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

Pre owned Legacy Focus 20/20.. 2500-3k$.. 175lbs a piece, formidable speaker, revealing, holographic, disappear nicely in my room as giant monolith haha ,, anyway great value .. factory is in Illinois , great people. Should have pre owned in stock, fun road trip .. 

Whatever ya choose happy hunting, tons of fun!

Bill

I have two good suggestions for you, the monitor audio gold 300g3 or the audio vector QR7 SE or you can look at the audio vector R series as well from audio vector.

Id

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I'd look at Paradigm for a little under budget and Legacy for slightly over budget.  For even more under budget, SVS and Emotiva have some exciting, new things out.  Some here seem to have blasted the $10k mark.  lol

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The Vandersteen is not exactly the same idea as the NS5000, that is why I mentioned it in my first post. No cone speaker has all 3+ drivers with the same material. I hear something special when the bass driver is made with the same material as the tweeter. There is an incredible coherence to the sound.

The price if the NS5000 reflects the economies of scale of Yamaha.

@yyzsantabarbara 

I've read the review in Absolute Sound. And from the specifications tab in the link you sent, i see that the front firing tweeter, midrange and mid bass drivers are made of the same material. Vandersteen insists that this is very important. The down firing subwoofer is aluminum and the rear firing tweeter is ceramic coated. So, the same idea as the ns5000s, which I've heard. The Yamahas are remarkable speakers, especially for the money. Okay, they're not cheap but they're a lot less than the Vandersteens.

I have Model 5s. The price of entry was a lot lower then! Thanks for the reply and happy listening.

Have you considered the Paradigm Persona 3Fs? Only speakers at that price point with a beryllium tweeter and midrange. 

I would be interested in knowing more about your “Nakamichi receiver / amp with 1000wpc”.  My two cents: you could buy a used pair of rockports for around $10k and get some great sound.

+1 for going to axpona. That would be a no-brainer. Yeah, what you hear there won't be truly representative of how anything would be in your home, but at least you could narrow down the plethora of ideas. 

@grislybutter I agree on the Dynaudio. I got a pair of the contour 60i on a very light demo for 9k. They were pulled out for a customer for an hour and went back in the crates. I couldn’t pass it up. Very happy…

@fredapplegate Here is a link to Vandersteen's $90k speaker. I have heard a variation of this a few years ago when Richard demoed it at a store in Los Angeles.

Model Seven XTRM | Vandersteen Audio

Looking at the description of the drivers it seems this particular Vandy speaker does not follow Yamaha's pattern. I went with the most expensive Vandy speaker. I have no time to check the others.

I like the sound of the big PSB's. Careful selection of cabling will be required, but that is true with all set-ups.

Yyzsantabarbara:

"No one does that with cones."

Vandersteen does.

I like the monitor audio gold 300 G5 out of all the speakers you've mentioned they're very three-dimensional airy spacious with a very enveloping sound stage makes you feel like you're right in the middle of the performance. I have the monitor audio platinum 200 G2 and I absolutely love them, they're still better than the gold G5 series.

Everyone has different tastes, ears, and brains (zombies have a taste for brains).  For me, there is something hair raising about good Totem's.  And they don't wear me out. Not all the Totems have "it".  For your budget, I would suggest listening to a pair of Forest Signature and/or Wind,  Find Dealers - Totem Acoustic Loudspeakers

With that budget, I would go with used Sonus Faber Olympica Nova 3 or used Focal Sopra 2.

I have the Dali Rubicon 8's.  Can listen to them all day.  Not fatiguing, tight bass, and the wide-dispersion of the speakers produce a great sound stage and center image.  Can also find them used for well under 10k

Next to Borresen.....I love the musicality and sheer slam of the new Qualio open baffle speaker .....Check you tube for demo's.....It sounds incredible.I may pick up a pair because I like to swap out speakers and amps....That way I get a completely different experience. That makes this hobby so exciting.

i have a pair of Tannoy Ardens, in a similar large space, they are nimble and detailed, works for me...

I am in Ann Arbor so you are welcome to stop by to audition if you get here from up north.

Good Luck.

BTW-I was never into Rock.

No longer. Not only do I now love it. I get it. 

I am very biased.

Have been a loyal Quad 57 owner for far longer than any other speaker.

They don’t do big dynamics and are a bit frequency limited but what they do is truly natural and lovely. And their transparency is addicting.

However, after almost 70 years, Quad has made a speaker that not only retains the beautiful features of the original 57, they have made a speaker that addresses all the deficiencies. And the icing on the cake is that their 2812 and 2912 modern models have lowered their price by 50%! I got my new 2812X about a week ago.

It retails for $10K. Their dynamics are scary. Their detail is stunning. And they are lovely to look at and beautifully built. 
I am one of the first to receive the new X. I was afraid that I would miss the addictive sound of the 57s. But I am putting my 57s for sale. The 2812X is everything I have always wanted in a speaker.

They have yet to be reviewed. But after showing at the CAF, more than one reviewer placed the system with the 2812X as one of the best 5. That system was about $40K. And the other 4 were all above $2-3 hundred thousand!

I am powering mine with a great Dartzeel CTH 8550 MK2 integrated. It is pricy. But I formerly had Atma-Sphere’s new Class D amps. Those would also be a great match for the Quads. And are a steal at $5400.

@aphilc --

Based on your OP and assumed preferences I’d go for a pair of Sound Labs Majestic 545 or 745’s. Yes, they’re above your budget, but as they say: whatever you do, do it for real.

Be sure to pay special attention to the specs of the speakers, if they are too hard to drive you'll need a new amplifier too.

If I were in your shoes I'd look at a sensitive speakers, over 90 db efficient. Sonus Faber usually fits there, but others have recommended Pure Audio Project or Volti....which would be worth a look as well.

The Vandersteen you are looking at seem like a more difficult load....the Wharfedale and Sonus Faber would be easier to drive.

PMC for me.

another vote for maggies (if you can deal with the looks and demands on the rest of the system)

Another vote for the ATC SCM40a speakers.  They are tri-amped and this allows the mfg to voice the speaker and amp together, and with an active crossover further control is possible.

I have SCM7's with Benchmark amplification in a small room, (plus subs), and that tweeter really is amazing.

italian Zilgali QA series speakers outperform everithing i have heared so far - almost Wilson sound at 1/3 price.

As suggested earlier, prearrange demos with the dealer(s) and get to a city. I'd put together a list of speakers you'd like to demo first, perhaps drawing upon some of the suggestions here.

I'm in the same boat as far as having limited lines I can audition in shops close to my home. That said, after hearing Wilson, Sonus Faber, Fyne, Atohm, B&W, Focal, Triangle, and a few others, I plan to soon upgrade to PMC.  When I heard them at my local dealer, they delivered everything I had been looking for: imaging and instrument separation like I'd never heard before in a floor-standing speaker, deep and textured bass, sweet and natural sounding midrange (especially vocals), and clean, incisive highs,  The PMC Twenty5.24i and Twenty5.26i are worth putting on your list.  Others I haven't heard but would like to are Borresen and Gershman (their Studio xDb speakers are sort of in your price range at $12k list).

I am also very much in the PureAudioProject camp. They deliver a very natural, open and pure sound.  Because they are open baffle, bass waves from the back of the speaker and the front wave interact and cancel bass, so they are a touch lean in the upper bass to deep bass (the cancellation grows progressively more severe as in goes down in frequency).  I am not a bass freak so it does not matter that much to me given how good they sound.  There are many options for the midrange/high frequency drivers--wooden horn, conventional drivers, coaxial drivers, Voxativ field coil wide range driver (the most expensive option).  

The Volti suggestion is also good--they make decent, affordable horn-based systems.  The integration of the bass driver with the horn is a bit off, but, that is, to me, a minor flaw given the positive attributes of the system.  You get the lively, vibrant sound of horns with only a hint of horn nasal colorations.  Something like a Klipsch Cornwall is another good horn choice, but, they can sound a bit ragged and peaky unless someone who knows what he is doing swaps out internal parts.  

If you can/must place speakers near the corner of the room, you should audition Audio Note speakers.  They are very musical, lively, yet relaxed (not edgy sounding) and one can listen to them for hours on end.  Among other conventional speakers, I like ProAc speakers--they too sound relaxed, but not sluggish, and are good in long listening sessions.

Good luck in your search.

Find a reduced price on a pair of Monitor Audio Platinum 2003g speakers. 

@yesiam_a_pirate Dont you mean Audio Dimensions? I grew up in Birmingham and spent many hours there… bought a used ARC SP-3a1 from Harry - wish I still had it.  Was. Very sad when he retired last year due to health issues 

It is suggested to avoid framing speakers solely based on a price tag. In publications like Stereophile, the price range for a loudspeaker can vary significantly even within the same class. Your price range may fall into the "restricted LF class A," "class B," to a "restricted LF class B," which you can use as a starting point for your search. Depending on your personal taste in sound traits, style and type of drivers, layout your basic requirements on speaker specifications such as efficiency, size of drivers/speakers, frequency responses, etc. Matching with your current gear is an imperative criterion as well. Most importantly, you need to audition them in person, ideally with in-home trials for at least a good number of hours, allowing the speakers to break in. I went through this hassle twice when selecting my main and secondary sets of speakers, and it is not an easy process that you can simply expect an answer from by throwing the question to Audiogoners.

I recommend the Spendor D9.2.  Currently running the D7.2 and loving their sound.  The Spendor D series don't look super impressive at face value but they are the closest thing to a jack of all trades design I have heard and owned.  

Deep special bass impact and tone because of a well tuned long bottom firing flared port. 

An engaging, smooth and detailed midrange that is a trademark of the best British designs. 

Sweet detailed treble that is uncanny at times without being too much.  

Fast, efficient near horn like dynamics. Quick transients with great energy, perfect for following rapid fire rhythm and drum sections.  

@aphilc  If you're willing to buy used, then your question becomes what are the best speakers in the $20,000 range.  At 3 - 5 years of light use, speakers are selling at +/- 50% of the original price.  Buy used and make your dollars go further. IMHO

@mbmi  While my Volti are my choice, they do everything I want in a loudspeaker and more, I too was impressed with the Borresen's i listened to. Both the x3 and x1 monitors were clean, powerful and musical. They threw a wide and deep soundstage. I was also impressed that at the levels they were being driven, there was absolutely no breakup or distortion. Of course the amplifiers feeding them were top notch.  

Sonus Faber Sonetto VIIIs are only $7000- you could go up to a Olympica Nova II for 10K. Sonus are "polite" warm speakers and not known for speed or detail. You could go to a Maggie 3.7i for 9K which seems to more closely match your listening preferences if I understand your post correctly (treasure detail transparency not warm) 

Your room is going to be a challenge- anti-rooms off the main room make for cave like echoes. You will need BIG speakers to fill that room.

Your amp is going to be the choke point. Old Nachs are cool but don't have the ability to reproduce the detail you indicate you are seeking.  You will need a tube amp to reveal the details in your vinyl that your speaker is capable of presenting. If you don't need to rock the docks and shake the lakes I'd look for a good used ARC Ref 160S. I have seen them for cheap lately as ARC is about to release the Ref 320M and well heeled ARC fans are trading up. 

Disclaimer:  My first good speakers were Maggie MG-1s which I bought new at Absolute Sound in Birmingham MI in 1977 with paper route money. Harry was an ARC dealer and my first exposure was to the Maggie/ARC matched stuff and I was blown away. 47 years later I still thrill at the ARC/Maggie pairing. I don' t own Maggies right now- I use Bryston Model Ts because like you I have a cavernous room to fill with sound and my set up is not for critical listening.

Heard the Borresen X-3's at Florida Hi Fi Expo........Many beautiful looking and beautiful sounding speakers there. .......But ONE speaker stood out for it's detail and soundstage and realism . The musicality of the Borresen X-3 along with their LOOKS was a game changer for me. Bought a pair in White with Black trim.....Absolutely Magnificent!  As mentioned above.....The ribbon technology they use in their $500,000 speakers trickles down to the $11,000 X-3's....Call Mike at Hi- Fi Loft in NYC or Next Level Hi Fi in the Chicago area before making your decision.

Used Magnepan 20.7i's can be had for less than $10K and if you have the proper room and amplification I suspect they will outperform the vast majority of speakers at many multiples of that price.

Pure Audio Project beats all!!!!

You got a lot of good suggestions here — Revel F228be, Monitor Audio Gold, ProAc K series — all are great loudspeakers.

I just came back from a weekend of listening to my buddies new Sonus Faber Sonetto VIII. They’re very nice speakers; you can’t go wrong with them.

Two suggestions from above that you shouldn’t ignore; 1) Go to the Axpona show in Chicago this weekend to audition speakers, and 2) Don’t buy until you’ve had a chance to listen to the Borresen X speakers recommended by Audioman58. They’re a different type of sound than the Sonus Faber but, to my ears, they’re exquisite and a great deal.

I just purchased a similar speaker, the Scansonic MB6 B, designed by Michael Borresen. They’re similar to the Borresen X and also a very good value. I’m 100% satisfied with them. I believe the Scansonic MB5 B is right in your price range and they too are outstanding. 

Good luck with your search and let us know what you decide.

I think it might be better to look at the extra value available in used speakers.  In that context, I might suggest a couple of sleepers....

Used Sonus Faber Olympica 3 Nova

Used Wilson Audio Sophia

I'm NOT a big fan of the Audax tweeter in the Wilson, but that's just my preference.  Electronics might tame the Wilson tweeter a bit.

Both speakers are quite good and in my opinion will outperform any new speakers in that price range. 

@ghdprentice - I endorse GHD Prentice’s POV. There is no better substitute than

hearing them yourself. One Saturday afternoon in a city in your part of the country would make a nice weekend trip and allow you to hear some options first hand. 

This is so ultimately subjective that you’ve got to trust your own ears first. 

I’ll vouch for the Legacy Focus SE’s.

I certainly love these things and it’s taken a lifetime of trial to find them. If your game to come down to Ohio to have couple hours listen, you more than welcome

OK here it is.  Look at the Revival Speakers. I just heard the $5000 pair and they are simply killer.  Makes us scratch out heads for that price.  Powered by a line magnetics 22wpc integrated amp.  Simply stunning.  ATALANTE 5 call Mike O'Keefe at HiFi Direct in Hackensack, NJ  tell him I sent you.  Mike has been a dealer for 40 years.  He can get anything but these simply just blew our minds.

Happy Listening.

@siox +1. I owned the ATC 40 active for years and it is brilliant.  Checks all the boxes.  Not saying superior to your other considerations, just that they should be looked at seriously.  Best of luck.  Cheers

You should definitely check out Revel F228be or even Revel F208's . I auditioned Monitor Audio against Revels on the same system of electronics in the same room and the Revels were much better. I bought the Revel F228be's and love their Soundstage, imaging, openness and faithful reproduction with beautiful midrange. These are right at 10k price with great heritage and reviews. 

Given your search for a neutral and transparent sound, and your budget, I would consider Proac K series speakers. Very open with exceptional midrange refinement and transparency for the price. The new ribbon tweeters also add some beautiful extension on top. Dynamic, refined and well-organized sound with excellent palpability. 
If it’s not a typo, I read 1000 watts :) That kind of power would also call for Magnapans for sure, if you are not a bass fanatic. You would in this case limit your system versatility a little bit. Proacs for example would rock the house while Maggies would probably feel happier with jazz and acoustic folk etc…

Let us know what you end up with please. I am curious. Thanks 

Well I might suggest that you start you new system with your amplifier preamp or DAC with remoter. As they say garbage in crappy sound out. Have some fun think about a nice 300B and then the choice of speakers becomes a lot easier.

But what do I know...

Jond agree +1