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Seeking Speaker Recommendations

Greetings,

I've been away from the hobby for quite a while, but am now ready to slowly edge my way back in.  Many moons ago I sold my Altec Model 19's, and have never been able to find a replacement for them.  Their dynamics, their liveliness, their punch, the way they recreated the music on a grand scale.  Even at lower volumes their dynamic swings were amazing.  They sounded so lifelike.  I'm sure their measured performance was likely abysmal, but the sound they generated, to my ears, was like sitting at a performance.

Having been to the CES/Comdex show many, many times years ago, I had seen and listened to hundreds of speakers by hundreds of manufacturers.  What I liked was significantly out of my price range.  I've personally owned systems by Thiel, Von Schweikert, Martin Logan, Magnepan, Legacy, Focal, and the list goes on.  I even went to great expense and custom built a pair of Altec 604 based speakers.  All have left me wanting my old Altec 19's back.

I know they can be had today, and you can even build a "new" pair with the cabinets and drivers available, but I can no longer house a pair of speakers larger than a washer/dryer!  What I'm looking for is a small to medium sized floor-standing speaker, preferably under $3,000/pair, that will recreate that Altec Model 19 magic.  I assume it would have to be high efficiency and horn based.

Can anyone kindly recommend a system that might come close to what I'm seeking?

Thanks!!
seadweller
olesno
87 posts
 
Tekton Double Impact.  Please read some reviews.  I sold my Kef Blade 2 speakers and bought the Tektons.  Never looked back.  They are that good.
seadweller OP
55 posts
 
I currently have a Parasound Halo P5/A23 combo, a Music Hall MMF-2.2 turntable, and my venerable Rotel 965BX CD Player.  I bought the Parasound stuff as a carry-over when I sold my Cary SLI-80, but actually will likely keep the P5/A23.
seadweller OP
55 posts
 
By the way, I've listened to a lot of speakers of varying designs, and have yet to come across a system with conventional drivers that can match the sheer excitement and energy of a horn-based system.  That includes speakers with ribbon drivers.  If possible, I'd like to go new/newer, rather than going back decades on an older system.


seadweller OP
55 posts
 
Actually, I take back my comment about not hearing a single conventional system that came close to delivering what a horn-based system is capable of.  A long time ago, I listened to a pair of PMC MB2's, and they were quite spectacular.  If they had 3 bedrooms and a bathroom, I might buy a pair!
dorkwad
548 posts
 
seadweller,

Where are you located?  If it's anywhere close to the north central portion of Indiana, you could hear the speakers I was talking about.

I've heard all the speakers you mentioned, and owned a pair of Von Schweikert Vortex Screens for 18+ years and obviously liked them.  I now own VMPS RM40 BCSE speakers that have very good dynamics and can play at very loud volumes, BUT...they don't have as much jump factor as those Aether Spirit I.  The Aether's have very similar detailing as the VMPS, but are in a very compact cabinet.  The Aether's have seriously good bass, almost the equal of the huge RM40s.  The Aether's can actually play at louder volumes than the VMPS.  The Vortex Screens were considered to have good dynamics back in 1991, but they can't hold a candle to the RM40s in that area.  The pair of RM40s that I have are better sounding than the ones that one Best In Show at the CES, so it's saying something that the Aether's are in their league in most areas and ahead in dynamics and live sound quality.

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