[Ken Palmer]

With out a question, hands down, far and above, the only answer in my mind would be the Kilpsch Hertiage Series speakers. The Klipsch Horn is the best speaker make period. However there is a whole other side to the coin you did not ask, that makes all the difference in the world. These speakers would not perform worth anything with todays junk wattage amps. SO, if you match you Klipsch speaker with the correct amp, then you will be more than amazed, you would be saying the same thing I am. Now the Kilpsch Horn needs a correct wide (in the corner) placement along with the correct amp. I can't afford the correct amp and I don't have the room. I have a pair of Klipsch Bells for my HT mains , pure being there sound with out needing the corners. I use the out of the surround sound HT reciever for the mains to an input of an old 74 Kenwood KR-6600 that I run the Bells with ( I can't afford the McIntosh tube amps of old.) I get great sound that way.
Now listing to music is a horse of a different color. I listen to all my music from my old Marantz 2285 into a pair of old Kilpsch Cornwalls. I believe the Cornwalls just may be the best one of the bunch for most people. BTW, when I watch movies , I have the sub out from the surround sound going to the Marantz running the Cornwalls which turns them into two subs while the Bells are used as the mains. Music is pretty cool that way as well but I am old school and prefer the old stereo config and the Cornwalls make a much deeper base than the Bells, which make the pure sound of the base.....you would have to listen to Pink Floyd's Welcome to the Machine to know what I am saying. The Cornwalls will have the WOOM WOOM WOOM going with the windows and pictures shaking. With the Bells however you will hear ever sound in detail and the base sound of the machine will come out RUM RUM RUM and you can hear it clearly would out the deep low that will shake you to your bones. If you listen to Classical , wow the Bells are tops. BTW , the Bells look good but I believe the LaScalla's sound a tad bit better and more like the K-horns.
Deam System -speaker wise - would be a very large room with the front mains as Klipsch Horns and a center speaker being either a LaScalla or Bell just under the projector screen that rolls up and still leaves a large LCD HDTV above the center speaker. The surround speakers I would use the Heresys up high and tilted a bit down , Heresy in the center back as well. One the floor back left and rear would be My Cornwalls use as subwoofers for movies and to Listen to music when I want that certian sound they and they alone can only produce (they may be the perfect all round speaker).
Match them up with some McIntosh stuff and WOW what A DREAM.
I don't know what the new McIntosh stuff sounds like but the K-horns I heard about 1974 with them big McIntosh tubes sticking up from the black bases took my breath away for real -forget listening to music -you feel music. I get the best for the buck with the Cornwalls and Marantz (all 70.s tech)