Speaker that are 'KEEPERS" for the long haul!!!

The Revival Audio Atalante 3 monitors. I have no desire to upgrade to anything else save for their bigger brother, the Atalante 5, if I ever get a bigger place to put them in. 

Since getting them (and my Technics gear), I've kinda lost all interest in chasing the audio dragon. Now I just sit back enjoying my drink watching all the others going round 'n round, trying to grab that brass ring.

All the best,
Nonoise

Since all speakers at all price points have pros and cons (easily realized when one has an eclectic taste in music), it helps to own a few different types of speakers.

That being said, Salon 2 is kickass.

Paradoxically , i owned my Tannoy dual gold concentric mallorcan , paid 300 bucks in 1976, for 45 five years... I even owned two pairs... In case...

They were more than good...

But Alas ! I sold them 1000 bucks each pair ( they now sell a few years later 3,500 bucks ) BEFORE I LEARNED SMALL ROOM ACOUSTIC... Then i never listened to them really at their real peak potential at all ...

😊

Now i am in headphone by fate ,  which are so good  when well optimized , i console myself...

Lesson one :

Nevermind the speakers you own, it does not matter so much as you think ...Even if they are good for the "long haul"...

Lesson two:

You dont know them if you have not put them in an acoustical environment for them..

Lesson three :

Most headphones for me are bad compared to speakers , even to speakers in a living room in many case... Then stick to your speakers and think about your room ...

Alas! i dont advise to buy an AKG K340 , because it takes me 6 months of experiments  before being satisfied... A complex technology to handle well...

Audio is acoustic knowledge not brand gear knowledge...

I tend to own sets of speakers for a very long time, and those speakers tend to be small box monitors that are either manufactured in Britain or are influenced by British/BBC tastes. I seldom just go out and replace a pair of speakers. Most of the time I buy a new set of speakers simply because one of my speakers goes belly-up. Yeah, having a subwoofer is pretty important, but from mid-bass on up the Brit style monitors project convincing dynamics, staging and tone, at least for Classical & acoustic jazz. Obviously, I'm not a sound pressure junkie, either.  Right now? A pair of NOLA Boxers. Enjoying the heck out of 'em, too.

I’ve had at least one pair of Ohm Walsh since ~ 1981. 
 

Many other have come and gone.  
 

The Revels have received a lot of good buzz over the years.  Not surprised they are keepers. 

Aerial Acoustics 7T's.  These speakers are stunningly good across the frequency range.

Hello @kennymacc ,  I also own and love the Salon 2's.  About 7 years ago, I set out to move my venerable B/W N802's downstairs and wanted new speakers for our family room.  Sound of course for me, but my lady was tired of the B/W look.

We spent a long day, demoing speakers including Sonus Faber Amati Traditions, Focal Kanta 3's, Magico S2's, Kef Reference, Proac D48's and K model (nice) and finally a pair of used STUDIO 2's.  I bought the Studio 2's.  I loved them, but they did not quite fill up my large open floor plan of family room / kitchen.

Then, amazingly, a fellow posted an add asking to trade his Salon 2's for Studio 2's and some cash.  Done.

The Salon 2's are awesome.  They do nothing wrong, never offend, love quality electronics and wires, and continue to please and amaze me.  I now have a pair of YG Hailey 2's downstairs.  They are more resolving and technically much superior.  Yet I love listening to the Salon 2's.  Like the girl next door vs the prom queen!

And they look nice in the family room to boot!  Mine are the Mahogany finish.

My keepers are Vandersteen Quatros have them in my new place and sound great here too 

I think they are keepers for a lot of Vandersteen owner with any model because you can only find a few for sale 

My Forte IV don't disappoint...   I do not see myself parting with these.   Maybe upgrade , but trade toward larger speaker.  Would probably just keep

Sonus Faber Concerto.    I have a pair on long term loan.   Definitely keepers....  Hopefully I do end up keeping them.   

I will for sure keep my ATC SCM150 and the SCM20.

I will be keeping my Yamaha NS5000 for a very long time. I have wanted to buy it for about 7 years and it was well worth the wait.

Active speakers are generally keepers, the idea you can't repair an amp in an active speaker is ridiculous.

I have owned a pair of Acoustat 1+1 speakers for over 30 years (bought them used for $350 from someone that did not believe in using subwoofers).  Essentially I have upgraded every component of my system over that time.  Currently going through my digital upgrade phase.

Late last year I sought out upgrades to the Acoustats which were supported by a single Vandersteen 2W subwoofer.  I listened to many in a variety of environments, but I never found any I wanted to test in my home.  I decided the weak point was the Vandersteen.  I looked at many including Vandersteen's newest.  The Vandersteen approach of reducing the bass signal to the main speakers is ideal for the Acoustats.  When they don't have to produce bass the mid-range and highs just seem to improve.  

I decided I needed an excellent active crossover.  Looked at the McIntosh (very poor), the JL (outstanding), and the SPL (also outstanding).  Ended up with the SPL and a pair of Rythmik F12SE subwoofers.  It may not be the most expensive set of stereo speakers, but I feel they are the best for me.  

I have a separate HT system with five B&W speakers, a pair of 3D Acoustics (Rogers clones), and a nice sub.  Very nice for theatre and TV.  But I listen to the Acoustats 3-4 hours every day.

I’ve had at least one pair of Ohm Walsh since ~ 1981. - mapman

Quality drivers stand the test of time.

Have had a pair of Ohm Walsh 4’s for a year now - am the second owner - wonderful speakers.

And a pair of Infinity Kappa 6 are my number one set, though I’d like to have the Kappa 8’s or Kappa 9’s.

I was looking at the Revels - and then my Talon Peregrine X's came along, and well......

I have Crystal Cable, Arabesque, Glass Masters. That i got for less than 10% of the retail price. That i have no thoughts of changing. I had to re-build the rest of system after getting them. Plus they are to heavy to box and move again. Lol.

I have been a Magnapan speaker user since 1983. I have two systems now - one based on the Maggie 1.7i (driven by a Krell K 300i) with the Maggie DWM Bass Panel (driven by Son of Ampzilla). Once you give them good clean Class A power nothing compares at even 3x or4x the speaker price. My second system is my old Maggie 1.6qr - modified by Peter Gunn (driven by Krell S 550i) with The Swarm (driven by Dayton Audio amp - from Duke). This customized set up is amazing for it’s vocal clarity, imaging and midrange detail. Bass is well integrated and SOLID. I have listened to multiple cone based speakers with amps at 3 to 4X the price and they do not compare. 

Tannoy Churchill’s 

I have owned Harbeth 40.2 on my primary audio rig for around 4 years and have no desire to change.

On a secondary system I have homemade speakers that contain Seas dual concentric drivers and really enjoy the accuracy of that sound.

I agree with you Tomstruck.  The Vandersteen Quatro CT.  I spent years owning and auditioning speakers and always found myself wanting for something different.  That all stopped with the Quatros.

For me it's the Sonus Faber Serafinos with a pair of REL S/812 subs. I have had many speakers through the years. These are far and away the best I've had.

I'll never get rid of the Radialstrahler MBL 101 X-Treme MKII.

...

...

...because you can't get rid of what you don't own. ;-)

That said, I'm glad to read of people's "keepers" on this thread. Gives me things to try to audition.

I suspect I'll want to have two pairs as both keepers, but I don't know what pair they will be. 

I’ll be passing down my Rockport Avior ii speakers to my kids when my time with them is over. 

My Linn AV 5140s are on their second system (tri-amped now), and I have no intention of changing them.  I got them in the late 1990s as replacements for the Realistic Mach Ones I purchased in high school in the late 1970s.  They were installed into the new streaming system 2 or 3 years ago, and I could not be happier.

My secondary system (in my woodshop/garage) has Klipsch RP-600M bookshelf speakers, which greatly exceeded my expectations.  No change likely there either.  My son probably inherits both.

Probably never replacing my Ohm Walsh 2000s, purchased new in 2009.  Each one has its own dedicated Vandersteen 2Wq sub with M5HP battery biased crossover.  I had these before the Ohms, with a pair of Vandersteen 1Cs.  The Ohms have responded beautifully to every equipment and cable upgrade I have made over the nearly 14 years I have owned them. They are great on all genres, IMHO.  I go to some shows, and am active in my local audio club, so I get to hear a lot of gear and speakers. Nothing near their current price of $3800/pair that I have heard makes me consider replacing them. If I win the lottery, sure there are mega buck speakers I would consider.  But the reality is that the Ohms with the Vandersteen subs is probably my forever setup.

I’ve had KEF Reference 5 speakers for about a year and a half.  Will I update?  Maybe, but for now I’m still very happy with them.

One question this topic raises for me is: Why have "keepers" at all?

Might one anticipate that one is going to try a different sonic approach just to mix things up? I realize that entails some trouble and expense, but I can easily imagine myself thinking, "Ok, I've had really wonderful speakers of Type X for a long time, but now I'm going to try to find the next keeper."

In other words: Why ONE keeper?

Am I the only one who finds change to another keeper a seductive idea?

Love my Legacy Focus XD speakers and the only upgrade ever will maybe be the Legacy Aeris. Do you think my wife would notice?

Infinity IRS Beta. I bought the system new around 1990. It still sounds fantastic.

I still have my main speakers since 1987 when I bought my Polk SDA-1C. Keepers for sure. I also have a set of McIntosh LS340, but want to upgrade to the LS-360. That said, nothing wrong with adding others that will also be keepers, but my limitation is space and proper listening area. I'm currently considering adding a pair of Klipsch Cornwalls, or maybe some Magnepan 20, but fear that my space is the limiting factor. Still waiting to hear speakers that would make me consider selling my Polks! 

 Bose Acoustimass 6 Series, 

Mine were right under my nose. I've been a Maggie guy for years, but I wanted to change my room around and panels weren't going to work well. So I popped in my HT speaker..and...wow.....I will never doubt the excellence for my Goldenear T1s again.

Well for me maybe “brand” for the long haul. I’m on my third pair of Daedalus Audio loudspeakers going back nearly 20 years. My current Apollo’s (V2) are by far the best of the lot—sonically and visually stunning! The only thing that would tempt me away would be large Sound Lab stats—the only speakers I have heard that reveal what minor limitations the Daedalus possess. But I’ll need a bigger room and more powerful amps to make that leap—hopefully someday soon.

A speaker that I loved and really regret parting with is the PSB Platinum M2.   Foolish for selling and will buy again someday 

Dali Epicon 8 for 8 years, longest of all in my main system...Aerial 7b and CC3b in home theater 12+ years and going strong...

I just purchased a pair of B&W 805 D3’s. I’ve been thinking about purchasing a pair for a long time. I’ve had three other B&W speakers over the years. I recently found a pair of 805’s in mint condition listed for sale and available locally. They were basically brand new/never used. Seemed like the perfect opportunity to pull the trigger for a variety of reasons. I also prefer the D3’s cabinet design vs the new D4 with the aluminum/leather top and aluminum back plate. So far, the 805’s have been a great addition and will be my forever speaker for a very long time.

The Revel Salon 2 speakers turned out to be all the speaker I think I’ll ever need, and will be with me for the duration.

I remember my search for “The One” and completely relate to the anxiety, frustration, and sometimes even pain involved in the process when you’re not finding “it.”.  But, the flip side is if/when you’re fortunate enough to find it there’s nothing like it as you well know.  So congrats on your special find, and enjoy!

ATC SCM 50 active, ATC SCM 20 passive.  Done.

My listening habits lean heavily toward voices.

I lived most of the ‘90s with Quad 57s.

Not exclusively, but greatly with voices, their transparency and tone is beyond compare. It just sounds “right”. 
When I found a pair of Electrostatic Solutions rebuilt ones I grabbed them.

It’s been 2 years back to my old love. Can’t imagine any other speaker pleasing me as much. Especially in light of my taste in music.

There are no perfect speakers, even for one’s ear. That said, there are many speakers that are great . I can’t stand ugly design in something that I have to look at it all the time so I chose the SF Guarneri Evolution and will stay where they are for long time.

This applies to my number one passion (cycling)

There are many amazing $5000~$10000 bikes and they ride just as well as the $15000~$20000 bikes but if you are looking at the upper range of bikes then you look at the personal touches and especially the aesthetics.

skc

^^  Agreed.  

I understand some speaker and gear designs are functionally great, but they are either ugly or boring.  I can't look at that every day, no matter how good they perform.

@kennymacc Congrats on finding your forever speakers! There is something rather satisfying to enjoy a familiar sound that one is very happy with I think.

@thriftyaudio I too have a pair of Acoustat 1+1s that I purchased new in ‘85. For the money I never found anything that would make me want to switch. I have a single RHLabs sub with a high-pass crossover. Lately I too have been thinking of upgrading the sub. Might look into your solution. 

Happy listening. 

I've had a pair of AR-LST speakers in continuous use since 1975. During the Covid lock downs, I  replaced the grills and had the cabinets refinished - so they look brand-new. They sound better since the rehab, perhaps because of a new set of gaskets. I can't imagine parting with them. Some of our family members are very interested in hauling them off!

+1 @hilde45 That said I realize the Stand Mount Elysian 2's purchased and deployed last year are maybe not th forever's but sure fit my room, sound and visual preferences like they are staying forever.

@skchun The wife and I are true racing bike fanatics, but when I reached "that age" (+surviving a serious bicycle accident) I went for a soft-riding laid-back angled Bianchi Infinito to last me through my golden years. I think several pro bicycle racers still use them in the cobbled classics like Paris-Roubaix.  Componentry? Campagnolo, of course! We watch practically every pro stage race, as well.

I have owned the Joseph Audio Perspective2 since April of 2019 and the original version for years before that. I own other speakers but these are keepers. 

Edcyn, I’ve owned a bike shop for almost 40 years and still enjoy all aspects of the sport.
Most other shop owners don’t even ride, it’s just a business to them.

https://imgpile.com/i/Cx6L1b
https://imgpile.com/i/Cx6kql
 

My modified/upgraded Cornwall IV's/single Heresy IV and my 4 working sealed box Bose 901's (two are from 1968 and the other two are Series 2 Continentals).

I only had a 250/425 wpc amp when I had my salon 2's and the guy I sold them to says he uses Mac MC601's on them and the clipping lights flicker when he's cranking them. I owned the Kef R105/3's for 25 years so probably got used to their sound possibly making me a bit jaded because even though the salon 2 had some amazing image specificity the soundstage was mia making for a really strange presentation.