Speakers to hang on to for LIFE

I have a pair of Montana SPX. I have to say these are the only speakers that I have had where I have had zero listening fatigue, or (a first for me) an urge to upgrade after 11/2 to 2 years. I have friends over and they can't believe the sound stage and clean uncolored sound. These are kind of hard to find to audition but worth the effort.

I was working one of my first "real" jobs and had bought a pair of Bose 901 series IIIs which I thought sounded great but had a super low amp wattage limit. I had a Pioneer SX-1250 at the time and was worried constantly that they'd get fried so I boxed them back up after a week and traded them back to Pacific Stereo for the JBLs. The 901s had been sort of my consolation-prize-to-myself for finally accepting that I wasn't gonna be able to swing the Infinity QLS 1s that I wanted (and still want!) not to mention the extra amp(s)they'd have needed. Anyway...I was initially disappointed with the trade. The L-65s sounded somehow "plain" compared with the Bose 901s but, as the days passed, it slowly began to dawn on me that they were somehow more listenable and they dovetailed much better with the wide variety of music I liked. Many years (and audio components!) have passed now and I've never been able to part with these speakers. Except for having to have them re-foamed a few years back, They've never had any problems. I've auditioned tons and tons of fancier speakers but have never run across any that I thought would fit my lifestyle any better than my L-65s enough to justify the extra expenditure. ...but if anyone knows of somebody's rich uncle seeking a starving artist to donate a pair of mint condition Infinity QLS 1s with commensurate amplifiers to...............lol!

OK, so I don't pretend to know the answer to this question, but I can say that I'm a HUGE audiophile, but I'm also someone of limited $$ means, and I have a pair of Boston Acoustics A40s which I love and probably will never sell or give away. They were CHEAP and you can still get them for a good price, but they were also just plain good. So...I can only suggest you play around and find what works for you, then keep them for a while and see how you like them over time. (Note I also have a pair of Vandersteen 1cs which I'll also keep...)

The short answer is there is no one speaker nor system that works for one person for any length of time, so don't bother to seek perfection. Your tasttes are likely to change over time, so you will likely want to shift your system over time, and as far as I am concerned, that's just fine. That's the whole point of audiophilia.

For me, life is a trip of trying different things and focusing on what my current loves are. Try a bunch of options and get rid of what doesn't work for you at any point in time. If planar speaks or some ESLs work for you, try them and hang onto them while you try other options. I'll be trying planars soon I hope, and expect to hang onto them for a long time. Meanwhile take notes about what you like and don't like. Once again, note that I dont' have a ton of $$, yet I get a HUGE kick ouf of trying out different audio optons. Get it?

Carl

Sonus Faber Guarneri Mementos

apogees. i still have mine, even though i haven't hooked them up for over 6 years now (room too small).

I'm still using JBL L212s I bought in '79. But I built new crossovers, Couple-Charged, the same type of crossovers used in JBL's top of the line Everest and K2 models. That design keeps the caps operating in class A mode. Also added spikes to the bases, which didn't exist back then.
But I also have the latest generation of the L212, the Performance Series PT800s, that I use in the HT, and expect to use them for many years also.

have refoamed all four woofer in 1996 . No reason to replace
them . after this many years i'm too used to them

Von Schweikert Audio, VR4SR or better yet VR5SE.

TWO NOW, HORNSHOPPE HORNS MARK AND DANIELS RUBIES

I agree with Nocaster, I have different speakers and components in different houses and even different systems in the same house. I would buy the Boston Accoustics A200 speakers again today although if you could find them I'm sure $3,000 would be a good deal. I've had them hooked up to a Hafler and together perform better than anything else I have ever bought. They are high end.

Hornshoppe Horns. Despite the inherent and obvious limitations (on paper) of a 3", rear horn loaded driver, I have yet to be so captivated by a speaker. None of the 'shortcomings' are at all apparent when one listens to this jewel. With no crossovers and being directly 'wired' to the amp, one gets the sonic 'gestalt' of
any presentation. Truth in timbre, lightning fast transients, great dynamic swings, its all there. A real find.

Apogee Divas were/are in the Smithsonian. They were placed there to give voice to Mozart's piano, playing Mozart. Should have been the Scintilla, IMHO.

Quad ESL-57s, without a doubt. After all, many people have already owned them "for life". Now that I've experienced them, I despair for all the time I've wasted. You mean I could have been listening to THIS for the last twenty years? Why didn't anybody say anything? Why didn't I listen to those who did?

Simple: What speakers are in the Smithsonian ?

Probably Sound Ultimates or the big Maggies would be ideal. If you can jump high enough you grab hold of the top frames of the speakers and "hang on" from now 'til doomsday, kinda like with monkey bars. However, if we're talking abouth speakers we would want to "hang onto" for the rest of our lives because of the musical satisfaction they provide, well that's whole 'nuther gym set.

After 14 years with my Duntech Crown Prince and having listened to approx. 100 "top of the line" speakers all over the world, I finally decided to get my old mates refurbished. Having replaced all drivers and they parts of the crossover that are suject to aging, my search is over.

Still like my Klipsch, but wish I still had my Cerwin-Vega R-312's

The original Spendor BC1 for 28 years - very musical and listenable for many hours w/o wearing you out.

got tympani b's in 1981 after owning at least 15 different types of speakers 1n the 1k to 1.5k range in 1970's money.In 1990 I was able to get a good deal on my tympani4a(the last tympani before the switch to the 20series)I am about to move to my final home and my babies will be sent back to magnepan to be refurbished before coming home to a room just for them.The 4a is the best speaker magnepan has ever made.Like all maggies,they like lots of clean power,but you don't need to spend a ton.The drawback is that they are room killers due to their size,but the ability to move the tweeter panel around the other panels lets you find the best sound.I have a pair of velodyne uld15s to help out with bass(owned them since 91)They sound so right that you don't pay attention to where the sound is coming from,it's just there.I also own a set of mg3 (redone in 01)which I really like,BUT THEY DON'T COMPARE AT ALL TO THE TYMPANI.Now here is what drives me nuts--You can find a set of 4a for about 1500 and maggie will totally redo them for less than 1500--so you can have a new set of 4a for 3k.You will find nothing will compare at that price.

I've owned the original Sequerra Met 7's and the matching T2 ribbon tweeters for over 15 years(maybe 20 as I got them when they first came out)they are still in use in conjunction with a pair of Mirage 8" subwoofers in my main system. I liked them so much that I acquired a 2nd pair to use in my bedroom system.

I've owned a pair of Polk Audio SDAIIs since the mid-80s. Finally made the move to upgrade. I'd upgraded other components of my system during the past 20 years and the Polks always seemed to step up and reveal the improvements - this includes recently going from ancient Monster cable to JPS Labs cable - I was shocked at the improvement that made. I've enjoyed the sound of these speakers - warmth with a decent amount of detail. To my ear their frequency response seems pretty well balanced and they provide reasonably good stereo imaging (with the interconnect and opposite channel drivers). I bought them used and consider it money well spent for the years of enjoyment they've given. Relative to pursuing increasing levels of equipment performance/quality, there is a point where source material and not component parts begin to have the greater impact on the quality of the music I hear. I'm not doing A/B comparisons of equipment when I listen and couldn't care less if everything I own isn't blessed by the Golden Ears at Absolute Sound and the like. I just want to enjoy the music. The Polks have allowed me to do that for a long time. You might be wondering why I'm upgrading if they were so enjoyable? When I bought my Jolida amp a few years ago, the dealer demo'd it using Totem Acoustic speakers. Hawks, I believe. They made an impression-especially how they seemed to disappear. The Polks do a pretty good disappearing act but are no match for the Totem's. At any rate - after a good long while I finally made the move and recently purchased some Totem Forests. Just breaking them in now (<25 hrs) though they sounded good out of the box. Totem imaging is more precise and bass tighter than the Polks. I've yet to really crank them up so am listening at what to me are relatively low volume levels. I do expect I will own these for at least the next 20 years. (Obviously, in terms of consumer buying behavior - I'm not what you would call an early adopter.)

KEF 105's since 1972. Then three years ago I heard the Merlin VSM's at CES. Bought a pair soon there after. Doubt I will be parting with them anytime soon.

Spica Angelus - a wonderful speaker that is no longer made. I've had a pair for about 15 years or so. I have never tired listening to them. Recently I paired them with a subwoofer and the listening experience has gone up a notch.

This speaker, an evolution from the TC-50 which I've heard and liked but never purchased, is a classic.

I've gotta come clean...I didn't hold onto my B&W N805s for life. It wasn't because I've changed my mind about them, I simply needed cash. I still think they are a great all-around monitor.

Mine.

Verity Audio Parisifal Ovations, in the quilted big leaf maple finish.....nuff said.

Totems are also good candidates. The whole line.

What about a nice pair of Klipschhorns?

Martin Logan Summits, the ones I have. Atleast until ML comes out with the Super Summits.

Goldmund Dialogues best I've had for the price amazing fast bass

Acapella High Campaniles.

Have any of you experienced the Gryphon Poseidon speakers?

These Jadis Eurythmies have been in my system for a three years now and I have no desire to change. Are they the most accurate transducers out there? Almost certainly not. Do they make beautiful music? You betcha.

I love my Martin Logan SL3's. Who says they cant ROCK. Hook em up to a couple of Rouge Audio 150 mono blocks and a Rel subwolfer.....Great. Had them 10 years. Going to replace the panels when I buy a house.

I own ADS 1290 since 1988,sound execellent,and still going strong.

I just acquired a Golden Tube Audio MK-II integrated amp. I too have had my Celestion speakers forever. Since this is my first tube amp, does anyone have any experience with Celestion speakers and tube amps of 50 watts? I was thinking of selling my Celestions for a newer set of more effiecent speakers.

Any thoughts or suggestions on how difficult a load the celestions put on a tube amp.

Also any recomendations for a new set of monitor speakers under $1000?

Von Schweikert VR-8. At 1000lbs for the pair this figures in there as well as bringing the concert home.

If you are one of the lucky guys to have 1 of the 20 pairs in the world, dont sell them cause chances are youll never find one again.

I'm thinking these new GMA Calypso's will be around long after i'm gone. My wife made the comment the other day "Well, i'll never have to purchase speakers again as long as I live" I'm not one to argue with the little woman. Anybody else breaking in a pair of these?

BOSE 901 series 6 and the brand new Acoustic Wave Music System II !!

KEF 104.2s 1987

I just don't believe I'll ever hang on to a piece for life. Currently I own and love the Merlin VSM-MX, and I feel totally happy with them, but, I had the same feeling with my JBL L19, Polk 10, Energy 22s, Proac 2.5s, my Alon (now Nola) Louts SEs, my Vandersteen 3A Signatures. When I bought each of these I had a honeymoon period where I was totally satisified, felt lucky, and thought I would never need another pair of speakers (amps, turntables, etc.). I remember saying so each time (to a significant other), and meaning it. If you want to hang unto a piece for a long time, I think you have to stop reading the magazines, the e-zines, and stay away from Audiogon. That being said, I think I'll hang onto my Merlins for ....

MBL's or ATC's

I really think my Aerial 10T's will be with me for the long haul.

Tyler linbrook signature system these speakers rock,

I've still got my JBL L100t's from 1986, but they are in the bedroom system now. I upgraded the bass transducer to a pro-series and although they lost a little on the lower end the mid-bass can kick your heartbeat out of step.

B&W Nautilus 800N

My family have the B&W Matrix 802 series 3 for 15 years now. I have listen to these speakers since I am a little teenager. I think I will hang on to them for a few more years.
In the future I plan to update with B&W Prestige Series or the Calix Phoenix Grand Signature. I think both of them is in the same price range. But I don't see many reviews about either one. I think the only drawback of the Nautilus Prestige Speakers require 4 stereo amps or 8 monoblocs. I think is too much of space to allocate for that or biamps would be okay.

ADS L810s get my vote. When I first heard them in about 1974, they blew my mind with their incredible clarity and definition. I finally bought a pair in 1979, and I absolutely loved them until my son blew them up listening to Magical Mystery Tour at ear-shattering volume (yes, I'm a proud dad!). Those speakers were simple, beautiful, and, when I eventually coupled them with a subwoofer, the system outperformed many "full range" speakers costing many thousands of dollars.

Great thread!

Tidal Contriva (and if I won big in the lottery, the only speaker I could think of for replacement would be Tidal Contriva Diacera)

With the actual ambition to find myself speakers for life, I had spent over three years listening to a range of speakers, some of which were, well, almost there. Trying to convince myself each time that this was the best it could possibly get within the confines of my apartment, there always was a nagging sentiment that said "no" for reasons I mostly found hard to explain. When I heard the Tidals, everything just fell in place: music versus "a particular way of music rendition" such as I had heard it before.

I'm driving mine with Spectral and top line MIT . 'Extreme' ac power isolation/filtration(including EQ balanced power)was needed to really show what the sound could be like and provided OTL sweetness & nuance. The 250Ti's just got better & better.

MERLIN VSM..... boy do I wish I still had mine. If I ever have the money for a really nice system again I will buy these in a heartbeat. Then I'll get a Berning ZH-270 and be set for life.... at least for my taste.