I heard the 30 anniversery Grand Avant Gard at the last Toronto audiofest with pass labs electronics. Found them a bit soft, smooth and easy to listen to but if you like that sound then it might be the one for you. I just got JA Perspective2s. These are best I had in my space. Very punchy, dynamic, transparent with a just hint of softness at top. However, you have a big space so might be a better going with a larger speakers like SabrinaX or YG Ascent. More money but will fill your space much nicely.
quest for speaker upgrade
good day all, i am looking for advice for my next speaker upgrade my budget is 20K
i have been exclusivley a 2 way monitor stand mount type of person but would like to make the jump into floor standers
i currently have a few pairs that i swap out occasionally
they are as follows
Diapason Micro's
Totem Model 1's
Salk sound SSM6
i use a solid state amp from YBA and i also have an older McCormack DNA 1
i stream music from Tidal no other source
currently i am looking at these models
Alta Audio Adam
Gershmann 30 anniversery Grand Avant Gard
room size 20 by 20
i would appreciate any other suggestions in that price range at this point i am leaning towards the Gerhmann mainly because they are Canadian and made locally about 30 miles from me
i think in this price range i will go the dealer route rather than used market, i am comfortable buying used normally and have have no bad experience in the past but i would limit my exposure to about 3k limit buying used through CAM at 20K i think i would feel more comfortable going the bricks and mortar route perhaps in the demo or trade in route. i might ad B& W to my short list, although i have never given B & W a second look not sure why |
You have some good ones to choose from. As mentioned I would first decide on the sound profile you desire. I will call them more resolving / analytical or something less analytical and "musical" in an acoustic insturement sense. This is probably a poor description. The Gershmans land in the latter category. Another possibility may be the Borrresen X series. By all means listen to them in person to make sure you get the correct flavor for your particular taste. |
Another vote for a Canadian made iconic speaker company: Verity Audio. I have been enjoying VA Parsifal Ovations since 2010. Verity Audio speakers are engaging, detailed, effortlessly musical and easy to listen to for long periods without fatigue. In my second system I have a pair of Joseph Audio Pulsar stand mount speakers and I find them to be warm, detailed and musical. |
You will be in for an amazing experience in upgrading to that level of speaker. Speakers come with sound characteristics that are vastly different. Vastly! So, I recommend not considering anything other than sound quality as a first cut. If at all possible go to a city and listen to some of the major categories of speakers to see what kind of sound they have, and what you are drawn to. That kind of money really is best spent after exhaustive listening. I would listen to Sonus Faber (musical and natural not un-totem like), B&W (huge punch with a bit of sizzle), Magico (really fast accurate and clean), Wilson (detailed and holographic), Magniplanar (ribbon, really fast and detailed). Each will be supported better by certain kinds of components. So, you are starting in the right place.
But take as much time as you can zeroing in on the sound you want. Your experience with different speakers you have now will be of value. |
You’ve got a couple great contenders there IMO. I got to hear the Grand Avant Gardes at a show in NYC last year (unfortunately can’t recall the associated electronics), and they were outstanding and were in my top 3 at the (albeit relatively limited) show. I’d also suggest the Joseph Audio Perspective 2s as another excellent option to maybe add to your list, and there’s a near new pair (still in plastic wrap) available now in Our Home and Native Land at a substantial discount in case you’re interested… https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/650068722-joseph-audio-perspective-2-graphene-like-new/ I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least bring up these used Pearl 3s as they’re also in your price range and are legit end-game speakers. They’ve been available for a while so may be negotiable at this point. To my ears Gershman and JA speakers share many of the same considerable strengths and why I love them both. Hope this helps, and best of luck in your quest! |