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What should be my next speaker - the never ending question

I am not in a rush but I am starting to think about upgrading my current speakers.  I currently own my second pair of 3A MM gen II (not the Reference 3a de Capo).  What is wrong with those?  Well, that will sound stupid but, nothing is really wrong, I love them (and so does my spouse) but I am sure something better out there is waiting for me...  Very difficult to visit audio shops those days with the COVID, not to mention that I usually buy used stuff (I am cheap..., I know).

I normally visit annual audio shows in Montreal and I must admit not many speakers over the past few years impressed me or sounded better (IMHO) than my current set up.  A handful made me stop and listen for half an hour each time: Klipsch Heritage (La Scala and Klipschorn - oh boy, wait too large for my room), pro monitors from Focal (used for quadraphonic demonstration of Dark Side of the Moon) but curiously the Focal Kanta serie (high WAF!) made me say "bof...", and some planar speakers (forgot the name).

Not too sure which direction I should now take.  My budget: between $3K to $8K (used).  I am thinking of Reference 3a like De Capo I anniversary version or Grand Venaa, Possibly Maggies but low WAF for such large panels.  What else?

Additional info: room (terrible sounding) approx 15x17 (9' ceiling) with no real room treatment beside the furniture, type of music: everything but recently more focusing on solid rock (System of a Down), Classic Rock (Pink Floyd), female singing jazz (old recording of Ella, Melody Gardot), classical (chamber music) and Folks.  Only listening streaming from Tidal (highest quality).

System: ROCK on NUC for ROON, streamer Lumin D2 with SBooster, preamp Audio Alchemy DDP1+power supply (I use the DAC from the DDP1 for critical listening which is more detailed and in your face, and I use the Lumin DAC for easy listening which is smoother sounding and well balanced), main amp Bryston 2.5B3 (cubed), amp for subs Bryston 4BSST through a minidsp, speakers main 3aMM gen II (used full range), subs DIY Bass Modules for SBA-741 designed by Troels Gravesen.  Cables: a bunch of Cardas XLR (Golden Ref and others) and Prisma for speakers.

Any suggestions?  Thanks in advance.
explorateur

Showing 2 responses by douglas_schroeder

douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
Not hard at all to perceptually have any given dynamic, hybrid dynamic, horn, etc. speaker sound more transparent than panel. Most people mistake the character of the soundstage for transparency. Without side by side comparison, they don't know. People make presumptions about genres of speakers and they have no clue. 

Single driver? Ok, look at my review at Dagogo.com of the Tri-Art Audio Series B 5 Open Speaker with other components. It's a full range hybrid. Not to naysay the ClairAudient, but one might suspect it to be a BIT different.  Tri-Art is a Canadian company, so demo could be much easier than crossing borders now.  :) 

douglas_schroeder
3,281 posts
 
explorateur, my first comment was general information, as many who have less experience with panels vs. other genres of speakers conflate the attributes of panels and mistakenly conclude they are more "transparent". Ergo, I would not suggest that you need to seek a panel speaker to attain higher transparency/accuracy in your system. 

I have owned both magnetic planar and electrostatic panel speakers, and they are simply a different breed of speaker, with their own benefits and drawbacks. 

There are inalienable characteristics of each genre of speaker, but also particularities with each brand/model. i.e. All panels have a particular wave launch, but can sound distinctly different in application from other brands/models. 
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