speaker choice for new 20x30 audio room

I'll back up the suggestions on Legacys. I have chosen Focus SE's. Our room is 24X16. I also have 4 Legacy Subs as Bill Dudleton the owner and designer of Legacy happened to stop at my house on his way from a seminar in D.C. I explained what I was after, and he suggested subs from all corners. Not that the Focus SE's require subs, but I also listen to bands such as Metallica and if you want thump, you will really benifit from subs. I would recommend 2 of them no matter which speaker you choose. 

robshaw

Just wanted to let you know, I just came from a ATI 6005 and had some serious issues with it. It had a slight buzz from the day it was new. Not enough to send that 125 lbs. AMP back to California, but it was by no means a quiet amp. At about the 6-month mark, upon shutting it off you would hear a delayed pop out of the left rear speaker. ATI (John Barlow) was very helpful sending me a new board and walking me through installing it. Shortly afterwards a second board did the same thing, and I was forced into tearing it apart again. John explained ATI was having a bad run of capacitors and although very apologetic, it showed bad for their top-of-the-line product. I traded up to Legacys IV 7 amps and I am AMAZED at how dynamic, cool running and dead silent they are.

BTW, I auditioned those Tektons you have and although I sent them back and chose Legacy, they are a nice room filling product for the money. 

I have an audio room close to your dimensions - mine is 21ft by 27ft with 9 ftceilings. I am a Maggie fan for the last 30 years. Your system will shine with a set of Maggie 3.7i - to make it perfect add Duke’s Swarm sub woofer System - the subs have their own amp.. This should run you right at $10,000 all in. I am sure you will be very happy with the soundstage and vocals and detail.I do use Krell to push my two sets of Maggies - I have two Listening rooms. Referencing your floor options and dogs - I would use luxury vinyl flooring and then let your wife add multiple oriental rugs - my Wife Happiness factor went up in a big way for both Listening rooms with this tactic.

happy listening!

There are a few incredible products in that price range, even at the lower end of your budget.  

The Revel Performa3 F208.  This is an older speaker but is awesome sounding and because it is made in Malaysia, it is a killer value and at $5500 is at the lower end of your budget.  It will do okay with your existing gear and will leave you money to re-invest in some of the equipment...better amp/DAC/streamer

At a higher price point you could look at the Scansonic MB5 B.  It is a bigger sounding speaker with a ribbon tweeter.  They build a big soundstage with a large dispersion pattern.  It is a brilliant speaker that is very engaging.  It is a bit warmer in its tonal profile.  

I would also look at the Monitor Audio Gold 300.  Wonderful tweeter and brilliant drivers.  They are warmer than you would think for an AMT.  very natural sounding and are sort of a middle ground between the Revels and Scansonics. 

I am a dealer for scansonic.  I have no association with Revel or Monitor Audio

@carzmaguy88, CONGRATS! This may be too little, too late but I hope you considered the electrical supply to your new dedicated sound room (6, 8 or 10 AWG; hospital-grade outlets; 20 amp. breakers; dedicated line or two; proper building grounding; underground service; etc.). I don't know enough about this to give specific recommendations. However, I know this is important. If it's not too late, now would be the time to think about this.

I wouldn't worry about acoustic treatment until you get your sound room finished and settle in with your audio system, furnishings, pictures and/or paintings on the walls, etc. Don't know if you planned on radiant heating or not. Well-padded carpeting over concrete floor foundation sounds like it may very well be the best choice, considering your four-legged buddies. Hardwood or laminate with some area carpets, here & there, would render a livelier room. Seems the walls will be sheetrock? Ten-foot ceiling is great! Will that be sheetrock, as well? Any exposed beams, coffered ceiling, etc.? All facets to consider but not angst over too much.

There is a veritable plethora of speaker choices out there to consider. IMHO, more than any other audio system component, they are the most intensely personal choice, especially when it comes to the eclectic taste in music you have. Personally, when it comes down to considering contenders around the 10K price point, I think you'll be in full range speaker territory, for the most part. I am not an audiophile who considers sub-woofers the spawn of Satan when it comes to full range or close to full range speakers, per se. However, IMHO, the closer you get to a flat or accurate 20Hz to 20kHz frequency response range, the less and less important sub-woofers become, unless you're a head-banger or listen to a lot of pipe organ music. Again IMHO, subs can be more trouble than they're worth to dial in, sometimes, with high-end full range speakers. For the kind of dough you are contemplating, I would make every effort to narrow down the contenders and do some serious educated seat-time with them, under controlled conditions, before pulling the trigger. Of course, if you don't mind unboxing, possibly re-boxing and lugging around large 100 pound plus towers and maybe putting up with the hassle & cost of sending them back, critical listening in your own sound room would be the best way to go. Also, think about to spike or not to spike speakers.

Someone on this thread made a point of mentioning that you should seriously consider speakers with a good off-axis response or wide dispersion. I second that motion! That's one of the best ways to fill a good size room with great sound. Also, I would imagine there will be times you'll be enjoying your hi-fidelity with a human friend or two or three or more. Revel definitely fits that profile. A pair of Sonus Faber Olympica I spent time with recently fit that bill, as well. Although I've never spent time with the Aerial Acoustics 7T, I have spent serious seat-time with the 6T and would have bought them in a heartbeat if I'd had enough juice to feed them properly. Paradigm and Focal are other manufacturers you may want to have a listen to, as well.

At any rate, enjoy the ride and CONGRATS again!