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Speaker suggestions please - going to the BIG city

I've received some excellent advice from this forum in the past and I'm hoping you can help with speaker suggestions.  I've had my Martin Logan Summit X speakers for five years.  In that time, I've updated all my components and cables, but not the speakers.  When I purchased them, I lived in a small town and it wasn't practical to travel to the big city to audition others; they were a strong suggestion from an audiophile friend.  I very much like them, but I have a hankering to upgrade, or at least consider other brands that will compliment my system (see below).  I don't want to change my Primaluna HP Integrated because I like it, and I recently upgraded all the tubes at a cost of $1300. 

I listen to jazz, female and male vocals, quartets, etc.; think Jewel, Melody Gardot, Nora Jones, Neil Diamond, Alison Krauss, etc.  Never hard Rock, and never overly loud. 

My room is about 18x25 with a vaulted ceiling and open behind the listening seat by another15 feet (the kitchen). 

I have an Axiom Audio sub in the system that I've also thought about replacing.  

I'm heading to Portland and Chicago in the next few weeks and have time to audition speakers.  I'd very much appreciate your thoughts on what would sound the best considering my music choices and Primaluna amp.  I know I could just listen to everything, but I'm hoping you can help me narrow the choices.

My system:
  • Martin Logan Summit X speakers
  • Holo Audio May DAC (Kitsune edition)
  • Lumin U1 music player
  • EtherRegen.
  • AfterDark clock and power supply for the clock and EtherRegen.
  • Roon Rock using a NUC that I built
  • Acoustic Zen Hologram II speaker cables
  • Acoustic Zen MC2 and Kimber Kable D60 digital cables
  • Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II interconnects
  • OPPO 105D player for DVD and SACD disks (modified by Ric Schultz).
Thank you!
Steve

smills59

Showing 1 response by mijostyn

mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,570 posts
 
Since volume is not a huge issue for you and you have a penchant for female voices you will definitely like Sound Labs 545's. Imagine your Martin Logans with a more dynamic sound, more detailed bass and lower midrange with better focus, imaging. Magnepan 20.7's would be a second choice but I really think the PrimaLuna will do better on the Sound Labs which is a better speaker at any rate. With the music you like going from ESLs to dynamic speakers will be disappointing. The reason most head in that direction is to get more volume, not an issue for you. I would be nervous going for horn loaded speakers as it takes a really good one to not add pain to female voices. Allison Krause's voice should not hurt at all. 
Everyone knows I am a Sound Labs fan. Admitting this Judging by the music you like and where you have been the 545's make the most sense.
They are not overly large by the way, 24" wide and five feet tall.
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