Best all around speakers

I prefer the strategy of matching amp to speakers rather than going least common denominator, but if you must have speakers that will match to the widest variety of amps, I'd say horns (high efficiency) or something efficient and with > 8 ohm impedance (not very common) for improved damping factor with most amps. I think Harbeths mentioned may fall into this category, but not sure. Rogers I'm pretty sure does.

If you match the amp properly using something that is high current and doubles output from 8 to 4 ohms, like many Class D amps or some Musical Fidelity's I'm familiar with for example, I'd say Ohm Walsh series 3 is the best moderate cost floor standing full range I've heard. Depending on room size they range from $1000-$6000.

If the sky is the limit regarding budget, then you have many fine choices if you match components carefully depending on taste and preference. Good monitors with limited low end will cost less, good full range floor standers will cost a lot more.

"Some audiophiles have several systems that are suited to various genres."

Shadorne, this is certainly a viable approach and perhaps even the best option to produce multiple optimized listening experiences as needed or desired, but don't you think the very top echelon large full range speakers with proper amplification and quality electronics can play all types extremely well, especially if they can handle large scale orchestral works with minimal compromise?

I understand the limitations of the Quads in particular, but there are other large speaker designs out there that cost a lot more that should be able to handle everything extremely well including the things the Quads excel at, don't you think?

I'm really not sure either there is one speaker that can sound "best" on everything all the time in any room and at different volumes, etc.

That's probably one of the reasons why I keep multiple pairs around instead of dropping all the dollars into a single pair.

Usually, if I think I might be missing something on one pair, I can pick it up on another.

I do still think I would like to add a pair of good horns someday, just to help make sure I've got all the bases covered.

Also lets not forget that no two pairs of ears hear exactly the same either.

"That's because source material is recorded and mastered using all kinds of different-sounding equipment, such that there are all kinds of variabilities in the sound of source material-"

Very true.

But you cant have a different system for every case here when something is recorded differently.

At some point you just have to accept the inherent flaws and imperfections in the entire performance/recording/playback process and enjoy the art that the makers provide as it is.

Its like going to an art museum. You accept and appreciate an abstract painting by Monet for the art form it is. You don't look to run image sharpening algorithms or buy a different pair of glasses in an attempt to make it clearer what the heck it was he was painting.

So isn't the fact of the matter then that there are many speakers out there that handle a wide variety of music types well, if not perfectly in all cases?

The answer to these threads about "best this, that or the other thing" always seems to come back to "it depends on personal preference" and of course the rest of the target system, and budget.

Some good recommendations for some very good speaks here though!

Its almost like investing.....maybe never put all your eggs in one basket.....

Also, I believe sharing listening time with multiple speaker designs in my house helps keep my ears unbiased.

Sometimes when you hear the same thing only day after day, it can get stale sounding, no matter how good it really is.

A little variety in anything usually helps keep things interesting, doesn't it?

That's probably why so many of use change components so often always looking for something better or at least something a little different that we think sounds better.

Timrhu,

THe room is one of the BIGGEST factors for sure.

Macdadtexas,

Funny you say that becasue I recall the first really good systems I ever heard that caught my ear was at a dealer circa 1978. The first thing that caught my ear was a pair of Magnepan (Timpani's, I think). The second were Klipschorns.

And so here I am 30 years later...Maggies and Klipschorns still intrigue me. I've owned Maggies + believe I may one day own one of the cornerstones of good sound for, what 50 years or so, the Klipschorn.

The fact that these speakers (Klipschorn) were created for state of the art reproduction of the music of that era alone, which produced some fantastic and distinctive recordings, is justification for entry in my mind. If I do, one of the pair I own (probably the Dynaudios)may go or may stay if I can figure out something useful to do with them because I really like them too and hate to part with good components.