Best Speakers to Audition in the $5-10k range?

Used Vandersteen 5A's and 5A sigs. Klipsch horns, Innersound Eros MKIII (used), Magnepan 3.6R's, Paradigm S8 signature (awesome speaker, period), Gallo Ref3.

I like Maggies, you could prob find a used pair of 20.1's for 10k, and many people, myself included, feel that is the pinnacle of speakers at any price. Amplifying them correctly is going to run another 10K plus as well though.

Try to audition a pair of the new Vandersteen Quatro's. They offer exceptional performance for the price, and they are also reasonably compact in size.

Merlin VSM-MX should definitely be on your list, IMHO.

PMC OB-1 seems to fit your needs, you may find you need more power but that is only a small chance.

The Paradigms mentioned above would be the only speakers anywhere near the PMC's infitting your needs, the Vandy Quattro's are just too ugly (a highly subjective thing of course).

All due respect to the other's mentioned, most are not "small" foot prints and Dipoles make the worst theater speakers....5+5.1 anyone?

Gallo reference III (?) terrible midrange dynamics for theater and the Merin is a pretty small in your price range to measure up to other options that are available.

PS: Sleeper pick DALI Helicon 800 and Dynaudio Contour towers should also make your list.

Make sure whichever speaker you choose a proper matching center is available if you cannot use a third tower for the front.

Happy Shopping.

I completely disagree with Cinematic systems regarding the Gallos Ref III, and pretty much every reviewer who has ever listened to them disagrees as well. I owned these for a couple of months, and they were spectacular speakers, regardless of price. When taking into account the abilty to run the second coil on the woofer as a sub, they are an AMAZING cinema speaker. If you match the very affordable Gallo Due (actually you could use 2) for a center and rears as well, you get an incredibly affordable Reference level system. With the amplification you have, this would be an amazing set up.

With regard to the "Dipoles make the the worst theater speakers" they have obviously not read the Absolute Sounds review of their ULTIMATE surround system, which is all Magnepan speakers.

Dali's are great speakers, but they do not have the soundstage and air-ness of Maggies. That is Maggies are known for. No cone speaker can match a planar for what you are looking for. Maggies, Innersound, Soundlab, or really top of the line, I hate to say it, Martin Logan's are what you are looking for.

Vandy's are really, really nice too.