Speakers that are very accurate sounding but don't produce an emotional connection.

To Chrasani 37.  I am sure I got your blog name wrong.  Nevertheless, I have not heard anything recently that knocked me out.  Two years ago, I heard a pair of YG Carmel  (original ). They did many of things that reviews claimed, especially the TAS review.  From my perspective, they sounded commanding in how they present and handled the music. Unfortunately, the shop owner has/had a bad habit of playing what he liked, which at moment, was jazz piano. The Carmel speakers just delivered the sound in full, no gaps of incoherency or variations in sound level.  The sound was real, in the room, and visceral.  Did  it create an emotional connection, only to the extent that I was awed by its fullness of presentation. It was neither soft nor understated or sound like a "performance", it was just there,  independent of the anomalies of showroom acoustics.

The YG Carmel is in a class by itself.  But as far as engaging, I have to give a nod to two speakers of years past:.... the IMF TLS-80, and the a few years prior to their debut, the Rectilinear 3. a speaker that  even if playing in a room of people talking and laughing, the sound just drew you to it. Call it natural, euphonic or whatever,.... the sound came across as "just right" even over the chatter of people in a large room The IMF TLS 80 was that and more with a compelling depth to the sound which was stunning, especially driven by the Crown 300B amp,  ARC, or any McIntosh  amp of at least 100-200RMS.  The McIntosh fattened the sound a bit, but not to any point of distraction or incoherence.      

There are so many good responses to the thread, it is overwhelming and impossible to  answer each one.

To Melbguy1  Happy to hear that YG in the new Carmel II strove to deliver more engaging and musical sound.  The originals were outstanding, but a bit typically cold....no,.... not metallic or edgy, or bright.  I was impressed by them, but don't know how long I would have been able to listen.. I would hope for  $24,900, the YG Carmel II  is more than just engaging and  includes a paid voucher for at least 4 days/nights stay in St Thomas , VI. 

To Stereo 5,  I forgot that there was a Rectilinear 3A which I guess was a revision of the original.  One caveat, I should have added in my first response was to keep in mind,  I was awed by the Rectilinear 3 or 3A in 1972, I don't want to do the math on this one,  and heard the IMF's TLS-80   approx. in 1982 or 1983.  So, it is difficult, or maybe smart, not to be hailing a particular speaker that is over 30 years; but, only because the technology of speaker design has advanced:  testing, newer materials, both electronics and  (cabinet) materials  have considerably widened the gap  between what sounded very good then, and what sound very good now.  I happened to be checking out components on E-bay, last week and punched  up "Rectilinear"   A few of the models for sale were fairly beat-up,  with woofers yellowed by time, and tweeters that looked like hack jobs replacement from Joe's used audio parts emporium unlimited. I also noticed the faded rotary tone control which today I would howl at the moon than have on  pair of speakers. Though, in honesty,  Vandersteen's tweeter and  midrange(?) controls on some of their models do convincingly work and make a difference in the sound.