French Crunch and New Speakers

I actually thought that due to credit crunch thre will be lots of great used hi-fi around. To my surprise I found out that, on contrary, due to weak pound it is easy to sell gear these days, especially if it is not British.

More than that - I have suffered a Crushing French Crunch - was brutally outbid on English ebay by a Frenchman. :JOEL: What is going on in this world ????


So, I have no speakers at the moment, and having lost on a beautiful pair of JMR Offrandes (my rather pathetic £2,450 bid was squashed by mighty EURO), I am a bit lost for ideas.

I wanted to try some really good, musical standmount for a change, which would be not too inefficient and had at least some bass. Not nesessarily down to 30 Hz like those Offrandes but more or less decent quality.

Preferably not something that came just from another assembly line, but had some good designer behind it.

Could anyone give me some new ideas? My budget is - yes, you've guessed it - £2,450 used. OK, lets make it £2,500. :MILD:

Many thanks.

 

I don't understand why you British don't look on the awesome Harbeth Loudspeakers!
Everywhere in the world they are acclaimed as one of the best dynamic speaker available .. and you go to buy a crappy and totally amusical French product! ... unbeliveable

 

I don't get that at all either. Harbeth and Spendor make some great monitors that will last for years. KEF, ATC, ProAc, etc...Not to mention the fact that French speakers are a tad loose in the bass.

The bass crumbles like a piece of fromage.

 

Yes Spendor ... I always forget this brand name because here in Italy probably due to a better distribution .. Harbeths are widely known

 

Arlequen,

You are in Brescia? I think my favorite manufacturer of things that go bang is located there as well.

 

Yes honey! .. I live in Brescia city

Here the Major office called "Loggia"

 

have you though about Zingali, superb things and nice and efficient

 

Sure they are located close to Latina .. around Rome , center Italy.
Super efficent monitors... big size too

One of my friend is a well known speaker maker .. he makes good loudspeakers here in Brescia .. maybe you know his products

http://www.diapason-italia.com/eng/intro.htm

 

I know the Diapason and like them, but I use the Zingalis as I love the effortless sound

 

Diapason Adamantes is a small loudspeaker while Zingali are pratically all big monitors .. fantastic in large room

 

I have recently sold big Zingali Overtures. Had them for 2 years.
And I have owned two pairs of Spendors some years ago.
Harbeth is a good option, I am not an expert in them though. Heard them once and they seemed brutally honest.

 

why did you ger rid of the overures? did you change amp or something else? I use mine with the sugden, good match.

 

I have used them with several amps, ARS Emitter was the best match. These are wonderful speakers if you can live with their lazy nature.


And - my problem was solved by the very guy who outbid me. He has refused to pay. So I have got the second chance offer. Or shall I say - second chance Offrande :MILD: