[Audio Addict]

Vapor Audio Cirrus monitors. Just absolutely incredible for $3500. Giant killers. Jeff Joseph's Pulsar is twice as much at $7K/pr, but definitely worth a listen. I've got a thing for stand-mount two-ways. All but the very best tower speakers really struggle to disappear into the music, a trick that a $1,000 two-way monitor can pull off with ease.
 

Do you have any of the upgrades for the speaker?

 

[Frihed89]

For me it has to be almost any version of the LS3/5A, all 12 inches of them.  I'm continually drawn to them on chamber music, acoustic, vocals and jazz. They are easy to drive and can handle everything down to 3.5W with the same finesse and realism.  They image gorgeously and the newer versions -- not  true LS3/5As -- are decidedly better than the originals. (I own a pair made by Stirling Broadcast).  All for around $2K.

 

[DaveBSC]

I don't own the Cirrus (yet), I've just had the immense pleasure of hearing them. Definitely among the very best monitors at any price. Micro Utopia? Forget it, not even close. Silverline? Nu uh. B&W Nautilus 805? You've gotta be kidding. Dynaudio's Confidence C1 is a very good speaker, but like the Pulsar it's also twice as much money and nowhere near twice as good. In fact I don't think the Dyn could even match the RAAL's amazing detail, or the surprising amount of bass response that the Vapor has. Even the Confidence C4 basically runs out of steam when you get much below 40Hz.
 
The Nola Micro Grand would be a good challenger. It uses the Raven ribbon which is the only one I know of to challenge (perhaps beat) the RAAL, but you're talking 4X as much money there.

 

[milosz]

My Quad ESL-57's.  In some certain ways these speakers have yet to be bested; they have the most detailed, tightest, fastest, most natural sounding upper bass and midrange of any speaker I've ever heard, and I have heard a very great many speakers in 40 years of being an audiophile.  
 
Bass, such as exists with these, is fantastic; treble is smooth and accurate but does lack a certain "sheen and shimmer" that some other speakers can provide.  (Like my Magneplanar MG 3.6's, for instance.)
 

 

[ozz]

Still like my Paradigm Studio's have not been speaker shopping since I got them over 6 years ago.

 

[jaycalgary]

I second the esl-57's  even though mine sound like crap and put me through hell so far. Now I have 1 pair of esl57's and a junkyard of 9 bass panels, 4 tweeter panels. and a lot of rebuild parts. Oh and some Decca tweeters but my vote is on word of mouth and faith so far.

 

[Duncandun]

yamaha Ns-2000 followed by the NS-70.

 

[Noumenon]

How reliable are they?

 

[jeust0999]

I auditioned B&W 683's the other day. They sound very good. Clean and a bit crisp, and the bass is surprisingly punchy. It was a very quick demo. I liked the Martin Logan Electro Motion better, I'd like to give them another listen.

 

[rgs9200m]

I never heard the Quad 57s, but I was mesmerized by the the 988s a
while back. Incredible purity and quality bass (if not excessive quanitity). I could easily have lived with these.
I haven't heard the 2805s but the forums say they are better. There are used ones for sale usually.

 

[log0]

For home theater movies: Definitive Technology BP7000sc. These are unreal. Bipolar design (speakers in front and back), totally envelopes you for movies. Built in 14" subwoofer. Watch the Dark Knight with these bad boys and you'll have a hard time convincing yourself something can sound better.
For music: The Reference 3A Grand Veena. These speakers feel more like surround sound than a 5.1 setup. My vote for best speaker under $10k.

 

[chesebert]

I have heard Maggie 20.1, Sophia 2 and 40.1. I would be very happy with any of them, 40.1 being the more preferred speak due to its below "average" price. I note the recent new line of Wilson spkrs have been absolutely fantastic, particularly their least expensive Sophia model. I used to dislike Wilson due to their "hi-fi" sound sig, but Wilson has changed that and their speakers are stunning, once again. Out of the three, Sophia 2 is probably the easiest to place within your average listening space. Both 20.1 and 40.1 require big room and careful positioning, more so with the 20.1 (40.1 just needs a huge room).
 
Quote:

Depending on your taste, room, and electronics you have an almost endless list of great speakers in the sub (used) $10K market.
Thiel CS3.7
Thiel CS7.2
vandersteen 5A
Maggie 20.1
Harbeth M40.1
Wilson WP7
Wilson Sophia 2 
Offerings from Quad, Avalon, Totem and on and on and on. All different and to many the end of the road.

 

 

[wuwhere]

Had a pair of Apogee Scintilla ribbon speakers. It had incredible 3D and instrument separation. They sounded great with jazz. The Wilson Audio Watt/Puppies were amazing too.

 

[Funkmonkey]

A couple of years ago I did a fairly extensive speaker search [Speakerquest] that started as a search for something under $2k, but I couldn't find the sound I was looking for in that range, so that price doubled, then tripled to get the right sound.  I did not look for monitors + sub-woofer as my intent was to set up more of a purist 2 channel system for music listening, first.  If you are using a pre-amp that includes bass management, you may very well be more suited to getting a pair of stand mounts and a sub.  My search, however, was for floor-standers with full bass and no sub.  That being said there are many options under $10g.  You mentioned specifically B&W CM9, and Paradigm Studio/Sig...  These would be your most commercial and perhaps readily available options.  You can get much more bang for the buck by going with a maker that doesn't spend so much money on advertising and marketing.
 
My search ultimately led me to Salk Sound HT3.  Their (at that time) flagship speaker.  Which is still available and is still exactly what I was looking for.  Currently, the HT3 has been usurped by their current top of the line SoundScapes.  Check them out as well.
 
The golden rule, of course is to get out there and audition for yourself, but threads like this one can help to narrow down the options.
 
Uncle Eric gave some sound advice (pun intended) about the Orions, though I have not heard them personally they are supposed to be excellent.
 
Cheers

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funkmonkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I did not look for monitors + sub-woofer as my intent was to set up more of a purist 2 channel system for music listening, first.  If you are using a pre-amp that includes bass management, you may very well be more suited to getting a pair of stand mounts and a sub. 

Depending on your musical taste, you generally don't need a subwoofer with a pair of high-end monitors. The Joseph Pulsar is +/- 2dB from 42Hz up, and probably has usable in room response into the mid 30s. Most traditional instruments don't go much below that. Monitors also image like nobodies business. It takes a lot of money for a big multi-driver tower to image nearly as well. The D'Appolito style Confidence C4 has incredible imaging, but it rolls sharply around 30Hz, and doesn't have that much more impact than a monitor.