Picking speakers 3000-5000 budget

@twangy57 

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

soix

Thanks,If I decide to make the trip that looks like the best option.

The reviews on the Totem really sound like they are definitely worth checking out.

The ones that were recommended to me were the dual bison and new there are 4000. so they are at the top of my list.

As usual, I agree with just about everything that the usual suspects have to say here.  I don't post often as I mostly just read and listen.  But on this subject, I do have an opinion to share with the OP, a fellow Midwesterner. 

In my opinion, it does very little good to go to local hifi shops to listen to their speakers, driven by their amplifiers/ preamplifiers in their rooms.  I have done this my whole life and as much as I can agree that it does give you an idea of the different house sounds of speakers and possibly amplifiers, it has very little to do with what the sound you will hear in your room with your gear.  I am not preaching room treatment, even though that is a very big part of getting the sound you want.  I will simply tell you what I would do and have done when I was in the situation that you are in.

I have multiple systems in my home with two dedicated listening rooms, one of which is also a HT setup.  I also have whole house, front porch, rear porch, side porch, back yard pool area, breakfast room, bedrooms, etc.  Along with this, I have an entire room dedicated to the overflow of different amps, preamps, speakers etc. that have come my way for me to try or buy for little more than a song.  I can imagine that I am not the only person on this forum that has this same room.  Anyway, my suggestion is to look around for used speakers and try as many as you have the energy to deal with.  Admittedly as I get older this is not as fun as it used to be, but there is always someone willing to help carry in a new set of speakers to give them a try.  My point is this:  I'm sure that if you look around fairly locally to you, there are several audiophiles who have plenty of speakers that they never bothered to get rid of that are perfectly good to try and see if they synergize with your setup.  I actually run Adcom GFA 55 for my outdoor speakers and Adcom GFA 565 Monoblocks for my main speakers in my main listening room.  I'm very happy with them.  I have Polk LS90's from years ago that are excellent but have very little value.  I have JBL L-100's, Von Schweikerts, KEF's, Alon's, Sonus Fabers, just to name a few.  All are very good but have very little value in the used market cause no one wants to pay to ship them.  Over the years I have graduated up the ladder to the final sets of speakers that I do have.  I have many buddies that are the exact same way with rooms and basements full of good stuff but no time or interest in selling on Marketplace or CL.  To be honest, my buddy and I were on our way home from Axpona last weekend and were debating on whether we should organize a local Midwest Audio Swap Meet to get our stuff in the hands of people that may want it or need it.  It is all moderately priced gear but nice stuff that's getting up in the years yet perfectly good.  Some of it may even be excellent gear but is aesthetically compromised.  I am one of those audiophiles that listens and doesn't stare at my equipment.  In fact, most of my best gear is behind doors or in closets so I don't see it at all.  One way to assure that your gear isn't subject to tariffs is to buy used gear and buy it local if you can.  I buy and sell all around the Midwest and not once have I had a seller tell me that they wouldn't meet me half way if it was a long drive for me.   I've also never met an audiophile that I didn't like.

I

unclewil

I second that..

I have come to love her voice,it has the ability to release all my stress in a single moment.

speed121

I  agree with a lot of what you say,I'am the same way with musical equipment.

I just recently found a huge box full of guitar accessories that turned out to have have a couple thousand dollars worth of guitar pedals.

I'am lucky as I have a local guitar shop that pays a decent amount for used stuff and he loves to trade;I just make sure I eat before going there,because you will be there a couple hours working on the deal.

Let me know if you decide to have a equipment swap.

thanks