What is the best HEAVY METAL speaker?

I'm your huckleberry.  I listen to a fair amount of metal and hard rock.

I've owned Golden Ears - they are OK.  Bass not bad, but I found they lacked that "snap" that a lot of metal fans dig.

Without going through everything I've owned/tried... my short list.  

Ohm Walsh - They can thump, they sound huge, they gobble power.  I'm using some ancient SSC's, actually had the tweeters start smoking (pushed an absurd amount of power through them and they are OLD... they still kept ticking).  I'm going to be demoing newer ones.  I really dig everything about them for the price.  But, set-up is different.  You want the speaker end to be "live", the back end to be a bit more dead.  I'm really looking forward to demoing the newer Ohm's.

Klipsch - Older CF3's/4's (but they are hard to find, and hard to get parts for).  Conversely the KLF 30's (and lots of fun upgrades out there for them ). I have a pair of these on the way I picked up used.  Chorus II's are a damn fine metal speaker.

JBL - If you want to drop some cash - the 4367's do a great job, the M2's and the crown amps can be had for the 11-12k range. DAMN good speakers.  

Tekton - The Double Impacts are pretty darn nice for the cash, dynamic, live sounding.  I've heard the SE's, better, but not sure they are worth the upgrade.  My fear - all those tweeters.

NHT 3.3's - used.  Full range, can thump, can be a bit bright and have a funky set-up.  But a good speaker.

IF you want something more refined.  The DynAudio Contour 60's - can thump, and can play loud without an issue.  That said, the soundstage isn't quite as big, they also don't sound as "live" as the Ohm's, Klipsch, or JBL

You may be tempted with Klipsch to try the Palladiums - I did.  I wouldn't get them for metal.  Too lean in the bass, to bright up high.  I had the P37's. Good speaker, but too lean.

Focal - forget it.  Too bright, too lean for a given size.

Used Wilsons - might do the job nicely depending on model and how you feel about the focal tweeters.  The new wilsons with the softdomes are pretty nice.

Golden Ear - I have mixed thoughts.  They thump, they are not bright, they throw a big soundstage for the most part.  But I just didn't love the midrange.

Don't get caught up in the price.  More expensive doesn't always mean you will like them better, even though they may "measure" better.

Dep14 thank you very much for the great info.

Couple of you guys on here have mention the Tekton speakers. I am digging the design and sound these speakers are trying to make. Seems right up my alley for the sound I am trying to get my hands on. Not too mention they are within reasonable budget limits. I am going to do my research and try to find full break down specs of these speakers. For example, who makes their drivers, see the crossover design, what parts they are using in the crossovers, are the woofers in cast or stamp steel baskets, what material are the woofer cones made out of (looks like paper or some hybrid), how they brace their enclosures, what is the enclosure made out of, ect. For $3000 I am not expecting the very best components out there, but I have seen some designs done really well with budget components if the designer has done his homework. Anyone that owns these speakers break them down yet?

lizzardkingseattle
good to read that you are still searching for a Rocking pair of speakers.Check out Thiel or Vandersteen. These (2) brands are excellent for Rock.Keep auditioning and writing. Happy 4th of July.

anybody listen to the Tekton Impact Monitors? I have to fly with some speakers and can't do the big towers... also looking for a rock-metal-stoner speaker that will play some less than stellar recorded rock

I have been doing a lot of research lately in creating my own speakers with quality parts to meet my musical tastes. Since most speaker manufactures are aimed at customers that want smaller speakers and the look of an art piece, I figured I would have to step up and build them myself.   I am very surprised in my research that I haven't found someone else in this pursuit of the perfect heavy metal, classic rock speaker and has created their own.

@lizzardkingseattle The reason is you can't build a speaker that favors any kind of music. The properties that make a speaker good for metal will also make it good for classical or jazz. FWIW I play both on my system. IMO/IME the speaker you would want is one that is fairly efficient- since there is no good reason to make any amplifier work hard, since that just results in more distortion. You don't want distortion even though the guitar amps are making quite a lot- you just want to get the recording to sound the way it was made.
I still have the Classic Audio Loudspeakers I mentioned several years ago in this thread and they excel at metal and any other form of music. They are 98 db, 16 ohms (so easy to drive) and go down to 20Hz. The midrange driver has its first breakup at 35KHz, so it sounds very fast, detailed and very smooth.