Well here's an idea I hope you're open to. Take any advice given here with a grain of salt (including mine) and try to find a dealer who will let you borrow your short listed speakers to hear them at home with your amplifier etc in your room. If you can't find a dealer willing to come to the party (few will these days as people borrow speakers and then buy them at discount on the net only to take them back to the dealer for repair when the break down) at least find one who will let you take your amplifier to their showroom and listen to the speakers there.
Any opinions given here, about which speakers on your short list are 'best', will only have a chance of being worthwhile if you tell us what amplifier you'll be driving them with, what music you listen to, how loud and how large and acoustically treated your room is etc.
Oh, and if it was me I'd be trying out the PSB's first.

I highly, HIGHLY reccomend the Audio Kinesis Jazz Modules.
Ive used many a speaker in my life, and none (including my quad ESL, Von Schweikert VR-4, BW 802s, and many others) have given me the pure joy that these have. All the details are there, and just the right amount of sweetening...huge, lush , soundstage, and not at all as sensitive to positioning as some models are...the reverberant field is what he focuses on, and man...what a sound! tube and ss friendly too(tuning can be done simply by swapping out included resistors(no soldering required, just plug n play)

Around 5G or so new. Duke will drive to whereever you are and put em up/let you try em...... He(Duke Lejeune)(the builder) is literally THE nicest human being I have ever met. Like the audio jesus or something..

http://audiokinesis.com/product/content_audiokinesis.htm#jazzmodule
http://blog.stereophile.com/rmaf2006/102106ak/

Quote:
Hi, I am looking for some tower speakers that will give me the best bang for my buck ($4000 - $7000 range). From my research, I have found the PSB Synchrony One's and Revel Performa series quite impressive. Anyone have experience with either or both of these models? How do you feel they compare? I understand the PSB Platinum series is a little older - how do they compare to the newer (Cheaper) Synchronys? Also, I am very open to any other ideas.

Amen, Mr. Bach. KK, you MUST hear ANY speakers in your home listening environment and driven by your own preferred electronics before making some final choice. How you accomplish this is negotiable with your dealer(s). If your dealer has Demo models that he regularly loans out to serious customers, then you have it made. Don't expect him to let you take new speakers home. A related point: ALL speakers have break-in changes. Some are relatively minor, some are relatively major. It just depends. Taking demos home is ideal not only for the dealer, but for you also, since this allows you to hear broken-in speakers that are at their best.

Good luck in your choices, and keep us informed. I like both speakers, by the way. A lot depends on your personal choices in music, decor, flexibility of placement, and price.

For that kind of money, I would shop used and these are the options I would consider:

Legacy Whispers - By far the best speaker I heard for the money and only a second best speaker I ever heard. Must be driven with lots of power to shine

Legacy Focus - Great deal for the money. Lacks the Whispers' refinement, but a terrific contender for the $4k range

Magnepan 20.1R - Marvelous mids and highs. Absolutely gorgeous, bass falls a bit flat though

Magnepan 3.6R - This speaker sings. Nothing touches its mids and highs. No bass though.

Avantgarde Duos - Fantastic speaker that can be driven by virtually any amplifier. Components must be carefully matched though. It has a tendency to sound just a touch metallic and you may experience driver integration issues.

Listen to the Vandersteen 3A at $4000/pair or the ugly Vandersteen Quatros at $7500/pair. I'd also give the Opera Linea Classica Quinta at $4700/pair a listen. The Paradigm Signature S8 is also well regarded.

Hi

I would strongly agree with JSBach.

You have a world of choice and would get a different cant miss choice from everyone in the forum. At the end of the day what matters are your ears listening to your music in your house.

If you only take away one thing from the forum, please take away the advice to find a good dealer who will work with you and let you demo stuff at home. Realise that in return you will pay more than you would online or Audiogon but from someone in your position of having only a starting point you really need the dealers expertise.

Im sure certian members will attack me for the above statement, please ignore them. It is good advice that im sure will be seconded by a lot of members.

Alan

yeah, of course..that is common sense..why would you think anyone would attack you for that advice? anyone that takes the word from an internet forum (with regards to speaker choices)as gospel probably doesnt need to be into hi-fi anyway..the guy I mentioned will drive them to your house for an in home audition.

Quote:
Hi

I would strongly agree with JSBach.

You have a world of choice and would get a different cant miss choice from everyone in the forum. At the end of the day what matters are your ears listening to your music in your house.

If you only take away one thing from the forum, please take away the advice to find a good dealer who will work with you and let you demo stuff at home. Realise that in return you will pay more than you would online or Audiogon but from someone in your position of having only a starting point you really need the dealers expertise.

Im sure certian members will attack me for the above statement, please ignore them. It is good advice that im sure will be seconded by a lot of members.

Alan

NC

It was in reference to the thread about asking for discount. I got attacked by a certain member for supporting dealers but then also asking for a reasonable discount. A reasonable position is not possible to some forum members it has to be one extreme or the other.

Alan

6 year old thread, 1 year old thread they all read the same either my speakers are best or, the common sense answer audition them at home. I personally dont think loudspeaker design has advanced that much and used speakers can be a way to enter hi end.

op_

get an in-home demo, if you can. Otherwise buy used / demo.