Best $1500 to $2000 speakers.

gongos · « **on:** 20 Mar 2004, 08:37 pm »

I'm looking for a good pair of speakers in the $1500-$2000 range, new or used. I've looked seriously at some VMPS RM2's, but I'm not really excited about biamping since that would add to the total, or about tuning them. I can see myself tuning them constantly just looking for that perfect setting. This isn't to say I won't buy the VMPS's, only that I want to know what might be out there that rivals them. I can also buy some Meadowlark Osprey pretty cheap. I have a tube modded Sony 999es DVD player, and a B&K 202 receiver, which I might be upgrading at some point. Here's a sampling of my music tastes: Autechre, Brian Eno, Wire, The Cure, The Rolling Stones, Devo, Johnny Cash, Metallica. What are your top 3 suggestions?

Thanks for any info.

zybar · « **Reply #1 on:** 20 Mar 2004, 09:07 pm »

Here are a few:

MM decapo i's
Silverline Sonatina II's
Reynuad Twins Mk II + REL Strata sub
Gallo Nucleus References

All of these would need to be bought used in order to stay within your budget.

I recommended the speakers above because I have either owned them or spent extensive time with them. At this price point you are going to have tons and tons of options...

Best of luck.

George

rosconey · « **Reply #2 on:** 20 Mar 2004, 09:22 pm »

http://www.selahaudio.com/rc3r.html
with
http://www.selahaudio.com/whomp.html

or
http://www.selahaudio.com/phast.html
(i have a cheaper version of these)

_scotty_ · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 Mar 2004, 09:25 pm »

Reimer Speakers McCullough GS are another serious contender in this price range. 94db efficient and 3db down at 35Hz. Your choice of veneers.
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1083775333

PhilNYC · « **Reply #4 on:** 20 Mar 2004, 09:42 pm »

What equipment will you be using with the speakers, and can you tell us about your listening room? (size, shape, etc)...hard to make suggestions without knowing more...

gongos · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 Mar 2004, 11:21 pm »

In my first email I listed my cd player and receiver. The room is just an average sized living room and I will be using these as part of a home theatre setup, but 2 channel is my first priority.

vpolineni · « **Reply #6 on:** 21 Mar 2004, 12:03 am »

Jungson Middle Silver 1's sold through sekei (www.sekei.com) click on speakers and there will be a link for them as you scroll down the page.. you can have them brand new at your price point and not only do they look great, they sound really good... beating speakers costing 2x as much.

Pez · « **Reply #7 on:** 21 Mar 2004, 12:12 am »

Forget what everyone else said. Just go with the VMPS 626Rs with FST tweeter and upgraded crossover.

Don't bother with the RM-1's.

WEEZ · « **Reply #8 on:** 21 Mar 2004, 12:18 am »

Some other ideas:

Speaker Art Super Clef ($2000) -great bass
Ellis Audio 1801b ($1300 assembled but long wait)- super nice
Soliloquy 6.0 (approx. $1600-$1800 w/o stands- pretty good
Dynaudio Audience 72 (approx. $1800) lots of slam

For used- if you can find- Merlin TSM-M - one of the very best, IMHO
These can be found on Audiogon used from time to time but are $2650 if you buy new. Few dealers- but worth an audition.

Good luck!!

PhilNYC · « **Reply #9 on:** 21 Mar 2004, 12:18 am »

doh! Sorry...don't know how I missed it!

I'm not familiar with the B&K 202, but assuming it sounds something near the current B&K AV receivers, here are some suggestions:

-Thiel S1.6: Will provide a good, balanced sound. Very fast, and good for your musical tastes, too. Might be a tad recessed in the mid-range, but with your tube-modded 999ES, it might work well (is this the Modwright mod?). Also a very good speaker to handle your home theater demands with good extension and dynamics. Lists for $2300, but I've seen them on sale for under $2000.

-Triangle Celius 202: somewhat the opposite of the Thiel; very refined midrange, not as sophisticated at the high and low extensions. Paper drivers make for a slightly lean sound, but not an issue if you have a subwoofer.

-Energy Veritas 2.3: very good soundstaging and depth. Not the ultimate in detail, but still very good. Lists for low $2K, have also seen it for under $2K at sales.

There are also a bunch of monitors in that price range, but since you're looking at the home theater application, I'd still with the floorstanders (unless you had a subwoofer)...

gongos · « **Reply #10 on:** 21 Mar 2004, 12:47 am »

Yes, the 999es is a Modwright mod.

byteme · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 Mar 2004, 05:26 pm »

A lot of the decision should also be based on what you're musical goals are. Do you favor musicality, emotion, involvement or do you prefer to hear every tiny detail and a more analytical sound.

I started looking about a year ago in a similar price range, and like you had Meadolark speakers high on the list. When I listen I want to be sucked in by how "live" everything sounds and conveyance of emotion and musicality are high on my priority list. I think Meadowlarks would do great - especially if you can find a pair of used Osprey's or Kestrel 2's in your range. I also spoke a couple times with Ty at Tyler Acoustics about his linbrook floorstanders or the 7U floorstanders. I ended up expanding my budget a bit after hearing Odyssey Lorelei's and I'm glad I did. Wonderful, musical, emotional speakers that provide a really amazing amount of detail too. Another option along those lines would be North Creek Music Borealis http://www.northcreekmusic.com/NorthCreekKits.html with cabinets from http://www.taylorspeakers.com/ you could do the Borealis North D28 unlimited project with cabinet for about $1900 plus or minus. The Meadolarks, Odyssey and North Creek all use the Scan Speak 8545 mid/bass driver (I believe this is true) and it is an amazing driver. The Lorelei's bass response is astonishing from such a relatively small driver and all across it's range it's an engaging, musical hard to stop listening to sound!

Like others have said, you've got a ton of great choices in this price range. You've got a lot of reading and listening ahead of you!

Carlman · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 Mar 2004, 06:27 pm »

I couldn't agree more with Byteme about knowing your musical goals. Helping someone pick a speaker over the web is like helping someone pick a car over the web. On paper and based on other's experience, it should be great... but when you drive it... it leaves you a little underwhelmed. I know this because I've done it.

Also, your room plays a large role in the sound quality. I demo'd a pair of speakers at a dealer, brought them home, and when I brought them home, I couldn't get the imaging right. Plus they had some irritating sounds that weren't in the demo.. what happened? Room interaction.

I owned a pair of Revel F30's in my previous home. They sounded absolutely fantastic. 8th Nerve came to my house and did an analysis on my room and found it to have no major peaks or valleys. I had great room response. Between their treatments, and the already good qualities of the room, those speakers were excellent. In fact, a few other speakers I tried sounded quite good in that room.

When I moved into a new house, the Revel's were not good. All hardwoods, lots of open space, etc. reacted very negatively. I had to change it all to get back what I had. Now I have a pair of Green Mountain Europa's, I bought used for under $700. They blow me away.

I know Green Mountain is developing a new midline speaker which might be in your range or a little out of it.. maybe 2500 or so? It shouldn't need a sub and if it's as good as the Europa, may be my next speaker. We'll see...

You do need to go listen to get a basis of what you like or dislike. Music choice, gear and room are very important factors. The most important is what you interpret as 'good'. Defining that should provide your goal.

-C

manek · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Mar 2004, 02:12 pm »

Cadence Arita
Cadence Diva
Quad 22L
Quad 21L
Jamo D830
Jamo D590
Jamo D570

JackD · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 Mar 2004, 04:33 pm »

Green Mountain Europas and a pair of Adire Rave SE subs, plus the Osiris type stands from Parts Express

Dan Driscoll · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Mar 2004, 05:35 pm »

How could it be that no one has suggested Vandersteen Model 2Ce Signatures yet? IMO these are the finest $2500 speakers you can buy for $1549.

mcrespo71 · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Mar 2004, 11:38 pm »

Quote

How could it be that no one has suggested Vandersteen Model 2Ce Signatures yet? IMO these are the finest $2500 speakers you can buy for $1549.

Because they aren't esoteric enough. If it's esoteric, it's loved on audiocircle. The 2Ce's are too sucessful.

Michael

doug s. · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 Mar 2004, 03:23 pm »

Quote from: mcrespo71

Quote
How could it be that no one has suggested Vandersteen Model 2Ce Signatures yet? IMO these are the finest $2500 speakers you can buy for $1549.

Because they aren't esoteric enough. If it's esoteric, it's loved on audiocircle. The 2Ce's are too sucessful.

Michael

or, perhaps it's cuz they have a difuse soundstage w/lousy imaging, lack dynamics, & are extremely veiled...

yust my opinion...

doug s.

Dan Driscoll · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 Mar 2004, 08:15 pm »

Quote from: doug s.

Quote from: mcrespo71
Quote
How could it be that no one has suggested Vandersteen Model 2Ce Signatures yet? IMO these are the finest $2500 speakers you can buy for $1549.

Because they aren't esoteric enough. If it's esoteric, it's loved on audiocircle. The 2Ce's are too sucessful.

Michael

or, perhaps it's cuz they have a difuse soundstage w/lousy imaging, lack dynamics, & are extremely veiled...

yust my opinion...

doug s.

Or it might have been the fault of poor set-up, bad positioning, etc.

doug s. · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 Mar 2004, 08:29 pm »

Quote from: Dan Driscoll

Or it might have been the fault of poor set-up, bad positioning, etc.

i have heard vandersteens on numerous occasions - at stores, audio shows, etc... perhaps they were *all* set up poorly, had bad positioning, etc... but, regardless of model or location, they all struck me w/the same sonic signature - as i described above.

my opinion, of course...

doug s.