Q. I have a Cambridge Audio Evo 150 amplifier, matching Cambridge Evo CD player and a Technics SL-1200GR turntable with Vessel cartridge and a separate phono preamp. I have been using Emotiva Airmotiv tower speakers and while I have been satisfied, I am ready to bring the speakers up to the level of the rest of the system. I have the wife's buy-in up to around $5,000 and would like to find speakers with a good-sized cabinet, like the boxy Sansuis I had in the 1970s. Narrower towers don't seem to have the beefy sound I am looking for. Why do they make speakers like that now, and so few with bigger cabinets and woofers to match?

—J.M., Milwaukee

A. There are sonic advantages and drawbacks to a tall, narrow cabinet. The narrow cabinet has less diffraction from the tweeter, which aids stereo imaging and overall reproduction, and using a port helps make up the bass loss from using smaller woofers. Cost has something to do with it as well as tall, narrow speakers are less expensive to manufacture, ship and store in warehouses. But as you have noticed, the overall sonic experience is different from a vintage-style speaker with a big woofer, and you seem to prefer the latter. You are not the only one as others are clamoring for such speakers, and the industry is responding. Here are some recommendations to consider.

Starting at the top I recommend the Klipsch Forte IV. I've lusted after Klipsch Forte speakers since I was in college when they got an amazing review in Stereo Review magazine, leading to hearing them in a stereo shop a week later. They sold for $1,200 per pair, which as a student was more than I could afford. Amazingly, if I had bought the Fortes years ago, I could sell them for $1,200 or even more today. Such value retention is practically unheard of in the audio world, and a testament to their lasting quality.

The Forte IV is the current iteration and is vastly improved over the prior models. Unlike many other electronics companies where brand names have been sold and used by overseas organizations with no relationship to the original, Klipsch has been a going American concern since its founding by Paul W. Klipsch in 1946. That makes 2026 the company's 80th anniversary, a remarkable achievement.

In addition to the luscious high-end sound, the Forte IV is handmade in the USA and has some of the very finest furniture-grade cabinetry I have ever seen on a speaker, regardless of price. The wood is absolutely perfect and the woven grills create a beautiful contrast. Several finishes are available, including a new Red Oak. Given the style and quality the "wife acceptance factor" for the Forte is extremely high. They have a large woofer combined with a passive radiator for full, solid sound with bass that is not boomy. klipsch.com

Interestingly enough, while I was in the process of answering your question i received an email from Emotiva announcing their new Nostala LB12 Floorstanding Loudspeakers. (As I said, companies are responding to people like you!) They sell for $2,999 per pair and look promising. I have not heard them yet so cannot comment on the sound quality, but you can learn more at emotiva.com.

The Wharfedale Super Linton with matching stands are currently on sale for $2,699, reduced from $2,999 per pair. This is a great deal on a fine speaker if you are looking to stay well under your $5,000-ish budget. www.wharfedaleusa.com

I'll have more vintage-style speakers in lower price ranges in a future column.

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