Suggestions in upgrading from a Dynaudio 1.8 MKII?
I’m looking for:
• A much bigger sound stage.
• More impactful bass.
• Greater clarity at low volumes.
• Greater dialogue intelligibility while playing TV/Movies.
• Not fatiguing.
• Not more than 50” tall.
• Not weird looking.
Budget: About $5,000
Physical set up:
My set up is in the main living area of the house. The room opens into the kitchen and so the speakers immediately “see” about 368 square feet/3300 cubic feet. There is a 6 foot opening into another large room and a sliding glass door facing the opening which extends what the speakers “see” still more. The room is used and seen by all visitors, young and old.
Electronics: Wyred4sound preamp and amp. Cullen modified PS Audio III dac. Source is a Windows 7 computer using JRiver for music management.
Music:
Primarily all things acoustic with occasional forays into 60’s rock. Large and small scale classical pieces, smaller jazz-Krall, Armstrong, Sinatra, Buble, Karyn Allison, fiddle (Macmaster and Rideout being favorites), Celtic, folk.
What I’ve kinda listened to recently:
B&W: Sounded harsh until I got to the 804D, which I haven’t heard in a good setting.
Revel: All models sounded metallic.
Monitor Audio: Sounded harsh. I heard one of the Silvers.
Martin Logan: Model not recalled-priced about $2500 pair. Mids were good, jury out on the uppers. Thin? Bass seemed disproportionately heavy. Heard with a receiver. Loved the open sound of them.
Magneplanars: The 1.7 was played with a receiver. Sounded a bit sharp. The larger Maggies were played with McIntosh tubed gear. Sounded a bit thick in the mids. Loved the open sound with both of them. The bigger Maggies would be too large for me.
What speakers should I research and listen too?