Price: $12,995 per pair
Website: www.crystalcable.com
Doug said: I consider it the king -- or, perhaps, the queen -- of luxury-grade two-way loudspeakers.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: The little speaker for the jet set.
Price: $13,999 per pair
Website: www.focal.com
Doug said: I could see living with a pair of Sopra No2s and not wanting more for a very long time. The Sopra No2 more than lives up to its name: It not only goes over and above; it goes above and beyond.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: An instant classic in Focal’s impressive line.
Price: $13,800 per pair
Website: www.focusaudio.com
Jason said: For nearly two years now, more often than not, I’ve had a Focus speaker or amp -- or both -- in my system. It’s been an excellent way to while away 700 days, and my time with the FP90 BE has reaffirmed that there’s likely to be a Focus speaker in my future, if and when I get too old or jaded to continue reviewing.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Another solid effort from Focus Audio.
Price: $229,000 per pair
Website: www.magico.net
Jeff said: What’s not debatable is that, in every area I value as an audiophile and music lover, the Q7 Mk II comes closer to perfection than anything else I’ve ever experienced.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: The best just got better.
Price: $63,000 per pair
Website: www.muraudio.com
Doug said: The Domain Omni PX1s cast the broadest, deepest soundstage ever in my room, all the while maintaining good center fill and sharp image focus. Add to these outstanding build quality and finishwork commensurate with the price, and a distinctive visual style, and you have a top-drawer transducer unlike any other on the planet today.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Marries omnidirectional and electrostatic technologies resulting in a unique-sounding speaker.
Price: $15,000 per pair
Website: www.vienna-acoustics.com
Aron said: The Liszt is a wonderfully neutral-, natural-, and cohesive-sounding loudspeaker; it grabbed me with its realism simply by sounding so right. What makes the Vienna Acoustics Imperial Liszt truly special is that it evokes genuine emotion and excitement. I can’t think of better reasons on which to base a confident recommendation of them.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Coincident-array-based speaker that might be what you’re looking for.