Speakers in the 5-6K$ region & their components


Hi all,

This is my 1st post here.
I'm a long time audio enthusiast and even worked in high-end audio sales for a few years a while back, but I've been out of the loop for a few years now. I'm looking now for a new pair of speakers in the 5-6K$ range to replace my current Merlin TSM. The type I'm looking for is a 2 way 6-6.5'' speaker, preferably a floorstander. I know many brands and models and went through a lot of speakers in the past, so my question is a technical one:

I'm looking only for speakers in this range which use high end componenets. which ones are there?

I've already done some research, so here are a few examples of what I mean:

Proac in its response range is using Scanspeak D2604 tweeter (48$/unit).
PMC in its "i" series - Seas 27TFFC (45$/unit).
Spendor, "A" series - Seas 29TFF/W (52$/unit).

I can go on and also bring examples of the woofers used and more speaker brands, but I think the picture is clear. These are all quality units of well acclaimed manufacturers, but are by no means high-end units. Which are?
My research brought me this far to the following (All in my price range):

Kudos audio Super 10/Super20: Seas T29CF-002 tweeter (330$/unit) + a version of Seas W18NX (196$/unit)

Marten Form Floor: Accuton C173-6-095 woofer (over 300$/unit) + a ribbon tweeter I was unable to recognize (anyone?)

Merlin VSM (as second hand only): Dynaudio D330/A tweeter (over 400$ per unit) + Scanspeak 18W/8545-01 (173$/unit).

BTW, my current Merlin TSM is using Morel MDT30 tweeter (80$/unit) + Morel MW166 woofer (124$/unit) and sounds wonderful to my taste, despite a considerable lack of bass (being a sealed- box design). 

So, given all that, does anyone have any more ideas for speakers I should consider?
roylindenfeld

Showing 4 responses by soundsrealaudio

Hi Roy

You are so right about speakers built with .50c tweeters etc. Take a look at the Wilson Benesch Square 2. Nice floor stander. The mid/woofer is about a $500 piece manufactured in house, literally So much engineering not only in their drivers but the enclosure as well. 
http://wilson-benesch.com

If you dig a little you can find an expanded view of that mid/woofer. Exceptional.

Best
Jim
Important to note here, the cost of a driver does not indicate how good it sounds. In many/most cases the technology they use is suspect. Example what are the sonic benefits of diamond coated diaphragms. What is so great sounding about ribbon tweeters, plasma tweeters?

So expensive drivers don't necessarily sound great or even better. I think to many speakers today are forward and lean. The audio industry is trying to convince us that is what we should fall in love with. Count my out. 
Some one mentioned Chapman Audio speakers. I heard them at he RMAF a couple years ago. Very, very nice. Relaxed but still involving. A small company in Washington state. They are transmission line so the cabinet resonance is much better controlled then most speakers. You probably noticed that with your adagios. 

Jim
Well the Chapman T-5 has a 10" transmission line woofer and a 5" midrange and a sweet little 1" silk dome tweeter. Who says you can't have it all?