Opinions wanted....

steveinaz

I've been mulling over a speaker upgrade for some time, and just want to make sure I'm not missing a hidden gem out there. If you had a budget of $1500 for 1 pair of speakers, what would you buy?

VR3

New?

Definitive Tech BP30 (Discontinued)

Hmm, I'd like to give Mirage a listen to...

I like being predictable

Everything aside, the BP30 has a -3db response of 25hz with 4 6.5" midbasses, two front and two rear firing...

They will be the more fun speakers you hear/own/mess with, placement is everything with them.

Early B.

Need more info...

Bookshelf or floorstanding?
HT or 2-channel?
Need bass? Will a sub be used?
High efficiency or doesn't matter?
WAF considerations? (color, size, etc.)
Can I have your Athenas?

steveinaz

- NOTHING "powered"
- They've got to be able to rock--I like my music LOUD. Wimpy speakers need not apply.
- Anything else goes....No WAF, I married a wonderful woman.

Yes, you can have the Athena's....kidding.

VR3

With your new rules...my rec. still stands...
BP30 still stands beatch

As for your Athenas...you gotta sleep sometime

tonyv1

Magnepan MG1.6, but they're $1675. Then I'd mod the **** out of them!

steveinaz

Cool...Maggies, keep'em comin'...

Early B.

I don't care what anybody says -- I luv my Norhs. Consider the Norh 7.0.

dkg999

+1 on the Maggie 1.6's! If you add a good sub, they do heavy metal pretty well Other than that, I would look for a nice used pair of Dynaudio Contour 1.8's, which are usually in that price range.

steveinaz

Dynaudio and Totem has peaked my interest for some time. Also the ACI Sapphire has me drooling as well....any thoughts on the Sapphire?

tryrrthg

Add another vote for Dynaudio. the dyn's I've heard can go from a wisper to an all out roar better than anything I've heard in a speaker less than 4 grand. They do everything I throw at them well.

You can get the 1.3SE in that price range if you're lucky but you better watch audiogon like a hawk! I have the 1.3mkII and I LOVE them. I liked the 1.3SE better than the 1.8mkII, not sure why, I think it was the better tweeter.

You might also want to take a look at the new Audience line from Dynaudio. Mantis just got the 82's. Also take a look at the 72SE. It has the current contour line tweeter (VERY good) and the 2 mid-bass drivers from the 1.3mkII. Should be a sweet speaker. They also make the 52SE which is probably too small for rockin a big room.

Audience 72SE

TroyD

1500?

Depends on what you want......

I'd consider a pair of Carver Amazings, however, and amp upgrade might be in order.

How about Dahlquist DQ-10's? Even fully modded you'd come in WAY under that.

If you are looking at a smaller speaker, perhaps B&W Nautilus 805....not sure about the prices on the older Matrix series but those are nothing to sneeze at (although dated cosmetically)

However, if I were to drop 1500 on a pair of speaks that I don't own or have owned; I'd be on the hunt for a pair of Quad ESL 63's; preffereably the USA monitors.

BDT

DAGLJAM6

If it were me.... Magnepan MG12's like the reviews say $1100 or so and 85% of the big maggies' sound and still have almost enough cash left for an SVS sub. Looks good on paper plus you can always trade up in the magnepan line through the dealer network.

mantis

I gotta go with Dynaudio here. As noted from others, Dynaudio speakers are as good as it gets at all price levels in my opnion.

For that kind of money a pair of Audience 72's for a bit more there 1699.99 , you could also look at the 62's at 1499.99.

The 72se's are 2500.00 retail and worth every penny. I almost bought them last week. I went with the Audience 82's which go for 2800.00 . You can find them on sale for 2650.00 depending on finish.

Go listen to Dynaudio .

Dan

tonyv1

I own a set of modded MG12s. My room's too small for the MG 1.6, though I REALLY want the MG 3.6.

bigsexy1

Originally posted by steveinaz
- NOTHING "powered"
- They've got to be able to rock--I like my music LOUD. Wimpy speakers need not apply.
- Anything else goes....No WAF, I married a wonderful woman.

Yes, you can have the Athena's....kidding.

Klipsch RF5s.

Libertyc

Polk SDA 1.2's...:D

VR3

I wondered how long it would take to recomend a Polk speaker on the Club Polk forum...

HBombToo

Originally posted by TroyD


How about Dahlquist DQ-10's? Even fully modded you'd come in WAY under that.


BDT

Next time i'm on the coast I need a listen Sir.

twin

McLoki

Other than the SDA's and Mangnepan - I would have to vote for a pair of Vandersteens like these......

If you purchase used, spend the extra on a nice used 2 channel amp like a classic PS-Audio. They work exceptionally well with the vandersteens.

Michael

dkg999

As much as I try, I am just not that impressed with the LSi15/25 speakers. The LSi9's yes, I just am full up on bookshelf speakers, especially with the recent acquisition of EPOS ELS3's. I have really, really tried to like the LSi15/25, but for the same money I like the Maggies, Dynaudios, or the Spendors better! I would really be interested in Spendor S5e's, but the build quality seems to be not too good, based on a couple of recent experiences. If I had my way, I would get rid of everything in my main 2 ch. system except for my SDA 2A's and a pair of Maggie 3.6's. I just can't justify dropping half a down payment on a new townhome on the 3.6's right now! I would love to listen to the Dynaudio Audience series, but I am really frustrated that Dynaudio's North American dist. center is here in Chicago yet I can't find a Chicagoland dealer that has them in stock. There is a dealer in Milwaukee that seems to keep them on the listening floor, so I may need to make the trek up there. The Maggies I listen to all the time when I am back at the farm in IA as Audio Labs in Des Moines tends to have all their current models on the floor. I would really like to buy another set of main listening speakers, so I can give my SDA 2A's a rest. The $1500 to $2500 range is what I want to spend at the moment. On the other hand I don't want to end up like a friend in IA who just bought a new set of B&W monitors and after a few days of listening called me and told me she never realized how good the set of Yamaha NS-1000's she bought from me years ago were until she compared them to the B&W's, and she didn't feel she got the improvement the dollars she spent should have provided. Of course, now I don't get the NS-1000's back :mad:

RuSsMaN

I'm not going to discuss vintage speakers because it should be a given. Steve isn't into DQ10 types, but perhaps someday he will be.

I would look into Kef, Mission, Totem and Magnepan, as those are four that I personally think are pretty killer....and easily enjoyed.

You have the gear to drive all of them....ditch the Athena and move up.

steveinaz

Here's what I was looking at:

1. Energy Connoisseur C-9
2. Spendor S5e
3. ACI Sapphire
4. Wharfedale Diamond 9.6
6. Paradigm Reference Studio 40

dkg999

I know of two people who have bought Spendor S5e's from the same dealer and they have been pieces of crap. Drivers falling apart and cross-overs going bad. Both are now waiting for full replacements shipped directly from the factory. The story is that a container took a rough ride. I hope that is true, but I know that most containers of high value, physically sensitive goods have g-force monitors that tell the receiver how much stress the shipment was submitted to. I had one of the pairs here for a couple of weeks until they could go back to the dealer, and definetely sweet sounding when they work!

dorokusai

Steve - It might be time to move beyond AA. I like that place as well, but I don't buy speakers from them. No offense.

You sound like a Paradigm....so look into them. I demo'd them a long time ago, but passed, but have always liked the speaker line.

Danny Tse

How about some Mirage OM-9's* at 50% off??

* girl not included

steveinaz

Originally posted by dorokusai
Steve - It might be time to move beyond AA. I like that place as well, but I don't buy speakers from them. No offense.

You sound like a Paradigm....so look into them. I demo'd them a long time ago, but passed, but have always liked the speaker line.

...Agree.

I almost have to shop via AA because I'm so far from any major cities. Sierra Vista (where I live) is a 1-horse desert town, 385 miles from Phoenix---Tucson's offerings aren't much better. I did find one place in Tuscon called Wilson's that has alot of Rotel, Paradigm, B&W, and NHT. I may go ahead and hold out for the Paradigm Reference Studio 100's.

If I was back home in STL, I'd have access to auditions and tons of high-end. The price you pay for fresh air and quiet nights.

dcarlson

Take a drive! Have a listen and have fun.

I really like Totem Hawks. They sound fantastic and have a huge WAF to them.

tryrrthg

DynaudioinAZ

Sounds Like Music
21001 N. Tatum Blvd.
Ste., 12-1310
Phoenix, AZ 85054
(480) 515-0565

Arizona Sound & Light
1530 E. Broadway Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85719
(520) 629-8880

steveinaz

Cool, thanks!

unc2701

Dynaudio... the guy who hooked me up with my brystons brought over some of the passive monitors they make and I was floored. It was their $1200 MSRP model and they were hanging w/ my LSi25's... didn't have quite the bottom end, but they were bookshelf sized. He said the actives would kick some LSi ****, but they weigh 2 tons and we didn't feel like dragging them up & down two flights of stairs to try it out.