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Performer-in-Room Quality with Speakers?

I need advice regarding what kind of speakers might help provide what I'm looking for. (For some time now I've been a tube guy for amplication, and that will not change; source components and media vary.)  I want an illusion of the performer (acoustic instrument music, vocals, classical, and combo jazz,) actually being in the room, realism so convincing that it is potentially startling. The only time I've had that sensation is when I use my Stax Ear Speakers. Concerns are sensitivity to room placement, cost, and of course spouse approval factor. Soundstage, imaging, dynamics, deeeeep bass, can take a back seat if necessary. 

Any ideas?  Single-point drivers?  Crossoverless units? Open baffle?  Vertical arrays?  Electrostatrics or planars? 
(For the record I've owned Maggies, Shahinian Obelisks, mid-fi traditional boxes and so on.)

Thanks for your ideas,

OGOgre
ogogre

Showing 3 responses by wolf_garcia

wolf_garcia
6,592 posts
 
Everyone hears things differently, and I can't imagine any speaker manufacturer (for home audio) isn't trying to replicate "live" sound somehow. For my tastes, a tube amp seems more realistic (harmonic content delivery seems to be why this is), and my speaker preference is for something that seems sort of "flat" if in fact anybody uses that term anymore…in my case meaning no low mid humps or tweeter screech. 
wolf_garcia
6,592 posts
 
Vandersteen 1s and 2s are among the great values in audio, and having owned 1Bs some years ago I can say they may have been the best speakers I've owned (had the grills redone by Vandy and sold them before my now departed cats could ruin them again). The only issue I had with them was the fact that you can't take the grills off to mess around with the drivers…or look at the drivers…or something…an admittedly lame complaint but I've never heard much negative about either of these speakers and it's really rare that any model speaker could be around (with updates to design of course) that long. Used 2Ce pairs are around for relatively low cost.
wolf_garcia
6,592 posts
 
Having had a vocalist in my lap I can vouch for the efficacy of that as a reasonable goal.
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