Building a New System - Could use some advice

[TonyLent]

Definitely unless you just want to keep using the Bose, speakers are largely about preference in the long run. I'd just want better than even what has been called by some Bose's best speaker (which isn't saying a lot).

Might I point you to Salk Sound and/or Philharmonic Audio?

I did some initial research on speakers and so far I am leaning towards Polk Audio Legend L800. https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-floorstanding-speakers
OR
Possibly the McIntosh XR100

The Best Audiophile Speakers for Your Home Audio System

We review speakers from companies like Bowers & Wilkins, McIntosh, Focal and ELAC that allow you to capture the illusive “perfect sound"

www.rollingstone.com

 

[lovinthehd]

Including this review and other related threads here on Audioholics? This is fairly recent https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/polk-legend-l800

 

[TonyLent]

I did some initial research on speakers and so far I am leaning towards Polk Audio Legend L800. https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-floorstanding-speakers

OR
Possibly the McIntosh XR100

The Best Audiophile Speakers for Your Home Audio System

We review speakers from companies like Bowers & Wilkins, McIntosh, Focal and ELAC that allow you to capture the illusive “perfect sound"

www.rollingstone.com

 

[lovinthehd]

I did some initial research on speakers and so far I am leaning towards Polk Audio Legend L800. https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-floorstanding-speakers
OR
Possibly the McIntosh XR100

The Best Audiophile Speakers for Your Home Audio System

We review speakers from companies like Bowers & Wilkins, McIntosh, Focal and ELAC that allow you to capture the illusive “perfect sound"

www.rollingstone.com

Meh on a Rolling Stone reco list, it'd probably be painful to review it

 

[Pogre]

I did some initial research on speakers and so far I am leaning towards Polk Audio Legend L800. https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-floorstanding-speakers

Those reviewed very well here with @Matthew J Poes. In fact he bought them, so that's saying a lot in my opinion. They are however, not a typical speaker and have some specific requirements for placement, wiring and amplification. You'll want to make sure they'll work for your specific layout. Set up correctly tho, and I hear they're astounding. There was quite a lively discussion about them following the review post. I'm very interested in them and would love an opportunity to check them out.

Getting the full SDA Effect from Polk L800 Speakers

At long last, we finally bring you our review of the Polk L800 floorstanding speakers. The L800 is a unique and relatively complex design for a loudspeaker, but what it delivers is one of the best soundstages that you could ever hope to hear from stereo sound from any speaker set at any price...

forums.audioholics.com

HD suggested also, Philharmonic or Salk sound. In my opinion you cannot find better quality speakers for the money anywhere else. They're truly special speakers and I've never heard a single negative comment about them. If I had the budget, that's where I'd be shopping.

Salk Sound

www.salksound.com

Philharmonic Audio

www.philharmonicaudio.com

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I think all the options for speakers are good ones. It is the dominant factor in the sound of any system. By far. Like as in, 80% is the speakers in many situations. If the room is too awful that can dominate our perceptions instead, but most residential rooms aren’t too bad to begin with.

I will give one more plug. Perlisten. I liked them so much I became a dealer. The Polks are a very good speaker butI took them because they were such a special speaker. Their unique imaging ability. Without that superpower, they were a good but not standout speaker. Could you do better for the money? Not necessarily, but I am also not suggesting they are the deal or the century.

On the other hand, the Perlistens are an outstanding technical achievement. They are just a really unique and well engineered speaker. Excellent for 2-channel or home theater. I wasn’t a dealer of anything a few weeks back and took this brand on simply because I think it’s that amazing. I decided it would be worth it to have a brand of speakers I really felt confident in recommending and offering to folks when I consult with them.

 

[stalag2005]

If I was getting the best stereo components go to Benchmark Media for their setup. I would consider pairing them to a Paradigm Founders Edition 100F

 

[Eppie]

If I was getting the best stereo components go to Benchmark Media for their setup. I would consider pairing them to a Paradigm Founders Edition 100F

Somebody on CanuckAudioMart is selling a week old pair for $500 under retail. Liked them so much he is upgrading to the 120F.

 

[stalag2005]

Somebody on CanuckAudioMart is selling a week old pair for $500 under retail. Liked them so much he is upgrading to the 120F.

WHERE!!!! Seems that the speakers you mention are $5900 for the pair. yes that is $500 under retail, but gee, still expensive.

 

[Eppie]

WHERE!!!! Seems that the speakers you mention are $5900 for the pair. yes that is $500 under retail, but gee, still expensive.

Just down the 401 highway from me in St Catharines, Ontario.
https://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649735074-paradigm-founders-100fpiano-black1-week-old5950/

 

[JengaHit]

14K for the Mack integrated and 6K for the Polks, so your budget is 20K? If you have 20K to spend, great! But why not reverse the apportionment, as many have suggested? For a lot less than 14K, you could get any number of top-line speakers like the Revel F228be for 10K or the F208 for 5K (not to mention your Polks)--and have plenty left for not-ultra-priced 2.0 electronics. If you need power for a large room, there are many options:
- Monoprice Monolith 2x200w amp, $1099
- Outlaw Audio RR2160 mkii stereo receiver (110 w/ch 8 ohms, 165 w/ch 4 ohms), with analog bass mgt and pre-amp outs, $999
- Outlaw Audio 2220 200w monoblocks, $399 ea
- ATI AT54XNC amp (500 w/ch 8 ohms), $2695, w/7-yr warranty
- ATI 6000 2-ch amp (300 w/ch 8 ohms), $3595, w/7-yr warranty
- Benchmark AHB2 stereo/bridgeable amp (100 w/ch 8 ohms, 190 w/ch 4 ohms), $2995
- Parasound Halo A21+ amp (300 w/ch 8 ohms), $2995
- Parasound NewClassic 200 stereo pre-amp with analog bass mgt, $899
- Parasound Halo P6 pre-amp, with analog bass mgt, $1595
- Anthem STR Integrated (200 w/ch 8 ohms), with Anthem Room Correction and a built-in DAC, $4500

Any of those combos will put you at $14,500 or below, well below 20K.