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New Speakers $10K -$20K

Hi everyone. A few bullet points and thank you all for your advice! Sorry for the length just trying to help you to help me.

* A Florida family room untreated and large. 30’ x 30’ with 12’ cathedral ceiling.
* I sit basically on left half of the room, the right side of the room is billiards and wet bar.
* I just turned 65, so these are my forever speakers!
* I am 70% HT and watching TV, and 30% 2Ch, but with a little room improvement 2ch listening will go up. I want better sounding 2 ch but I’m in a very live room.
* The front wall “half width” of my room is a stacked-stone marble wall.
* to my rear is a 16’ opening to a large kitchen.
* to my immediate left is a window 40” and 12’ of sliders looking into pool.
* just sold Paradigm Persona 7F towers, (2) Persona subs and Persona center ch. Amazing speakers in a poor large room. But I do think the Be. mid-range became a bit fatiguing.
* I need a company that also makes a great center ch for HT., Legacy Audio does.

Based on WAF etc. some treatments will be done but not greatly. More pillows, a defuser or two, maybe a bit more.

My needs: warmth, no harshness at the top, not massive speakers, WAF!
I still love movies with the grandkids, big subwoofers won’t be approved. “Eye Candy” is what she likes beautiful cabinetry, Sonus Fabre, and custom finishes available from Bill D. at Legacy.

Current candidates are:
1. Sonus Fabre Amati Tradition in the red stained finish - “gorgeous”, her favorite!
2. Legacy Calibres in a custom veneer with 2+ subs that are not too big. I really love the Aeris with Wavelet processor but they are too tall for her! Remember this is a family room.m we use for everything.
3. Sonus Fabre Serafino Tradition in the same beautiful red stain wood veneer.
4. Spendor, not terribly familiar but they do make a center ch, and are respected and are considered warm. Really wish Harbeth made a center ch.

Now I am looking forward to your suggestions!
Related equipment:
Classe’ CAV 180 - 5 x 180W
Marantz 8805 Pre-pro
Oppo 203
Innuous streamer/DVD ripper
Kaleidescape movie server 
Sonance DSP 8-130 MK2 for surrounds
Paradigm in ceiling (3pr) for surrounds 

Thank you all!
Dave





dave1980
dave1980 OP
70 posts
 
Will be reading up on all suggestions later today, thank you all!

Question: would the $14k Lyngdorf Pre-pro with their Room Correction, now being used by McIntosh, compensate for speakers being too close to the wall? If that technology works I have many choices. If it won’t help I need to consider sealed or front ported speakers. As of now the Revel 228be and the Focal Kanta 3 are contenders.
hubbman's avatar
hubbman
25 posts
 
You sound like the perfect candidate for the Focal Sopra no. 2’s.   You won’t find a single review or person who has heard these speakers say a negative word.  They simply deliver for both movies and music.
korakotta's avatar
korakotta
50 posts
 
If I would have 20K for speakers I wouldn`t think twice. Cube Audio Nenuphar or Mini Nenuphar with their Sub. I think you could make a deal. I have a pair of Nenuphar Minis and couldn`t be happier. If I would have larger space and a bit more money I would buy their bass units. Full range single driver - no crossover needed- goes down till 37-40Hz effortless. ACDC could have a bit more bass, but I think It`s more about the LP pressing I play, because the Robert Ludwig press ZZ Top knocks my head off and many more. I feel like it`s the best bang for the buck speakers in this range. You get exactly what is on the record, I never streamed but planning. It doesn`t make bad records play good, but good ones really shine. I auditioned many other speakers and never had a second thought after. It does not need much backspace.
dave1980 OP
70 posts
 
Hubbman are Sopra #2’s front ported?
dave1980 OP
70 posts
 
Thank you all. I’ve decided on Focal Kanta 3’s which are in budget and front ported. Money left over to consider room treatments, possible 2ch integrated and 1-2 subs.
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