Digital Phase AP-4s which were clearly superior to my Gallo Ref 3.1s, Martin Logans, Vandies, Maggies, Legacy's (all previously owned) and equal to or slightly better than my also current Dunlavy SC-IVs. A speaker you would have to hear to believe. New they start at about $2500, mine have a few factory tweaks which brought them up to about $3500. Highly recommended.
Next up... new speakers...
For better or worse, my approach to building my system has been to progressively upgrade one component at a time as budget permits, working from the front end to the speakers and then looping back to the front end again.
When I last upgraded speakers some 9-10 years ago, the B&W N805s I chose were the strongest "link" in the chain... now, maybe not so much. :) The current system:
Cary 306 -> BAT VK-30 -> Ayre V5x -> B&W N805 + REL Stadium
Interconnects are Cardas Golden Cross XLR, speaker wires are Cardas Neutral Reference.
Now I have "the bug" again... the N805s have served me well, but its time to move on. Something more full range would be nice.
The room I'm working with is pretty large -- 20x27, a vaulted ceiling (14' at side walls, 17' at center), with one 20' end open to another 14x24 room.
I'm looking for suggestions for speakers to audition that would be synergistic with rest of the system, that can "energize" this large space.
Musical tastes run the gamut from rock to blues to jazz to classical, so one-trick ponies need not apply.
Budget... mid-to-hi 4 figures. What would *you* suggest?
When I last upgraded speakers some 9-10 years ago, the B&W N805s I chose were the strongest "link" in the chain... now, maybe not so much. :) The current system:
Cary 306 -> BAT VK-30 -> Ayre V5x -> B&W N805 + REL Stadium
Interconnects are Cardas Golden Cross XLR, speaker wires are Cardas Neutral Reference.
Now I have "the bug" again... the N805s have served me well, but its time to move on. Something more full range would be nice.
The room I'm working with is pretty large -- 20x27, a vaulted ceiling (14' at side walls, 17' at center), with one 20' end open to another 14x24 room.
I'm looking for suggestions for speakers to audition that would be synergistic with rest of the system, that can "energize" this large space.
Musical tastes run the gamut from rock to blues to jazz to classical, so one-trick ponies need not apply.
Budget... mid-to-hi 4 figures. What would *you* suggest?