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Really need some help finding a full range speaker

I've thus far been on the sidelines here, but I must say I've been very impressed with the knowledge many of you bring to this forum . I'm hoping to tap that knowledge, if I may, and get some help finding a new pair of speakers.

I currently have a pair of Paradigm 75f's and I've been very happy with them. To me they sound neutral, fairly accurate and exciting to listen to. But with just a pair of 5.5" drivers providing bass, they are lacking seriously at the low end.

I"m driving my Paradigms with a CJ LP70S which puts out 70 watts per channel. It has no trouble driving the 75fs but I'm inclined to buy a more efficient speaker this time around. I"m also very interested in maintaining or even improving on the accuracy and neutrality I"ve been enjoying with the Paradigms.

I'm searching in the used market and looking for a pretty significant upgrade. I'm very open to vintage options and am searching in a fairly wide price range from $1500ish (used) up to around $5k. I'm concerned about not having the opportunity to demo the speaker before I buy it, but am highly motivated by the cost to value ratio available with used speakers.

One final concern is size and aesthetics. My wife is simply not going to tolerate a tower speaker bigger than she is (or I am for that matter) and more flamboyant designs are not welcome in the listening room that doubles as my living room. I'm hoping to find a fairly straightforward looking speaker that's large enough to accommodate bigger drivers but doesn't completely overwhelm the room with their size.
thebrokenrecord
skyforger's avatar
skyforger
2 posts
 
PSB Imagine T3s, you can get them for $5k open box on ebay.  At the top of your budget, but they are absolutely magnificent, I love mine.  Reasonable sensitivity as well so you don't need a honking huge amp to drive them.
dentdog's avatar
dentdog
482 posts
 
The Soul Supremes mentioned earlier. They will ship them and you can listen. If I were approaching this tier in a normal living space and  going for a big dynamic sound I would consider. They're unobtrusive visually and very dynamic in a big way. 
Many great suggestions in this thread. Listen to as many as possible. 
Ag insider logo xs@2x
ken7
50 posts
 
Look for a used pair of Harbeth 40.1's. Could augment these with one SVS SubW and you'd have a sound that rivals the neutrality, smoothness, and excitement of the old Quads(I had the Quads for 30 years!!!!)
jhills
610 posts
 
If you can find a used pair of the PSB Stratus Gold i, they are a very dynamic speaker with deep and solid bass. Also, if you have room to place them out from the wall, at least 2’, and 2’ from the side walls, they are also very open, with a large detailed stage. From the mid 2000s, there were many great reviews and unlike some of PSB’s current models, they were incredibly well made in Canada, not China

Even though I’m a believer in subs (except for very low volumes) these are one of the very few, of the many floor standing, full range speakers, I’ve had or Auditioned, that I actually felt no need for a sub.

They are about 12"W x 17"D x 43"T and quite stout at about 90 lb. ea.

I have a pair that I relocated to my AV system and wouldn’t trade them for anything (in an inclosed dynamic speaker) anywhere close to their original price of $2,200. You may be able to find used for under $1,000.

Just another thought,
Jim

agriculturist
177 posts
 
If you are at all handy you could look into a DIY kit for the open baffle Linkwitz LX521.4. It is a superb full range speaker. The kit can be purchased from Madisound for less than $5K. I haven’t heard them all, but this is a truly great speaker system. I have enjoyed it enormously for the last year or two. A gift to audiophiles from a very important engineer and talented designer (now unfortunately not with us).
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