Still looking for speakers in the 10-20,000 range


I’ve heard Proacs, Personas 3 and 5, Ryans, Wilsons, Wilson Benesch, Monitor Audios, B and Ws and several others in the 10-$20,000 range.  My favorite so far is the KEF Reference 3.  I would consider the Reference 5 but, as I’ve posted before, there is no place to hear them within 400 miles. Still plan to hear the Focal 2 and 3. Unless I love the Focals, I'm inclined to either go with the KEF Reference 3 or wait a couple of months (or more) to check out the new Magico A3.  My room is 24x18.  I have Audio Research electronics and 20 plus year old Proac Response 3.5 speakers.  It’s been a long process and I’m not sure if I’ll be relieved or disappointed when it ends.  Hard to decide if the Magico’s are worth waiting for.  Thoughts?
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Just reading TAS. The new Magico M3 are highlighted. They finally went to a carbon fiber cabinet. Valin says it is the best cabinet design he has heard. You can get a pair for about $75,000

Alternatively you could get Wilson Beseech speakers made with carbon fiber cabinets, having improving them for 20 years plus. Some on Agon from 5K and up.


I would get a KEF Blade2 in that price range. You need to get a used pair or demo but I have seen then at $15K and up. I am going to demo a KEF Blade2 at a dealer in Newport Beach, CA soon and he has demo pairs of Ref 5 and Blade2 that he is looking to sell. I should say I am demoing amps for the Blades since I know I will buy either a Ref 3/5 or Blade2 depending on the room.
Why not be different and give Kendrick Sound a call in Tokyo for vintage  superior  speakers.
Great conversation going. As a recent shopper in the same price range, my biggest single takeaway after hearing several speakers is that there really are NO bad speakers at the $10k-$20k per pair price point. Not as long as you're sticking with the larger, more well known firms anyway. I cant speak for the tiny builders as I don't have any experience with them, with the exception of Ryan, who's speakers I think sound great.

So, does a B&W 803 D3 sound better than a KEF Ref 3 or than a Focal Sopra 2? Only you can decide that, but they are all lovely speakers. Just go listen to them. No offense to those who are touting one manufacturer or model over another, but these speakers are all so good that other peoples' opinions of them mean almost nothing to me. Perhaps if the speaker was universally hated I'd listen to and heed the reviews, but none of these speakers are.

FWIW, I purchased the Sopra 2.