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WAF Speaker suggestions

I am looking to replace my current speakers and need advice.  I currently have a pair of Vandersteen 2ce sig speakers that my wife says look like coffins in the living room. I love my wife more than the Vandys and so am looking for replacement speakers. I need a smaller footprint speaker to make her happy and I would like a speaker that has a sound that is less laid back than the Vandys.
New or used speakers are fine.  My budget is $2000-$2500. Listening room is the living room (15ftX20ft with 15ft cathedral ceiling.) I listen mostly to jazz, classical, and blues.  Equipment is a Classe CP-800 preamp, Classe CT-2300 amp, TEAC CD-P650 used as a transport, and a Macbook for streaming music.
 
My research has lead me to the smaller footprint Dynaudio and Focal speakers but I do not know how well these speakers pair with the Classe amp and preamp.

Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
128x1282tuby

Showing 7 responses by 2tuby

2tuby's avatar
2tuby OP
23 posts
 
Kren0006 - thanks for the reply. I like your "short list of speakers.  How did you manage to demo them? Travel to the far and few between dealers? Pay return postage?

mrdecible - did read all the threads last time and ended up home demoing Ohm Walsh Tall 2000's and Totem Hawks.  Wife and I thought the Vandy's sounded better. So there has been 10 months of peace.

gsm18439 - been showing the wife pics. She seems to like white speakers. Can white speakers sound good???

emb5 - trophy speaker?

Thank you all for the suggestions. 
2tuby's avatar
2tuby OP
23 posts
 
Gentlemen,  I was trying to be humorous about and white speakers and sound.  I am not a white speaker fan and am far more interested in how a speaker sounds.

wspohn - loved the reply. Showed it to my wife and she is still laughing.
2tuby's avatar
2tuby OP
23 posts
 
Kren0006 - I am going to audition focals on tuesday
2tuby's avatar
2tuby OP
23 posts
 
Thank you all for the replies

dwmaggie - the maggies are too big.

garage rat et. al. Salks I would love to hear but too much $$$ for my budget, as are many of the speakers suggested :(

gndrob - I would like to hear the treos but they ARE hard to find used

I see on agon and usaudio some focal 918's and dynaudio excite X-38's that are in my price and WAF range. Anyone heard there speakers an can comment on their pros and cons I would appreciate the feedback
2tuby's avatar
2tuby OP
23 posts
 
kren0006- did you audition any focals?
2tuby's avatar
2tuby OP
23 posts
 
Kren0006 - I  will get back after I listen to the focals
2tuby's avatar
2tuby OP
23 posts
 
So I took the wife and some CD's and auditioned a used pair of Focal profile 918's today. The demo was with a SS 300W/channel amp similar to what I have at home so I felt it was a fair audition. The wife liked the look, size and the sound of the Focals. She was a professional violinist in an earlier life and said she heard much more resolution. Said she could hear the individual instruments on string quartet recordings more clearly with the Focals.  I felt the Focals were much brighter than the Vandy 2ce sigs but did not have the bass slam.
The price of the Focals was good so we did purchase them. 
We have been listening for the past several hours and are pleased with the purchase. The Focals do a nice job with jazz and classical. Moved nearer the rear wall, the bass response is not too shabby.
I have been especially pleased with the sound of the speakers at low volume. Very clear sound at low volume. Only downside I have found is playing rock music loud. Speakers are too small to fill my room with sound, a trade-off I can live with.

Thanks to all of you for the advise
. 
P.S. - I'm sure I will get the "itch" again in a couple of years and be looking for something new. Gotta love this hobby.
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