Best Speakers to buy if you have $2000, new or used??

[tominator]

Hi,

I have $2000 what would be my best choice? New or Used. I like many types of music, r&b, jazz, rock, easy listning ect...

I'm very picky, I have had Thiels, Vandees 3a, Vmps, Maggies, many others... Please help.

Tom

[N. Abstentia]

If it were ME with $2000...Paradigm Active 40's no doubt

[RGA]

It really doesn't matter what we suggest - in the end it's your job to find out what you are going to like most.

Going by your list there are many great reviews of those spekaers and people who absolutely love them - you do not. SO in the end you will have to do one heck of a lot of listening and make sure there are no problems with your acoustic environment or your amplification.

For instance if you've always owned SS gear that might in fact be where your problem lies - When I first heard SET from Audio Note - that was not what I expected Single ended amplification to sound like - to me there is no going back because once liked SS amps are virtually unlistenable. Not all SET is created equal either - and no one says you;ll like it.

But it's the roads you have not gone down that is where to look.

[Feanor]

Hi,

I have $2000 what would be my best choice? New or Used. I like many types of music, r&b, jazz, rock, easy listning ect...

I'm very picky, I have had Thiels, Vandees 3a, Vmps, Maggies, many others... Please help.

Tom

If you've had all of those, maybe you should be telling us which is best! In fact please do tell us which you liked best and least and why.

For US$2000, I'd look at used Magneplanar 3.6. Or alternatively I be tempted do a DIY using Bohlender - Graebener RD50 planar tweeters and Usher mid/basses.

[musicoverall]

Hi,

I have $2000 what would be my best choice? New or Used. I like many types of music, r&b, jazz, rock, easy listning ect...

I'm very picky, I have had Thiels, Vandees 3a, Vmps, Maggies, many others... Please help.

Tom

Maggie 1.6's... in a landslide! And you'd get change back!

[Worf101]

I'd be looking at some used B&W Nautilus 3's but that's just me.

Da Worfster

[tominator]

Well I like your choice!! I had a set of mini monitors and really did like them, and may try to find a set, I sold them to my friend because at the time I didn't have any subs to compliment the great soundstage that they had. I will answer the replies sent to my question from this reply, first I want to thank those that took the time to respond to my question, I like all your ideas and suggestions. I forgot to mention the Energy 2.2's and the Energy 2.1's that I hated!! Yuuk!! couldn't wait to get rid of them!! The Paradigm mini- monitors were and are much better speakers than the Energy line in my opinion, sure they had great bass for a small speaker but that's all they had!!
Anyways the Vandersteen 3A were the best in my opinion from what I have owned, but the bass was not up to my expectations so I let them go, but wow what a soundstage to kill for and the soundstage was top knotch!! The Magnapan 1.5 qr's that I run presently are also very good but I have no room to give them the space they need to give thier best performance, but the Vandees still sounded better to me!! The Vmps, well I can't remember the model #'s but one pair weighed in at 220 lbs each, and the other ones weighed 120 lbs each, they were nice but the Vandees and Theils had a far better soundstage and much smoother mids and highs. I would buy a set of 3.6 Maggies (they run over $3000 used however) but again I need to keep any set I buy close to the walls, 2 feet is all I have to give any speaker right now. I have considered PSb Gold I's, also James loudspeakers but to much for me right now, Dynaudio is a choice but again to much. I have never heard Axiom's flagship spkr but have read high praise for them,maybe them? Well my quest continues for the best speaker I can buy for $2000 and any help I can get from my fellow audiophiles will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Tom

[tominator]

Don't forget I run a Mcintosh MX110- Z tube preamp/tuner and that is a wonderful compliment to my 2 SS amps.

Thank you

Tom

It really doesn't matter what we suggest - in the end it's your job to find out what you are going to like most.

Going by your list there are many great reviews of those spekaers and people who absolutely love them - you do not. SO in the end you will have to do one heck of a lot of listening and make sure there are no problems with your acoustic environment or your amplification.

For instance if you've always owned SS gear that might in fact be where your problem lies - When I first heard SET from Audio Note - that was not what I expected Single ended amplification to sound like - to me there is no going back because once liked SS amps are virtually unlistenable. Not all SET is created equal either - and no one says you;ll like it.

But it's the roads you have not gone down that is where to look.

[Mr Peabody]

I own a few pair of Dynaudio and recommend you give them a listen. They are neutral and being such work very well with the many types of music I listen too. What electronics do you have? Were you wanting floor standing or bookshelf. In your budget the Audience series is your best bet. If you can use a bookshelf the 52se is a great little speaker. I also like Martin Logan electrostats but you would have to find them used on your budget. They have a different feel than dynamic speakers and more difficult to set up properly but once you have right they can be quite nice.

[RGA]

Sorry I did not know you have tubes in the system - For near wall try my speakers - you need to use low powered low damping SET amps to get them at their best. Still I dislike suggesting a specific speaker brand in your case - I'd just do some reasearch for speakers effective near wall or in corners. This happens to be one - and they may not be your cup of tea. it's hard not to recommend our personal choices however. I like Dynaudio but they need about 3 feet to work best from what I heard.

[tominator]

Dynaudio is a great speaker and one of my top choices!! Maybe the 82's if I can find some.

Sorry I did not know you have tubes in the system - For near wall try my speakers - you need to use low powered low damping SET amps to get them at their best. Still I dislike suggesting a specific speaker brand in your case - I'd just do some reasearch for speakers effective near wall or in corners. This happens to be one - and they may not be your cup of tea. it's hard not to recommend our personal choices however. I like Dynaudio but they need about 3 feet to work best from what I heard.

[texlle]

I love mine. I just moved my system to a small 10x12 dorm room, so it was really hard to make the system work. But in a small cube with paper thin walls, thin carpet, the acoustics are pretty bad, yet it sounds very nice. My Dyns are about 4 feet apart from one another, and over a foot from the wall behind them. One is over a foot from the side wall, and the other is about 2.5 feet from the side wall.

[Mr Peabody]

If you have to place your speakers next to the wall, front ported designs work best for that. You definitely want to stay away from electrostats or planar.

You can get new Dynaudio Audience for well under $2k unless you were looking for a set of 5. The 52se is $1,500.00 pair. The 52 is $900. a pair. I think the 62 floor standing are around $1200 to 1500.00, I haven't priced them in a while. I'd have to check to see which if any are front ported, I'm sure the 52's are not, I have a pair.