Rockport Mira VS Verity Parsifal Ovation

RTN1 - very nice Avalon's you got there. I had seriously considered the Avalon's as well. I demo'd the Time and the ISIS both for a long time. Unfortunately the demo room was not setup quite right and it didn't reach anywhere near its potential because of room acoustics. I'm sure they are fabulous at your place.

I see you have the Karen amps. Someone had recommended them to me as well but they do not sell it where I live.

I'm about to plunk down for Gryphon Mirage + Colosseum (holy sheeit are they expensive... it's so hard to pull the trigger!!). I currently have the Mark Levinson 326S + 432 which I do not think will be enough for the Rockports, and probably without the body/fullness/control. I could look for the older 33/33H but Andy Payor suggested otherwise (he used to own 33H's).

On your lack of sidewalls - any idea if this is theoretically good or bad? I lack sidewalls but it's not really a rectangle but more like a trapezoid. I'm not sure if this is good for imaging/soundstage either. I've been playing with the Chesky test CD's (Best of Chesky Jazz #2, "Height Test" and "General Image and Resolution Test") and I can't get the height to extend beyond 65% up and the imaging doesn't go all around me on that monkey test (if you know that track). I wonder if this has anything to do with lack of sidewalls.

11flat6 - yes you're exactly right. It's quite open. It opens up to my study and dining room. The shape is a bit odd. I do not have a choice of a separate music room.

Ever have any experience with this type of setups? Probably not very ideal right?

Windowsx - I don't think you can go wrong with the Rockports (nor the Verity's to be honest). What's the scoop on the Mira II's? They had updated the Mira Grand II's to use the carbon midrange units instead of the older ones. I'm guessing the Mira II would be the same?

THESE are 2 different speakers VS is not the case!!

Changster, my room's a little smaller than yours & opens up to a long corridor on 1-side. speakers are also setup along the long wall.

IME, there are both advantages (less side wall reflection) & disadvantages (getting lower freq pressure & fullness) with long wall setups, particularly when the listening room is somewhat large &/or open. having said that, every room is unique (different size/ shape/construction materials/etc.).

it can be difficult to determine how a particular speaker might interact with a room... Verity generally uses wall behind the speakers to reinforce bass & requires more distance btw tweeter & listener to integrate, whereas Rockports generally requires more distance (btw speakers & wall) to create that wonderful clarity & depth. Rockport's drivers are extremely well integrated so it's prob better to sit closer to the speakers (to minimize room reflection).

the real challenge IMO, is finding the "right" speakers to fit one's room, taking into consideration one's sonic & aesthetic biases/requirements - which are all variables that continue to change & evolve (some more frequently than others)... that's why non-audiophiles think we're bloody nuts!!

just my 2 cents.