Speaker suggestion between $1000 and $2000 please........


I recently purchased a Nuprime IDA-8 (amp) due to the advice here and I am very pleased with it.  Thank You!
I am interested in a pair of speakers to go with it.
I am currently using Def Tech D-9's and although a nice, punchy speaker they are just too veiled for me.
They sound like they have a low pass filter on from 7k up (to me anyway).
I am not opposed to used and adding a sub later on if needed.
I primarily use Tidal as my listening source, as well as Audirvana and CD's.
I listen to Jazz, Blues and Hip Hop for the most part.
As a general reference I really like the sound of my Beyer DT 1990 headphones and my KRK v4 series II Studio Monitors.
My main listening room is about 12 x 20.
These will be for music only (no theatre).
I was thinking of monitors but am not opposed to towers.
Speakers I have checked out on the internet (not auditioned) are Proac (used), Monitor Audio Gold (Possibly used although they seem to be on sale now), KEF LS50, Revel Performa 3.
Any input appreciated......Thanks!



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There’s a set of ProAc Studio 200’s here for $1,199. I know this speaker well and is easy to drive and sounds wonderful with either tubes or solid state. Be surprised you’d find yourself needing a sub. Just a wonderful sounding speaker that is seldom on the used market for a good reason. Beautiful midrange with great balance. The tweeter may not be as revealing as more modern units but it does nothing wrong or misses anything and one might prefer with most recordings. Great speaker for all genres of music especially jazz and female vocalist. Highly recommend for your budget and you will not have to mess with stands or need a sub.
You may want to put the Kef R3 on your list of speakers to audition. A lot of technology from their Reference line trickled down into the R series. Lots of detail and superb imaging from the R3 and they're attractive if I do say so.
Call John Sollecito at Source Technology ask about the 7211’s. They retail for $3000 but you can buy direct from him for much less. I’ve had these speakers for 3 years now and can highly recommend them. 806-918-3088. Built in America too.
I'd second the KEF R3. Great sound, and huge soundstage (my thing) plus decent bass. I'm not a sub type of guy, just listen to music and the KEF R's are on my current short list. Check A4L for fantastic refurb prices (and some new). I'm also a huge fan of Revel, but have heard some people saying they've had problems with placement and bass. YMMV.


The Elac Adante AS-61 (mentioned above) is enormous. Plus, Jones himself said it was designed for a sub. Even the floor stander (beyond enormous) drops right at 50Hz. . I had that one on my short-short list until I learned more. Some people are ecstatic about it. They can be had on sale as they're discontinued, but I'd proceed with caution on that one

Other brands to check based on your headphone choice:
  • Buchardt
  • Fritz
  • Ascend Acoustics
  • Dynaudio


All but the Dynaudio are available direct from the manufacturer, and I think a lot of bang for the buck. Plus, if you like hip hop, the Buchardt and Fritz, like the KEF's, dig deep. Buchardt has a pretty generous trial program (Denmark),  YouTube is rife with rave reviews on these. Fritz and Ascend made in USA and can often be had for great prices. I've heard both of these (not the Buchardt) and give an enthusiastic thumbs up. One guy on YT actually used some Fritz to replace his very large Legacy floor standers, to give you an idea of their output.


There's really so many fantastic speakers these days (quite the opposite of 25 years ago) it's really hard to go wrong. Some of these boutique companies offer incredible value being direct to consumer.


Even the Polk LSiM 703 can be had for a fraction of their original asking price, sound amazing, have crazy fantastic build quality, and leaves lots of money for beer and pizza, or room treatments and a DAC! Good luck! 👍
The Polk LSiM series is a great option at their bargain pricing through Adorama. 
The Usher N series is another good option with two floorstanders: the 6311 at $1590 and the 6361 at $1950. 
Another option that doesn’t get a lot of publicity is the Cambridge AeroMax series. It’s not the last word in detail, but you get an extremely musical and fun to listen to speaker in an attractive cabinet. I imagine upgraded crossovers could elevate this speaker to a very nice option. You might also be able to get refurbished units at major discounts.