2. speakers
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Looking for speaker recommendations that I can purchase on Amazon.com

Budget: under US$5000 and would prefer a price point of less than $3000/pair. The most expensive speakers I have owned so far are Polk RTi A7's, so this will be a big jump for me.

Purpose: music

Room: I tend to move every few years, so I don't want speakers that will work best only with very specific room conditions. Currently, I will be using these in a medium size room of about 22 feet x 18 feet. The room has carpet and window treatments.

Music sources: CD's, lossless music files stored on computer and MP3's when that's all I have available. I don't ahve any SACD's yet, but I plan on purchasing more high quality music once I have this system set up.

Music styles: acoustic, Indian classical (sitar, srangi, flute), alternative rock (Portugal. The Man, Sleeping with Sirens, etc.), older rock (e.g., Rush).

The speakers should sound good playing the Tanpura (aka Tambura). It is a classical Indian accompaniment instrument in the "drone" category. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanpura) Example of sound here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7tlqXix_eo
With bad equipment that sound is fatiguing to me. Live it is beautiful and relaxing. Hopefully I can find speakers that will do it justice.

Personal Preferences: I am looking for non-fatiguing, warm, musical qualities. In another discussion topic here on this forum, @mtrot and I agreed about "smooth, sweet, soft, silky treble" and "shimmery, airy cymbals" as goals.

Amplifier: Yamaha P5000S

DAC: to be determined, but probably something like the Teac NT-503

Finally, the speakers of choice must be sold on Amazon.com, Bestbuy.com (or possibly some other similar retail website). I have personal reasons for this limitation. It isn't always true that I will need to buy all my speakers or audio gear from one of these sites, but for the moment, it is a requirement. Please don't recommend anything that isn't available on one of these sites. Thanks.

lowoverdrive
lowoverdrive OP
169 posts
 
With so many recommendations for the KEF LS50, it seems like I need to give these a try. I had my mind set on floorstanding speakers initially, but after reading all the recommendations for the LS50 here, I think I will give them a try first.

Even if I still end up buying floorstanding speakers for my music room, I can then put the LS50 in my smaller home theater room to replace my Polk RTi A3’s.

I will call a nearby BestBuy store before buying the LS50 on Amazon. I do NOT plan to get the wireless / powered version. I like the Yamaha P5000S amp quite a bit, so I’ll be keeping that.

Thanks for all the feedback so far. Very educational and interesting.

I will continue looking at floorstanding stpeakers.

Also, I’m ready to buy a DAC now. I have a thread on that topic here, if anyone wishes to give me a recommendation (https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/dac-for-either-roon-or-hqplayer-on-linux)

The DAC’s that I am most interested in so far include:
  • Oppo Sonica
  • Teac NT-503
  • I also like the Pioneer U-05 but since it is a Japanese domestic model and (as far as I can see) only ships to the US from Japan (which would make returns problematic) I probably won’t buy this one.
tom6897's avatar
tom6897
1,484 posts
 
@lowoverdrive: Sent you a pm earlier.

dumacker
22 posts
 
Check Elac. Andrew Jones designs them and at their price point they are really amazing speakers/subs.  

jhv
a_shah's avatar
a_shah
53 posts
 
I own both Kef LS 50 in my 2ndy system powered by Parasound Halo HINT. a 2nd pair of LS 50 W purchased from amazon  for my home office you just can't go wrong with them for my bedroom I have the Audioengine HD6 totally non fatiguing and inexpensive A/B amp powered speakers !
mofojo
2,185 posts
 
I was not extremely impressed with the LS50s I heard and they were powered by the Parasound Int. They were good for certain types of music but sounded bad with rock. Almost everyone I read about says the Ws are on a different level. 
A_shaw, since you own both can you compare them. 
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