Rockport Avior or Magico S5

I've heard both with SS and tube gear. The Rockports just aren't my cup of tea, however they are loved by many. I'm not a Magico guy for the money either. Personally, I've heard far less expensive speakers sound better IMHO, but again, it's all about what YOU like, listen to, room and what you feed them.

Personally, in that 30k under range I'm giving strong consideration to the Vandersteen 5CT's...Like Rockport, they use carbon extensively, but the difference is that they also use it for their tweeter. That opens them up and makes them more dynamic and musical. I have yet to hear a BE, diamond or metal tweeter sound as good as Vandy's carbon tweeter. It just sings for me and I've heard them on the same equipment for the most part as the Rockport and Magico's.

I've learned a lot about audio since 69 and I assumed by now folks would want a more realistic presentation of their music, however I've noticed from various audio groups as well as stores that people still seem to want the tipped up highs that they associate with 'more open' etc...There are many of the 'name' brand high end speakers that I personally can't listen to without getting a headache from fatigue. For some reason I'm very susceptible to that while many others don't seem to be. I remember listening with a few guys to an expensive 'major name' set of speakers. I've heard the rest of the system a fair amount with a few other top speakers and I hated the big name speakers we were hearing. I left the room and about ten minutes later everyone was talking and getting up and moving around. They lost interest in what they were hearing. I think they heard what I did, but didn't even realize it. How many demos do you go to and you end up talking through them or just not engaged? I recently ended up with Vandy's after a long search because I was always engaged. From the 7's to the Treo's they just sounded closer to what I heard at live venues (we go a lot). They weren't the most exciting in the stores, but they were the ones I wanted to live with.

I also love the Avalons and the NEW (not the old) Legacy Aeris speakers, but they are so big and didn't go in my room. They would have been a push for me, but in the end, they didn't beat the Vandy's for me.

What is it that you like to listen to? What does your room sound like? Are you sold on only these two speakers or are you open to a bunch of the others ones in this price range (so many choices). What equipment do you have now and what other upgrades may you do?

You ask what direction you should go......(serious question). Shouldn't you go in the direction of what you can listen to and tap your toes or sign along? At this price range every speaker better get out of it's own way and be fast and as detailed as the signal you send it's way. The carbon tweeter and mids on the Vandy 5CT's have been as detailed and extended as I've ever heard when fed a great signal, but they were still musical. Are your speakers the problem right now or is it what you are feeding them? Just another way to look at it.

Lot's of strong suggestions, but it comes down to YOU. Go listen. Make a list of 4 or so maybe and bring your music and see what you like. Then try and get them to let you bring them home to eval. Then you can get what YOU love and not waste money or time always chasing your tail. We all have own bias and we should as long as we love our systems. There are only a few lines I'd buy as I may like a speaker in the store, but couldn't live with it for the long haul. Since finding the speaker line I love, I only look to upgrade within that line, even though I'm still listening to other lines as I have an open mind. Then I look to upgrade the components (I LOVE my source (Empirical OSDE upgraded with synchro mesh and top silver cables and a Basis TT with Benz cart)). I didn't realize HOW MUCH difference power cords and line conditioners make and am really looking into those. Maybe you should look elsewhere in your system as newer components and cords will surely upgrade your sound greatly I bet. Room too as many others have suggested. JMHO..

Joey, what did you hear the Vandy's with? I realize no speaker is everyone's cup of tea as we all hear so differently. We do agree on the Ayre 20 gear though. I've heard them on a few top end speakers and the sound was outrageous.

For every person who loves a speaker there is someone who doesn't. that's why folks really need to go listen and why dealers need to be supported. Many of us refuse to buy sight unseen or pay up front to have someone ship something to us and then have to ship it back if we don't like it etc.. That's really not realistic when you are talking about these larger components from heavy amps to large speakers.

I would think that anyone in this range would want to hear the Magico, Rockports and Vandy's to get an idea of what three totally different sounding speakers sound like. Many of us do feel that the Vandy's sound lifelike and coherent with no smearing. Some like the 'detail' of the Magico or even Wilson and some like a compromise. All speakers are compromised and it's up to you to figure out (by listening) what compromises you like or don't like. We all can post about what we own or want to own, but we don't have your ears or your room or your.....you get it.

All well built and great choices. Wish I could play in this league. I'm in the AAA league I guess, lol.

Guys, I have read and reread this thread and a few things stand out to me in regards to the last couple of comments on the Vandy's. First off if the only times you are hearing ANY speaker is during an event, then you aren't hearing the speaker properly. I've learned that I can't make any evaluations on any product during an event when you aren't in the sweet spot plus there are too many people in the room and that changes the acoustics greatly.

Someone brought up the mids being thick and bass bloated. Just by reading those two comments I can tell you that they were no set up properly or there was something else wrong in the system. First off the bass on the Quatro up to the 7's is fully adjustable. If set up correctly you just will not get either of those characteristics on the carbon Vandy's. I've never heard anyone who's properly auditioned them say either of those two things.

Phil,will do.Some get touchy if you don't talk about their gear, lol. Guys, it's easy to steer any thread back on track by posting about the two speakers he asked about. Based on his comments it seems as though he should probably open himself up to a few others in that range and others have said the same. I wonder which speakers would have the best synergy with his other components.

Shake obviously has it out for Vandy's since he's trying to add things to what I post that aren't there. I never said a dealer didn't set them up right. Just said that you can't pop into a room at a show and say you've heard anything properly. I've been to many Vandy dealers over the country and all have set them up correctly and the end results were astonishing.

Phil, at your height to you have to set up most speakers a bit differently ? Just curious as I"m only 5 11 and never have a problem with tweeter hight. Since they are time and phase correct, you do have a window to hear them at their best, however they do still sound darn good even off axis a bit if you are just listening for fun. At least they do in my room. I've never heard bloated bass from the Treo up. I haven't found them to be as difficult to set up as others claim. Any speaker must be set up properly to sound it's best and you have to dial things in constantly until you get it right. I personally love adjustable bass as you can dial it in. That's why I"m going up to the Quator's as soon as I can afford them. Audio Connection (Johnny who posts here) will walk anyone through set up if they need it. it's actually easier than many other speakers I"ve had in my house, or at least that's how I feel. If you have someone to help you, a tape measure (or long piece of string so you can set the tweeters the same distance from your ears when you are seated where you want to be and a laser to focus the red dots on the far wall then you can easily set the toe in as well as the tilt back so that anyone of any height can hear them properly). Johnny came into my house and set up the Treo's in only an hour or so and I haven't had to move them at all.
I am friends with the local Wilson dealer and they are great guys. Done plenty of business with them too over the years and when the owner left the room, the sales guy opened up and complained about how difficult the Wilsons were to set up to get the most out of them. Same with a Legacy dealer I know and honestly, I've heard the same thing for many dealers over the years about nearly any speaker. To get the most out of them it's not always easy and quick but it's well worth it. Just part of the fun of being an audiohile. To me it's easier than tube rolling and much less expensive but that's just me, lol.

Phil, what state do you live in? I can promise you that the 7's bass is about as good as it gets when it's cooking. The one thing that impressed me about the upper end Vandys when I started to give them a shot a couple of years ago was their FAST, detailed, tight, but mainly natural sounding mid bass. We all know that it's the mid bass that is so critical to get proper sound from any speaker. That's why if a smaller speaker can nail that part of the spectrum, then you can listen to them for a long time and enjoy the music.
Personally I just don't ever make a true judgement of any component at a show. Too many variables, but if I hear something special I certainly put it on my must audition list, that's for sure. We probably should have started an original thread, however folks got their thoughts out on the original and started to add a few other options in that range. Doesn't that happen all the time?

I've heard them a few times in the last 6 months or so.  Different gear and different rooms.  They aren't thick or warm to me.  I thought it was a large presentation.  Sounded very good I thought.  I wouldn't buy them as I like a couple of others in their ranges, but many love them and I can easily understand why.