Picking speakers 3000-5000 budget

@twangy57 

If a system can't do justice to Karen Carpenter's voice, it's worthless! 😊

 

@twangy57 

I feel the same way. Karen's voice affects me in profound ways.

She makes me melt like I'm falling in love! 

@twangy57 
I'm curious. Did you think about Magnepan?
I know they're not for everyone, but I can see them being great for most of your music genres.

Personally, I'm done with box speakers. Planar magnetic speakers are very transparent, detailed, affordable, and the soundstage is phenomenonal! Once you hear music without box resonance you'll be amazed!

I may be interfering with you conceived plans, but couldn't resist suggesting Maggies. The 2.7 or 1.7 would work in your room, and buying used is a good option. Audiogon has a nice pair of used 1.7i for $1,795. Just get an amp (class AB) with high current that doubles it's watts from 8 to 4 ohms. 150 Watts would work, but get more (500 watts) if you can. Audiogon has a nice used Pass Labs x250.8 for sale for $6,500. This amp gives you 500 watts into 4 ohms. So, if you bought these two suggestions the total would be around $9,000 including shipping. 😃

The 1.7i could even be placed on your long 20' wall.
...Just thinking, and maybe I want everyone to appreciate planar magnetic speakers like I do. 😊

@twangy57 

It's hard to say how long Maggies last. 

I've never experienced a failure. But there are used Maggies on ebay that are more than twenty years old. Just don't drive them too loud. I'd say you can safely drive them to 90db. I think if you drive them above 100db you'll shorten the life span, just like all speakers. I guess if you use them reasonably at 70db to 80db, and occasionally 90db, you'll probably get 15 or 20 years out of them. But if you overplay them, repairing Maggies isn't too hard if you're handy. Just re-glue the wires onto the mylar.

 

After saying all that, I would suggest buying only the newest models because they are improved. Here is a list of the newest models. The "i" and "+" designates the new improved versions. 

LRS+

.7i

1.7i

2.7i

3.7i

20.7

30.7

And all these speakers (except LRS+) can be upgraded by the factory (by replacing all of the components between the speaker cables and driver with superior parts). ...crossovers, better wires, simpler circuits, etc. The upgraded speakers are designated with an "x" ...1.7x or 2.7x ...

 

So, finally, here's the pros and cons of Maggies. 

Pros: 

Transparency that no box speakers can produce. 

Details that will amaze you. Clarity that will ruin every box speaker experience for the rest of your life.

Very smooth if you choose upstream components wisely. These speakers provide sound that depends on amps and sources. They tell the truth, but they are not unforgiving. Sound stage can extend well beyond your room if the recording and everything is right. Sound will almost always come from the soundstage that surrounds the speakers and very seldom come from the speakers (bad recordings sometimes occasionally emit sound from the speakers.) The bass is tight and natural. 

● 1.7i 40-24 kHz 

● 2.7i 40-30 kHz +/- 3dB 

 

Cons:

The bass won't blow your dress up over your head. ...or pants, whatever. Use a REL if necessary, but many/most don't want a subwoofer because the bass sounds natural for most music, especially acoustic. These speakers are inexpensive compared to boxes because boxes can be tricky to build well. But they need amps that can produce high current, and these amps are usually more expensive. These speakers don't play extremely loud -the safe limit is probably around 100db for the 1.7i and 2.7i. These speakers need space, so put them out into the room about three feet from the wall. Getting them in their ideal position in your room will take some experimenting. They're light, so putting them toward the wall after use isn't any problem at all. One last problem is that Maggies are not their best at very low volume. They come alive at about 30 or 40db.

 

For me, the benefits are very significant!!! 

For me, the problems don't matter because they are so transparent. Music sounds natural. When you hear music without resonance from boxes you will understand. 

 

Of course you may disagree, and that's ok too. 😊

I feel sorry for @twangy57  because he could never make sense of the hundreds of speaker/amp recommendations that he's been given! 😵‍💫 

I hope Twangy can get to  a store and experience something that sounds just right for him. That's the worst part of this hobby. There are very few places where someone can hear many of these brands, and it would be a huge city. 

Good luck with that.  Life in a city is a horror for me!!! 

@twangy57 

So what you are saying is that you struggle with indecision!
Well crap!!!

I’m the king of indecision. 

There were three sisters. I met them one at a time, and first was Debbie. She was the most beautiful girl in the world, without a doubt! After school, we  spent every moment together every day for several weeks. She was so sweet!

Then, I met Terri! Wow!!! Oh my, she was definitely the most beautiful in the world, but I was dating Debbie! I didn’t know what to do. My life was a disaster!

But finally, I met Vicki. She was definitely the one for me!!!! She had the most beautiful brown eyes, and soooo sweet!!! We got along so well, she felt like an old friend.

My confusion must have been very apparent to all three of these wonderful young ladies, and I was in complete gridlock!!!!!  I was ruined. ...If I could just pick one without messing up everything...

I was so confused that I avoided them for a week, and then just blew the whole situation!!! Any one of them would have been a match made in heaven.

So, several years later, I met Debbie at a store. She was just perfect in every way that I could imagine. And I knew I would regret my mistakes for the rest of my life!!!

Indecision is the worst.

@gano 

How many speaker recommendations have there been?

...well over 100?

I'm glad that Twangy is getting all these suggestions!!!

I have a few questions of my own that I'd like to have answered!!! 😵‍💫

Anyway this thread has been interesting!

I can’t keep track ot the many speaker suggestions and amp suggestions that you’ve received, and your reactions to these suggestions. But I think you mentioned that Proac speakers were interesting to you. And I assume Chicago is your nearest city. Am I correct?

If so, you might want to look at the website for "Quintessence Audio." 

Click on their pre-owned items, and you should see a used pair of "Proac Response 3.8." The speakers were $8800 new, and are selling for $3199. 

They have other  pre-owned items that may interest you.

Quintessence Audio is in Morton Grove, just north of Chicago. 

I assume this is relatively near to you?

@dz13 

I gladly accept the problems of planar magnetic speakers because the benefits are fabulous. 

Is there a cure for phobia of box speakers? 🤔...haven’t heard it yet!

But I’m definitely open to open baffle speakers.