Speaker recommendation thread (Organised by tiers of price)

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smodtactical

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The aim of this thread is to create a list of speakers that people enjoy and recommend and to organise the speakers into a list based on their MSRP. Please recommend speakers that you have personally heard or own and enjoy. I will add the names of the users who recommend a speaker next to the speaker name (and if someone already recommended the speaker you had in mind please feel free to recommend it again because I will add your name as well).


Please feel free to include gear that was used to listen to your recommendation and some impressions (although you do not have to).


This list may be useful to new buyers to get a general sense of popular models to help guide what to audition during the purchase process.


[Under $1000]
Dali Oberon series @audiotroy
Kef Q 550 @audiotroy
Kef Q 750 @audiotroy
Quad S1 @audiotroy


[$1000-$5000]
Quad S4 @audiotroy
Quad S5 @audiotroy
Quad Z3 @audiotroy
Qaud Z4 @audiotroy
Kef R 5 @audiotroy
Kef R 7 @audiotroy


[$5001-$10,000]
Golden Ear Tritron 1R @audiotroy
Dali Rubicon 6 @audiotroy
Dali Rubicon 8 @audiotroy
Legacy Signatures @audiotroy
Paradigm Persona 3F @audiotroy
Kef Ref 1 @audiotroy
ATC SCM 19 @audiotroy
SCM 40 @audiotroy


[$10,001-$20,000]
Pardigm Persona 5F @audiotroy
Kef Reference 3 @audiotroy
Kef Reference 5 @audiotroy
Dali Epicon 8 @audiotroy
Wilson Yvette @audiotroy


[$20,001-$30,000]
Legacy Aeris @audiotroy
Kef Blades @audiotroy


[$30,001-$50,000]
Pardigm Persona 9H @smodtactical, @audiotroy
Vimberg (model?) @audiotroy
Wilson DAW @audiotroy


[$50,001-$70,000]
Magico M2 @smodtactical


[$70,001-$100,000]


[$100,001-$200,000]
Wilson Alexia @audiotroy


[Over $200,000]
Kharma (which model?) @audiotroy
 
With all due respect... Not clear on your relationship with @audiotroy, but the initial list provided above is not much more than a list of the brands and models that he promotes and sells. He has quite a reputation on another forum for stepping into many threads with his heavily biased and endless sales pitches. That doesn't mean that his recommendations have no merit, but think that forum members should be aware that @audiotroy is a retailer. :skeptical:
 
audio.bill said:
With all due respect... Not clear on your relationship with @audiotroy, but the initial list provided above is not much more than a list of the brands and models that he promotes and sells. He has quite a reputation on another forum for stepping into many threads with his heavily biased and endless sales pitches. That doesn't mean that his recommendations have no merit, but think that forum members should be aware that @audiotroy is a retailer. :skeptical:
Click to expand...

Agreed. And smodtactical, you seem to be all over the place:

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Either extremely indecisive or an extreme tire kicker.

Went from looking at new Magico M2 to a used pair of Salons ?

Same as if I went test driving exotic cars but was going to purchase a Toyota Camry all along.

Btw , nothing wrong with Salon 2 or a Toyota Camry.
 
Hey guys, ok I will explain what happened.

I wanted to make this thread on Audiogon first but then I realized you can't edit the original post so I would not be able to add recommendations including users names making the recommendation. So I decided to post on all forums I am part of to get as many recommendations as possible and construct the list. The nice thing about lists like these is you can easily see popular recommendations at a glance and then go audition them.

The reason audiotroy is all over this list is he was the first one to make suggestions. Once I get more suggestions I will add more names and it will then not appear I am a 'shill' for audiotroy.

Regarding what Mike posted you are 100% right I am all over the map. Some days I feel like I want to grab an M2 or M3 then other days I feel like I want to spend half that or less or a Persona 9H or maybe used salon 2s or JBL 4367. Its hard to ignore the possibility for getting extremely good sound that is close to the top tier speakers for substantially less. Apologies for being all over the map and indecisive. But when you are talking about thousands of dollars its not that easy of a decision and the more you hear, the better able you can make an informed decision.
 
Oh and I think my prior statement was wrong about speakers. I definitely can see a scenario where $50k is worth it. For example getting $100k speakers used for half price. Or get extremely high quality speakers like Magicos for that price... like the M2. Or the used M3 that is on audiogon for under $50k. In fact some people even sold M3s with mpods for $45k approx used! Thats a hell of a deal. But whenever I think of that deal I do wonder... hrm... can I get a sound nearly as good for half or less? Its a nagging thought I keep having.

With the Magicos in particular I think you are paying for the superb build quality in addition to the great sound quality. I think you can attain sound that very much approaches them for less.. for example the 9H to me was almost at Magico M2 level and was in some clear weighs better (more authority in low end and more rumble while still being clean). But then you don't get that amazing metal build quality. Its a tough call whether to pay or save and get something with a compromise that you may not mind in the long run (ie. paradigms build quality is probably pretty solid).
 
One thing that might be relevant to Magico’s price is that they are built in the San Francisco Bay area, and that is one of the highest cost of living areas in the country. When I visited Magico the employees and work environment seemed to be fine, so I have no issue with their prices.
 
Oh just realised audiotroy deleted his recommendations lol. Ok now I see why my post looks weird.
 
smodtactical said:
maybe used salon 2s or JBL 4367. Its hard to ignore the possibility for getting extremely good sound that is close to the top tier speakers for substantially less.
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Well, if you get for example, a Salon 2, you will get a "Camry" that significantly outperforms an "exotic" car with lower 0-60 time, lower 100-0 braking distance, higher top speed, lower lap times, etc, etc, objective measures/controlled conditions testing, for a fraction of the objective price of the "exotic".
But of course, anecdotal "subjectively", it will not be as fast, have poorer braking and "slower" lap times than the exotic...to certain drivers. The "exotic" must be an audiophile model car. ;)
Btw , nothing wrong with simply preferring a Camry, or an exotic, without specious analogies.

cheers,

AJ
 
AJ Soundfield said:
Well, if you get for example, a Salon 2, you will get a "Camry" that significantly outperforms an "exotic" car with lower 0-60 time, lower 100-0 braking distance, higher top speed, lower lap times, etc, etc, objective measures/controlled conditions testing, for a fraction of the objective price of the "exotic".
But of course, anecdotal "subjectively", it will not be as fast, have poorer braking and "slower" lap times than the exotic...to certain drivers. The "exotic" must be an audiophile model car. ;)
Btw , nothing wrong with simply preferring a Camry, or an exotic, without specious analogies.

cheers,

AJ
Click to expand...


What objective measurements indicate that a salon 2 is objectively superior to a magico m2?

Please let us know and I’ll provide the same that the objective performance of a Toyota Camry is superior to a Ferrari 488.
 
Seems I can't update the list on the front page so I will post updates as they come:

[Under $1000]
Dali Oberon series: @audiotroy
Kef Q 550: @audiotroy
Kef Q 750: @audiotroy
Quad S1: @audiotroy
Audioengine 2: @kacomess
Buchart S400: @mrdon
Tekton Pendragons: @technick
Mark Audio Sota CestiB: @dseltz
Wharfedale diamond 225: @audioguy85


[$1000-$5000]
Quad S4: @audiotroy
Quad S5: @audiotroy
Quad Z3: @audiotroy
Qaud Z4: @audiotroy
Kef R 5: @audiotroy
Kef R 7: @audiotroy
Revel F208: @hemi04
Dynaudio Special 40: @bwaterme, @manorsessions
Harbeth C7es3: @biscorbit
Magnepan LRS: @kacomess
Vandersteen 2C: @kacomess


[$5001-$10,000]
Golden Ear Tritron 1R: @audiotroy
Dali Rubicon 6: @audiotroy
Dali Rubicon 8: @audiotroy
Legacy Signatures: @audiotroy
Paradigm Persona 3F: @audiotroy
Kef Ref 1: @audiotroy
ATC SCM 19: @audiotroy
SCM 40: @audiotroy
Dynaudio C1 Confidence Platinum: @manorsessions


[$10,001-$20,000]
Pardigm Persona 5F: @audiotroy
Kef Reference 3: @audiotroy
Kef Reference 5: @audiotroy
Dali Epicon 8: @audiotroy
Wilson Yvette: @audiotroy
Rethm Saadhana: @dseltz
Dynaudio C4 Confidence Platinum: @manorsessions


[$20,001-$30,000]
Legacy Aeris: @audiotroy
Kef Blades: @audiotroy
Sonus Faber Amati: @pfank12


[$30,001-$50,000]
Pardigm Persona 9H: @smodtactical, @audiotroy
Vimberg (model?): @audiotroy
Wilson DAW: @audiotroy
Egglestonworks Vigniti: @liamowen


[$50,001-$70,000]
Magico M2: @smodtactical
Dynaudio Evidence Platinum: @manorsessions


[$70,001-$100,000]


[$100,001-$200,000]
Wilson Alexia: @audiotroy


[Over $200,000]
Kharma (which model?): @audiotroy
 
We had to change the edit functions due to a couple of looney Aussies who got their knickers in a knot and started deleting all their posts.

Your list covers a wide price range. Wouldn’t it be better if you just focused on your budget, and then started to dive into the type of speaker that you like: cone & dome, panel, horn, dipole, omnipole, etc.?

I’ve probably heard more speakers than a lot of these folks commenting. Frankly, there isn’t much on the market today, I haven’t heard - at least one or two models from every brand, in many cases, many more.

Do these guys travel to Munich? Do they go to Axpona, RMAF, Florida Audio Expo every year - religiously? Did they go to CES in the heyday? But what I like, isn’t what you will like.

And you have to always take into account the most important factor: the room. Although some forum owners won’t admit their room is bad, I will. Mine sucks. It’s shaped like a teepee. The floor is wobbly since it’s over a garage. But it’s mine. All mine. And I have a door and can lock it and escape. I’ve treated my room the absolute best I can. I’ve fed dedicated 20amp circuits (8 lines) from a dedicated panel box with AudioQuest NRG and Furutech outlets.

I would say you first need to decide whether you are a cone & dome guy, panel guy, horn guy, dipole guy, concentric driver guy, omnipole guy, etc. Also, will you use subs or not? Have you always craved using a SET amp or are you a big ass SS amp kind of guy? Will you be vinyl, digital or both? Do you listen to rock, classical, jazz or everything?

Focus on budget, topology of design, and then answer yourself honestly about your room, music type, etc. That will go a long way in helping you narrow down a speaker choice, if that is your ultimate goal.

If you want the best speakers in the world (in my opinion), get a pair of MBL 101 Xtremes with a full MBL amp reference setup. Don’t like those, get Avantgarde Trio XD’s with 6 basshorn stack and some Kondo amps.

Want a system that will blow away many costing 5-10 times as much? B&W 800D3’s with a pair of DB1D subs. OR Revel Salon 2’s with some nice JL/REL/B&W subs. But bring big ballsy amps. You want to think outside the box? MBL 101eMK2 with MBL Noble Electronics. You get 75% of the best sound system in the world for a lot less money. Want to get a pair of speakers that will bring you live music dynamics? Avantgarde Duo XD’s and a sweet 300b SET amp. Hell, that will only run you $50-60K TOTAL. You want state of the art cone and dome? Magico M2/M3/M6. The new $172,000 Rockports too. You want shit recordings to sound listenable? Harbeth anything. The list could go on and on. And not only have I heard them all, I own or have owned them all.
 
edcb9ff88d2e21bc8e4945bbce202cdc.jpg


I really feel like we are being played. May I suggest you check out Raidho speakers?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Mike said:
edcb9ff88d2e21bc8e4945bbce202cdc.jpg


I really feel like we are being played. May I suggest you check out Raidho speakers?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

You are. You should close this thread. It's a waste of time.
 
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