Your thoughts on best audiophile speakers in $10,000 neighborhood?


I know the best way to select a speaker is to auditioon them at a dealer or in my own home. However, living in a rather rural area in northern Michigan, there's only one reputable dealer (Sonus Faber) in town so I may end up relying on reviews and your feedback. 

I used to own Vandersteen Model 2Cs in the late 1980s, but finally want to step up my game. I currently have a legacy Nakamichi receiver / amp with 1000wpc, but will probably upgrade that once I select a new pair of speakers. Currently I'm playing mostly LPs on a Technics SL1210G. I now listen mostly with a Mark Levinson 5909 headphone connected to a small Class A pre-amp, so I treasure detail and transparency and don't lean toward "warm" speakers.

Room is good size since it encompasses living room and opens to dining room and kitchen behind it. Cathedral ceiling is about 12 feet high. 

I'm considering the following speakers: Vandersteen Treo CT, Wharfedale Elysian 4 (perhaps too big for my room), Monitor Audio Gold 300 and the Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII. These all fit within my budget. What are your thought about any of these...or do you have others to recommend?

Thanks for whatever guidance you can give me.

 

aphilc

very subjective questions:  $10K speaker may not sound as good as $2K speaker to some. Based on synergy of the equipment used as well as where its made and what material being used.  Wharfedale Elysian 4 would be 2x the price if not made in China.

@webking185 everybody knows that a 400 dollar speakers sounds better than a 4000 dollar speaker. (It also sounds better than a 2000 dollar speaker) 10K speakers just have the manufacturer's CEO driving more expensive cars, that's why they cost 10K. 

I can recommend the Vandersteen Treo CT's as I have a pair are they are a great example of what Rich believes in for speaker design. I also have a pair of his Model 2C's, a set of Duntech's (also time aligned) along with many others. The Treo CT's by far a the most enjoyable to listen to and do well in a large room.