Didn’t really want to make my own thread for this question but since a lot of you guys are active here, and have experience with higher end speakers I did want to propose the question: in this price bracket of 30-50K USD, what else should one seriously, actually consider? I will be in the market for an entirely new system in a few years and I’m just planning ahead. So far I had come up with the following ideas. And before I get into it, please note, I place a lot of importance on being able to audition and see and hear the speakers in person, as well as being able to customize the speakers cabinet and visual looks of the enclosure to my liking. So here we go...
D&D 8C + a up to a half dozen subwoofers. Total cost ~15-40K depending on how crazy high end of subwoofers I wanted to get. I like this option because it allows me to go crazy with the budget on subwoofers, or perhaps invest in a nice digital front end as well. Or just pocket the money! Aesthetically I think this is by far the worst looking speaker of all the brands I’m going to mention going forward.
Kii 3 + BXT Modules. $37K. Subwoofers probably not needed and/or would be difficult or perhaps redundant(?) to implement with the BXT modules. If someone could confirm please. I like this option because I think it’s aesthetically very pleasing and I can order them in my favourite color + automotive finish: Lantana Purple.
ATC SCM150ASLT. $33K. The domestic (non pro) active version of the ATC SCM150; floor standing. I admit I’ve bought into the “cult” of British engineering at least so far as ATC is concerned (thanks
@Ilkless ) Personally I think they are extraordinary speakers what with the option to choose them in ANY finish. In my case, if I get them, I’d get them in a walnut burl; high gloss polish finish. I think they would look simply stunning! And certainly sound great. One clear advantage the ATC has over any of the previously mentioned speakers is the fact it relies on its “tripack” amps, which, from what I’ve been told, are exceedingly simple to operate on for servicing in the event of equipment failure. As well, there are many reports of ATC active being in the field for decades before needing servicing. So the reliability is already established. Contrast that with the class d modules used in the Kii and D&D. And who knows the availability of the specific icepower amps used in them. It could be a natural progression for me to go for the ATC considering what speakers I currently own and what I would he replacing them with. I love big, bulky looking boxes. I love exotic and exquisite wood grain finishes. And I like big drivers and big dynamics. This is something I value highly and why I’m leaning slightly towards ATC over the previous options.
Lastly, and certainly not least, there is what I consider what is possibly the most exciting of all of the speakers I’ve talked about, and it’s the line of speakers from Geithain. What is exciting about them to me is they combine the European innovations that the D&D and Kii speakers offer, but in the large, boxy looking cabinets that I love about ATC. That, and they also use 15” drivers! More dynamics is always better. The problem with Geithain is they have absolutely zero presence in North America. In fact, I have emailed them and they told me I would need to speak to them directly if I wanted to order anything as they have no worldwide distributors. All of the other above mentioned speakers I would be able to audition first. Perhaps it doesn’t matter because like the D&D and like the Kii, the goal of these speakers is to use their suite of tools (DSP and cardioid designs) to improve the listening experience. I haven’t been able to dive into the Geithain speakers much yet but it does appear they are taking a more mechanical approach and don’t use DSP.
And of course, there’s always the passives options to consider... despite all the attention we on ASR, and I, give to actives, there is an allure to people like me to gravitate to the “high end” of passives. Wilson, Vivid, Magico, Yg, etc. These companies all make speakers in the $30-50K bracket. And I have been considering speakers from these brands. For the purposes of this post and potential discussion, I’d like to focus discussion on the active speakers I’ve mentioned so far. And obviously I’m willing to consider other active options like Genelic and KH Neumann and I’d be mad to not audition them alongside everything else. But they are at the bottom of my list because aesthetically I can’t stomach them.