What used speaker would you buy with $20,000-$35,000 and why?

For the first time I think I'm going to attend some shows. I probably won't spend quite that much money (it is serious cash), but who knows. The reason I asked the question as I did is that the used market has a way of depreciating different brands at different rates (i.e. Wilson and B&W hold their value quite well, while others depreciate more rapidly). On the used market, Revel Ultima Salon 2's sell for what 802d's sell, but retail the Salons are 22 and the BW's are 15. There have got to be some crazy good price points for some speakers I don't know well on the used market.

As for vacation: Thanks, but I like sound more than traveling (some of that is health related).

Hookers and Coke: If we are going that route we should do LSD or shrooms and then my bookshelf speakers in my office would sound better than my floor standing beasts straight.

I have entertained the Magnepan's. I'd like to set them up A/B in my room with my speakers. Before I pull the trigger on this I'm fixing the room dynamics (in part by stiffening up the floor and removing the carpet). It's a near perfect cuboid, but the structure behind the walls and underneath the floor is lacking (listening room is in part of the old house).

Only downside of shows is that it's all cutting edge stuff not used stuff like I'm asking about here. A slightly used high end car generally drives pretty close to a new one at a fraction of the price. Electronic gear is even closer due to the nature of electronic components.

Al, this is what Cardas has to say about the golden cuboid (yes I left the word "golden" off earlier - saving time):

"The Golden Cuboid listening room is 10’ x 16’ x 26’ (Read 10.000 x 16.18033989... x 26.18033989...

It’s dimensions differ in a Golden Ratio or Fibonacci sequence (5-8-13-21-34...)."
From: http://www.cardas.com/room_setup_golden_cuboid.php

My room is 10' x 16' x 26' but is not not expanding in dimension as one moves out from the short side of rectangular room. I didn't design the room that way. It's the size of the front room when we bought this house (hence the need for some structural support - the floor joists are not sufficiently engineered for a really tight/stiff 16 foot span).

Audiotomb, my amps are SS 600 watt mono blocks. Suffice to say they are matched well to my current speakers and are of sufficient power to drive anything. My pre-amp is a tube. I don't want to mention a brand lest the brand critics muster themselves to take us off-topic (I'll PM if you'd like).  

It is true that listening is highly subjective and that the speaker-listener interface is perhaps the most subjective of all. Ultimately, that too is subject to all of the previous components, so it is the interaction of the parts that produce the whole (hopefully one that is synergetic). 

Today I found out that the sub-floor consists of 2 x 8's floor joists which have a span of 14 ft. Can anybody say "Ouch"!? No wonder I have perceived a lack of bass punch since I've moved my equipment into that room. It has ideal dimensions, but pitiful mass and stiffness. The minimum for that span should be 2 x 12's (preferably supported).

I will be remediating the situation with piers under the subfloor etc. I'm open to any advice you guys have on what should be done as well. The work needs to be done for the foundation of the old construction and not just for the sound. Obviously, I can't tear the entire part of the old construction down, but I plan to have concrete block supports and a beam placed under that room (and the rest of the old construction) to make it vastly stiffer. 

I like the Vandersteens. I've looked at a couple of Joseph Audio speakers (visually) and, while I haven't heard them, some of the visual cues are similar between them. I'll bet similar models sound quite different. 

Here's to PS:
OK, I've been planning to respond to a bunch of the responses before this one (with mostly "thanks" and noting the good advice), but his/her last post is mildly offensive on many levels. So "thanks" to the thoughtful recommendations you folks have given - I appreciate it. I will need to go on a bit of a listening tour in the near future. 

Congrats on your 20k car. I don't know what proportion of your net income and/or wealth that amount represents but, for the sake of argument, let's say it represents less than .2 percent (that's not 2%, that's 2/10's of a percent) of my income and that I'm considering a 20k used speaker as a responsible use of my money in enabling me to be "simply enjoying the music" and to do good for other folks. More concretely that is the equivalent of an individual with a $100,000 income spending $200 on speakers.

IOW's I could go out and buy speakers costing much more because I can afford them, but I would rather buy used so I can fund an orphanage that I started.

FYI my retirement account is fully funded. I may be wrong, but I'd bet I give more to charity in one year than you have given in your entire life. The "reductio ad absurdum" argument would ask, "Why buy speakers at all?" Divest thyself of all things and help the poor (who you will have with you always). We should all become monks and chant ourselves into music bliss.

On a practical level the question revolves around getting the most amount of sound out of high end used speakers for the price. And doing so after one considers that some of those speakers hold their value more, and others depreciate more rapidly in the secondary market. The former may sound better in the original retail price range and yet later, once brands which entered the market new as more expensive price points have depreciated to extreme levels they match the price of the brands that hold value, it may be there is a "flip" in the price/value equation.

Some lessor known brands really drop in the used market and become substantially better values ($ per sound unit) than do units that really retain their value. That was the thrust of the original question. It was not meant to tout my wealth. Which is less than I've stated (but I'd still bet that I give more in one year to charity than you have in your entire life).

Heck I don't drink Starbucks coffee, but I can afford it.

Audiophiles . . . God bless 'em. Non-audiophiles . . . God bless 'em too. Stop the blessing limitations, He does.

A broken ankle and a ruptured Achilles tendon have slowed this project to a crawl (no pun intended). So it may be awhile. I do know that I have to go to a few conventions and certain stores in Atlanta. We will see what develops out of this. Thank for all the advice folks. The room/components interaction is indeed significant. I haven't had any opportunity to listen to Vandersteen or various Planar speakers. Both deserve an audition. 

Thanks to all who have responded.  My man-shed (acoustic shed) may be the first item on the agenda!

You have all given me food for thought!

Man! Thanks for all the input! I'm planning on listening to several of the speakers mentioned (Wilson, Vandersteen) and I've had several of the others. It's interesting how upstream components and the room have incredible effects on speakers etc. (as does "taste"). Originally I was trying to find the greatest value at this price point in the used market (given the different depreciation rates of various equipment and the relative stability of performance in the electronics realm vs mechanical).  Part of the staying power is of the former is value and part is reputation. I was wondering about secondary manufacturers who were producing nearly the quality of the big boys and faced a radical drop-off in the secondary market rendering these speakers a virtual "steal" given the drivers, cabinets etc. Some speakers hold their value quite well (i.e. B&W, Wilson, Vandersteen) others decline more rapidly  (but I think the sound does not decline at the same rate). I was hoping to capitalize on "your alls" experience and find a value speaker that tooks a great hit, but sounds really incredible and it's used price is actually undervalued given it performance. 

It's similar to a situation I faced with a boat purchase, A few years ago I bought a new runabout for 26,000 and now the same boat new is 45,000. Folks have found out it's a good boat and have bid up the price. I don't want to pay the inflated price!

Thanks again folks. Keep suggestions coming!

"Tooks" let's try "took" a great hit.

The room is crucial. Fortunately I have a really good room (once I resolve an issue with the floor joists - I have to run a beam in order to cut the span in half and stiffen the floor). So I really suppose the question then is independent of room - IOW's assuming an ideal room. I didn't know that about the Vandersteens.

Thanks Ctsooner. I will go up there and take a look. I got two monoblocks from them awhile ago (sight and sound unseen and unheard) - of course I don't think I can afford new Vandersteens I'd want (i.e. Model VII - $62,000 list) and, if I can, I'd have to come up with some crazy story for my wife! 

hm1
Yep totally out of my mind. Sometimes I think I'm a vegetable and I'm just looking to waste my green on all things stupid.

It's apparent that I'm not nearly as smart as you are and I certainly don't have your experience. Or, it may be that I'm as smart as you and just vastly richer. Take your pick.

Oh wait, other possibilities foist themselves upon my thoughts, but I shall shake my head and toss them out as quickly as I did my first exposure to calculus. I seem to remember thinking: "You've got to be out of your mind, I can't believe anyone would think that mathematics could explain acceleration - I just put my foot on that pedal and wow."   

It's always a joy to correspond with intelligent and seasoned audiophiles. I have been enriched and enlightened by your comment. I'd bet you are regarded as one of the most engaging conversationalists/posters since Beavis. Cheers.