Best $2000-$3000 full range speaker?


I realize that offering advice on such an open-ended thread isn't for everyone, so below is some background. Too much? Probably. I'm a chatty feller; it's an occupational hazard.

First, I don't live near any hifi stores and don't often leave my mid-sized midwestern town (I have 2 small kids and don't like traveling), so my chances for auditioning equipment are zip. The closest cities are Minneapolis/St. Paul, and they're not that close.

Second, all my friends think I'm crazy, because none of them can understand spending $1000 on an entire system, let alone spending that much on a low output moving coil cartridge (I love my Dynavector).

Third, I'm not expecting a consensus on what a good 2k to 3k full range tower (could be towers; don't have to be) speaker is. I want some suggestions that I can research and ogle on-line. I'm in it for the journey, so if I buy some speakers based on your recommendations here (and I probably will) and don't like them, I'll sell them here and start over. Fine with that. Totally fine.

Fourth, I'm not that picky . . . yet. But as Steve Martin said, the ear grows sophisticated pretty fast. But I'm not ready for a moonrock needle and a googlophonic system yet. I'm a newbie, but I'm well on my way to addiction. Sometimes walking down the street I'll see a car and think, "I wonder if Acoustic Zen Adagios would look good in that finish?" Do other people check the Speaker-Full Range classifieds 5 times a day? I hope I'm not the only one. (And I'm sorry for bumping up the number of hits on your ads.)

Fifth, I started my Adventures in Audio with a small, fairly inexpensive system (although it was a lot more than I've ever paid for anything that I couldn't live in, or at least drive) for my small office (about 8 x 8). In here, I now have a pair of SET mono amps (Wright Sound), an MFA Magus preamp, and Reference 3A De Capo i speakers. I like the sound of this system very much - lots of air, amazing mids and highs, and decent bass, although a bit thin.

Sixth, I want a different sound for my big living room (35'L x 15'W x 8'H with hard wood floors and not much furniture). This is my family of four's living room, and my system is down at one end, firing across the short width of the room, not down the long length. It's not ideal, but unless I finish off part of my basement (I'm not handy), it's my listening room for now.

Seventh, I'm not looking for the perfect speakers for me, just a good, well-balanced pair that will sound better than the ancient Klipsch Heresy speakers that I'm using now. But don't get me wrong; I like the Klipsches, but liking them too much can suck all the fun out of an audiophile's life. There are too few speakers to try. Work your way up to the Kornerhorn and you're done. Also, the Klipsch speaker is not a subtle speaker. That said, I like the clarity and punch in the mids and highs, but I want more bass.

Eighth, I listen to a lot of soul, funk, jazz, reggae, Afro-beat, and rap, so bass is important. No pipe organ, though, and not much symphonic or orchestral music. Very little classical (or baroque) music, except for those beautiful Mozart pieces for cello, and who doesn't like those?

Ninth (!?), I'd rather go used on Agon than buy new. I'm totally happy trying equipment out and re-selling it here. And I'll build the system around the speakers, but it will be an SS system. I don't want tubes in my living room near my kids. And no massive electrostatic speakers, either, so thanks to the Maggie fans in advance. Some day I'll try them, but I like speakers that 3-year-olds can't push over.

Here's my short list right now. Somehow, none of them seems quite right, but maybe I just need some warm words of encouragement.

Gallo Reference 3.1s. (I read a review - on 6 moons, I think - that says they're giant-killers and well-balanced in every way. I have some negotiating space here, but WAF is low. My wife says they're speakers that are trying too hard to look like people. I showed her some of the Cabasse speakers online. Bet they're creepy at night.)

Acoustic Zen Adagios (Why Mappa Burl? Pink wood with knots? This must be what a speaker designer thinks that our wives will like.)

Vienna Acoustic Strauss (Too warm in a bad way? Too muddy in the bass? There's a pair on Agon now for $2350. Tempting.)

Coincident Super Eclipse (Hyped too hard by Arthur Salvatore?)

Talon Ravens (Tombstones? The WAF factor matters, and she thinks they look a little cemetery-esque, but there might be a little wiggle room here.)

Sonus Faber Grand Piano (Is that pleather on the tops and backs? They'd have to sound really great if it is.)

Amphion Xenon (Impossible to re-sell? Does anyone know about this speaker?)

Joseph Audio RM25si (surprisingly unprepossessing for a speaker with such a high MSRP -- lacking in bass?)

Dynaudio Contour 3.3 (WAF is fine, but not too exciting for me - Generic Tower Speaker Version 1.1)

This post got a little out of control. If you're still with me, thanks for reading, and thanks for any suggestions.

128x128klein_rogge
In the 2-3K range
Used I would consider:

Thiel CS2.2 $900 & JL 110 $1100 used prices(small/mid size)

Thiel CS2.3 $1400 & JL 112 $1600 used prices(large room)

check out B & W speakers also
Thanks again to everyone who responded. Getting the Hyperions up and running turned out to be a real hassle. One of the bass cabinets arrived partly smashed - even though the speakers were in their original boxes, shrinkwrapped, and palletized - and both woofers were literally broken in half inside. I finally got a new cabinet from Hyperion a couple weeks ago and am now running them with a Bryston 4BST amp and a Rowland Capri preamp.

They sound pretty good to me, but the drivers don't seem as well integrated as they could be. The tweeters and mids are fine together, but the bass cabinets sound like separate speakers rather than part of a whole.

Part of the reason that I'm hearing them this way is because I got tired of waiting for Hyperion and bought a pair of Vandersteen 3a Signatures in the meantime. The integration in the Vandys is the best I've heard, and the bass is incredible. So right now I'm switching back and forth between the Hyperions and the Vandys (lots of fun). They're totally different sounds, with the Hyperions sounding clear and incredibly resolving, while the Vandys are much more laid back and not as forward as the 938s. But the Vandys can sound a little veiled to me sometimes, and the Hyperions can sound a little bright. So I'm tweaking elsewhere and trying to get both pairs dialed in.

Thanks again, all, and if anyone has any tips on tweaking the Hyperions or the Vandys I'd love to hear them.

Klein - I'm surprised that you find Hyperions bright. My 938s are never bright in spite of unforgiving combination of Benchmark DAC1 and Rowland 102 (class D), that was unbearable with Paradigm speakers. Give them more time to play. As for cabinet damage - I had the same misfortune but with upper cabinet. Shipping company was paid for "on the pallet" delivery but it came without a pallet.

I have my 938s bi-wired with Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun. One cable goes to woofers while the other goes to tweeter. Midrange is connected to tweeter with Audioquest gold plated copper jumpers (6" wires). According to reviews Hyperions are very sensitive to connection. Try different combination.
Appears you've made a choice, so best of luck with it. Had I seen this thread earlier I would have mentioned that I picked up a used pair of Infinity MTS in your price range and they are alot of speaker for the money. They do everything you are looking for and the bass is probably unable to be duplicated at anywhere near the price. Others have reported some QC issues, so it's something to be aware of - but all said they're pretty cool...