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Your Top 3-Way Floorstanders Under $10K 2017 Edition

5K views 41 replies 21 participants last post by  bluewizard 
#1 · (Edited)
Another year and it's time for another post. I want to change things up a bit and keep a realistic budget of under $10K for the pair. This year brings more speakers on the market than ever. More internet direct nonsense, more Wi-Fi, etc.

But I'm noticing a very scary trend. There are less speakers that sound good under $10K than ever before. I've actually had a very hard time coming up with 10 sets for the list. Culprits? Internet direct companies, lack of imagination, China, and know it alls with microphones. Regular contributors such as Sonus Faber, Focal, and Dynaudio no longer have much to offer. Let's get on with it:

1.) Bowers & Wilkins 804D3 - Nothing even comes close at this price
2.) Bowers & Wilkins CM9S2
3.) Bowers & Wilkins CM8S2
4.) Bowers & Wilkins CM10S2
5.) Vandersteen Model 3A Signature
6.) Vandersteen Model 2Ce Signature II
7.) Vandersteen Treo CT
8.) Vandersteen Treo
9.) Klipsch La Scala II
10.) Bang & Olufsen Beoplay A9
 
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#2 · (Edited)
I was disappointed by the 804D3's. I thought they'd be my dream speakers because I like a slightly recessed midrange, but with these they went too far, they don't sound accurate with vocals being too distant. They are nice and super clear, but some of the clarity is lost with the huge midrange cut. It's hard for me to find the right amount of mids to not be too upfront and fatiguing, or not too cut back and lacking. I've found it with Bryston's T series speakers. Stereophile put the Bryston Middle T's as class B speakers but I think they got it wrong. You should put the $6,000 Middle T's and $8,000 Model T's on your list to hear. They're an excellent value.
 
#5 ·
I am the exact same way. I love a prominent, defined midrange. However I don't like overbearing mids which overwhelm tbe treble so I like my mids slightly recessed.

However as you stated before, holding back on mids is a slippery slope. Too much mid trim and the midrange will sound recessed and distant. Not enough mid trim and the mids "shout at you" and overwhelm the treble and bass.

I finally found the best of both worlds when I purchased a pair of Klipsch Jubilees.
 
#16 ·
1.) Bowers & Wilkins 804D3 - Nothing even comes close at this price
2.) Bowers & Wilkins CM9S2
3.) Bowers & Wilkins CM8S2
4.) Bowers & Wilkins CM10S2
5.) Vandersteen Model 3A Signature
6.) Vandersteen Model 2Ce Signature II
7.) Vandersteen Treo CT
8.) Vandersteen Treo
9.) Klipsch La Scala II
Tisk tisk, this list is utterly useless without a full list of the CABLES and INTERCONNECTS and POWER CORDS that will be in play! :D
 
#22 ·
no psb? I might dare to say they sound better than bw and focal sounds better than both :)
 
#24 ·
Another year and it's time for another post. I want to change things up a bit and keep a realistic budget of under $10K for the pair. This year brings more speakers on the market than ever. More internet direct nonsense, more Wi-Fi, etc.

But I'm noticing a very scary trend. There are less speakers that sound good under $10K than ever before. I've actually had a very hard time coming up with 10 sets for the list. Culprits? Internet direct companies, lack of imagination, China, and know it alls with microphones. Regular contributors such as Sonus Faber, Focal, and Dynaudio no longer have much to offer. Let's get on with it:

1.) Bowers & Wilkins 804D3 - Nothing even comes close at this price
2.) Bowers & Wilkins CM9S2
3.) Bowers & Wilkins CM8S2
4.) Bowers & Wilkins CM10S2
5.) Vandersteen Model 3A Signature
6.) Vandersteen Model 2Ce Signature II
7.) Vandersteen Treo CT
8.) Vandersteen Treo
9.) Klipsch La Scala II
Interesting that you think the ID companies are a negative and have diluted the gene pool for speakers.

What have you auditioned and crossed off your list thus far so we don't clutter up the thread with speakers that you don't like.
 
#26 ·
Of course they're here to stay. Just look around, everyone listens to graphs and Radio Shack meters. Why buy the speakers at all? Just put the graph in front of you and get a cup of coffee. Self esteem is low, no one trusts their ears. BTW, Dennis is awesome and makes great ID speakers.

Chinese flooded the market with cheap microphones, so many of the armchair experts think they could now build speakers.
 
#36 ·
Just to throw another hat in the ring. And in this I am a VERY interested party. How about the Tekton Design "Double Impact's" at $3,000. And I know this is a "bit" over priced for this thread but the 1812's at $12,000. Then there are the Magnepan 3.7's at $3700 that some swear by? The list HAS to be larger than 3 manufacturers!
 
#42 ·
Revel Perfroma3 F208 - Reference class speakers in its price range - ~$5000/pair -

https://designeraudiovideo.com/prod...ding-tower-loudspeaker-high-gloss-walnut-each

PSB Imagine T3 - $7500/pair -


https://www.crutchfield.com/p_760IMNT3GC/PSB-Imagine-T3-High-gloss-Cherry.html

Dali Epicon 6 - £7800 (US$9,934) Pair -

http://www.analogueseduction.net/category-688/dali-epicon-6-speakers.html

I would say those three hit a pretty high standard in modern speakers under $10,000/pair.

Steve/bluewizard
 
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