Journey ending speakers

Zu Audio Definition Mk. IV 

I'm another older guy approaching 60 and now have the speakers I'll very likely finish out with:  Dynaudio Confidence C1 Mk II's.

I went from pretty good floor standers (PSB Imagine T's) to the superb Dynaudio stand-mounted monitors late last year after spending several years being amazed by the extremely high resolution + extremely low distortion of my HiFiMan HE-500 planar-magnetic headphone rig.  I decided to try to find loudspeakers that could give me close to that level of accuracy and clarity (with the true-to-life soundstaging only speakers can provide) and I think I've gotten as close to that as I'm going to get with the Dyn's.  

JBL CS 3115 I picked up for $150. Almost got some L300 but for the price I think I'll stick with these for a long while.

I plan to treat myself at retirement to these speakers or something similar.
Magnepan 3.7i with (added) fast subs or the Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT. I really have not decided on amp/preamp yet.

Acoustat 2+2 electrostatics, built in 1984. I first heard them in a boutique hifi store 30 years ago when I was in my early 20s, and dreamed of owning them for a long time. Purchased a pair six years ago, updated the caps, and I haven't found anything better for my listening room/ears. I've been through half a dozen different amps to drive them, and will probably continue to look for the best match. I've heard plenty of very good speakers since, but nothing that presents music for me like the 2+2s.

I don’t change gear or speakers often. Too much effort and expense. The third pair of speakers I have purchased over a 39-year time span will likely be my last - Ohm Walsh 2000s, each with their own Vandersteen 2Wq subwoofer (with M-HP5 crossovers). I do get to hear a lot of speakers through my local audio club and shows in my area, and so far, nothing in the price range I could afford (under $4000/pr) has appealed to me enough to make me want to switch. Add to that looming unemployment, and I think I am all set. I occasionally get to enjoy long, pleasurable listening sessions free of fatigue. So, barring a lottery win or an inheritance from a rich uncle I didn’t know I had, I am set. Plus, Ohm claims a 50-year life-span for the current line, and I have had mine since 2009. So, the speakers will likely last longer than me.

I hear you. I'm retiring next year. I actually have two sets I'll have when I die the JBL 4345s and a great set of Bozak Concert Grands on my second system.

A lot has to do with available $$. ,how old ,and how soon to retire.
When younger the sky is the limit. I will be 60 next year there for I am getting closer to last speaker based on the above .something to consider by many
Baby boomers.

I don't consider myself to be on the "up-grade" merry-go-round but as far as speakers are concerned I don't think the journey ending variety ever existed....JMHO.

Excellent replies as above. Thiel CS 2.4SE  loudspeakers for me.
Happy Listening!

I have had 6 speakers in the lsst 5 years. Recently I bought Martin Logan  latest 11-A Loudspeaker With a active 24bit  crossover, dual powered woofers per cabinet premium parts And upgraded throughout . I have done mods for years 
The only thing I could find was just upgrade 3 capacitors to premium Mundorf,
And clarity caps, stock  sounded very good ,after mods better still. 91 db efficient for a Electrostat panel is very respectable.
My seating means 4 ft distance needed for others L to R and the so called sweet spot As with Any speaker is in the Middle. Having 1/3rd of the panel curved gives a much wider window then a flat panel. The speed of the panel is 2nd to none .
$10k retail is not cheap but I got them for under $8k in cherry cabinet. and with Bass drivers firing front and rear per speaker 550watts per side 2 ICE amps per cabinet with Bass room correction taking the room out of the equation with midbass,as well as low bass adjustments in room Bass to around 26hz in my room is very respectable, and SPL levels  over 110db possible which is severe ear damage level which I will never play at  .
The realism and involvement is far better then Anything they have made previously .Designed still in the U.S,and hand built in Canada. I had up to $16k to  spend 
And I could not be happier with my decision. One thing they won't do though is sugar coat a poor recording.  You will hear even more so any distortion artifacts ,that being said a average or great recording  puts you pretty close to the event.

ATC SCM50 active.  Absolutely incredible.  Finally listening to music the way it was intended to be heard.

I've had the big Quad ESL's for 10 years now, and don't ever plan to change. Augment, maybe ...

Von Schweikert VR55 Aktives - would be happy to keep them rest of my life. Best I have heard so far and I have heard many in homes and at shows.

ProAc Studio 148s with SEV9 Soundocity Outriggers.  Love the sound and the bang for the buck (about $3200 total).  Don't see myself spending more or getting different ones.

Discovered ATC 23 years ago. Only upgraded to the bigger models over the years...absolutely no reason to change even though I keep hoping someone will make better speaker...

Does anyone build custom speakers that sound great? I know Michael Green Audio can do it, semi-custom at least.

My one-off Tannoy HPD (12" Dual Concentric drivers, ca 1975, custom built crossovers and enclosures), are my forever speakers. They cost in the $5K range to build, with very high quality parts, but I firmly believe I couldn't afford this quality of sound if I were to buy new. I do love them, and will die with them, and hand them down to my children.

Dan

What I like about the older large foot print speakers are they push a lot of air and the sound hits you in the chest. By the way the rest of my equipment is modern.

I just got the speakers I've wanted for a few years now, the Vandersteen Quatro's.  Will they be my forever speakers?  Possibly, but there have been so many great advances in materials over the years as well as manufacturing, that the newer stuff is so much better than the older gear.  Not saying your 30 year old speakers aren't great for you.  Your ears are the only thing that matter in the equation.  I'm just saying that I hear what properly implemented carbon fiber has done for drivers.  Newer resistors and caps.  Better internal wiring.  Being able to measure internal resonance in cabinets and choosing the right thickness and or materials used in the cabinet all change the sound and usually for the best.

Those are MY reasons why I ended up with the Vandersteen Quatro's, but I can't say that I'll have them for life.  I can say that I usually own a pair of speakers for a minimum of 10 years on average.  I only got the Treo's because I could afford them, but I knew I'd sell in a couple of years to upgrade to either Quatro's or something else if I liked them better.  After listening to over 50 speakers, I chose the Quatro's and had them painted in Audi Havana Black.  LOVE THEM and that's all that matters.