Best speakers around $130k?


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mjbishop99

Showing 6 responses by fleschler

For $78,000, the Estelon Diamond X Mark 11 or $130,000 the Forza

$100,000 Von Schweikert Ultra 55s

Possibly Evolution Acoustics MM7s or MM3s with outboard crossover

Currnently, I have Legacy Focus speakers in a $150,000 custom built room.  They sound more like expensive speakers.   Major difference is the higher resolution / ambiance that the expensive speakers have.   I have the bass, tonality and prat at $2,500 and low amp requirements.   I am missing that wonderful ambiance that I've heard from the best speakers as well as wide sweet spot. 

Designing and manufacturing a high end product is first of all risky and generally expensive.   Making a successful and great sounding high end speaker is not for the faint of heart.   Contrariwise, high end cable is as risky but generally not as expensive with huge margins (as are many tweaks).   Can you imagine the Estalon speaker which uses a totally non-proprietary box, probably more expensive than the Bayz or a more conventional box?   Those who design and manufacture their own drivers (Magico) or cross-over components (Wilson) really take audiophilia in a new direction.  I don't bemoan the high sales price of high end speakers around $100,000.   Plus, shipping costs due to high weight and demand for perfect finishes.   What I don't appreciate is funny money high margin, often mass produced products (such as cables and tweaks).  

My friends and I heard the Botticellis at an audio show.   Playing bass clarinet low notes, they were astounding.  The trio played was superb.   Unfortunately, they underpowered them for bigger jazz.  We must go to the showroom to audition them with orchestral, big band, opera and rock to see how they handle complex instrumentation with dynamics.   Otherwise, fabulous sound, better than Maggies.

@mozartfan - My friend's Von Schweikert VR-35 Export is a fantastic speaker with 1st order crossovers at 80 Hz and 6K Hz, essentially a full range driver (pair) with subwoofer and supertweeter.   With a McIntosh C20 and RM-9 pre and amp, it reproduces music lifelife, huge soundstage, open, perfect tonality and with tunefull bass slam.  It's a smaller version of the great Ultra 9 and 11.   Sold for $10K direct in 2011, would cost double today with really high quality drivers and parts.   MKII has even higher quality caps, cabling and additional dampening.  I've never heard horns that sound that complete and wonderful.  

 

Okay, I currently own Legacy Focus (98db 4 ohm/low at 2.8 ohm) and Signature IIIs (94db 4 ohm). They are easy to drive using EAR 890, custom 125 watt Class A/B and Dynaco (highly modified) ST70 tube amps and the 35 watt Yamaha CR620 receiver. I intend to purchase the Von Schweikert VR9SE Mk II which has many drivers, 4 way crossover per transition with 94db 6 ohm with built in sub assistance amp (and 2/3rds less than the new cost). The Ultra series and VR 55 require more power due to reduced efficiency and lower impedance. The VR 35 for export is relatively easy to drive. VR also has Endeavor E-5 MkII with is 91db and 8 ohms. 

The Ultra series are the finest speakers I've ever heard, but in very expensive systems ($1 million).   The only time my wife said that's the sound I want was hearing VS at a show (as do many reviewers in the past four years).  A good taste of that is had by my friend's system I mentioned at under $15,000 system used.

Wrong-my Legacy Focus have been measured at 96.4 db efficiency only 1.6db down from stated 98 db.   My friends VR 35 export is 90 db 8 ohms, minimum of 5 ohms at 25 Hz.  These are accurate and make them easy to drive by most amplifiers.  My 35 watt super Dynaco (voltage regulated, not ultralinear design) drives Focus and Signature IIIs with ease and power despite the reduced impedance to 2.8 and 3.6 ohms, respectively.   93-95 db efficiency not based on design parameters for balanced sound is nonsense.  I've heard fantastic speakers at 87db (Harbeths) and 92 db 4 ohms (VR Ultra 9).  I've heard probably 500 speakers in my life and never considered moderate efficiency or ease of drive (beyond moderate power) to determine sound quality.   So many other parameters.  Although I tend not to like hard to drive speakers (MBL for that and other reasons,  big Wilsons, big B&Ws, Maggies for orchestral/rock music, etc) which require heavy power concerns.