Vienna Acoustics Listz impressions


I have been on a quest to find some new floor standing speakers (around $25K or less) and have listened to models from B&W, Linn, Magico, Sonus Faber, Wilson, Vandersteen and will hear the Rockports this week. I am interested in a musical speaker that has good resolution, images well and has a solid bass foundation. For various reasons my number one preference has been the Magico S3. I have listened to the Vienna Acoustics line a couple of times and have never been that impressed with the sound....i.e. a little boxy, smaller image and an OK bass foundation. That all changed when I heard the Listz. When the music started I said "what the..." It was a totally different speaker from the lower level price points. It had some of the sweetest string sounds I have heard with great dynamics, punch, soundstage and imaging. The bass was excellent and went deep. It really gave me goose bumps as the sound rolled over me. I may have a new favorite.....bring on the Rockport!
goose
Doncha just love it when a speaker "speaks" to your musical soul? It sounds like (pun intended) you have found your Holy Grail. I'd quit while I was ahead and enthralled. Now it's time to find the best deal on a pair.

PS: There are some drop dead gorgeous Imperial Liszts on Agon right now, $8500 - $8900. Look like sweet deals to me...
Rlwainwright the salesperson initially steered me away from this speaker when I was auditioning the Wilson Sophia II. If you like the Wilson sound, you will probably find this speaker too soft or not as dramatic. For my tastes I find the Wilson treble harsh and grating....I guess every pair of ears hears things differently and that's OK.
Those Viennas remind me of the old Boston Acoustics Lynnwoods. I loved those speakers - did all the audiophile things right, were smooth, and you could play them as loud as you wanted.

Looking forward to your Rockport impressions......
I heard the Liszts driven by Ayre AX5 several weeks ago, and I thought them extraordinary. Superlative on all fronts. Not too forward, not too laid back, not too bright, not too dark, excellent imaging, soundstaging, full-bodied, etc. etc. If I had the $$ and the space I'd buy them in an instant.
When is VA coming out with its ultimate effort named after the greatest composer ever born in Vienna ?
Shank I have not heard the Musik....it is out of my price range and probably too big for my room
I have VA Listz in my home system and totally agree with OP. For the last 15 years I had many speakers - all the way up to Sonus Faber Anniversario and Marten Bird II. The VA Listz sounds like a real music - real, 3d soundstage, imaging, dynamics, they got it all. VA did a really great job with these.
No plans to change speakers for foreseeable future.