I have been auditioning speakers in my listening room, as well as visiting friends on the west coast and listening to their speakers and systems (some have blown close to $1M!). Here is my $0.02, which is probably worth a great deal less.
I AM BIASED: I like highly analytical speakers, not musical speakers such as B&W or Sonus Farber. I slightly prefer passive speakers, do not like electrostatic speakers and enjoy power amplifiers driven by tube preamps, and do not use vinyl but high-resolution DSD and other file types from TIDAL. I have a 302 sq ft room in my basement (underground) that I insulated along with a professor in audio engineering who is a friend of mine. He used microphones and other devices to achieve a blend of sound absorption and reflection (not an anechoic chamber).
In the under $20K range, including demo's and slightly used (I try and not spend retail price), here is my list so far. This is biased and I listened to these on a plethora of different systems (not in stores).
I AM BIASED: I like highly analytical speakers, not musical speakers such as B&W or Sonus Farber. I slightly prefer passive speakers, do not like electrostatic speakers and enjoy power amplifiers driven by tube preamps, and do not use vinyl but high-resolution DSD and other file types from TIDAL. I have a 302 sq ft room in my basement (underground) that I insulated along with a professor in audio engineering who is a friend of mine. He used microphones and other devices to achieve a blend of sound absorption and reflection (not an anechoic chamber).
In the under $20K range, including demo's and slightly used (I try and not spend retail price), here is my list so far. This is biased and I listened to these on a plethora of different systems (not in stores).
- Paradigm Persona 3Fs or 5Fs: Hard to find these as used or demo models as they are brand new products. For my space, the 3Fs are better but lack a bit of bass. The 3Fs I could find at $10K for a pair (which is how I believe all loudspeakers should be advertised as pairs of speakers, not individual ones), the 5Fs at $16-17K;
- Wilson Audio Yvettes. Some demos are becoming available at $16-$18K. Much different than the Paradigms, but slightly better mid-range IMHO for reproduction of strings and orchestral music;
- Vandersteen Wood Quatro CTs. Wonderful speakers, $14,600;
- KEF Blade 2's. Hard to get discounted, but have found some advertised for under $20K;
- ATC SCM40As.