Experienced audiophiles best speaker

I would also like to add, Harbeths are not very revealing, they are just a bit bright which makes them sound illuminated in comparison to the likes of Spendor and Dyns. The reason I say this is because the company themselves suggest that their speaker can sound good on even an entry level amp, basically they are amp independent. I myself heard them with two different amps one costing about $1000 (Rega Brio) and the other costing about $6000 (Senders Pre-Power), frankly there was very little different difference in sound, except that the bass was a little tighter and faster with the Senders. Common sense tells me that the speaker did not reveal enough for me to judge anything about the two amps.

That rings true. Yet there does seem to a large contigent of Harbeth lovers and perhaps it is for that very reason - people enjoy them with their "flaws" and perhaps because of them; making them ideal speakers for some, not for others. I certainly liked them (M40s) when I heard them at RMAF with MAC gear.

Different strokes I guess. I’ve had Harbeth SHL5’s for the past five years and think they’re wonderfully musical. Plenty of musical detail and no dryness or thickening whatsoever. I have tried Spendor SP2/3 and SP1/2 plus various JM Reynaud’s in my system and although they were all very good performers musically I still preferred the Harbeth’s. I actually found that the Harbeth’s were the most revealing of the bunch and that extra resolution seemed to draw me into the performance to a greater degree than the others.

Well, it may just be that we have to conclude that Spendor and Harbeths are well worth auditioning and then draw your own conclusions, but I get the sense that it is true that the Harbeths do sound good with many amps, and that does speak to the logic of the resolution argument made by Pani, one ought to hear real differences with highly resolving speakers (but that may not be that important to the enjoyment you get from your speakers). I know there are alot of "militant" Harbeth owners out there, and that must be for some good reason.

I feel like I hi-jacked this post. I appologize for that.

To me the best speaker is one that works with the room. Not to much bass, much better that the room can handle it. Most rooms vibrate just like autos when the subs in the trunk start rattling.

Most of all I like speakers that get out of the way. I want to see into the source. I mean speakers should just let the "good stuff come through".

If you are lucky enough to own really good electronics you will realize you don't need 50K speakers. What would they do? Fill an auditorium?

Just simple speakers, two way, two and 1/2 way. I want a minimal crossover not one that robs me of the music. I have seen crossovers that have more components then my preamplifier. Sick.

Well the amplifiers are warming up. My Pinot Noir has had enough time to breath, ( 6 minutes at the most ) so have to be going. My X wife is out of town so the night is mine.

Disclaimer: I am a dealer for Sonist Speakers and Wilson Benesch Speakers and deHavilland Electric Amplifier Company and last but not least Kubala-Sosna cables and interconnects.

Hold you applause I was force to do that.

Jim