Musical full-range in the $3-4K range used?


I have been going back and forth on speakers for awhile now. Looking to get a new pair (used, most likely) and I live in a really remote area with nobody except a B&W dealer nearby. I can't reasonably drive 400 miles round trip to bring speakers back home for audition, and demos at the dealer are sketchy at best. I have a decent sized room (21x14x9) and would like a musical speaker, mostly for jazz, jazz vocals, classical. Full range would be best. My last speaker was a Soliloquy 6.3, which was great in a bigger room, but a little too warm, and not tight enough in the bass for my taste.

I can use it with solid state or tubes, either is fine. I have around $2500 to budget for an integrated amp, but figured it best to find speakers I like, then an amp down the road.

Budget is max $4,000.

Some speakers I have heard at dealers, or have heard good things about:

Coincident (haven't heard these, but lots of good reviews)

Sonus Faber (seemed very musical, easy to listen to)

Tyler Acoustics (again, musical, a touch warm, nice and detailed)

Opera (haven't heard them, reputation is that they are similar to SF)

Aerial Acoustics (heard the 7b, a little flat, but could have been the $1000 integrated powering it: 9 was superb and sounded huge)

Dynaudio (heard the 5.4 at a dealer, but room was poor and speaker sounded thin and lifeless)

Acoustic Zen (haven't heard these)

Thiel (heard the 2.4, sounded really thin)

Devore (dealer is 3 hours away, but might be worth checking out the Super 8)
komaki
Duke sold a set of speakers to one of my friends here in town, so I got to hear them in my system before delivering them. I really was not prepared for how good the speaker was! Very well integrated, good bass extension (into the upper 20s to my ear) very detailed and extended, but relaxed and easy to listen to.

I was using a pair of our M-60s (60w into 8 ohms) and was really challenged to clip the amps- I think Duke is very conservative about his efficiency ratings. They were very nearly the efficiency as the ZU Druids (which seem to be about 97 db), so I make the Stormbringers to be in the area of 94-95 db by the same standard.

In my friend's home, they replaced a set of Carver Silver Amazings. My friend thought he was down-sizing to please his girlfriend, but he is ecstatic about the move- they sound better than the Carvers in every way (his girlfriend likes them a lot better too), plus they are a lot easier to drive. At the time, the Duke was retailing the speaker for $2800.00/pair. Hard to argue with...
Another vote for Audiokinesis speakers. I started out with the Stormbringers (no longer made) and then upgraded to the Jazz Modules. Ralph Karsten has summed up the speakers quite well.

For 10 years previous to owning Audiokinesis speakers I was committed to Spendor, my most recent pair being the 1/2e. Phenomenal speaker in its own right. The Audiokinesis speakers don't have the magical Spendor mid-range, but overall they have an incredibly natural sound that never ceases to amaze me.

Duke delivered both sets of speakers to me personally and helped me set them up. Its not like I live that close to him either. One of the good guys in the business for sure.

BTW - Dukes speakers are flexible and easy to place as the bass (via the rear port) and tweeter (via plug in resistor) are adjustable. Click on my system link to see pictures of my set (in walnut).
Komaki, I have not heard all of those speakers on your list, but I have heard the Devore Super 8's and for me personally I think they are one of the finest sounding 2 way speakers available.

I found they were very well mannered yet had a really great snap about them. Snare drum sounds on the Devore are just right on the money. With the right equipment they have a beautiful bloom to their sound. I would be extremely happy with them.