The Best 3-way with 10" or larger woofer

I wonder how close you could get to the Harbeth 40.2 if you built your own? The finish work on the cabinet was top notch high end furniture grade on the pair I auditioned. That leads me to think the finish is a large part of the cost. Buying quality drivers and cross over parts, it would seem like $1000 would get you darn close to a finished speaker without the fancy finish. I’ve never designed and built a cross over, but I bet there’s some folks on the AK that could get you close. Dang, now I want to give it a try. I’ll have to add that to the dream project pile.
 
I agree with the Ohm C2s. I’ll add Tangent RS-8s. Very nice styling too! Kef 104/2? Wharfedale Dovedale III, Polk audio Monitor 10?
 
Just to recap: OP wants:
-very high quality 3 ways
-with 10"+ woofers
-and British or East Coast style sound
-to fit into a small 12 x 12' room, so they cannot be boomy

Some good suggestions already, like Canton, ADS, Genesis. Neither of those brands are typically West Coast sounding or boomy.
I'd add Yamaha NS-200M to that, because they're very high quality, sealed 3 ways with 10" woofers that are not boomy at all. Unlike some other Yamahas, they are actually not bright at all, or overly analytic / dry sounding, while still very dynamic and accurate. Also efficient, can be had cheap from time to time, and spare parts are readily available for short money.
Give them a real wood veneer job and you're in business.

Here they are on the left:

 
To me this would be something more in the model of AR3, OLA, KLH Model 5 etc.

AR's fully restored (please do not use electrolytic's just high quality film capacitors) with the correct amplification will kick all these others to the curb. The others while very nice speakers will sound very good with many amps , and receivers "they are forgiving in many ways" will never come close to a properly restored set of restored AR3's

Once again you need real amplification for the AR's not some monster receiver.

Here is a sleeper which is much like the AR's are these...
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Yes Sylvania AS 125's, I sold these a while back but it took someone to sit in front of them to get past the name. too many name snobs that prevented a sale for some time.

I will admit the Sylvania's will also be forgiving with amplification.

The others I would recommend are these...
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Good Luck!
 
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Yeah smitterdave, kinda hard to beat the top level ARs in that time-frame. these AR12's I just recapped ans re-built are reminding me of that. I may be needing to go a little newer and find a brand that was/is still using 10" woofers like the larger harbeth, but a reasonable price point.

The problem of course again is once you listen to an AR9 or ADS L1590, its just hard to take a step back. Although so far both my AR12's and ADS L710 are doing pretty good. Little lean on the bass with the 710 compared to the larger woofer on the AR12.
 
I'm enjoying a pair a ADS L-1530s right now. They have dual 10" woofers. I was using an SVS SB-2000 sub but decided I didn't need it.
 
Might be hard to find and little bit on the large size is the Acarian Alon Model IV. Sounds and images like a British bookshelf speaker, but with BRASS balls for bass.
 
I'm enjoying a pair a ADS L-1530s right now. They have dual 10" woofers. I was using an SVS SB-2000 sub but decided I didn't need it.

I have similar covered with my 1590's, but that size is out of scale with the room, which is what I am implying with this thread. The 10" woofer is just hard to beat.
 
I'll throw in a vote for Celestion 662 or 551 Also JBL 240ti.and Allison 1's or 2's..Honorable mention to JBL L-112. ..(also like the ADS mentioned.
Those JBL are not typical JBL and should be heard before disregarding...
 
Porkloin, I remember those from some other post you had. really cool. My guess is though 2 10" woofer would again be too much in a 12 x 12 room. Maybe not.
A pair of B&O Beovox 5700 can be had.
 
I've been all over the map with speakers over the years. I always find my way back to a 2 way design. And as posted above, add a sub if needed. Six of my seven pairs of speakers are 2 way now. The one pair that isn't is a pair of huge Warfedale 90's with dual 12" woofers with dual mids and tweets. One of my favorites is the Marantz Imperial 6. 10" woofer, tweeter and a front port. Its one of those speakers I'll always keep. I don't always have them hooked up, but always in rotation. With new crossover caps they just play everything well. The bass is there even at low volumes and I don't have tone controls in my main system. I have a pair of OLA's and the Imperials sound better to me.


This. I had mine recapped a few weeks ago and I simply love them.
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I also have a pair of Pioneer CS 88s (12in 3 way) that I had recapped as well. They are in my 14x24 bedroom and when hooked up to a 100w amp they can produce chest crushing bass with very clear highs. On top of them hooked to a different system are KLH 17s. The KLHs are the same or a bit better on the highs and very nice but nowhere close in bass to the Pioneers. At lower volume levels I prefer the KLHs. At mid or higher levels the Pioneers crush the KLHs. I also have a pair of Rectilinear Mini 3s that I like but I prefer the KLHs. I guess I just prefer 2 ways as well.

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