Speaker Ideas upto $2500

Does this long winded post clarify anything?
Hapaknack

Yes.

You are starting from ground zero.

You have a budget of $2500.

You want a full range sound (based on your comment about wanting a sub
recommendation if needed), but not necessarily a full range speaker.

Do you want a speaker that will limit the type of amplifier you use with it? In
other words, do you want the flexibility to be able to experiment with a tube
amp later on? If so, you need to look for high sensitivity/8+ ohm/flat
impedance curve (minimum impedance of 6 ohms) speaker. If you don't
intend to ever try a tube amp, then your possibilities increase.

I would strongly suggest buying used speakers that can be resold, or buying
speakers that can be auditioned in your home and returned if you don't like
them. Some companies that offer this are: Zu Audio, Audiokinesis, Tyler
Acoustics, Daedalus. You might have to up your budget for new speakers, but
it could be worthwhile.

Otherwise, if you choose to buy used, then you'll have to do some serious
homework, make an educated decision, and then gird your loins and take a
chance.

You can take comfort in knowing that if you're anything like majority of folks
on Audiogon, this purchase will be just the beginning of your journey, and
whatever you buy will be replaced within a couple of years (or sooner).

:)

FOR MY MONEY (emphasized so no one yells at me), the best bang for the buck speakers i've heard are paradigms, particularly the studio series. they're not particularly WAF-fy (wife acceptance factor), but they sound awesome in a lot of systems and rooms.

you might be very happy with a pair of studio 60s (around $1000 used, forget how much new) and it's very possible you could feel that you don't need a sub (i believe they go down to 29). i haven't heard a speaker that retails for less than 4k that i prefer to them, but, as always, you may dislike them intensely, who knows.

or you could always go mental and get a pair of studio 100s and a sub. or two subs. then your neighbors could enjoy your system with you.

as far as subs go, i'm a big fan of REL.

I think the Acoustic Zen Adagios are nice for the money. I also like the Harbeth Compact 7's. Good luck on your search.

Folks,

I apologize if my earlier posts caused any distress. I guess I over-reacted to a post by one of the contributors. I realize now that I probably should have posted my message in another section.

Hapaknack, good luck with your search. There are a lot of good people here with a lot of good advice.

While in-home trials of loudspeakers are a great way to audition speakers in your home, if you don't have sources and amps yet, that could be challenging :-)

You might want to look for authorized audio dealers in your area, and see what they carry. A good dealer will carry speakers and electronics brands that offer good synergy together. It is not impossible that you might find a whole system in one spot. Room acoustics aside, if you like the sound of a particular combo of electronics and speakers in the showroom, you should like it at home. A good dealer might also be willing to let you try out the system at home for a weekend to see how it does in your listening room.

It's a good idea, IME, to cultivate a good relationship with a B&M dealer. That means you do NOT use the dealer to figure out what you like then buy it on line or used. Does this cost you more money? Perhaps, but it might be a good shortcut to a system you enjoy. Also, you might be surprised by the size of the discount you might be offered if you purchase a package from a B&M dealer (especially including cables).

Just remember to bring a variety of very familiar music with you when you go to a dealer showroom. A good dealer will let you listen extensively to your own CDs/LPs. A local dealer I like once let me spend about 2 hours choosing between to $500 CD players!