Speakers up to $30K

NorthStar

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I read and enjoy Stereophile which has some fine reviewers like MF. TAS is another good audio magazine. I was only commenting on Stereophile's class rating system - not the whole magazine.

As to your question, If you gave me $30kUS to buy a pair of speakers, what would I buy? I could only answer that subjectively in terms of my own tastes and room. With that budget, I would look for a mint 1 owner pair of Magico S5 Mk2's in M-coat finish & order SPods, as in a medium-large size room I haven't yet heard a pair of speakers I like more for the money.

Stereophile Class A (Full- Range);
Magico S5 Mk.II: $38,000/pair–$42,750/pair
(Vol.40 No.2 WWW) • https://www.stereophile.com/content/magico-s5-mkii-loudspeaker

* Several Stereophile reviewers vote and that's how they come up with their guide of recommended components. We also check other prestigious trusty reputable audio magazines for consistency in the reviews of speakers we have interest in, and Magico (not the best looking) comes up on top often for best sound. The one above is above $30,000
 
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Bodhi

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Stereophile Class A (Full- Range);
Magico S5 Mk.II: $38,000/pair–$42,750/pair
(Vol.40 No.2 WWW) • https://www.stereophile.com/content/magico-s5-mkii-loudspeaker

* Several Stereophile reviewers vote and that's how they come up with their guide of recommended components. We also check other prestigious trusty reputable audio magazines for consistency in the reviews of speakers we have interest in, and Magico (not the best looking) comes up on top often for best sound. The one above is above $30,000
Yes I agree they get it right in many of the ratings they hand out as you highlighted above, but overall if you look at many of the products for example earning Class A ratings, It’s a joke as I said. Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 90 a Class A speaker? Really? For those of us old enough to remember the small ad-free Stereophile magazines back in the day, the Stereophile Class A rating was reserved only for the very best high end products based on a battery of objective and subjective testing regardless of cost or commercial considerations. Back then, the absolute integrity of the Stereophile rating system was inviolate, and so there was no need for a Class A+ rating. Alas, the HP’s and JGH’s from the golden era of high end audio are now gone.
 
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bonzo75

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I believe the used term is the least distorting.
Magico, TIDAL (Vimberg), Rockport (and many more) - aim to reach this goal by eliminating enclosure coloration and using fast responding drivers.

Devore is not really in that camp. I know there are other speakers that sound great, but through the years, I found myself coming back to those that are part of the above camp.

Ok, got you. Then we differ here, because I find those three trying to add a lack of tone where there non natural cabinet material might be contributing... Their attempts to cure a problem created by the closed baffle of cone speakers...u also find the devore much more coherent and agile compared to those disparate drivers with multiple cross overs... But those three will do beefier bass.

I didn't know you were from Israel. YG makes a lot of sense then. I liked an Israeli pianist Inon Barnatan I watched live here he is great, dunno if plays often in Israel as I think he lives in NYC
 

Golum

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I would not exclude Stenheim Alumine 3 or if stretched $$ wise 5 - but i see there is no distributor for Israel...
 
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iaxel

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Ok, got you. Then we differ here, because I find those three trying to add a lack of tone where there non natural cabinet material might be contributing... Their attempts to cure a problem created by the closed baffle of cone speakers...u also find the devore much more coherent and agile compared to those disparate drivers with multiple cross overs... But those three will do beefier bass.
For me, what pulls me back to these kind of speakers, is the way they unveil details (all over the frequency range) and are able to separate better and image better. It feels "easier" on the ear when a speaker is able to separate and peel layer after layer of information (again, this is what I feel).
This especially comes into play in complex orchestral classical music (and piano playing as well).

I didn't know you were from Israel. YG makes a lot of sense then. I liked an Israeli pianist Inon Barnatan I watched live here he is great, dunno if plays often in Israel as I think he lives in NYC
Surprisingly, YG is not distributed here.
I'm familiar with Inon, he is a great pianist :). He does live abroad (like most professional Israeli pianists).
 

bonzo75

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I agree they separate well. I don't think the electronics backing them have the flow for piano like a SET into a coherent speaker.
 

iaxel

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You might send an email to Yoav - figure he has some solution for his home country.
He might have, but only for new speakers, which, are out of my budget (Hailey 2.2).
 

NorthStar

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Yes I agree they get it right in many of the ratings they hand out as you highlighted above, but overall if you look at many of the products for example earning Class A ratings, It’s a joke as I said. Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 90 a Class A speaker? Really? For those of us old enough to remember the small ad-free Stereophile magazines back in the day, the Stereophile Class A rating was reserved only for the very best high end products based on a battery of objective and subjective testing regardless of cost or commercial considerations. Back then, the absolute integrity of the Stereophile rating system was inviolate, and so there was no need for a Class A+ rating. Alas, the HP’s and JGH’s from the golden era of high end audio are now gone.

JGH & HP were before my time; I'm only a young dude (born in the mid 50s).
It was only after I turned 15 that I started reading audiophile audio mags.
Lots of ink has spelled over since ... like a bad moon rising spell. ...Way of speech in following today's music style and recording quality.

Anyway one general consensus augurs well with Magico S5 MkII for roughly $10,000 over budget (list). But on a good sale it would be on that budget's vicinity for the OP's auditioning.
 
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Kal Rubinson

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Yes I agree they get it right in many of the ratings they hand out as you highlighted above, but overall if you look at many of the products for example earning Class A ratings, It’s a joke as I said. Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 90 a Class A speaker? Really?
Yeah, really.
 

iaxel

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Thanks for all the responses!
Adding to the mix:
Franco Serblin Ktêma
Gauder RC7 or DARC 80
(Used) Magico Q3 (currently available locally)


Thanks!
 

steve59

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Bump, I’ve been through a few well regarded speakers using a hegel h360 and a Roon nucleus and buying used in some cases so I could take as much time as I need to audition. I couldn’t find any speakers that overcame my room acoustics meaning most speakers sounded more alike than different especially in the bass. One of my favorite dealers knows how to make a system sing and I fell in love with a pair of Kanta 3’ brought them home and had no bass below 80 hz! My room. I also can’t afford a rack of amps so i sold my salon2’s when 250/425 wpc wasn’t enough to overcome my room acoustics. I have no idea why dsp speakers in the same room sound so good when everything else sounds the same? And it’s only been a month but I have full range 2 channel music, no subs, no rack of amps and I’m really enjoying the music.

I’m a little over budget at around $25k but my wife even likes them.
 

iaxel

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After a ~4 months wait.
Teaser...
2456354E-5E23-4B2D-B1AA-3DAF19DC69E4.jpeg
 
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Bodhi

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In addition to Vimberg, i've been impressed with the offerings from Audio Solutions in the <$30k price category; In particular the Figaro XL and Virtuoso M which both come in under $30k & punch well above their weight. But at roughly double that budget, yes the Wilson Benesch Resolution buys you SOTA design and build quality.
 
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Barry2013

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In addition to Vimberg, i've been impressed with the offerings from Audio Solutions in the <$30k price category; In particular the Figaro XL and Virtuoso M which both come in under $30k & punch well above their weight. But at roughly double that budget, yes the Wilson Benesch Resolution buys you SOTA design and build quality.

Thanks Bodhi
I saw in the last HiFi Plus that the Audio Solutions Vituoso M had attacted some very favourable reactions at the RMAF.
Have you had an opportunity to hear them?
 
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Bodhi

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Thanks Bodhi
I saw in the last HiFi Plus that the Audio Solutions Vituoso M had attacted some very favourable reactions at the RMAF.
Have you had an opportunity to hear them?
Barry i've only had the chance to hear the entry level 2.5 way Overtures which sound natural and harmonically rich...like the classic Serblin speakers as my friend noted. Have a look at this setup from Munich High End this year..

 

iaxel

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But at roughly double that budget, yes the Wilson Benesch Resolution buys you SOTA design and build quality.
Thanks Bodhi! Good catch.
After listening (a few years ago) to its smaller brother, the ACT Evo (which was also discussed in this thread), I’ve felt it was lacking some bottom end weight and overall resolution (pun not intended). During my 2017 visit to the Munich High End show, I’ve fell for the CH and Ypsilon display with the WB Resolutions, they were, IMHO, best-of-show.
Anyway, to make a long story short, the UK pound hit an all time low, and allowed to stretch my budget and order the Resolution.
Sounds extremely promising, but it’s still early days, and I will follow up with more impressions as the speakers break-in progresses.
Following this thread, so far, the Luxman m900u drives them with aplomb, but, as I said, it’s still early days.

8C594CE6-8BCE-4280-AC38-907935F55469.jpeg
 
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Bodhi

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Congratulations iaxel on your new loudspeakers. It sounds like you were able to nab a pair at an attractive price. As I mentioned, the latest WB Resolutions are a SOTA speaker for sure and distill the best elements of their recent innovations. The unconventional look of these speakers might not be for everyone, but at the end of the day it comes down to subjective sound. Enjoy your new toys in good health!
 
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Bodhi

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I don't know how I forgot, but for the benefit of other audiophiles reading this thread I would include the Genesis Maestro in an audition list up to $30k (with the caveat they would ideally need atleast a medium size room). That speaker has been in continuous development since 1994 when Arnie Nudell first introduced the Gen 5 & is a lot of speaker for your quan.
 

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