Those are great comments.
I am indeed intrigued by the Von Schweikert various used models which at used prices can be in the 2.5-4 k range depending on how far back you go. There is a place close enough to where I live, so I'll try to check them out soon. But its a bit of a trek, so it may take a few weeks.
For me personally I have a Pass Amp so I'm all good for amlification! I know a lot of people are annoyed by the amp-requirements for Magnepans - if you get Pass gear from the 90's or early 00's its 98% as good as what is out now and hardly costs anything compared to their new models. Even ignoring the older series there is, for example, a X-250 for 2.2 k right now. An X-250 will kick serious air on a maggie! I personally have the older Aleph stuff.
I'll check out the other speakers mentioned. And just to be clear, I'm not trying to be too down on the box speakers - the Thiel and B&W models at higher end are absolutely fantastic - amazing, and do have the sense of space and air and all that, but what you get at the 1.7 - 2.8k-ish price level is what I am feeling personally isn't the same as what I see in the Magnepan.
Oh - and restock - it would be fun indeed to have a really powerful system w/Maggies or similar, and then a 2nd system with some sort of SET 3 - 8 watt kind of thing and 96db or above speakers... If time/money allows in several years it would be fun to do that. And it wouldn't cost nearly as much as it could since I would use existing CD player and pre-amp. While not SET, check out the Pass Labs first watt stuff, that has me intrigued.
I am indeed intrigued by the Von Schweikert various used models which at used prices can be in the 2.5-4 k range depending on how far back you go. There is a place close enough to where I live, so I'll try to check them out soon. But its a bit of a trek, so it may take a few weeks.
For me personally I have a Pass Amp so I'm all good for amlification! I know a lot of people are annoyed by the amp-requirements for Magnepans - if you get Pass gear from the 90's or early 00's its 98% as good as what is out now and hardly costs anything compared to their new models. Even ignoring the older series there is, for example, a X-250 for 2.2 k right now. An X-250 will kick serious air on a maggie! I personally have the older Aleph stuff.
I'll check out the other speakers mentioned. And just to be clear, I'm not trying to be too down on the box speakers - the Thiel and B&W models at higher end are absolutely fantastic - amazing, and do have the sense of space and air and all that, but what you get at the 1.7 - 2.8k-ish price level is what I am feeling personally isn't the same as what I see in the Magnepan.
Oh - and restock - it would be fun indeed to have a really powerful system w/Maggies or similar, and then a 2nd system with some sort of SET 3 - 8 watt kind of thing and 96db or above speakers... If time/money allows in several years it would be fun to do that. And it wouldn't cost nearly as much as it could since I would use existing CD player and pre-amp. While not SET, check out the Pass Labs first watt stuff, that has me intrigued.