Personal speaker evolution

UPDATED 8/2022

78-81 Sound Research 81-84 Smaller Advent Loudspeaker 85-86 Jamo Compact 50’s & 70’s & Triad Subwoofer 86-88 Mirage 660’s.....(excellent) 88-93 ProAc Studio 1 ** 1993 Celestion C7.....(excellent - gave to brother for stealing his Advents & taking them to college) 1993 Chateau Research 1.5 ** 1993 ADS CM6.....(horrible) 1993 Celestion C3 1993 Infinity Qb 1996 Vandersteen 1B 1997 Klipsch KG3.5 (black).....(worked great w/SE amp) 2002 Tannoy D90 ** 2004 Omega Grande 8 ** 2009 Celestion DL-8 II’s (very nice) 2009 Mission 70 mkII 2009 RogerSoundLab CG-6 2009 Boston Acoustics A-200 2010 Wharfedale CRS-5 2010 Mission 700 LE 2010 Wharfedale Delta 70 2010 Klipsch KG 3.5 (oiled oak) 2010 Pinnacle AC800 (very underrated speaker) 2010 Linn Helix LS250 ** 2013 Omega Grande 8 (re-acquired) 2014 Canton Plus S 2014 Paisley Reseach AE-500 ** 2016 Fostex P-1000 BH 2017 diy Rega Kyte clones 2018 ads L400’s 2018 Rauna Tyr II ** 2019 Focal Chorus 807V ** 2019 Castle Durham 900 2019 Synergistic S-22 2019 Rauna Tyr II 2020 MarkAudio CHR 70.3 in Pensil cabinets 2020 Fostex FE108 E sigma in back loaded horn 2020 RFT B150 ** 2020 ProAc Super Tablettes ** 2020 Snell Type E/III ** 2021 Triad System One (3 piece sub/satellite system) 2021 TDL Electronics RFT-2 ** 2021 Monitor Audio R700MD **   ** Favorites   To the best of my recollection give or take a few months/yrs

I didn't start reading this thread til page 15- 2014. I listed purchase years after the product and having 4 pair at a time isn't uncommon.bought n-new,u-used.
Lloyds dept store quad system 1974n
fischer xp95c 1982n
Realistic 3 way towers 1985n
Kenwood rack system 1986n
Bose 901(I should have stopped there) 1988n
Epicure model 1&3 1989n
ADS L9e 1989n
Kef R105/3 kept 25 years 1989n
Vienna Acoustics Beethoven/ still have 2004n
Kef R107/2 2016u
Revel f52 2017u
Revel Salon 1 2017u
Revel Salon 2 2018u
VA Strauss 2018u
Usher Be20 dmd 2019u
Meridian dsp 8000se/still have 2019u/new se upgrade
Paradigm persona 7f/still have 2020n

Most amazing is STILL MARRIED!!!

BIC Venturi $250
Genesis Model 2 $300
ESS Amt-1b $800
Magnepan MG-1 $650
Magnepan MG-2 $800
Arial Model One (different company than current?) $1500
Magneplaner Tympani IV $3800
Duntech Sovereign $14,000
Revel Ultima GEM with Revel Subs $11.000
Revel Studio with center and surrounds $14,000
Revel f30 $4000 *
Revel F50/C50 $8000 *
Totem Mani-2 $4000 *
Magnepan 3.6r $3300
Goldenear Triton 2+ $3500
GR-Research NX-Otica w/triple stack subs $6500 *

My current NX-Oticas are by far my most satisfying speakers that I've owned, but I have fond memories of the Tympani IVs and Revel Gems which did some things better than any speakers I'd spent any significant time listening to at the time. 

The ones with asterisks, I still own. 

Time to update:

From beginning to present:

78-81 Sound Research
81-84 Smaller Advent Loudspeaker
85-86 Jamo Compact 50's & 70's & Triad Subwoofer
86-88 Mirage 660's.....(excellent)
88-93 ProAc Studio 1 **
1993 Celestion C7.....(excellent - gave to brother for stealing his Advents & taking them to college)
1993 Chateau Research 1.5 **
1993 ADS CM6.....(horrible)
1993 Celestion C3
1993 Infinity Qb 
1996 Vandersteen 1B
1997 Klipsch KG3.5 (black).....(worked great w/SE amp)
2002 Tannoy D90 **
2004 Omega Grande 8 **
2009 Celestion DL-8 II's (very nice)
2009 Mission 70 mkII
2009 RogerSoundLab CG-6
2009 Boston Acoustics A-200
2010 Wharfedale CRS-5
2010 Mission 700 LE
2010 Wharfedale Delta 70
2010 Klipsch KG 3.5 (oiled oak)
2010 Pinnacle AC800 (very underrated speaker)
2010 Linn Helix LS250 **
2013 Omega Grande 8 (re-acquired)
2014 Canton Plus S
2014 Paisley Reseach AE-500 **
2016 Fostex P-1000 BH
2017 diy Rega Kyte clones
2018 ads L400's
2018 Rauna Tyr II **
2019 Focal Chorus 807V **
2019 Castle Durham 900
2019 Synergistic S-22
2019 Rauna Tyr II
2020 MarkAudio CHR 70.3 in Pensil cabinets
2020 Fostex FE108 E sigma in back loaded horn
2020 RFT B150 **
2020 ProAc Super Tablettes **
2020 Snell Type E/III **

** Favorites

To the best of my recollection give or take a few months/yrs 

Vandersteen 2 series original
Definitive Tech bookshelf’s Beolab 1s
Sonus Faber Grand Piano
Sonus Faber Concertino’s 
Sonus Faber Concerto’s
Polk Audio LSi9’s
Kef UniQ bookshelf’s 
Mission 745’s(?)
Music Hall bookshelf’s 
Platinum 801 bookshelf’s 
Axiom Millennium’s bookshelf’s 
JVC SX3000 bookshelf’s 
Polk Audio LSi15’s
Polk Audio LSIFX bipolar surrounds 
Spendor 5Se’s 
Legacy Studio H-D’s
Bohlender Graebener Radia X3 floor standers

the current gear:
Rega Planar (original ‘78 w/ AT150MLX cartridge 
Rotel RCD 1072 CD player 
Pioneer Network CD Receiver RC945S
Anthem AVM 20 preamp
Parasound 2250 250wpc amp
driving the Legacy HDs the LSI15’s, and the LSIFX’s
and they crank!!!

Atlas PA speakers (awful)
Creative Lab Standard
LARGE ADVENT
M&K Sat1A Volkswoofer A
MAGNEPAN 1-c
Magnepan 2.6R
PROAC RESPONSE 3.8
Sonus faber Cremona Auditor M
VERITY AUDIO PARSIFAL ENCORE

From beginning to present:

78-81 Sound Research
81-84 Smaller Advent Loudspeaker
85-86 Jamo Compact 50's & 70's & Triad Subwoofer
86-88 Mirage 660's.....(excellent)
88-93 ProAc Studio 1 **
1993 Celestion C7.....(excellent - gave to brother for stealing his Advents & taking them to college)
1993 Chateau Research 1.5 **
1993 ADS CM6.....(horrible)
1993 Celestion C3
1993 Infinity Qb
1996 Vandersteen 1B
1997 Klipsch KG3.5 (black).....(worked great w/SE amp)
2002 Tannoy D90 **
2004 Omega Grande 8 **
2009 Celestion DL-8 II's (very nice)
2009 Mission 70 mkII
2009 RogerSoundLab CG-6
2009 Boston Acoustics A-200
2010 Wharfedale CRS-5
2010 Mission 700 LE
2010 Wharfedale Delta 70
2010 Klipsch KG 3.5 (oiled oak)
2010 Pinnacle AC800 (very underrated speaker)
2010 Linn Helix LS250 **
2013 Omega Grande 8 (re-acquired)
2014 Canton Plus S
2014 Paisley Reseach AE-500 **
2016 Fostex P-1000 BH
2017 diy Rega Kyte clones
2018 ads L400's
2018 Rauna Tyr II **
2019 Focal Chorus 807V **

** Favorites

To the best of my recollection give or take a few months/yrs

Forgot

Jbl L19
L26 x2
L36
L46
L50
L100

Epi 120c
Epi 100v x2
Epi 150
Paradigm 9se
Paradigm 90p
Boston a400
Boston A150
Infinity Kappa 8
IMF tls50
AR 9
AR 4x  x2
AR 38
AR 7
Celestion Ditton 33
44 x2
25 x2
66 x3
Yamaha NS 690
Linn Isobarik Brik active
Linn Isobarik Brik Passive
Sansui SP1000 
Meridian M2
Revox Agora B
Audionote AN-K spe
Snell type E
Tannoy Gold 12"

Keepers for me are
Meridian M2 active (rare) 
Revox Agora B active (rare) 
Snell type E
Tannoy's

95 % we're recapped and or refinished. 

Clock radio
Jvc cassette 
Crap Fisher speakers
Yamaha ns10m
Acoustat 2mh
Ads l1230
Silverline sonata
Phil Jones ref1 
Linkwitz Orion
Linkwitz lx521 current
Ascend Sierra 2 current

Janszen 412 electrostatic 
Philips MFB 532
ADS L810
JBL L100
JBL L46
Infinity RSb
Marantz 940
Vandersteen 2ce 
ADS L620
ADS L880
ADS M12
ADS L980 
ADS L520
ADS L400
ADS L300 (2 Pair)
aDs 400
JBL s38be (free)

From beginning to present:

78-81 Sound Research
81-84 Smaller Advent Loudspeaker
85-86 Jamo Compact 50's & 70's & Triad Subwoofer
86-88 Mirage 660's.....(excellent)
88-93 ProAc Studio 1.....(top 5 I've owned)
1993 Celestion C7.....(excellent - gave to brother for stealing his Advents & taking them to college)
1993 Chateau Research 1.5.....(top 5 I've owned)
1993 ADS CM6.....(horrible)
1993 Celestion C3
1993 Infinity Qb
1996 Vandersteen 1B
1997 Klipsch KG3.5 (black).....(worked great w/SE amp)
2002 Tannoy D90.....(top 5 I've owned)
2004 Omega Grande 8.....(top 5 I've owned)
2009 Celestion DL-8 II's (very nice)
2009 Mission 70 mkII
2009 RogerSoundLab CG-6
2009 Boston Acoustics A-200
2010 Wharfedale CRS-5
2010 Mission 700 LE
2010 Wharfedale Delta 70
2010 Klipsch KG 3.5 (oiled oak)
2010 Pinnacle AC800 (very underrated speaker)
2010 Linn Helix LS250.....(top 5 I've owned)
2013 Omega Grande 8 (re-acquired)
2014 Canton Plus S
2014 Paisley Reseach AE-500 (top 5 owned)
2016 Fostex P-1000 BH
2017 diy Rega Kyte clones
2018 ads L400's

To the best of my recollection give or take a few months/yrs

resurrected thread.  

Ok, have had the Quatro's hooked up and running for months.  What a GRAET speaker. I'm shocked at how good they are for the price.  14k is not that much for higher end speaker and these beat all the 30k plus speakers I've auditioned.  They are the sweets spot in Richrd's line.  No doubt about that.  It's a must audition for anyone in this range or higher.  The built in amp frees my amp and it shows in the sound.  So easy to set up.  Sorry, I'm amazed that I could afford this type of system.  I'm really blessed.  Fun thread for sure.

I can see that i tend to hold on to speakers very long, as i had not had many different ones.

Bose 201
Avance Dana  ( Original )
Focus Audio FS.788

-System in a box (Sharp) when I was 15 years old
-A few thrift shop speakers (idk what brand names)
-Bowers and Wilkins DM630i
-Bowers and Wilkins Matrix 804
-SVS Ultra Bookshelf Speakers
-Legacy Audio Studio HD Bookshelf
-Magnepan MMG

Marantz Silver 7'S, $400? new. It's been so many decades since purchase...:)
Dan D'Agostino Point Three satellite/sub system, $400 new
Thiel CS2, $1500, new

By far the Thiels best the others. Still listen to the Thiel's today. Recently rotated the D'Agostino Point 3's out of the line up but won't give them up due to nostalgia. 

Waiting on my Vandersteen Quatro's to be built and delivered.  Very excited about this upgrade. I never thought I'd be in the position......ever.  Cant' wait.  Audi Havanna Black paint and not the wood finish too!  

- Infinity Reference 3 large bookshelf speakers, bought 1988 $?
- Infinity Reference 60, oak, 1991, $2kAUD
- Infinity Renaissance 90, black oak, 2009, $1400USD
- Marten Coltrane Alto's, 2009, $14.5kUSD
- Magico S5, M-coat titanium, 2013, $lots
- Magico S5 Mk2, M-coat titanium, 2016, $lots

rackon-

May I suggest looking into Thiel loudspeakers? If you enjoy Vandersteen speakers, get yourself a Thiel demo.  Specifically, the CS 2.4 model for openers.  Happy Listening!

Act 1:
JBL L88 (present on my 16th birthday, never loved them, desperately wanted AR2ax)
JBL L100s (much better, enjoyable, not my dream speakers, traded to cousin for auto repair)
KLH 17 (me and 10  million others took these to college)
AR 2ax (FINALLY.  1972 was a very good year)

... much later...

Act 2:
Maggie 1.2 (lovely, a little colored...but - look ma! - no boxes!!)
Spica TC50 (for the den, interesting experiment)
Alon V MkII (back to cones & domes, albeit dipoles, paired with Herron pre and amps. Happiness at last!)
Nola Mini's (office/HT - GREAT, fun speakers)
Life is good.

...and then...(cue funeral march)...Recession/crash of 2008-2009.
Downsize. Move. Sell off big rig. Nola Minis stolen during house break-in. (SOB!). Reduced to Dad's office lifestyle system. Adieu, high end audio. Darkness ensues.

Act3:
Near field listening with significant other's Genelec 1030a's. Very accurate speaks but do not work well for normal listening applications. (Duh.)

Spousal unit (Opera Beau) and self now speaker shopping for living room system. Searching for musical, affordable and smallish speakers plus nice integrated amp for happy listening with money left over for live concerts and travel. He wants standmounts. I like floorstanders. Visited local dealer. Bad news:  B&W Diamond series not in our price range. Auditioned a highly lauded, "giant killer" monitor du jour which sounded like crap with massed strings. Also, terrified Opera Beau by expressing enthusiasm for vintage Apogees. (Just foolin' honey!)  Good news: several promising options within our price range. 

To be continued...

Listening use: 70% classical, mostly opera and large scale orchestral, along with vocal, instrumental and chamber; 15% movies and opera DVDs; 8% jazz; 7% rock. 

Technics - Polk - Paradigm - Tyler Acoustics - JM Reynaud - Daedalus (waiting on them to be shipped)

pagawan, I bet if you get to hear the Vandy vs those others you will fall in love. With Theil being owned by a new company, they seem to have changed sound. Personally, I felt Theils have always been a bit hot, but I can see what some folks like aspects of them. The Maggies are also a bit bright for me (my Vandy dealer sells both). I have heard some of the Maggies run with great gear and the sound was pretty good, but personally I've never been able to connect with them. Great big sound though. I just like balanced best I guess, but others hear and want other things. Great luck.

My first system was a hand-me-down Sears Console, which was huge, not sure what the speakers were, but that console got me evicted from a few apartments.
I moved to HK components...
DCM TF-700
NAD components...
Polk RTiA7
Yamaha Receivers...
Advent Large Walnut first series
NAD Sliverline...
DCM TF-1000
JBL 4311 wx-a
JBL 4344
all done :)

Ok, I'll play too.

In my primary system, I started with Energy 2.1e bookshelves. Then I purchased my pair of Aerial Acoustic Model 7 which I still use today.

In secondary systems, I've had PSB T45, M&K S100B, M&K S85, Boston Acoustics A40, Polk Monitor 7b, PSB Imagine B, Boston Acoustics A400, and Maggie SMGa.

On my wish list would be something Vandy, Thiel and moving up in the Maggie line.

Here is my list... :-)
- AVID 110 (do you remember ? late 80's)
- ESB 7/09
- B&W 802 series 1
- Yamaha NS 2000
- B&W 802 series 3 matrix
- Proac EBS *the most time hold, 8 years*
- MBL 303S
- MBL 300D
- MBL 300E
- Spendor SP100R
- Sonus Faber Elipsa RED *actual*
...next ?

cheers, Max

Nice. I"m doing the Treo's for now (working on getting the Quatro) with a Basis TT set up into an Aesthetix Rhea and then a rebuilt Mac Mini server with a special power supply built by Empirical Audio into an Empirical Audio OSDE/SE Overdrive DAC into an Ayre AX5 Twenty all AQ cabling though out.

Very emotional speakers Richard makes. I just got sick of 'Hi fi' and wanted that emotional connection. I just wasn't getting that from any of the other speakers mentioned in this thread. That's just me though and I know I"m in the minority.

Alan at Hi-Fi buys in ATL...but I have had a lot of zip codes ..5 a from Randy at Optimal, 3 a sig from Curtis at Advanced...but I pretty much have heard all the 7 at dealers in USA..I think....?
Naim Uniti into Aesthetix Pandora Sig into arc ref5 see into Ayre VX-R

Tom, congrats on those 7's.....What do you run with them? Which dealer do you use?

Cool thread..

Infiniti QB
JBL L-110
Maggie M something..
KEF 104ab
Quad ESL
KEF 101
Vandersteen 3a SIG then 5a with 7 MK 2 on order....

Leak 3020 (1978)
ESS Heil AMT-1 (used, 1985)
Martin Logan Quest (used , 1993)
Thiel CS 3.6 (used, 2005)
Martin Logan Ascent II (used, 2010)
Thiel CS 7 (used, 2013)

We all really hear differently. I have friends who swear by Magico, however I have never 'got' them. I have heard them on so many occasions now, but they aren't doing anything differently than many speakers in their price range. I have found the Vandy line for me to just be musical and now by using the Ayre AX5/20, they are on a different level than I've heard them in the past (Treo's). I do want the Quatro badly though. I have liked some of the upper end Rockports, Tidal (the smaller ones), but then I go back to Vandy 7's as my dream speaker.

What are you driving the Magico's with?

Through the ages:
Started with Kefs
then Gales 401a - beautiful speaker but not great sound
Lectors I think
Then SD acoustics SD1- transparency defined but the ribbon tweeters kept blowing
VR4jrs more integrated than the SD1 and great value for money but I am now searching for the next level and considering Revel Salon, ML Summit, Wilson Sophia, VR5 SE anniversary, Legacy whisper.

Any suggestions for a large room with very high ceilings would be really appreciated.I am out in the sticks and do not have dealers near me for demos.

Sorry, forgot the manufacturer on that last one:

Audio Note (UK) - AN-E/SPe HE

JBL 100
Sound Lab A-1
MBL 101E
AN-E/SPe HE

KEF LS50 and R700. I'm now using the RP-280F.

KEF got sweeter mids and better sound stage, but my 30watt amp's not powerful enough for it... Klipsch is just so much more dynamic and interestingly, more clarity at the top end.

Coli,
I am curious to know the models of the KEFs that you moved away and to which Klipsch model. Also if you can explain why, that would be helpful.

Thanks!

Pioneer -> Klipsch -> KEF -> KEF -> Klipsch

I'm a Chario devote. I've owned Chario Hiper 1000, Chario Hiper 1000T, Chario Premium 2000T, Chario Constellation Cygnus, Chario Constellation Pegasus, Chario Constellation Ursa Major and now looking for the Chario Academy Sovran. Combined musicality and elegance for great listening pleasure.

Have spent a fair amount of time lately to the Wilson line from Alexia on down. They are very fast and neutral. They will let you hear the differences in your components. The Sophia 3 maybe more musical than the Sasha. I also liked the Rockports I've heard. I have heard a few of their line, but was impressed with their lowest cost one (forget the name). I like the Legacy Aeris too but it's very big and ugly to me. I like many of the Avalons too, but their ceramic driver speakers aren't my real cup of tea to live with long term.Exciting, but to me, not as musical or real as the Vandersteen line (Treo CT on up to the 7's).
I need a speaker that doesn't smear and is fast. First order xover and time and phase coherent speakers have been one of the only types that I like over the long haul and then they have to be implemented properly and also offer a WAF package to boot. I put my money where my mouth is by switching over the Vandy's and I'm hoping like heck that I will be able to afford an upgrade to the Quatro's a you can put them where you want (close to the wall) and still get a big soundstage, but you can dial in your bass (the dealer sets them up for you) so that they fit most any room, even small ones. They go really low in the bass for organ music lovers, but are naturally extended in the highs, just like real live music is. I needed something that can play great on every type as I listen to virtually everything.
I rarely even think about the components or speakers anymore as I love my music. It's the first time in my life that I've been able to do this.
Most audiophiles I'm friends have switched with me once they gave the upper line Vandy's a try. Again, I could easily live with some other lines of speakers, but I still keep coming back to the Vandy's just like many of you come back to Verity (I've heard only one pair of these and loved them too) or Wilson or Rockports. We all have our biases and hear for different things. Go listen and let us know your thoughts.

I do hope you get some higher end components home to see what your speakers can really do for you.

LS35a
Chartwell LS35a
Unity Fountainheads
Magnepan 3.5 R
Tidal Contriva Dicera
Acapella Violin Cello Mk2
Acapella Violin Cello Mk 4
Franco Serbelin Ketemas

Paradigm Studio 100 V2
Klipsch RF7
Paradigm S4 V1-
Dynaudio Focus 140
Usher BE 718
Paradigm S2 V3-
KEF 201/2
Golden Ear Triton 1- Done at least for a while

I agree with the underwear approach but keep a lot of what I like. I guess I should dump some of my gear post divorce. I am using bookshelf Hyperion 585s which are only a stop gap, due to living in am an apt. I listen to my Sennheiser HD 700s more frequently. Will sell the Beyers and ATHs soon. Soon to me is timed by glacial movement.

Its funny,
Speakers: I have changed often
Electronics: I have changed often
Tuners: I have changed often
Turntables: I keep for a very long time
Cassette Decks: I keep for a very long time
Interconnects: I keep for a pretty long time
Underwear: I change every day

Heard the 33k Wilsons. Sasha I think it is. I was shocked as it's not the Wilson sound I'm used to. It was highly musical and not fatiguing in any way.

For my new home that is under construction and off grid I lucked out and bought a pair of JBL Hartsfield.

Your right, they are different. Its truly an unfair comparison given the price difference as I think Alexia is better in every way. One big difference was I changed from a medium size listening room to a vary large room. The Verity could not play loud or have any presence in the larger venue. The 3D imaging on the Wilson is also amazing.

compare the Verity's to the Wilsons? I got the impression that they were totally different types of sound. Interesting movement.

AR 2a
AR 3a
Dynaco
Polk Audio SDA2
B&W 802
Verity Parsifal
Wilson Alexia

A span of 48 years.... I’m done.

Remember many of the RS speakers....never understood the hype with many of them, but there was one that I was amazed by for the cost. Cant' remember which one it was, but we put them on over 10k worth of electronics and that was back then.

mm, the answer to that question covers several years :>)

Main System:
Longines Symphony Transistor Radio w/ single earphone
Mom's Sylvania Fold Up Turntable/AM/FM System w/ crappy speakers.
Radio Shack 3-Way speaker with DIY acoustic reflex enclosure
AR 2ax speakers - these lasted through college w/ several blown tweeters replaced
Vandersteen 1B
Vandersteen 2Ci
Vandersteen 2CE Signature

PC System:
Crappy PC Speakers
Less Crappy PC Speakers
Mackie HR824 Mk I powered monitors
Polk Monitor 10 Series 2