Picking Speakers 20k-30k


Recently built a HiFi System with much help from this site, now I’m looking at upgrades.  Strongly considering an all-Aavik system but looking at speaker options before I pull the trigger on anything, hence the following question: If you were buying new speakers in the 20-30k range (used or new), what’s on your shortlist?  Bonus points if you have suggestions based on synergy with Aaviks electronics.

If it helps the conversation: 21’X 19’ treated listening room with cathedral ceiling. Listen to a wide variety of music.

thanks for your expertise!

brewerslaw

Showing 2 responses by pindac

@brewerslaw If you are still pondering the idea of DIY. Troels Graveson will be a very good place to see where options for a build can be assessed.

Troels Website has plenty of projects and quite accurate description of the sonic being created.

 I have listened to a Troels Design and class it as the Best Cabinet Design Speaker I have heard in a system used in a home environment. As a ESL user and having heard ESL's as other models as well, the Cabinet Speaker produced to Troels Design was invisible and perceived as being as Transparent as an ESL. 

There is a general consensus about Troels Gravesen Designs, that strongly suggests, a built model for approx' $7-10K will be a Speaker to hold its own in comparisons to Commercial Models using similar drivers, with a Purchase value of $30K and rising, as a five fold outlay is regular seen as the outlay required to surpass a Troels Designed Speaker.  

@brewerslaw For approx' five years I have been invited to take part in offering  assistance through supplying a set of ears, allowing for a broadened range of assessments on a Bespoke Tonearm Design that I now own.

In the early days I took along owned Tonearms and Vinyl LP's that are inclusive of Pink Floyd's - 'Wish You Were Here' and Roger Water's - 'Amused to Death'.

The continued visits have lead to only needing to bring along the Vinyl LP's and the two above are consistent.

Over the past five years the System has changed Speakers on a few occasions, and one Speaker change that took place approx' a year ago really was capable of showing of the merits of using this particular TA Design in its evolved state.

Other changes to the system has been a Own design Pre-Amp' and Phonostage. Each in use have aided the presentation to take a further Step toward, how does this get surpassed.

Most recently the Troels Gravesen Speakers (Illuminator 7751) were purchased and in use at the time of my visit. I lest scratching my head, there were Cabinet Speakers in the Room, but they were invisible when it cam to attempting to trace the source of the produced Sound. For me there was nothing falling short in the Soundstages Depth, Width and Headroom. The details, micro-detail and macro-detail produced was superb. If I had one thought that was noticeable from recollections of other used Speakers strengths, was that the envelope of the note/vocal produced was a little less visualised in forming with these Speakers. The owner made it known the Drivers are needing quite a few hour before evaluating these types of strengths being perceived.

When I learnt these Speakers were produced with the most basic of the X over Options and that a Upgrade Xover is available I was feeling very confident not much is out there that I will encounter that will easily surpass these.

When I also learnt that at the time a Xover Upgrade is added, the internal Cabinet Wiring is to be exchanged for PC Triple C Wire. I was absolutely sure the road travelled to surpass these speakers is going to need stop off's where Speakers are found with a £30K + Price Tag, with £50K models most likely being the price where competitors show their capabilities, strengths and attraction. 

Listening to 'Wish you Were Here' (the Track on the Vinyl LP), on this system, as  most recent encounter has allowed. Is what I will state, as being most attractive I have experienced it when replayed through any demo'd Cabinet Speaker.

As a result of what was experienced, and the perception being, the presentation is very ESL like, it might be the most attractive I have ever heard this replayed, whilst having a long-term keen interest in audio equipment.