Experienced audiophiles best speaker

Ok,I've had a past history of 40 years in the hobby.Got out to pursue acoustic guitar "again".My first love,actually.....anyway....

I've been in the NY audio scene and have heard a TON of systems.Many reviewers' set-ups,which in all honesty were not really any better than many hobbyist set-ups.Experienced "hobbyists",that is!There are alot of "you guys" -:)

In all candor,from owning many speakers,and hearing a boat load more(and this is "only" my two cents...maybe "three")the finest speakers,to me,where the "simplest designs,that required the least amount of power"!

It's elementary really,as there is just less complexity of parts to get in the way.Whether it be the actual speaker in question(though many big designs sound fine,in a big room,but who really has "that")or the "electronics" needed to drive them(alot of circuitry is not really the best thing,and BOY do I know "that"!!).

My last speaker was one of the finest designs made,even in todays market,"imo"....The "original" Avalon Ascent MK-II.Built like a tanker ship,but very easy to drive,and an outboard crossover that was/is world class.Simple/spectacular design,but it took a long time to "voice" to my room.

In retrospect,it is just good design sense to have the crossover out of harms way.Meaning out of the path of potential vibrations.

In todays' market(which from what I see,is getting "killed" by the economy)there are few realistically affordable designs which do it all,if you want a big/dynamic and accurate design......better off with a simple,accurate speaker.One that requires "less complexity of drive",and you will be rewarded with the ability to get off the merry-go-round.....Not easy!I know!!

As to the Magico Mini,it might be very pricey,but I've set them up,and in all honesty they are "superb" designs(I have NO agenda,as I'm lovin' my 4 guitars,and becoming a musician).This speaker is a classic case of "who cares about how low it goes",if you have a proper room,and componentry....Just listen to your damn music,and forget about industry status.Not easy...but really it "is"!

The only problem with the MINI,imo,is it needs alot of power,so you are right back where you started,as you are now most likely adding complexity in circuitry....Still,from my experience "it works"!An anomoly,and an expensive one at that,but "that's the hobby"...right?

From a personal(only) perspective,the finest simple speaker designs,requiring the least amount of power,nice simple tube amps,preferrably something like the Dehavilland 50A(an amp to die for) would be the way I'd go,but that is just my own pie in the sky.I'm more into getting this "damn" music theory down,so I can know the fretboard.

It never ends -:)

PS....just a few real beauties in good/proven designs...

Verity Parsifal,Kharma 3.2Fe....."Used" pricing will be tremendous in the value dept.

In stand mounts,there is a load of fabulous designs that can be driven easily.Too many to go into,but I know Richard Foster,and he is in heaven with his tube driven Focal Minis.

Good luck

Pubul57....

That last sentence is "spot on",Imo.

This is getting interesting.Some very good points.In my own experience,I found the "bast speaker" was always a moving target.

Often I liked something,only to get tired at a later time.I've had great non audio show demoes of stuff like BIG Infinity 4 tower designs(I've owned two systems of these in the past),The Nola Exotica Grand set up with mega buck German origin amps,Big designs from JM Labs(the the Be series),to Pipe Dreams,to TAD speakers.

In the long haul,though I too like orchestral big bang stuff,the vast majority of the Big Boys simply gave me a head ache,after the initial shock of so much energy.Well set up or not.

Though I "did" have a fantastic demo of three different mfgrs(all present)putting their own sets of electronics on the JM Labs Nova Utopia Be's.This might have been my own personal "best in what I've been most impressed with to date"!

There was Zanden,VAC and VTL....all both analog and digital,and we'd go back and forth between each set of electronics on the speaker....in a huge room.Low,and high power(the Zanden was pretty low-ish tube power,but came in first,to me and a few other lucky listeners.

Fortunately the speaker was an easy load to drive...but...for less than half the asking price,the VAC stuff was 95% as good,Imo.

That's just me,and why I'd opt for a simple,somewhat full range design,in my old age -:)

I kinda' think with technology these days,the time of the BIG speaker is coming to an end.There are some amazing small-ish designs coming down the pipe.

I don't care to measure anything as long as I think it sounds good.

I'll probably change my mind again before I turn around -:)

Good luck with it all

Hey Pedrillo.Great to see ya posting "quality" threads.

Btw,since you last called me on the phone,how did the Milk Diet "pan" out? -:)

I'm still going ga ga on mastering music theory and looking to add a 5th guitar.This is very rewarding for me these days.

Gonna' just sit back and occassionally look at Audiogon for interestinf folks like you.

Good luck