I could write a *very* long post on this, but for now I won't. As with last year, once again this year I found a general rule that above about $12k, speakers (and amps) became less musically convincing the more expensive they are. Aside from knowing what my Zu Definition 4 sound like, the most convincing speakers were the single-driver Audience, the Lindemann standmount, Nola, Vivid, and the one 1%-er speaker I heard that passes my gate, the Magico Q3 (which I thought was much better than the S5, to the point of sounding like it came from a different -- and better -- designer). The KEF Blade has potential, but it was insane to mate them to Chord amplification -- a sure way to strip them of tone.
There were many musically acceptable imitative speakers still short of worth buying at all prices. Then, too, many built for ego rather than sound. If I never hear another Focal, Wilson, Scaena, McIntosh or Vandersteen speaker (among other offenders), I'll be better off having been spared.
Phil
There were many musically acceptable imitative speakers still short of worth buying at all prices. Then, too, many built for ego rather than sound. If I never hear another Focal, Wilson, Scaena, McIntosh or Vandersteen speaker (among other offenders), I'll be better off having been spared.
Phil