Requesting Advice on Speaker Upgrade

@kenwood61 

Thanks!  I have been eyeing Quads too, but am also unable to audition since I do not have a local dealer for them.  I listen to mostly jazz music, so based on your description they may fit the bill though.

May I ask what it was about the Wharfedales you didn't like?

Hi bomd, it's been about 4 years since I heard the Diamond's and it took me about 30 seconds to know they weren't for me. There was nothing interesting about them. Granted, most of my experience is with vintage speakers. But I have heard modern speakers I liked better.

The Wharfedale's also seemed one dimensional and somewhat lifeless. A few days before listening to the Wharfedales, I auditioned some the Epos Epic 1 speakers. The Epos had a more natural, crisp presentation, that was nice with simple acoustic material, but as soon as it needed some guts for rock, or anything with solid bass, forget it. Right after listening to the Wharfedale's, I went into a different audition room and heard the Harbeth's they had. Don't remember the model, but boy, those were amazing! I didn't ask how much, because I knew I couldn't afford them. They brought the Quad's in to the room and it took me about 10 seconds to know they were for me. I brought Muse "Second Law" (CD) with me because of a few songs I think really test a speaker. The songs are "Madness", "Survival", and "Panic Station". I'm sure you have music you know well that will help you find the right speaker, if you decide to only buy what you can audition first.

I owned the Quad's for awhile, but I also had the Vandersteen 2C's and JBL L65 Jubal's ... I listen to a lot of rock, and some jazz, and blues. While the Quad's were really nice, I had to sell something, and they couldn't compete with the Vandersteen's on most material, and I knew at the time I would be selling the L65's.

I think the Quad's are the kind of speaker you can easily sell and get your money back out. They are more exciting in what they can do for the price, and their size. I know there are powered versions, but there is something about that I don't like ... I assume they are de

I should add that I really liked the KEF LS50's I heard with a tube amp and jazz. Can't imagine I would love with rock, but for it's size, I thought it was a good buy ... and I say that because at the time, I had found someone selling a pair for a grand. I wouldn't pay retail.

@kenwood61  Thanks for explaining.  Helps me understand a little more about the Wharfedales.  I really like Quad's aesthetics and there are good deals out there for the 11Ls and 12Ls.  Really wish I could demo them locally though.  But oh well!

Kef LS50s are great too!  I demoed them at a local shop listening to jazz.  They were very musical.  Without a grille, and the high gloss finish, I am hesitant to have those with my 18 month old around.  That said, I have read that the Kef R100s share similar specs as the LS50s, but offer a wood cabinet and grille. 

Thanks again for all your input!

Speakers... speakers... I've owned JBL's [many, including Professional], Altec's [James Lansing's brother] and Professional, Wharfedales, ESS, Thonet & Vander's [German], Monsoon's, home made speaker's often with JBL parts, and much more.. then bluetooth's like more JBL's and Benq's.. [Benq's are electrostatic's with woofer's]..  floor electrostatics like Acoustat ESL's which were airy..  As several other's here like JBL's and Vandersteen's, I agree, though they're boxed..  

Magnepan's, starting at 600$ for entry level or maybe $250 up used, are very good, and have that airy sound, but lack some bass..[they are dipole speakers, like Eminent Technology's and Monsoon's, sounding superb]. These speakers, sound a bit like electrostatic's, and some like Eminent Technology's use woofers.. You may also look at expensive Apogee's, but their impedance often goes down to 1 ohm, and few amps can drive them. Apogee's and Martin Logan's are a cross, using woofers and often electrostatic mid's and high's, like Monsoon's and Eminent Technology planars or panels..

Recently, in the last few day's.. I journeyed back to Quad ESL's, much like my former Acoustat's.. Without ever hearing a Quad, and with a lot of experience reading about them in forum's [there are whole Quad forum's, discussing 57's, 63's, 988's, 989's and later, often with the comment of "Quad XX is the best speaker ever made"], I ordered Quad ESL's. Much more expensive, even used, because they retain value, and older 57's are several time's more than retail when first made. A large part of Quad's sound, is that they're already powered by in-the-wall chargers, and hence the amp, doesn't take that much to drive them.. around 15 to 25 watts, on up..

My Quad's will be driven by AR tube gear. So when they arrive, I'll get the best sound, Quad's driven by AR's preamp and amp, with sources of FM by Dynalab, CD and computer, using a DAC for analogue listening.. Later I'll add a turntable, but have to research which are best, in these forums..

If you've not purchase yet, Quads, even used, may be best, and retain value.. The rest of your system, can then "catch up" to the Quads.. Later, you can discuss what amps, tubed or SS, drive Quad's best.. No matter what you do, electrostatics, planars, panels or dipoles, will keep calling you back..