are less than a year old and meticulously cared for with an asking price of $1800...I have seen and heard those in person, and they are mint. There’s also a set of Revel f206 in my area, which are also in mint condition for $1600...also seems like a bargain. The Sourcepoints are still under consideration based sheerly on store auditions alone...not sure I love the form factor of those though, they seem to be stuck between bookshelf and small floor stander....and they're also still so new that they're hard to find for under $3500 a pair. Anyway, options...On the preamp front, I am inclined toward older, 'analog' options, AR certainly being top of the list for synergy with the D300...to that end, PASS LABS units are out of my price range, but I'm intrigued by the Nakamichi CA-5 (version one) as it's a Nelson Pass design...additionally, the Topping Pre90 interests me due to it's simplicity and potential synergy with the D90 DAC...but being that I’m also running HT through the system, I’m cognizant of the bypass options or lack there of, and reluctant to go down the road of unity gain or gain matching etc. Anyone have any experience with integrating older preamps (w/o HT bypass) into HT systems via unity gain of the like? Again, thanks to everyone for your thoughtful and generous responses. cheers.

They are all very good.  You have to decide which are best for you. 

As you’re in the Philly area I highly recommend, if you haven’t already, going to David Lewis Audio and listen to some Joseph Audio and ProAc speakers.  They both have excellent detail but don’t throw it at you and present it in a very natural way, and they both disappear and throw off incredible 3D imaging and soundstage — especially the Joseph Audio speakers.  You may well find yourself mesmerized by both.

As for integrating preamps without a HT bypass it’s doable and very easy.  I won’t go into details here but it’s not a big deal to make it work. 

I owned Revel Salon1 ($20k) long ago and loved it. However, the sound I am getting in a small room with the $999 Magnepan LRS+ and KEF KC62 sub is better to my ears (LRS+ needs a lot of power). The Revels were in a perfect room and the LRS+ needs help since the room is small. The Maggie is pretty special if you put enough power behind it.

My speaker cables cost 4x more than the LRS+ , but it made a big difference. You will hear each upstream improvement.

So my suggestion for the OP is to look for a bigger Maggie and give it a very strong amp. I use a Sanders Magtech.

@soix, 

whew Nelly! David Lewis Audio! That’s some high end stuff! I have an appointment with them on Monday 😬…will definitely audition Joseph Audio and ProAc…thanks for the rec @soix, and all the advice in general. I just hope I don’t fall in love with a pair of $6,000 speakers!!

Update!

First of all thanks to everyone here! This thread was so helpful and I appreciate the generosity and advice from y'all. I ended up purchasing a pair of MoFi Sourcepoint 8’s. They are bringing everything I was missing with the Vandersteens, detail, clarity, neutrality…air…all those buzzwords. I’m supplementing the loss in lower frequencies with a Velodyne subwoofer. But! The biggest leap forward in sound was the addition of a dedicated preamp into the chain, so thank you @soix and others for that invaluable suggestion! Looking for synergy with the ARC D300 solid state amp, I went with an ARC SP-16 tube pre with HT bypass, and I must say…it’s wonderful!!! So open and transparent, the veil is been lifted as it were! I can’t believe I went for so long using that damn AVR as a preamp! I It’s night and day…game changer…all those expressions are apt! Even the Vandersteens sound better!

I’m having an issue on the digital side of things however. When streaming through the blusound and external Topping D90, everything sounds bloated and bass boomy. I should mention that when listening to the Sourcepoint 8’s The Velodyne subwoofer is ported with on board crossover and volume controls. The Vandys being more full range, I run without the sub. Anyway, with the ARC SP-16 now in the chain, I honestly prefer the system sound better when using the internal DAC of the blusound node over node + topping D90. This seems crazy to me though given how much “better” the D90 is as a DAC. I run the D90 in DAC mode only (not the default preamp mode), I have also experimented with different signal options, coax, optical etc. But again, I’m finding that with the D90 in the chain, everything sounds bloated, and boomy…I have to turn the sub volume way down, almost to zero! Overall volume and gain seems to be boosted with the D90 in the mix as well. When I take the D90 out and just use the internal DAC of the node going directly into the line stage of the ARC SP 16, everything seems to improve…more focus, air, clarity etc…less bloat…the subwoofer and low frequencies are much easier to tame, dial in etc. Again, given the supposed differences in the quality of these respective DACs, I’m truly perplexed by this…is this a case of perhaps too many components in the chain?? I know it’s tough to access without hearing in person or seeing my system up close but does anyone have any theoretical thoughts?

Anyway, it’s an ok problem to have…given that everything sounds SO MUCH better with the dedicated preamp, so again, thanks to all for that advice! :)