Help me emulate the best speakers I've heard


Spent last summer subletted a flat in Berlin all summer, and had the best listening experience of my life. Emailed the guy who owns it and it was:

-James T Lansing energizer (amp) 460 from 1968

-Pair of Shahinian Compass speakers

-Plus a Pro-Ject DAC dock for the iPhone.

My understanding would be that buying a setup like this would be 4-6k, and I haven't been able to find Shahinians for sale at any price, so:

Can anyone recommend something similar for someone who loved this sound? Ideally on the cheaper (2-4k) end.

Most music will be played from iPhone or computer, mostly mp3 and Rdio streaming, plus a decent amount of vinyl. So basically a DAC, Phono Pre-amp, Amp, Speakers.
aaronlammer
I lived in Berlin for years, music ALWAYS sounds better there than anywhere in USA.Ony Vienna has better acoustics.
@Schubert, having lived in Germany for a few years I would have to agree... however it due to the power being 220 volts v.s. 110 in the US. It makes a big difference.

Tony
If you are into omni's there are the Duevels out of Germany.Prices start at $1295 here in the states. Highly recommended by the rags.
I had briefly considerd Shahinian speakers as an upgrade when I shopped for speakers about three years ago. I could have taken a day and travelled to Shahinian, but that would not tell me how the speakers would sound in my room, with my electronics. Shahinian offers no return option, so if you don't like your new Shahinians, you have to sell them as used. I realize I might have passed up a great speaker, but I can't take that risk.

I ended up with Ohm Walsh 2000s ($2800/pr). Not having heard Shahinians, I cannot compare them. However, my experience with this current Ohm model is different than Rpfef's. I do use these with separate powered subs, but I did listen to them full range, and the bass was very extended, controlled, and clean. I would guess the bass went down into the mid-30Hz range before rolling off. I don't know if I would call the midrange "succulent", but it is very clean, smooth, and well balanced. Timbre reproduction is wonderful, and transients are present, but never hyped. The dynamic range sometimes shocks me, but these speakers seem to like very powerful amps, so more power than I have might bring an improvement in the macro-dynamic area. Micro-dynamics are excellent. Without having heard the Shahinian soundstage presentation, I can say that the Ohms provide a surprising amount of image solidity, unexpected in a quasi-omni design, with a huge soundstage. Best of all, the Ohms can simply dissappear into the soundstage. They just sit there, not apparently the actual source of what you are hearing. There is just music, spread across the front of your room. Ohm gives you a 120-day in-home audition. You only lose the round trip shipping if you don't like them. But I kept mine.
TS, live and learn, all this time I thought the notes preferred the more cultivated atmosphere.