2. speakers
  3. 148637-77849

Need Suggestions

Since Axpona 2016, I have replaced / updated almost my entire system, except Speakers. In the last 3 to 4 weeks I have auditioned. Rockport Atria I, Focal Sopra 2 & 3s, Paradigm ( I forget which models ), Wison Sabrinas, Yvettes, and Sashas 2s.  All were good in one way or another. None totally blew me away. Not one made me want to give up my Avalon Opus speakers that are going to be 14 years old this Thanksgiving.

Speakers last a longtime and IMO are the hardest to replace. 

I have never been able to get on the panel bandwagon. Took 4 years to switch from Thiels to Avalons. Due to health issues, I don't know if I have even that much time left.

I am a Vinyl guy. 3000 + records, 83 CDs (4 are test or burn-in disks)

My Gear is:

Pass Lab XA160.8s and XP 20 pre, previously Spectral Owner for 20 years.
Phonostages, Manley Steelhead and Pass XOno
Turntables, Technics SL1200G w/ Triplanar arm, Lyra Kleos cartridge
                 , Kuzma Stabi w/ upgraded platter and outboard power supply, 12" VTA arm, Dynavector XX II mk2

I did listen to some fine CDPs, Streaming (I guess Dacs) The digital just made me happy that I never jumped on that train and continued with vinyl all these years.

Appreciate suggestions for speakers to search out. 20 to 25 K is my target range. I would stretch to 30K if they Really, REALLY, blew me away. I missed Axpona due to health and weather issues this year. You really can't audition speakers at the shows anyway. 

This will be my final system.

Thanks for suggestions and best to All on this journey.
nkonor
audiokinesis
2,711 posts
 

Hi nkonor,

Your Avalons are a VERY tough act to follow.  I was a SoundLab dealer for many years and Avalon was the only similar-price-ballpark "conventional" speaker that I really wanted to become a dealer for.  (Instead I ended up becoming a speaker manufacturer myself, but that does not diminish my respect for Avalon.)

Can you tell us a little about what qualities matter the most to you?

Any particular constraints imposed by your listening room?

Anything else that would be a potential deal-breaker or deal-maker?

I don't have anything in mind at this point but maybe a little more information about what you're looking for would jog my mind or someone else's.

Thanks!

Duke

itzhak1969
515 posts
 
Your Avalon Opus speakers are very hard to beat, very good speakers I wonder if there is any need to change them at all.
soix
8,642 posts
 
Agree with others above in that this could be a tough ask, especially since you’re so attuned to what the the Opus’ do well. That said, there’s no reason you can’t have some fun going out to listen to other speakers (health issues aside of course -- hope you’re doing ok BTW!). Haven’t heard Avalons in a while, but I remember them to be quite neutral and they image like demons with a great disappearing act. It would be helpful to know what, if anything, you’d be looking to improve upon or is this just more of a 14-year itch you’re kinda feeling the urge to scratch. I get that.

If you can find Joseph Audio Pearls they might be worth a listen as they do many things similar to Avalon but their unique crossover may or may not captivate you. Could be more of a sideways move, but worth a shot. For something different that may or may not impress are the Carver Amazing Line Source. The grand scale and effortless dynamics line source speakers are capable of may be different and impressive enough to maybe sway you if you have the ceiling height to accommodate them. Last thought, Nola might be worth a listen if you can find them as their dipole design might be different enough to be interesting to you. What was I thinking not mentioning Vandersteen 5A?  The additional bass of these speakers may be one reason to step up from the Opus.  I’d mention Boenicke, but good luck finding them. Just some food for thought.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
12,775 posts
 
Dear @nkonor : I love Avalon speakers and I don't recomend to change for a diferent speakers but to same Avalon kind of design like the Eidolon Dimond tht makes a better job and goes deeper in the bass range but I don't know which its price.

I think that before to think in a spekares change ( Avalon or not for Avalon. ) you can better quality performance with a better phono stage as is the XP25 instead of boths of what you own today.

The other area where you can improve the quality sound is to go for the Etna ( I own the Kleos and I really like it but the Etna is even better. ) and for the XV-1s or the vDh Colibri or My Sonic Labs:

I think that inside your budget you can get all those 3 items I mentioned, this is an example if you go second hand:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9dhe2-lyra-etna-cartridges

The 25 review:

http://www.tonepublications.com/analogaholic/pass-labs-xp-25/


Then after up-grade phono stage and cartridges then ( if I was you ) I think in the speakers, well that's me.


Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.






More to discover