what is the best super speaker and why?

Tubegroover - I deal with it by keeping mine for a long time or trading along the same lines and values with other types who want something different in that price range - it gives you the feeling of having bought more than one pair over a period of years for the major money. Just check the speaker division on Audiogon and you will see there are quite a few people looking for different in hopes of better. Remember I didn't drop 30k - mine were Whispers that have 30k sound at 14K (new now) - but I traded some Wilson's in on mine at the time and didn't even have to pay new price. Eventually you can wind up with 30K speakers at a fraction of their cost in the circle game. Also once you realize that because they are 30K doesn't mean they sound great then you start the downsize on even trades for lesser costing but better sounding speakers from people who want that 30k sound for the 6-15K price they paid for theirs.

Just listened to the Avantgarde's 2 and 3 speaker systems and was left with a very unimpressed fealing. They lacked clarity but the biggest problem with them is their size, not physical, but accoustical. In a normal to large room they have no sound stage at all. I'd call it deep throat. Most of us like a piano live from about 15-20 feet. If you think the best sound field is with your head inside the piano the Avantgarde's are for you.

Next I auditioned the Revel Ultimat Studios. They are the most compelling detailed smooth sound I have ever heard. And that's being driven with a 150 w/c NAIM amp. I can hardly wait to hear them with my Krell's. I've not heard their big brother the Salons but you really don't have to spend $30K and up for the best.

I am not surprised by your response. My knowledge of horns is that they tend to create an in your face sound. They also have peaks in their frequency response. I think some horn speaker manufacturers have managed to minimize the effects of this through various design techniques. As for the Avante line, I think they are way too overpriced and way too room sensitive to enjoy. However, they make a compelling showpiece.

I think you can do better with your money.

The best 'super speaker' is the new EgglestonWorks Andra II. At a cost of under 20K it is incomparable in the range up to 30K in all departments: fine detail, tremendous bass, no distortion, fabulous integration, transparency, imaging. One would have to invest two or three times as their cost to get comparable quality, particularly for classical music and jazz.

"There's a new kid in town" that has the credentials to take the absolute top position in super speakers. It is called the AV Reality "LuxAR".

What makes this speaker better than the rest? :

The tweeter is a brand new designed special professional variant of the Scan Speak ring radiator. It's housing is made from machined aluminum, with the dome driver being built to extremely tight tolerances, with the best materials Scan Speak could implement, with a unique triple rear tetrahedron chamber. The select audiophiles who have heard this tweeter say it's the first dome in the world to have the speed and transparency of a ribbon, with the obvious superior dispersion characteristics of a dome i.e the best of both designs, with the detriments of neither. It also handles and unbelievable 250 watts! Remember, this is a tweeter I am describing. It also has an outrageous price of $1000.00, for a tweeter!

The midrange and bass drivers of the LuxAR are also very special. The are custom made units by Scanning, who just happens to be the "father" of both Dynaudio and Scan Speak divers. These midranges and woofers have amazing impulse responses that make a typical Scan Speak Revelator woofer (which had been considered "state of the art" in terms of impulse response until now) sound compeltely average. With these new Scanning drivers, we are talking about "edge of the art" here performance here, not just state of the art.

The LuxAR's crossover is a brand new design that uses only four components. This crossover was developed by the AV Reality designer himself Peter Thompson. It is truly ingenious, and after you study the design, you wonder why nobody else has used it before!

The cabinets are unique in that they are triangular and have a unique internal bracing system that completely eliminates all resonances. It also looks very modern, has a very high WAF factor, and doesn't have to weigh 600+ lbs, like some other typical resonant free , 4"+ super speaker boxes.

To wrap up this LuxAR speaker design, Peter has implemented four 500 watt digital amplifiers that are taking the audiophile world by storm. Every reviewer in Europe who has heard this new "ICE" amplifier has proclaimed it to be the best sounding amplifier they have ever heard, bar none! This "ICE" amplifier is nothing like the digital amplifiers of the past. It advances what amplification to a new sonic level that should have ALL high end amplifier manufacturers shaking in their knees!

There you have it. A brand new "over the top" super speaker built with "Edge of the Art" drivers, crossovers, amplifiers and cabinets. In my opinion, this speaker is what Tiger Woods is to golf. A complete paradigm to what we can expect in terms of performance and absolute capabilities. With the AV Reality LuxAR speaker, the bar has been raised to a completely new standard!