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Best used speakers under $10000

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Here is the type of sound I like:

1. A tad bit warm while still having a lot of punch (nothing muddled about it)
2. Vocals (Diana Krall, John Mayer etc) have a level of cleanliness to it
3. Guitar (Gipsy kings, Jesse cook) sound airy without being lean
4. Speakers can fill a medium to large room (16’x16’x9’) even at modest volume and sitting on my sofa (9 ft away from speakers), I feel engulfed by the sound. Key is even at moderate volume.
5. It may be related to my first point above; forgiving of average source (eg high quality Spotify streaming, which isn’t that high quality after all )

Based on reading a lot of threads on Audiogon I have selected the following
1. Dynaudio Contour 60 - I haven’t listened to Contour 60 but 8 years ago had one of the best listening sessions on C1
2. Focal Sopra 2
3. Vandersteen Quattro Wood CT - though their size won’t pass WAF
4. PMC Twenty5.26
5. ATC SCM40
6. Proac Response D48R
7. Wilson Audio Sabrina
8. KEF Reference 3

From a WAF I want to keep height < 45” and width < 12”.

While outside my budget, I am wondering if I also include Joseph Audio Pearl3 (though very rarely available) and Vandersteen Carbon 5A (size is too large). 


I am currently in an assignment in Sydney and back in NY in Nov. So will be able to audition many of these then. Meanwhile I wanted to get opinions here.
marrduk24
marrduk24 OP
26 posts
 
@soix thanks for those suggestions. I actually did have D9 in my list originally. I am going to add that back. Given I now have 9 on my list and it is going to be challenging to audition all of them (let alone control for source gear), I will have to prune my list. 

Another complexity is that in the last 7 years we have moved thrice.  So the speakers can’t be fussy in terms of placement.

i might also do Axpona in April. Feels like a good way to listen to these and more. 
bassdude
194 posts
 
Though... I would like these... I’ve got the Orion’s, which sound similar... and just way too many others, as well.

But... here’s my choice - will rival any of those mentioned:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis93fh6-linkwitz-lab-lx521-with-asp-4-two-parasound-a51-power-amp...

I doubt you’re going to find many Sopra 2’s or 3’s at your price, which would be my second choice in your price range (if you can find them).
marrduk24 OP
26 posts
 
@bassdude multiple Sopra 2s have been sold for $9k or so. Sopra 3 range is circa 10k-$13k depending on the age. I think if I am patient enough, I should be able to get one for around $11k-$12k, which while slightly above $10k, is fine. 
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 

Sanders ESL’s, but I’ve never seen a pair for sale. Stacked Quad 57’s.

Best Buy!: Magneplanar Tympani T-IVa, George Cardas’ home speaker. They need a pretty big room, and lots of power. Bi-amp with ss on bottom, tubes on top.

marrduk24 OP
26 posts
 
So I got to audition 4 of the speakers on my list
1. Dynaudio contour 60
2. KEF reference 5
3. Paradigm 3F
4. PMC Twenty5.26

i tried all of them with same source gear : Rega CD player and two different integrated amps - Mcintosh and Audio Research VSi75

Overall Paradigm and KEF were my least favourite

1. 3F : it did not feel very clean. Plus my hearing is really sensitive to high notes and I feel I can’t tolerate any level of brightness. 
2. KEF: there was nothing obvious missing but somehow it didn’t feel like I got the three elements I was looking for: heft in the bass at low volume, clean & sweet mids and airy top notes 

Of PMC Twenty5.26 and Contour 60 there wasn’t a clear winner. I preferred bass and high notes of Contour but midrange of PMC. 

One speaker that wasn’t on my list but I loved was PMC MB2. Exactly the sound I wanted - punch in low notes at low volume, really clean mid-range and very smooth highs. However it is never going to pass WAF. 

I am trying Foca Sopra next. Dealer may even have Wilson Sabrina. 

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