You have a $4000 budget, what would you buy?

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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    edited May 2017
    I've had "lesser" towers that easily filled a room this big (Energy C-9's), so I agree with jstas on that point. There will be some large area rugs put down once we get moved in on the 1st; and Bev will be doing some accent curtains as well. This area will be the family room/dining room type setup, with the family room taking about 60% of the depth.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    edited May 2017
    Keep the suggestions coming fellers....I've got lots of time to ponder options, so bring it on. "Living" with Harbeth's isn't exactly torture.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    edited May 2017
    It looks like you just moved into a new home. Maybe your sub could be dialed in in this new space. Have you tried it in the pictured room? If it can, that could impact new tower selection.

    Subs are just an avenue that don't interest me much (this isn't my first 2-channel sub-rodeo). Setup is a PITA, and I can never get them tweaked to where they don't interfere with my midrange--regardless of how low I set the crossover. A good tower gives me plenty of satisfying bass.

    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    These are Monitor Audio Silver 10s, bundling two lowers the price to $2,250 (at Amazon).

    I like the dimpled drivers - reminds me of the inside of a golf ball. Supposedly they reach down to 30hertz. Dual 8" drivers.

    f4jxssx1x4rk.png


    There you go. You had me a little worried with your "barely suitable for firewood" Cerwin Vega suggestion. LOL
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    The Klipsch RF7II's have my interest peaked a bit, but I dunno. Harbeth to horns might be a little too much, too soon.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • codycatalist
    codycatalist Posts: 2,662
    Or wait a couple months until the new SDA line comes out....

    How "confirmed" is this John? I have seen some cryptic messages from them on social media lately that point to this.

    It's not, just wishful thinking.

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  • adb3da
    adb3da Posts: 506
    These might be slightly over your $4k budget, but what about something like the Legacy Audio Classic HD?
    Legacy_Classic_HD_Best_Price_High_End_Speaker_Sale_Destination_Hifi_Cherry_2_medium.jpg?v=1431129445

  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    adb3da wrote: »
    These might be slightly over your $4k budget, but what about something like the Legacy Audio Classic HD?
    Legacy_Classic_HD_Best_Price_High_End_Speaker_Sale_Destination_Hifi_Cherry_2_medium.jpg?v=1431129445

    Tony suggested these....
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    DSkip wrote: »
    Steve, my greatest hesitation with ANY tower under $4k is the fact that you are used to the Harbeth sound. While there are some good speakers in that range, it will take something special to dig deeper AND keep you from feeling like you are taking a step back.

    Actually, in some respects I'm trying to get away from the Harbeth sound--most notably the laid-back nature of them. While highly listenable, it can also become boring at times. I'm looking for a bit more excitement and SCALE--but hopefully retaining the very good midrange/treble of a Harbeth.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    Have you heard Dynaudio?
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    Nightfall wrote: »
    Have you heard Dynaudio?

    Oh yeah, their a regular on my radar like the Revels.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    Dynaudio X38's....Very Nice.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    edited May 2017
    Here's what has been suggested, that I'm really interested in so far:

    1. PSB Imagine T2...$3500
    2. Focal Aria 936...$3995
    3. Dynaudio Excite X38...$3899

    There were other good suggestions that just didn't appeal for either esthetic reasons, spec reasons, not my cup of tea reasons.

    Keep them coming. You guys have pointed out quite a few I didn't think about.
    Post edited by steveinaz on
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited May 2017
    steveinaz wrote: »
    adb3da wrote: »
    These might be slightly over your $4k budget, but what about something like the Legacy Audio Classic HD?
    Legacy_Classic_HD_Best_Price_High_End_Speaker_Sale_Destination_Hifi_Cherry_2_medium.jpg?v=1431129445

    Tony suggested these....

    No, Tony did not. :) Tony suggested the Focus HD, big difference between those and the classics.

    The Kef suggestion is also a good one btw. Smallish floorstanders won't cut the mustard, not in that room anyway. Go big or go home as we like to say, no replacement for displacement. lol

    The criteria is life size sound, dynamic with no sub needed....to fill a large room. Few speakers I can think of fit that bill. Polks 1.2's, Carver Amazings, Legacy Focus, Vandy 5's, a few others along those lines. Big dynamic sound, no sub needed, can play any genre of music, and make you feel like your sitting front and center at a concert....without being offensive.

    I'm sure many I haven't heard too would fit that bill. My thoughts are you need a full size floorstander, midsized may get washed out in a room that big....especially the bass response. You need to move some air, that only big woofers can do. Just my .02
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    edited May 2017
    Don't confuse "no sub needed" to mean "20Hz bass capability." I'm talking something in the low 30's bass-wise.

    You do realize this room is no bigger than the room we had 2 houses ago right? I had 3 different sub $1200 tower pairs in that room and they all ROCKED to the levels I'm talking about; shoot, even those Fritz Carbon 7's bookies passed the "Enter Sandman" test of destruction...LOL. C'mon now, $4k should be plenty to light this room up, and do it with finesse...

    Shall I buy some $450 ELAC towers and demonstrate what "seemingly" no $4000 tower can do? LOL GET BUSY man I know there's a $4k tower-slayer out there, help a brother out.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    LOL, looks bigger than that in the pics Steve....maybe because it's empty. Low 30's bass response opens up the options.... by a big margin. Trick then I think anyway, is getting a floorstander that has the attributes of the Harbeths in the top end.

    Maybe the other guys can chime in on the brands with the diamond tweets, I haven't heard too many iterations of them to make a solid judgement. I do like ribbons though.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    edited May 2017
    LMAO. There you go. Harbeth mid/treble fruit smoothy, with nutbustin achoring bass. In other words, the worlds most perfect speaker for $3500/pr. Note I reduced your budget by $500 bucks cause you're playing around too much. You keep messing around and your gonna get bud-light with your steak when you come to hear the ELAC's.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    MartinLogan Motion 60XT:
    dctlf0ib7gnq.jpg

    PSB Imagine T2:
    0tq5mmz33eqt.jpg

    Focal Aria 936:
    etdv4oxwgvdp.jpg

    Dynaudio Excite X38:
    ac7bgusz9c7m.jpg



    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,638
    I'll throw in the SVS Ultra towers. Never had my ears on them personally but heard good things. Under budget and a 45 day risk free trial. Not to mention free shipping.
  • motorhead43026
    motorhead43026 Posts: 3,892
    I would love to hear those Dynas.
    2 channel: Anthem 225 Integrated amp; Parasound Ztuner; TechnicsTT SL1350; Vincent PHO-8 phono pre; Marantz CD6005 spinner; Polk SDA2BTL's; LAT International speaker cables, ZU Mission IC's and power cables all into a PS Audio Dectet Power center.

    Other; M10 series II, M7C's, Hafler XL600 amp, RB-980BX, Parasound HCA-1500 amp , P5 preamp, all in storage. All vintage Polk have had crossover rebuilds and tweeter upgrades.

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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    edited May 2017
    Noted, I check those SVS' out.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • Conradicles
    Conradicles Posts: 6,010
    Those Focal get my vote.
  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,707
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

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  • mrbiron
    mrbiron Posts: 5,711
    http://www.zuaudio.com/loudspeakers/soul-superfly

    These get solid reviews though I've never heard them...
    Where’s the KABOOM?!?! There’s supposed to be an Earth shattering KABOOM!!!