I just recently upgraded my speakers after 15 years. Actually there was a terrific article in absolute sound and types of listeners and they described thevtype that wasvme. Mainly I was very comfortable with my speakers. They did everything I ever wanted and did it well. All thevusual thins like slam. Sound stage, detail micro and macro. Bottom to all this is we and become very comfortable.... Like an old pair of shoes that fit well and are a pleasurecto wear. I read that article and it made me realize i was stuck in rut! I'm retiring and for that last time wanted to upgrade with new technology. I'm glad I did, I've never been happier to realize that audio people should upgrade every 10 years minimum. You won't believe the difference! I sold my Legacy Focus, which I dearly loved, and moved up to Coincident Pure Reference. What huge difference, unbelievable sound, everything, just everything I ever wanted. Honestly the right move at the right time. Fantastic! |
I bought a pair of Advents in 1978, and just "retired" them in January of 2010. They certainly cannot compare to today's speakers, but I was very comfortable with, and happy with the music from them.
I replaced them with PSB' Imagines, which are fine, beautiful, and wonderful sounding speakers. But- to tell the truth, I still miss the Advents. |
I've had (and still have) many speaker systems over the last 30+ years, and only my KEF 107s, and Quad ESL63s have stayed consistently in service. Actually, the KEFs replaced my old AR9s, the 9s are now being used by my brother... I couldn't let them "out of the family". I've found that I need two systems (at least)in order to play all the types of music I enjoy. One truly "full range" (20hz-20khz, relatively flat)with great dynamics, and a second system for maximum detail & stage depth. The KEF 107s have fit the first for over 15years now, and the Quads have fit the second for over 20!
It's not that I haven't tried others (I currently have ML CLS Is, Ohm Walsh2s, DCM Timewindows, KLH9s,Allison Twos, and several others I won't bother to mention, sitting in a spare room, but although I'm often tempted by another speaker, I always seem to ball back on these two.
So, without a doubt, Quad ESL63 & KEF 107 are MY speakers for life! |
I think many Apogee owners have voted already, keeping their speakers running for the past 20 years with no need to buy anything else. The only issue with Apogees is the need to fix the ribbons as the foam surrounds degrade over time. So in that sense they may need servicing, but from a sound perspective I still believe they compete with most anything out there. And the availability of appropriate amps to drive them is better now than it has ever been. |
I also have lost my mind over a pair of Coincident Pure Reference Extreme T's. Have never heard anything so satisfying or nearly flawless at any price, truly a breath of fresh air.
An easy load, highly efficient, fast, and dynamic like a good horn based loudspeaker yet without many of the down sides.
As transparent as an electrostatic and show little (if any) compression.
So many "Hifi" speakers play delicate detail and tonal neuance with some good degree of accuracy but when it comes to playing something like say Zeppelin style, amplified guitar stuff, fall flat on their face, they portray little energy or edge, not so with the CPRE's. Who says a Hifi speaker can't also be a pretty damn convincing Rock speaker??? Horn based Jazz sounds remarkably live and the reproduction of horns is like that of... well, percussion drivers or real brass and reed horns. Piano sounds like a percussion instrument as well as a stringed one, again unlike many, many speakers. Skins are apparent on drums, but not in an exaggerated audiophile way, yet not overly analytical, if that is at all possible?!
Nothings perfect or fits everyone's tastes, and ceramic based loudspeakers, including the Coincident can present so tonally neutral, a little too clean(?) and without a shred of warm tonal colours of their own. This leaves the up-stream component choices more revealed than ever.
I have recently had some extensive listening to the CPRE's with Atma-Sphere MA1 OTL's and can say that the combination is simply amazing. Many of my records for the first time (with exception of a friends C.A.R. T3's) sound terribly compressed and mottled on anything else.
I do find these speakers to be truth tellers though, so if hearing studio recording anomalies, variations in pressings, and up-stream cable/component limitations is like a lawn rack on a chalk board for you... and you long only for warmish tones, pretty, smooth sounds emanating always, forget about these babies.
Happy Listening! |
My new Volti Audio Vittoras all Horn Loudspeakers are exactly what I have been looking for all of my audiophile life. They are smooth, detailed and warm. A cello is truly playing in my room rather than just being recreated. Definitely the best all Horn Loudspeaker under $15,000. |
Dalecrommie, if the cello is playing in your room, they are the "best" speakers ever. I like the Volti Audio Vittoras ideas. |
Well I can't say for life but I can say I have owned the Merlin VSM-M longer than any other speaker I have owned dating back to the mid 1960's, I guess that "dates" me. To me what has kept me with this design is this question "What am I going to find that does what these speakers do so well (coherence, low level resolution, smooth high frequency extension, tonal balance) that is going to work in my room? Are they the best? NO are they a great compromise of virtues? ABSOLUTELY YES! What is remarkable about these speakers, some will disagree with me I'm sure, is their ability rise to the occasion. I have owned the speakers for 10 years and it hasn't always been a lovefest but I HAVE been patient, recognizing what they do well and sometimes how difficult it has been to realize their potential. Many have written them off as bright, lacking in bass and overrated. I can understand these criticisms as they might apply to any speaker and certainly with these as well. What is undeniable is that if one DOES have the patience and DOES listen to the designer and IS inclined towards long relationships vs. short romances, this speaker is going to work in any number of applications and rooms at a high level. Also a great value for the money for the music lover with room limitations but not lacking for want of great sound in a small package. I truly respect the designer of this product, it is a classic in the same vein of the Vandersteen 2 series. |
I had Acoustat 1+1's for about two year and let them go. They rendered acoustic material and my jazz collection like nothing I've ever had. Take a high ceiling and room to breathe and I had that. Quite amazing.
Now I'm hooked on monitors on good stands and pulled way out into the room. I'm a sucker for sound stage more than anything else. My current collection is Vienna Grand Haydn's, B&W DM 601's, Usher S520's and Sonus Faber Concertino's first generation, which I just picked up today. All budget stuff but to me all well-performing.
- Jim |
I have an acoustat spectra 33 w/spl 1 subwoofer I acquired a number of years ago with the original box from the original owner. Definitely a collectors speaker and the largest I have and one of the largest acoustat ever made until they came up with the spectra 44, 66 and the 4400,6600 series. It's literally the size of a room divider, sort of like the magnepan tympani series. I think my ohm walsh 300 mk 2 and my ess heil 1d, and now the janszen add on electrostat high/mid panel are loudspeakers and add ons worth holding on to. I also have a rare SRSLABS klayman signature that was made in 2002 that is also no longer made. One of the few flat panel loudspeakers that can only operate with a subwoofer and totally useless without one but create a good HT soundstage but no where in the same league as all the speakers mentioned. Srslabs did a great job for HT on them but could not sell them. That was the demise of acoustat, too much competition at the time and did have the marketing to keep the business going, but it was considered one of the great manufacturers of electrostat speakers. Janszens,quads and martin logans managed to survived over the years. |
After spending many years with my Martin Logan electrostatics, my listening room has gotten smaller. I recently purchased a pair of Dynaudio C1 speakers. I am confident that will serve me for quite a long time in my smallish listening room. |
I have a pair of Yamamura Dionisio 27 i bought 15 years ago, they have been upgraded by Bé Yamamura during the years, i think that among the other speakers i own, they are my preferred still now.
Pietro |
I lucked upon a pair Apogee Centaur a couple yrs ago on CL.very smooth sounding speaker. I'm sure they will be here for awhile. Also lucked into 2 pair Advent Baby II AND TWO PAIR BABY'S still in original boxes. cabinet and grills in perfect condition, I was looking for newer speakers, but decided to give these a try and am I glad I did, planning to keep at least two pair and MAYBE sell the other two. they also will be here. |
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I have a pair of Legacy Focus. I was so comfortable with them that befor I knew it 14 years had passed! I still love them, but, as I thought it, I didn't want to completely live-in the past. I needed to know that I was still reasonably technology current. I upgraded to my ears and pocket book max and now own Coincident PR's. And I am thrilled I did the upgrade, but a little saddened to finally realize that I was really too comfortable, the music was always the same. Nothing to get really excited about. And I am a vinyl guy with 4K albums. Now, I really have to admit I get excited every time I power the amps up. And of course the bottom line is the Focus must go to a new home. Problem is, what is a fair price? The Focus are still great speakers they only need a new owner!
Rich |
I have a pair of Snell EIIs which I bought with the money I made working at a stereo outlet store the summer before college. They are the first thing I bought with money I earned and I still have them. They have been with me through college parties, across the country 1 1/2 times and in several situations, most recently in my home theatre system.
I have been meaning to sell them, even had them listed on craigslist for a while. But I am finding it hard to let go of them. I recently hooked them up to my 2 channel system, and they sounded great. They have a certain energy, and ease that I have really missed with my recent bookshelf based systems. Maybe part of it is familiarity - I grew up with these.
I've since learned that they are still highly regarded, and a good enough design for Audio Note to base it's AN-E very closely on. The EIII seems to be more discussed, but I've learned a lot of people, including AN's Peter Qvotrup
feel the II, Peter Snells last design is superior.
I am thinking of setting these up in a dedicated system although I'll have to remodel my house to do it :). I'm interested to see how they perform set up properly, on stands to help the midrange coloration. I'm also going to check out the AN-E as a possible upgrade :) |
Bought a pair of JR 149's in the summer of 1977 and I recently got them back to their original home..great speaker based on the LS3/5A concept...always loved them...For the past 5 years I've owned Merlin TSM MMs and just moved that pair to the analog room and added a newer pair of TSM MXEs into the main system...guess I liked the original TSMs so much that I wanted a newer pair..Velodyne DD15 fills in the low bass with the MXE system...PSB woofy in the MM setup...it's all good and clean fun |
rockports...anything that you can afford.
they do nothing wrong (ie no sins of commission). where they may make mistakes is in sins of omission (high frequency extension, 20hz rumbles ,etc).
well worth the effort to check out. |
Anything made by John Fuselier. I own a protoype speaker calles the Darth Vader they are to die for. |
I have two, my acoustat spectra 33 stored and my currently used and continuously modifying ESS heil 1D. I have found the ESS as the volkswagon of loudspeakers. You can modify so many parts to it as long as you keep at least the main drivers. Adding ess heil and tweaking the crossovers or even replacing them is also an option. I decided tweak the crossovers with dakiom stablizers and adding newer ess woofers and removing the passive radiator. I am now adding a THIRD ess heil driver as a linesource stacked. with TWO, the sound is unbelievably real as if the musicians are there with the right kind of equipment matching. In my case an integrated tube amp and a tube cdp. I plan on putting it even in another level by stacking 3 ESS HEILS. If you're an ESS fan, it's worth stacking the ESS heils if you can afford it. As much as i love planars and electrostats, a modified ESS heils to me is the most enjoyable I have ever owned. I have magnepans, acoustats, eminent tech, ohm acoustics, SLS, srslabs, klipsch, sunfire, bic, advent, dbx soundfield. I collect speakers. So far I have found my modified ESS as the most revealing and most realistic live sounding loudspeaker I have ever experienced. It blows away martin logan's and others in my opinion. My modified ess is awesome. It can handle power and the bass are super realistic and the mids and highs are so real, you think the vocalists and instrumentalist are in front of you. |
I listen to my KEF 105/3s since summer 1990, i've swapped electronics & cables many times, but that captivating sound at the showroom was coming from those kef's and i wasn't giving up til i got it. when I finally achieved audio nirvana it was almost disapointing as my quest was done. still in 2004 i decided to replace them but after several home speaker auditions i found nothing could best them in my price range, so 21 yrs & counting. |
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My first speakers were Genesis Model 1's that I bought with paper route money in 1979. They were amazing speakers for their price point. Built in New Hampshire and modeled after the BBC school of speaker design and engineering, this was a period considered the New England school of design which was pretty much the same as BBC in the U.K. I wish I still had them. Paper drivers didn't last long but boy could those babies sing with my Technics receiver.
I got lucky and owned B&W DM602 for about 10 years. At $600/pair, I'm not sure if I've ever heard speakers that liked to party like these at any price point. These were my very favorite speakers. I now own much more expensive and better gear, but nothing will ever connect with me like a cheap NAD integrated with cheap 90's B&W monitors. |
I have 4 different systems== including my first high end speakers---DQ=10's. They are ina small room w/ a pair of MC-30's running them.........music to my ear.Bought the DQs back in 1977 while still in college--but working in a stereo shop. Here is a pic of me w/ them from 1978 and The Tympanis ...which I recently sold.
http://l-n.com/bourne/ebay%20pics/DSCN3348_1.JPG
Still have the 2217......sold the d-75 for a d-70mkII.
jpb |
Ok i know this is an old post but my speakers are even older i'm an Acoustat fan boy since 1984 going on 27 years and still in love my friend Jocelyn REVIVES the old and brings them back to life you can see some of his work in my Flickr photo galery here http://www.flickr.com/photos/mracoustat/ mine are a pair of modified 1+1s all 2x3 steel frame filled with silice they weigh 200 pounds each Jocelyn's model is the Spectra 6600s also all steel frame covered with mahogany wood they weigh 600 pounds each they are almost thief proof no matter what model he rebuilds once completed they sound incredible dollar for dollar it's the best I have heard in 40 years and i have heard quite a few i am 66 years old and audio as been my ONLY passion for more than 40 years. |
I don't think my Lahave Mela monitors are going anywhere as long an I'm alive. Awesome monitor, with tight tuneful bass, pure mids, sweet highs. I could mistake them for a top-notch floorstander in the dark from the full sound of them. (But they are too nice looking to keep them in the dark, but this is just a bonus; I'd love them just as much if they looked like wooden crates.) |
Just got a pair of tyler acoustic decade d1 speaker, they are very nice |
I bought 2 pairs of Epos ES11's in 1995. I sold one pair that were set up in the bed room after a year. I still have the other pair as my main loudspeaker in a living room that is on the large size. I have purchased many bigger loudspeakers since then. Some way more expensive, some not. I always come back to the ES11 when I want to listen to music. A pair of Epos ES22's dropped in my lap and that was, what I thought, my answer to my large living room. With the ES22's I can get more bass and volume without stressing the loudspeaker and amp. True, but I eventually put the ES22's in the bedroom and the ES11's back into the living room.
I haven't had the need or desire to look for another loudspeaker. Synergy is the key. I believe I have found it with my associated electronics and the
Epos ES11. |
My Dunlavy SC-III. I have the center channel too! |
My 15 inch tannoys, tho I am open to suggestions |
My Duntech Crown Princes. |
My Polk Audio LSi-9's (say wah??!)
Why? Simple.. sentimental value. The fact that they don't sound bad is merely a bonus. |
May I vote for Volti Audio VoltiScalas again? If not, then thank you. |
I agree with Muralman1. Certainly improvements in loudspeaker performance can/does occur over time. The appreciation and accumulation of audio components is relative and individual. I have heard the Apogee Scintilla and WOW they are as Muralman1 says. I could not afford them so I bought Thiel CS 2's in 1986 for a sum even then which seemed an amount I could live with: $1500. The Thiels will eventually be passed on to one of my son's, never sold while I live. The relativity of all this is if one has the discretionary income, one can upgrade at will like anything else. |
Wow! I just reviewed several pages of this thread. What is most striking to me is that almost no speaker is named by more than one person as "the best". (I think the OP back in 2001 wanted to hear about the best speaker one has ever heard, not one's own best speaker.) Some brand names do recur, but different products from that manufacturer are cited. I think only Coincident Pure Reference and Quad 57 are named by more than one contributor. This says to me that each of us is in love with his own thoughtfully arrived at opinion, which is cool.
I am a lifelong lover of ESL speakers and have had most of the major brands since the early 1970s. Right now I own a pair of Sound Lab 845PXs that I modified. I enjoy them very much, but they are not perfect. No speaker is. Other "best" speakers I have ever heard: double pair of KLH9 ESLs, double pair of Quad 57, Coincident Pure Reference Extreme, Beveridge 2SW, Rockport (don't recall the model name). Could live happily with any of them. |
Lewm, With the exception of the Coincident and Rockports, I have had all the speakers you say you could live with. Additionally, I have had the Infinity Servostatics, Acustats, and Martin Logan electrostatics. As you say, no speaker is perfect. I have also had five sets of horn speakers. They have a speed and dynamics that electrostats lack, IMHO. I have also had omni speakers, open baffle speakers, and many box dynamic speakers, which is where I am now. I have, of course, never said that I can live with what I have, as I never had done so. I figure that I have had 27 different speakers since I was eighteen. |
Dahlquist DQ-10s. In my opinion, you can't beat them. I have a pair I bought in the 70s. I have moved on, downsized my life and no longer have room for them. 5 years ago I replaced the cones. Still have great sound. Sooooo, now I am going to sell them. Anyone who is interested, get back to me. I am thinking $1400 for the pair, offers considered. The covers need replacing. Hope I can find a good home for them. |
I believe I'm settling in with my PMC IB2i on custom 18-inch Sound Anchors for the duration. After 7 months, I can't find anything I don't like about them, which is a first for me. Coupling them with Bryston 28B-SST2 amps and a VAC Phi Beta preamp, I think I'm done with changes to "the rhythm section" of my system, which is what I call the preamp-amp-speaker backbone. Frontline components (sources) may change but I don't imagine changing these three slots. The 20-year warranties on the PMCs and Brystons also give me piece of mind. |
I have been listening to PMCs on custom Sound Anchors for the past three months too. My AML-1 monitors continue to surprise me with detail and musicality.
Homemade bass traps have helped a great deal. Only have a bit of a bump at 300hz left. Maybe hand these down to a relative, but doubt I'll sell them. |
Glad to hear you like your PMCs, too. I have a couple of GIK Tri-traps in my large, oddly shaped room and they help, for sure. I'm continually surprised by the quality and energy of the bass these speakers produce. Visitors look around for a sub! I'm very satisfied, for the first time. |
I have a pair of Celestion SL-700s. I bought them 13 years ago - used, of course. They are great stand-mounted monitors. I use them for both music and video in my small master bedroom. |
My answer is the Ohm Walsh 3s. Last summer I purchased the S3.3000 upgrade for my 1984 vintage Walsh 3s. It has been several months now that I have begun to listen to the upgraded drivers.
Now I am not reviewer, not like you see on 6Moons. But I can say that I am so delighted with these speakers. I love the detail, the deeper bass response, the overall presence of the sound. I have read that these speakers take time to
break in. I am not completely sure what that means, but I suspect it has something to do with getting the cones in the drivers to loosen up a bit so that they more accurately reproduce the sound. For sure, I noticed over the first
several months that the overall sound became more sensuous, if you know what I mean. Perhaps it will take even longer to get the full benefit from that process. But already I like what I hear.
My musical interests are all over the map. I liken to a lot of jazz, particularly Bill Evans, and folk, like Richard Shindell and Richard Thompson, and rock too, the classics and newer groups, for example, Dawes and Fleet Foxes.
No matter what I put to these speakers, I simply love the sound and the tonal qualities they deliver; I do not fatigue listening to them.
The rest of my system is a Rega RP-3 TT with an Ortofon Black 2M, a Rotel CD player (1072), a Conrad Johnson MF-2500a amp, CJ PV-15 LS and a Whest PS.30R phono preamp. The upgraded 3s sit at the end of all of that.
Bottom line: I hear terrific detail, an excellent sound stage, and beautiful tonal qualities. Love 'em. Simple as that. Speakers so far for life. |
I had Anthony Gallo 3.1's(great little speaker) and thought I'd have them for 10+ years until I heard the PMC FB1i's and traded them in for them. The PMC's can't hold a candle to a lot of speakers listed in this forum but for the $ amount you get a really nice speaker. They just work well with all kinds of music. I will probably have them for a long time unless something blows me away for a reasonable price. |
I have bought my apogee calliper signature in 1991 and have no intention to change them. I have bought new pre,new turntable ,arm ,cartridge,cable...but each time i go in a high end hifi show ,i think i don't miss anything at home. I listen primarily to opera ,oratoiro, lyric...and have at home a natural sound fantastic on voices which let me imagine i am at concert. So i buy a lot of vinyl second hand at the moment.
Next improvement on the speaker will be a refurbishing with Graz parts from Australia and i think i shall keep them for another 20 years |
Kinetic Audio - a pair of STAT satellites & a pair of TRAPEZOID subwoofers...rolloff customized by Mr. Karlson himself...bought in 1981 and still going strong. Changed the Walnut finish to Black myself. They are now ONE of a KIND. |
I have a set of AR-3a's I bought in 1969 and still have the invoices. In my opinion, speakers should be "transparent." These always have been and continue to be. I have located a set of AR-9Ls in pristine condition. It will be interesting to add these to our "family".
Note this from Wikipedia website on AR.
"In the early 1960s, AR conducted a series of over 75 live vs. recorded demonstrations throughout the U.S. in which the sound of a live string quartet was alternated with echo-free recorded music played through a pair of AR-3s. In this ultimate subjective test of audio quality, the listeners were largely unable to detect the switch from live to recorded, a strong testament to Acoustic Research's audio quality.
These "old" acoustic suspension speakers are "life time." And if they'll still do this...and they will...what else would you want a speaker to do?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_Research |
Thomas Edison used to invite people to presentations where he had a singer and orchestra. At some point they would walk off stage while the music continued. People would be shocked that it was not a real concert. People cannot hear. |
FROM WIKIPEDIA:
"In the early 1960s, AR conducted a series of over 75 live vs. recorded demonstrations throughout the U.S. in which the sound of a live string quartet was alternated with echo-free recorded music played through a pair of AR-3s. In this ultimate subjective test of audio quality, the listeners were largely unable to detect the switch from live to recorded, a strong testament to Acoustic Research's audio quality." |
Or to the power of suggestion and visual cues. Same reason why I do not understand sinking megabucks into the audio portion of HT, if you are planning on watching movies. We are very visual animals. |
I have a pair of Avalon Avatars in my system now.
Other speakers have come & gone. I can't justify selling these. I paid $1750.00 at my Wilson dealer for these around 6 or 7 years ago. There is nothing I've heard at this price that can touch them.
I did sell my Apogee Mini Grands, but I have a very clean pair of Stages in my hallway, in boxes, waiting to go into a dedicated system. I'll pair these with James EMB-1200 subs. I know these will beat the Mini Grands, the James subs blend seamlessly with any speaker I've tried. |
