2. amps-preamps
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Speakers: $3,000-$4,000 on Audiogon

I am moving to a larger listening room (21 x 14) and am looking into new speakers - to pressurize the room, as I tell my wife ;). My current speakers, B&W CDM 9NT, have always sounded to bright in my previous listening room and are currently not at the same level as the rest of my system (click on the system link to see the components and cabling). Cardas cables and a McIntosh have somewhat tamed to extra energy in treble region.
I am looking for a well rounded speaker that excels in all the important areas (dynamics, frequency extension, detail, musicality). If I had a preference, I would lean towards a warmer/less analytical sound but not to the point of sacrificing detail.

Some speakers which I've had my eye on off the top of my head:
Dynaudio Contour S 3.4
Magenpan 3.6
Von Schweikert VR-4jr
Focal JM-Lab 946 Electra

Open to other suggestions,

Thanks in advance
AdamG
adamg
clio09
3,344 posts
 
Along the lines of the Harbeth suggestions Spendor (1/2e or SP100) might also fit the bill.
rtn1
535 posts
 
I disagree with the Thiel CS2.3/2.4 recs. I would go with the Thiel CS6 with your desires, equipment, and room size. They would be an enjoyable step up, especially in terms of lower frequency reproduction.
steveaudio
331 posts
 
I'd also recommend Totem Mani-2 Sigs. Try to get them with the Totem stands. If you can score a really nice pair used.....I sure wouldn't turn'em down......
reubent
6,936 posts
 
How about a pair of speakers from Castle? There are 3 pair of floorstanding Castles for sale on A-goN right now and they are a bargain at the asking price. Here's the most recent listing (BTW, I don't know the seller).

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1221425129

Enjoy,

TIC
adamg OP
89 posts
 
Thanks for all the replies thus far. I included the Magnepans to add some diversity to my list but its very unlikely that I will go down that route due to the difficulty with placement and the risk of purchasing a type of speaker that I'm completely unfamiliar with. The Theils are something I haven't considered at this point. My one concern is that they tend to be difficult to drive. Although the MC402 is very powerful amp, it doesn't sound quite as powerful as its rating would suggest nor does it double its power into difficult loads. Thiel is also described as having an analytical character according to what I've read. Based on my personal research and what has been discussed so far, Von Schweikert, Focal and Dynaudio continue to be the most appealing speakers based on my preferences. The front runner at this point is Dynaudio with the Esotec tweeter. Having only experienced older B&Ws with their 'hot' aluminum dome tweeters, it would be nice to hear a speaker with a world class tweeter.
I know that many will criticize the use of a web forum as a means to determine which speakers to purchase. However, auditioning a wide range of speakers at home is not a realistic possibility. I used these forums and press reviews to narrow down my choices for power amps for auditioning (X250.5, MC402) and was extremely pleased with the results. I will not be taking the plunge on the speakers within the next month so please keep the suggestions and comments coming.
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