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Well Rounded Speakers $2500-$3000?

I live in Memphis TN and really don't have a lot of availability in terms of "high-end" stores to audition speakers.

I've been looking for a pair of speakers in the used $2500-$3000 range such as the Eggleston Fontaine II's, Von Schweikert VR4Jr's, Vienna Acoustic's Beethovens, etc...

I listen primarily to classical and jazz but they also have to be able to pound out some Pink Floyd and Zeppelin. My front end is currently an Audible Illusions M3 pre, Odyssey Khartago mono blocks, pro-ject turn-table, and lexicon sacd player.

Which of the speakers I listed would you choose? Other speaker suggestions or places to audition these speakers in my area are welcome! Thanks for the help guys!
mattybvt42

Showing 3 responses by johnnyb53

johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I'd say these, but you might want to get a second pair of Khartagos. These were $7500/pair speakers. Also available at that price in black.

Otherwise, I'd go for something like the PSB Imagine T at $2k/pair retail or see if you can find a deal on PSB Synchrony 1 towers.

All these speakers scale up and down really well for classical and jazz, and have a deep, tight bass and transparent, fast midrange for rock and pop.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I was tempted by the NHT XD system a year ago when NHT was folding, too. Since I was looking for speakers for an analog front end, I wasn't too keen on the idea of digitzing everything to go into the speaker system.

But if you are all digital, it should be great. I think it was full-range Stereophile Class A when they reviewed it.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
06-27-09: Daverz
The NHT Xd processor only takes analog inputs, so it doesn't matter if you're system is all digital or not ...
I understand, but since I had just laboriously returned to an all analog signal chain after 20 years of digital, I didn't want the signal chain to terminate with digital speakers. It's not that 24/96 digital sounds bad; it's just that I can tell it's not analog, and when I listen to analog I want it so sound analog.

So for me, in a primarily analog system I'd get the Mirage OMD-28s, but for a primarily digital rig I'd go with the NHT XD.
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