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help narrowing down my list of speakers, $2500

Hi, I will be buying some speakers shortly. I will have them paired with an Odyssey dual mono amp (plenty of power), Tempest (Odyssey) preamp, Ridge Street Audio interconnects and speaker cable, and an Audio Aero Prima cd player. Also I will be adding a sub soon, so bass shouldent be the deciding factor here. I have a small room (12' x 12') and my budget is $2500. I went to listen to some B&W's at the dealer and like what I heard from the Naut. 804's. Wide soundstage, clear, detailed, musical. Im looking for speakers like that. I usually listen to rock (old and new) so I want speakers that can handel that. My choices so far are:
-Dynaudio
-Vandersteen
-Avalon
-Totem
-Sonus Faber
-Aerial Acoustics
-Dali
-Merlin
-Silverline
-Vienna
-Spendor
-Tyler Acoustics
-B&W
-PMC OB-1

Any you think I should add to that list? Suggestions on what to take off? Thanks

-Jamie
jamiec001
boa2's avatar
boa2
1,550 posts
 
Jrwr7,

If you're ever in the Sacramento area, I invite you to come on by and have a listen to Tool/Soundgarden/Kings X on our Sonata II's. In fact, we only use them for rock. I think they might overpower Jamiec001's room--and Alan Yun (Silverline's head honcho) might be shocked--but Alice in Chains never sounded better IMO.
All the best,
Howard
jamiec001 OP
25 posts
 
Well I hear JMR's can not rock compared to the likes of Totem and Dynaudio. So im scratching them. Narrowed the list down to this, paired with Naim electronics all around:
-Dynaudio Contour
2.8\Contour
1.8mkII
-Totem
Forest\Hawk\Staff\Mani 2
-Neat
-Silverline Sonata II
-Anthony Gallo
Refrence III
-ATC SCM20SL\SCM35
-Tyler Acoustics
Taylo 7U
-Rega R9
-Sp Technology
-Living Voice
geoh
48 posts
 
I wouldn't scratch the VR-4JRs off your list just yet, if fact they are my personal favorites and should definately be heard!
That being said I've only heard a few of the speakers on your list, obviously the VR-4JRs... also the Dynaudio, Totem, Tyler & the Gallo Reference III.
The Gallo's would be a very close second and maybe even first on my short list. If you dig the looks of these speakers you're going to love the sound they produce!
One more suggestion, listen to any speaker from VMPS!

Hearing is believing...
geoh
siliab
356 posts
 
You will almost certainly hate this post. However, the VMPS Ribbon Monitor IIs would absolutely lunch every member of your shortlist with rock music. They have the bass extension and dynamic impact of speakers many, many times their price, without the indistinct soundstage, iffy imaging, and honkiness of most members of this species. No sub needed, btw. Shockingly good, if hard to find.
maxxc
177 posts
 
Jamie thanks for the kind words. What do you have to listen to besides the B&W? Near any big city you could hit and do some weekend auditions.

I know the more I looked the more my list grew. All and I do mean all seemed to have their fans and critics.

Audioreviews.com as mentioned before was very helpful. When you get multiple owners reviewing the same speaker you will find a certain consitency of strenghts and weaknesses. This should give you a perty good idea if the speaker is really suitable for your application.

Once you get it down to 3 or 4 any of them would probably be a very good choice.

In my own case my list grew to 16 possible canidates at one time. Finally got it down to 4 then decided whichever one of them came availble for a good price would be my choice.

Best Wishes Maxx
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