[Jasonharkin]

Hi Guys

I am considering getting a pair of speakers for my set-up, I listen to a wide range of music and I love detail. I have an Audio Resolution Opus 21 as my source and an E.A.R Yoshino 859 as my amp, this Amp is not at all powerful so the speakers have to be matched very carefully with it, however some suggestion and advice would be much appreciated. Furthermore I was thinking of getting a pair of Quad Electrostatic's but I am unsure. I don't want to spend a fortune, so a budget of $4,000 for a used pair.

Any info much appreciated

 

[Drag0n]

Having a $4000 speaker budget doesnt always mean you have to spend that much really.
Depending on your taste....Try the Anthony Gallo Nucleus Reference 3

I think TTVY / Todd The Vinyl Junkie,has them on his site.

I think theyre in the $2500 range.
I heard them next to $4000 B&W speakers,and their was NO contest to me at all!!! The soundstage was better,imaging most definately better. The B&W's were actually smeared to me,and i usually like B&W,but next to those Gallos i nearly Sh**!
Im saving for them. I had a lower budget and was gonna get Paradigm Studio 40's and a SVS subwoofer.................but now im saving for Gallos,and ill see if i need the sub after all. Also,theyre small but sound much bigger,and are cool looking. And i think the WAF(Wife Acceptance Factor) is high on these!

Oh,,cool feature.....it has a dual voice-coil woofer that you can drive with a separate amp/crossover that makes it act like a sub,and the unit is essentially boxless,so the sound isnt boxy

Have fun!

 

[jumping jupiters]

You have a very good source and amp...I'd recommend a fairly high efficiency speaker with your setup...perhaps Triangle or Audio Note.

 

[cotdt]

In my opinion, high efficiency speakers can't compete with the newest rigid-cone speakers in terms of detail and tonal accuracy.

ESL's sound great, but have poor dispersion and the newest cone speakers can compete in detail but is better in every other aspect (like dynamics, bass, dispersion, size, treble, cost). Out of the several dozen speakers I've auditioned recently, the most detailed speaker is the Auzen Blackbox (www.auzen.com). The company claims it is due to their rigid metal cones acting as a pure piston throughout the entire frequency range.

All the high-end amps sound very similar and I couldn't tell them apart, even tube amps (the good ones). The best amps I've heard are the class-D amps like the Tripath and UcD amps. They are pretty cheap, too. But the speaker is what makes or breaks the sound system, and must be chosen carefully since even a lot of expensive speakers lack detail and sound pretty crappy.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Hey, you wouldn't exactly go wrong buying a pair of used Quads. A friend of mine has a pair of ESL-63s, and they sound terrific.

I've always been a Magnepan fan, too. I believe the MG3.6 is around your price range, and they're quite a good speaker.

 

[Len]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cotdt In my opinion, high efficiency speakers can't compete with the newest rigid-cone speakers in terms of detail and tonal accuracy. ESL's sound great, but have poor dispersion and the newest cone speakers can compete in detail but is better in every other aspect (like dynamics, bass, dispersion, size, treble, cost). Out of the several dozen speakers I've auditioned recently, the most detailed speaker is the Auzen Blackbox (www.auzen.com). The company claims it is due to their rigid metal cones acting as a pure piston throughout the entire frequency range. All the high-end amps sound very similar and I couldn't tell them apart, even tube amps (the good ones). The best amps I've heard are the class-D amps like the Tripath and UcD amps. They are pretty cheap, too. But the speaker is what makes or breaks the sound system, and must be chosen carefully since even a lot of expensive speakers lack detail and sound pretty crappy.

There so much I disagree with this post, starting from "high efficiency speakers can't compete with the newest rigid-cone speakers in terms of detail and tonal accuracy" to "All the high-end amps sound very similar." My experiences differ drastically.

 

[Len]

You can find Merlin VSM-MM for $4000 used. It would be my hands-down pick.

 

[Len]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadlesko You have a very good source and amp...I'd recommend a fairly high efficiency speaker with your setup...perhaps Triangle or Audio Note.

Triangle might work, but Audio Note is far from a detailed speaker. I've owned and still own Audio Note speakers, and they are about the furthest thing from detailed as I can imagine in the world of hifi.