Your ''best kept secret'' speaker choice ?

I've owned a LOT of different speakers and through auditioning at stores, friends, and CES I've heard most speakers on the market (I doubt anyone has heard 'em all, there an incredible selection of speakers out there). I always end up gravitating towards planar speakers, to my ears they just sound more natural than any box speaker. Eminent Technology LFT VIII's are the best kept secret I know of; a hybrid design with a 8" woofer and ribbon mid/tweeter, these speakers continue to impress me. Unlike other hybrid designs it's damned near impossible to figure out when the midrange & woofer crossover; the sound is liquid without sounding bright and the bottom end is quite surprising. They are outstanding transducers and at the price pretty much impossible to beat. $1800 list, another $200 for the Sound Anchor stands. One caveat, you need a big ass amp to drive these, 200wpc solid state is about right.

Norh horn speakers. I have both 6.5 (wood) and 6.9sm (synthetic marble). Both sets are smooth and clean with tight bass and non-bright highs. 6.5s are about $500.00 usd with shipping; 6.9sms about $700.00 usd with shipping.

You either love the look-or don't.

My vote goes to EFE(Ed Frias Enterprises)speakers, especially his modified BIC speakers. The BICs are very inexpensive that some my call cheap trash but Ed puts a new crossover in them and makes them sound glorious. He sells them anywhere from $150 to $350 dollars, bookshelf to floorstander last I heard. EFE is an extremely small oufit and has no website but email Ed at [email protected] and he'll send you a brochure.

I think the best "deal" out there is the Magnepan MMG. GMA Europa's are very nice and well priced also.

Here's another one I'll bring up for the heck because it's so cheap even though I haven't heard it. The only dealer, Scarlet Audio, went on and on about how great it was. It's call the Szabo 424-C mini-monitor.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/scarletaudio/szabo.html

Zetag made great speakers, unfortunely, they were out of buseniss.