Dual duty and LOUD


I have the upgrade bug and am looking to replace my main speakers (Infinity kappa 9). My room size is 17x21 and my speakers are about 12 feet apart and I sit 10 feet back in a sweet spot. I need a speaker that is for music 80% of the time and AV for the rest. I have plenty of amplification so efficent is not an issue. I use aragon pallidium mono blocks for my mains and an aragon 2005 for the center and surrounds. I'm not opposed to using a sub-woofer, I have a M&k Mk70. but it not nessary to use it. I mainly listen to classic rock and Blues. I have a second system for Jazz and classical that I listen to at much lower volume levels. I was wondering if my room is too small for planners. I do like full range speakers but would consider a monitor if it was large enough to put out some decent bass. Paradigm studio 40s come to mind.
What I'm looking for is a speaker and has lots of detail and plays crystal clear at high volume with good punch in the bass and crispy highs. It would also be nice if they sounded good at lower volume too! I haven't heard many high end speakers and I don't have many good stores in the Cleveland area to audition speakers so this site will have to be my startig point
Here are some of the speakers I have been considering
1. Vandersteens A good rock speaker or so they say
2. Paradigm studio 100s or their larger monitors
3. Canton Ergo 902. I love the clairity and detail of Cantons I have heard in the past but I haven't heard any of their currunt offereings
4. Maggies I will need some help here. anyone care to chime in?
5 Von schweikirt Maybe??
If there are others you feel I should consider let me know. It has been my experence that most expensive audiofile speakers are not loud enough for my liking so please keep this in mind. These speakers will be abused and used for movies also. I will most likely buy used so I can get more bang for my buck. <5k.
Does this speaker exist? Let my hear your comments
coman61
Years ago I owned the older style Kappa 8's & was running them with the Adcom mono-blocks with a Cary preamp. Yes, they could rock out big time & I wound up with VR4 GenIII's powered with an Ayre V-1xe using an Atma-sphere preamp. Good quality floorstanders, good quality big power & a good quality tube preamp makes for an excellent presentation at both 105 dB+ and low 70's.

My tastes are mostly rock but I also enjoy female vocals and have recently been listening to some jazz & blues. I also have two teenagers, so am constantly exposed to newer music, some which is pretty good.

Anyway, I just sold my entire system just to try something else but if I were to recreate what I just had, I would start with some VR4 to mod 5 spkrs, which are a factory modification/upgrade. With Kappa 9's you obviously want some bass impact & the VR's will redefine bass, as you know it.

I had my VR4GenIII's for almost 4 yrs & wrote a review on them here. That should give you some idea of what they can do.

Regardless of which spkr you choose, do try & have a listen if at all possible. Have fun picking out new gear!
I would suggest Legacy Focus 20/20s. Rave reviews in Stereophile, but still excellent R&R speakers. Also excellent value for the $$$. Great bass and mids - I have owned 2 pair.
Thanks for all your replies. I just love this site. It is a wealth of information. I guess I have some homework to now and see if its possible to audtion some of these speakers. I must say I was surprised that the Vandys didn't get much support. I knew the Von Schwikirts would have a few fans here.
Fishwater and Woodman you guys hit it right on head with the stupid loud and drinking levels. Thats what I'm looking for. (not all the time)
Their was a guy in Vermont that had some nice Tylers for sale but his ad states that he dosn't want to ship them and Vermont is too far for me to go pick them up. O'Well.
I will have to wait for something else.
Tms0425, Those are nice speakers to but a little north of what I was wantting to spend.
It looks like they closed down the Golden Gramaphone in Akron Ohio. There goes our Magnepan, Nht,Von Schweikirt dealer in Northeast Ohio. Looks like I will have to go Detroit to find some decent Hi Fi shops
Coman, if you're going to Detroit the manufacturer I e-mailed you about is in Northville, roughly 30 miles away.

Also if by any chance you might be up for a road trip the first weekend in May, the Great Plains Audio Fest is taking place in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I think most of the exhibitors will be showing high efficiency and/or high output systems.

Duke
Coman, I would listen to the VR4jr's. They are a great speaker with excellent dynamics & control. If I sell mine it will only be so I can move up the line to Sr's or 99db's.