Picking speakers 3000-5000 budget


Hello,

I'am new to the site and enjoying it very much so far.

I posted in the amplifier section looking to upgrade my modest 25 year old system.

I now have a  Auralic Vega g1 into a MacIntosh mx110 tuner/preamp into a Adcom gfa545 (100 per chnl) power amp,then out to a pair of Polk monitor 10 speakers.I also have a Rega p6 on the way for my turntable needs.I think it has a exact cartridge.

I 'am trying to decide which speakers and amplifier I want to get to finish this portion of my upgrade.

To start my room is 20x13 and currently have my system on the right 20ft wall ,and move the speakers out from the wall when listening.

I can put them at the end of the long wall facing me if I want,and do sometimes.

I have a 6,000-10,000 budget for the amp and speakers,but would like to spend less if possible.

I do not have any personal experience with most of the brands of speakers I hear talked about here,but I have bought many guitar amplifiers by listening to YouTube videos and I will probably do the same for my home speakers.

The speakers I have in person experience with that I like are Klipsch chorus 2,JBl Jubal's and L100'sand Thiel's(not sure what model).and some old DCM Time Windows.

The one's that I really like from watching YouTube are Sonus Faber,Wharfedale,Tannoy,some of the B&W's.

I listen to about 40%classic rock,and about 40% pop,soul,blues,with the last 20% jazz classical and misc.

I really need my speakers to be able to rock at a pretty good volume,I know the Klipsch's would probably do that,but also would like them to sound great for pop,soul,and acoustic stuff.I really like bluegrass and Celtic acoustic music.

I need some help to narrow down my choices in the 3-5000 range for those genres.

I'am not opposed to speakers on stands or tower speakers,or needing a subwoofer to achieve the goal.

It seems to me a lot of the high end speakers have a over accentuated treble,but this just could be my background of blues rock music.I just want cymbals to sound like cymbals not a sizzle sound.

I think if I can find a amplifier I like for less I could spend more on the speakers.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

 

 

twangy57

You've had some good advice and the good and bad about asking in a forum such as this as you are going to get as many suggestions as you can possibly handle. Another issue is that reviewers, especially YouTube reviewers, mainly review products from usual suspects because those companies can afford to send out review samples and pay for advertising in various rags. 

Your musical taste is pretty diverse and would require a speaker to handle harsh sounding recordings (classic rock) along with complex multitudes of instruments (classical) and then you have jazz and the acoustic music you like. While I am a fan of Magnepans, they aren't that dynamic and they are picky with amplifiers and need a lot of current. There are open baffle speakers like Spatial Audio (you can probably find the X3s for a fantastic deal) and they are large and need to be pushed out into the room. There is also the Pure Audio Project speakers and Steve Guttenberg has raved about these on his Audiophiliac channel. 

I am going to suggest Nola speakers. They might be too expensive new but there is what looks on the surface of a screaming deal here but requires local pickup although it is one state over for you in northern Ohio. The seller would also give you the opportunity to demo the speakers and to use your own gear if you wanted.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650200805-nola-ko/

Here are some snippets about the speakers:

http://www.nolaspeakers.com/shows/RMAF2015/index.html

http://www.nolaspeakers.com/reviews/HPsoundings/2012-11NolaKO/index.html

Or maybe a Nola Contender or, if you want bookshelf, Boxer.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/nola-contender-loudspeaker

I had a Adcom gfa 555-2 and a Adcom gfp 565. I thought I needed new speakers because there was a harshness in the upper midrange. I have Canton ergo 80 speakers. I purchased a Rogue audio cronus dark. When I started using the Cronus dark , my Cantons lost all harshness. I added two svs 2000 pro subwoofers. Now I couldn't be happier with my system. The problem was the Adcom amp and preamp. Thr Cronus dark is vastly superior to the Adcom components. Maybe you don't need new speakers 

 

@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. 

deecee's avatar

deecee

I have never heard of Aerial Acoustics.Will add it to my list.

When you see you recreate a specific concert venue,how is that done?

Are you using some kind of digital processor?

Thanks