2017 ‘Keeper’ speakers under - $25K


Heading towards the second half of 2017, I thought to ask here what other’s feel based on their experiences, wants or desires, exactly which recent production speakers under $25K, would be the ones you would want to marry.

Or be in a very long term fundamentally though not totally committed, relationship.

One wherein if they promise to satisfy on demand, you promise to keep them clean and sufficiently supplied with power and the purest of signals, not to leave dirty clothes on the floor, and to take the trash out daily, er, uh, regularly.

Actually, those last two items are predominately conscience driven and do not command perfect adherence.

Which speakers hands down just flat out captivated your attention, fancy, or were so compelling they made a significant impact.

In short, Speakers that have taken your breath away .

As speakers are merely one part of the ching let’s qualify things somewhat.

1. Speakers which can run very well in medium sized rooms. EX. 14 to 18ft wide, and 17 to 25ft long or deep, with ceilings from 8.5ft to 10ft H, or so.

2. If a sub was or should have been added, please, mention that as well.

3. If an Ultra high end setup, massive SS power amps, Tubes, or flea watt amps, were feeding and or driving them noting it would be appropriate.

4. Recent production since 2015. New or used.

Although it seems prudent to list only current production speakers, I know adding on the facet of pre-owned adds a lot more choices for the ‘desert island’ I got mine, you get your’s, scenario, but what the hey. It beats that 250 to 500 plus hours of run in new units usually insist upon.

If links to accounts or info on them is available, please include it.

As this is about options anyhow, let no design be excluded.

blindjim
@blindjim 
I believe Daedalus has been mentioned to you already...but I thought I'd add that I own a pair of Argos. Incredible speakers. 
Jriggy > Daedalus has been mentioned…. Argos …. Incredible speakers

Blindjim > yes, they have, thanks much. Some items foist a set of rules that are kept to, or disregarded and then, only a leap of faith is required in order to get it or them..

Sure wish Daedalus was on this coast instead of the left coast… or Lou’s units were more. Popular so I’d have greater shot at scooting over to someone’s home to hear it/them/some.

Are the ‘Argos’ above or below the ‘Poseidon’ in his line up?

The Poseidon is above them all....for now... Wait till RMAF. I’m not sure but there may be a statement speaker showing... but Lou actually considers most of his speakers on the same 'level', just built for different applications\different sized rooms. 

Lou has east coast customers. He can set you up with a possible owner for a visit to there system for a demo. There is also representation in the D.C. area.

but if they do not meet your criteria or I have disregarded something, please feel free to ignore.
Jriggy > The Poseidon is above them all....for now...

Blindjim > super!! Thanks a lot.
I read an Argos v2 account from I think, Soundstage. 2013? Can’t find anything explicit or in depth on the P’s though.

‘appreciate the heads up on D.C.. I was just there too! Did not have time for anything but business though. Found out after my return about the various audio outlets. Great. Just my luck.

Oil well. Everything always works out. Just not when or how I would usually want them too… but it always does.


On another note/posting I did finally see the Youtube vid on the Gibbon X. the usually decent audio was not so good on that short IMO.

What still has a large question mark on speaker possibilities are the new Paradigm Personna line. Their specs alone got my attention… not their prices.

Speakers such as the personas, Van Quattro CT, Golden Ears, Focus Arias (?) which have the powered bass drivers and room correction at least for that area are an attractive notion.

Address the bass separately and do it well, opens the doors for loads of amp options. Specifically tube amps.

those from Devore, and Daedalus will have to remove themselves from my list. Along with a few others based on their own merits.

In fact, if I can find reasonably priced nice sounding horn speakers I could buy and try, then sell without loads of loss, I’d start there. We’ll see I think.


Jim,
Here is the Brutus award winner for Dave Clark of Positive Feedback:  

Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT loudspeakers (Read the review HERE)

Nothing to add that hasn't been said in my review and elsewhere by other reviewers... simply amazingly musically killer. We bought the review sample.


Here is the whole review:  http://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/vandersteen-audio-quatro-wood-ct-loudspeakers/


He and his wife bought the review pair.  As for even the Treo's, like I said the bass goes down into the 30's before giving up steam.  It's not a huge woofer and the laws of physics apply, but it gives satisfying bass all the way down.  Never muffled or woolly.  It's just not the Quatro with the built in subs and the 11 band eq.  I personally haven't heard digital EQ done properly.  That's one of the things I didn't love about the Persona 9H.  They were like most Paradigms for ME, in that the highs were accentuated too much, but the bass wasn't fully coherent with that Anthem EQ. Again, that's just me.  I found the Treo's were driven nicely at reasonable volume, in my room with a 60 watt Ayre AX7e I had before upgrading to the AX5/20.  It's a zero feedback design which I prefer in amps and it's got plenty of current to drive speakers, but the Vandersteen's spec out nicely and are actually very easy to drive. I've heard Treo's driven by the 1800 Belles integrated NICELY as well as the mid level NAD integrated.  The Belles crushes the NAD IMHO, but you can easily put together a satisfying system using these amps with them.  


Again, they may or may not be YOUR cup of tea.  I didn't even like them when I first started my search for speakers to replace my 20 year old Proac's a few years ago.


As for horns, they are the most exciting speaker type on the market.  You can run them with flea watt amps and they are a blast. I finally got to hear a set a few months ago. I understand why folks love them, but they just don't do justice with vocals.  Their mids are not as good as a panel or a great dynamic can do. Even folks who sell them and love them will tell you that if they are truthful.  They are an easy sell if someone just wants a fun, dynamic speaker to listen to big music with.  There is a great market for that and it's why they have been selling so well for years and years and years. Heck, my first 'true love' speakers were the Klipshhorns in 69.  I wanted any of them.  I couldn't afford them at the time, but i got my buddy Frank to get a pair of the Heresy's with our Yamaha CR 620 (a top vintage receiver) that my former brother in law still runs daily and loves with newer speakers.  Franks system was fun to listen to rock with, that's for sure.  


Again, JMHO's on all of this.  I have changed how I listen over the years as I learn more.  I just listen differently than in the past.