No, I will not. If you could spend $5,000 for speakers now, you would spend $10,000, $15,000,...for them, eventually. Choose the one that you can pay off. Forget what brand of your speakers. Enjoy with your good music - Listen to music not speakers. |
Most audiophiles consider speakers to be the cornerstone around which the rest of their system is built. Speakers just have the biggest impact on overall system sound than any other single component, although the cost of this vs. other system components is also the highest. Right now, I am running a 17 year old pair of ADS L1530 studio monitors with Spectral amp/preamp, Mac CDP. The sound coming from them is amazing, esp. considering they only cost me $1400 used (listed for $2900 in 1984, the last year they were made). For speakers made by manufacturers, used is definitely the way to go. In today's market, a new $2000 pr. of speakers basically gets you just above junk. For a true audiophile system, $5000 is an absolute minimum to spend on speakers, esp. if new. If I may put a plug in for a local store (in Milwaukee, WI), Bill at Audio Ventures will make you a pair of speakers for approx. $7000 using top-of-the-line Focal drivers (3-way, with single 12" woofer) and very sophisticated x/o's ($1000 in parts alone for x/o's) that blow away anyhing out there in the $12000 to $15000 range. I heard a pair of these speakers driven by Bryston equipment, was amazed. Unlike many speakers out there today, these things had some punch and were incredibly open and free, most unlike a box speaker. After I heard them, I plunked down $10000 to have an even better pair made, with dual 12" woofers and hurricane-proof cabinets. I heard a pair of $30000 pr. of Genesis speakers with all Sonic Frontiers equip. recently that didn't come close to the previously described system with these "home-made" speakers. While I don't have my speakers yet, they WILL be incredible. If you are interested in hearing any of Bill's speakers, let me know, as I know a couple of people who have them. In answer to your question, YES!!! |
Sure, I would spend easily 5000 because this is my hobby and I get a great deal of satifaction from listening to music. Some people come home from work stressed or whatever and drink, or smoke, or eat to much, and take Xanax. Audiophiles on the whole relax by listening to their stereo system. This is what we do to unwind and enjoy life. Its a healty escape. My theory, very unscientific, is that audiophiles live longer than that of the non-audiophile. Yes I see my purchases of stereo equipment an investment in my mental & physical well being! $5000 for something that makes you happy over several yrs? bargain indeed! |
In 1991 I bought a pair of Apogee Duetta Signatures @ $4,000. At the time it was the most money, by far, I had spent on anything for music playback. I haven't even considered looking at or listening to anything else since. |
Absolutely! But will VISA allow me:-) Current $$$ favorite is the Vandersteen Model 5. The bonus being that they will always be upgradable per Mr. Vandersteen. |
Yes - Verity Parsifal Encore |
I paid more than that for DUNLAVY SC-V speakers. They are great in all aspects, including size. I keep upgrading my system, including a ML380S, ML37, Krell amp, NBS signature, and they keep sounding better and better. |
Did anyone say Martin Logan's Monolith.You can get them used for way under 5 grand and they sound terrific. |
If the speaker system is the WISDOM AUDIO Adrenaline Dipole 75, the answer is a emphatic "YES". There are others that I would consider, but the WA is the most expensive consideration. Absolutely the best sound I've ever heard - and I've heard much more expensive designs. |
Yes, I would definitely spend more that $5000 on a pair of speakers. (I would spend more than $5000 on a SINGLE speaker in a pair as well) I see it this way: DAC, Transport, even PreAmp and Amp designs will change VERY fast, a GREAT pair of speakers will last a LONG time as the designs don't change as fast. Great speakers are worth the investment for sure. Planars and Electrostatics are excellent (owner - MG 3.5R's - they still sound great). "Exotic" cones are also great speakers. (I normally avoid cones like the plague because the sound sounds like it is comming out of a "box") The Avalon Eidolon's ceramic disc transducers are unique and sound as exquite as the technology that manufactures the drivers. I also just auditioned the Vandersteen 5's (a baffless cone design) and they sound great. Speakers are worth the investement as they will outlast (in terms of obsolescence) much of the other equipment that makes up a system. $5000 for a pair of speakers, definitely. Just be sure to audition them thoroughly first! |
Martin Logan SL-3's @ $2k to $2.5k used, or ML reQuest for $1k more, are way ahead of anything in the sub-$5k arena for a wide range of music. Their only shortfall is ultimate bass extention(sub 30hz), not a big issue for most music. The sound stage is huge & real enough to just walk up onto & into the stage. If you like a limited variety of musical styles & a more intimate sound stage, there are box speakers like the ProAc 2.5 that work magic on Blues & Jazz, but don't rock & roll. Listen to all you can before you buy, and don't forget, your room is going to have a major influence on whatever you bring home, so pay more if you have to, but find a way to listen to what you like at home with your other components & your music in your room before you decide. |
magnapan mg-20,s for front, a pair of 18 inch elf bag end subs, a pair of mg3.6's for rears, and a pair of mg12 for center, with theta casablanca control amp/processor driving krell amps. nice system. ultra clean frequency responce. |
No: Absolutely NOT!!! Here's five reasons: 1. Von Schweikert VR3 or VR4 2. NHT Model 3.3, VT-2 3. PSB Stratus Gold 4. Aerial Acoustics Model 7B or Model 8 5. Paradigm Studio 100 TAKE YOUR PICK!!! Need I say more....I DON'T THINK SO!!!! |
This message is for yosemitiesamiam. In regard to going out and buying EAW stacks and subs. I do belive you are on the right track. I live in chicago and one of the local venues uses EAW. I have found a company that trounces EAW, however. And that is Martin Audio. Mindblowing for a live setup. So very transparent and neutral , yet will leave an imprint of your shadow on the wall if you like it loud. That's bigger money than EAW, but amazing. I'm in love with 'em. I'm a student of live sound and am discovering audiophilia and would spend ten thousand bucks, if I had the cash on speakers. |
I just purchased the paradigm refernce studio 100 - amazing system. I spent many weeks comparing speakers, in many high end stores... some actually told me they wouldnt even carry paradigm - yet whenever they are evaluated by high end reveiwers, they always do wondefully. Anyway, I compared to many other lines with various sources , amps and recordings, and consistently the paradigms sounded better than even much more expensive speakers. I have them biwired with audioquest midnite cables, and cant wait till they are actually broken in... P.S. - 2000$ |
It appears that no one has listened to the Aura Sound line. You could set yourself up with primary, center surround, and subs for under $1,600. and outperform many systems in the $5,000-10,000 range. The ribbon tweeters and Peerless woofers combine the best of planar and dynamic systems. |
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Yes, I would spend over $5000.00; however, I agree with some of the earlier posts that suggest buying used. I recently bout a pair of Martin-Logan CLS full-range electrostatics. They're $4700.00 new. I paid $800.00. When I got home one of the panels transducers had to be replaced for $200.00. So, for $1000.00 I have some of the most open and wonderful speakers on the planet for a fraction of their orignal cost. I spent my lunch hour today listening to smoe $11,000 B&Ws. In my opinion, they didn't come close to what I have at home. |
Good speakers matter, perhaps more than any part of the reproduction chain (excluding, of course, the recording). It is generally true that well designed and manufactured drivers are expensive. I'm sure that each of us has come upon inexpensive speakers that sound quite good. The problem that I have found is that many of the speakers that are reputed (by the slicks) to sound like good speakers, do, in fact, sound like good speakers. These can be identified when reading the slicks by looking for the following characteristics "brought tears to my eyes" or "my jaw dropped to the floor". Any time that you see this audio pornography you can be pretty sure that you have an overpriced, overhyped, audio snob appeal, reproducer that sounds like a speaker. You can usually easily infer that this particular speaker has a very good chance of being obsoleted by another jaw dropper within a year or at most two years. I found that I could have something that sounded like real music by considering used components and a little imagination. The Altec split 210 cabinet and high quality drivers that I wrote about in Sound Practices #15 is not going to be for everyone - you need an adequately sized listening room and an understanding spouse. After 30 years of spending too much money and being generally so disappointed that I had to hear the newest, latest and greatest, I found that I need no longer look to make significant further changes in speakers. Further, any small tube amplifier costing way less than the speakers will provide you with compelling music. Check out my idea of an outstanding speaker system in Sound Practices or you can e-mail me with questions. Total cost was less than $3,000 and would be able to be sold for at least that amount if circumstances ever change. These include going deaf, dying, moving to an apartment or insane asylum. Classic designs by the people who defined the art and the science have an aesthetic and the enduring appeal of bach, Mozart, Miles, or the Beatles. Check it out. |
dont want to start a fight ........ Paradigm anyone? |
Spend $5000 and get yourself a good pair of used speakers and you'll be fat better off than buying a new pair. That way you can have a $15,000 pair for $5000. |
Oh yes! And if I ever had the means ($) of doing so, I would head straight for my nearest pro-audio dealer, and order myself a pair of EAW front house stacks, and a stack of SB1000's (EAW 18" floor subs). EAW is absolutely the highest quality best sounding speaker in the market, consider going and listening to some...you will be impressed! |
Yes,why not anything more is a waste, two best speakers for 5K are....Audio Physics Virgo and ProAc 2.5....... and this should give you your AUDIO NIRVANA........ PS. ProAc prefer tube stuff so stick with that..hint,hint HAPPY LISTENING |
In my dreams! With a wife, 3 kids, and a healthy guilt complex about indulging myself, I have a hard time supersizing my quarter pounder meal! I've never even bought a set of speakers! Have always made my own-(Remember Mcgee Electronics? I was a big customer). Results have been mixed-have yet to build a set I couldn't find fault with. My midlife crisis is just around the corner though and I've actually been auditioning speakers that weren't built in the garage. I've been asking myself daily "Will you actually spend 500.00 for speakers?" If I go stark raving mad and actually go for some serious high end stuff, where would be a good place to look in the detroit area? |
I bought a pair of Silver Signatures (list $8000) and later a Linn 5160 subwoofer. For years, I assumed there is a point of diminishing returns in stereo equipment--it seemed to me that as long as my ears were the weakest component in the system, it was good enough. I didn't understand about psychoacoustics then. We evaluate sound in a great many different ways, and there is a magic that happens when a system is good enough. You stop listening to a stereo system and simply listen to music. In comparison, listening to poorer systems takes effort, and is tiring, rather the way that reading for long periods on a computer monitor is tiring. The differences may be subliminal, but they are very real. |
Did I say BMW---of course i meant B&W 800,sorry |
I thought I was crazy when I bought my BMW 800's for $9000,,. But after owning them approximately 6 months now, they are worth every penny I spent. Now all I gotta to is save up for the Krell FPB 600 & its off to the looney bin for me--------- |
<< I always wondered what type of person will spend over $5000.00 for speakers. I bought a used Willson WITT 1 for $5700.00 and I am told by people that I am out of my mind. I don't care what they say. I love my WIIT 1 and soon to upgrade the speaker. Willson Audio is one manufacture who cares about your investment in a beautiful well built speaker and allows you to upgrade the speaker for a fee. Wow!! What a great sound. Kick back and drink a cold beer while I enjoy one song after another. I have, what I consider to a modest system whose entire value is only about $7000 dollars. I've got all kinds of friends and aquaintances thinking that that's a little excessive, yet many of them are buying cars that cost 30 - 50 thousand dollars! Some of their cars will depreciate the entire value of my Hi Fi set up in just one year! And yet, no one seems to think THEY are crazy. We live in a strange world. >> |
<< I always wondered what type of person will spend over $5000.00 for speakers. I bought a used Willson WITT 1 for $5700.00 and I am told by people that I am out of my mind. I don't care what they say. I love my WIIT 1 and soon to upgrade the speaker. Willson Audio is one manufacture who cares about your investment in a beautiful well built speaker and allows you to upgrade the speaker for a fee. Wow!! What a great sound. Kick back and drink a cold beer while I enjoy one song after another. >> I don't quite qualify for the $5,000 category as I only paid $4,000 for a pair of used Pro Ac Response 3.5's, but considering they went for $7,500 new, I'll ramble on anyway. First a little background. I've owned many different speakers, among which have been Vandersteen 2c's., Spica TC60's, Energy C2's, Signet SL260's, Snell E's, Snell C V's, Paragon Radiants, and Platinum Quattro's. I've appreciated what they each do in their own particular way (except the Quattro's, which were just too bright and sibilant for my taste - but they do have far and away the best bass of any speaker I've owned, including my present pair). I've got good-enough electronics to hear what speakers can do, too (Cal transport, Meridian dac, Audible Illusions 3A, Sunfire amp). I always assumed, however, that law of diminishing returns would dictate that the difference between, say $2,500 speakers and $7,500 speakers would be very small. WRONG!!! Flat-out, hands-down, no argument, WRONG!!! The Pro Ac's walk all over, stomp, and destroy the others, and believe me, as the reviewers say, it ain't subtle! I've had the speakers for about two months now, and they never cease to amaze me. The emotional experience of music now ranges from gut-wrenching, tear-your-heart-out, to sublime. I never quite imagined how good it could be! Worth the money? You betcha! I'd also like to mention that I've been helped enormously over the years by the really terriffic folks at Stereo Exchange in New York, including Les and Israel, but especially by Jonathan (he's a Pro Ac owner and steered me to them). These guys are incredibly knowledgable (especially Jonathan) and are the antithesis of snooty high-end salesmen. Jonathan has been trying for years to help me save money by planning significant system upgrades instead of making lots of costly small, incremental upgrades. Would I listen? Of course not! Although I had a lot of fun trying different equipment over the years, in retrospect, he was absolutely right. |
<> In my opinion, if you want a high level of refinement AND full range sound, you MUST spend $5,000 for speakers. At least at new retail, that is the price point where the seriously nice speakers start. If you're willing to spend $5000 on the used market, then you can step up another league yet. |
I own a pair of Genesis V's, which I paid $8400 for. Considering I bought them brand new, and retail was $15000, I think I got quite a deal. I don't regret at all paying this much for a pair of speakers. They are worth every cent. Brian S. << I always wondered what type of person will spend over $5000.00 for speakers. I bought a used Willson WITT 1 for $5700.00 and I am told by people that I am out of my mind. I don't care what they say. I love my WIIT 1 and soon to upgrade the speaker. Willson Audio is one manufacture who cares about your investment in a beautiful well built speaker and allows you to upgrade the speaker for a fee. Wow!! What a great sound. Kick back and drink a cold beer while I enjoy one song after another. >> |
