ACI Sapphire III- the first speaker to if you will pardon the pun to "speak to me". Had them almost 4 years and despite numerous system changes, gear changes, second and third systems set ups they always found a place. They brought music to a threshold of involvement I had never experienced. I wanted to try other things so sold them after much thought. I missed them despite all the great stuff that passed though the listening room, a year later I bought another pair. I think these will always stay with me in one system or another. |
Great thread.
I've had my B&W 801 IIIs for about 10 years now and I can't
really justify upgrading them. They simply always sound
right, no matter what I play. And I play everything from
classical to jazz to Grateful Dead. They reveal all the upstream equipment and the music as accurate as I can imagine.
I've gone through many amps, preamps, CD players, but I'm hanging on to the 801s!
John |
I have a pair of aerial 10-t's wounderful sounding full range speaker.They have the latest drivers and are about five years old. |
DCM Time Windows and Dynaudio Audience 42s are here and will stay. Both are outstandingly musical and have great tonal balance. Time Window provides better bass, as you would expect. Transmission line design works well, and the sum is greater than its parts. The Dynaudio is a strong performer in its own right. Better midrange, great imaging, sweeter on top. Amazing quality of sound for the price. |
I have owned Maggies,Infinity Quantems,English monitors(with and without subs),Artemis Eos Sig.s and the ones I plan to keep forever....I present the JM Labs Alto Be. |
Sonus Faber Guarneri have been just wonderful speakers, especially when I hooked them up with a recent purchase of Graaf 13.5BII preamp and Graaf gm20 otl amp. This set is so realistic. The music is incredibly soothing, you must listen to Graaf with Guarneri. I am waiting for a Graaf Gm200 otl, this should be amazing. |
After making my rash prediction about the Coincident Total Victories above (a bit over a year ago), they are history. I've replaced them with another high-efficiency dynamic speaker made in Toronto - the Fab Audio Model 1. These are remarkable speakers - a true 97db dynamic, with a much simpler crossover than the TVs, resulting in cleaner sound and an easier load.
If you want the imaging of mini-monitors, the purity and tonality of full-range electrostatics, the dynamics of horns and real bass, all in a room-friendly package that's drivable by 4 watts, these are the babies. I'm playing them with an Audion Silver Night PX25, and they are a serious step up from the big Total Victories.
There's no such thing as a "final speaker" - not for someone who has Stage III audiophilia nervosa... |
I can't see myself ever leaving my Audio Physic Virgo 2s! They may be a little low end shy...but they really reproduce what is given to them. I recently added a Rel Storm...now I have it all! |
In addition to their incredible natural dynamics, lack of compression, true full range, timbral truth and emotional communication, they free you from the need for high-power amps; select your amp based on its sound in the sub-1W range, and be free, my brothers! |
I have had my Celestion SL600s since 1986. I love them. They have survived the Beard Audio/CJ/ARC and Cary amp/pre changes over almost 20 years. They have been back to England for new drivers once and the crossovers were rebuilt with better caps and wiring. My new Cary Silver Oak IIIs have not been able to eclipse them...soon the Carys will be for sale! Something about those ugly little spuds makes my ears happy! |
Triode: What speakers are you referring to? Your post doesn't say!! I think you may have put it into a heading, but that doesn't come through. |
I bought my Snell Acoustic Type AII speakers in '79 or '80. Still have 'em, and still love 'em. |
Oops! I was referring to Avantgarde Duos. They've literally changed my life! |
I appreciate your honesty about audio. I heard the Trios in 2000 at Ces and the Duos with my past Cary 300 SEI at a dealers. My wife is too spooked to want to be in the same room w/Avant's. I am limping along w/Sonus Faber Grand Piano's and Audio Note Kegon Monoblocks. I am wondering if I should keep my hideously expensive Kegons and wed with horns or go another direction. How can I get chillingly beautiful sound?
Best Regards Warren |
See, I already proved my point in my previous post! It hasn't even been six months, and I'm on to another speaker already! Eminent Technology LFT-8a.
Did the in home side by side comparison of the Magnepan 1.6QR to the Eminent Technology LFT-8's. The LFT's blew the Maggies away. No contest. The LFT8a's are my newest "speaker for life." Really. |
I have had a pair of Teledyne Acoustic Research AR-9 Towers forever and still goin strong after a re-foam 2 yrs ago...these are 20 or so years old. |
I have a pair of B&W CDM 9NT's. I've only owned them for about a year and a half. I don't plan on ever getting rid of them. I love them. |
Got to go with Living Voice Avatars as David mentions above. They truly match up beautiful with my Audio Research tube gear and are astonishingly transparent. Love 'em. |
My current pair of speakers are 15+ years old. They've been upgraded a few times within that period, and I'm going to be upgrading them again soon.
Driver technology has advanced, so new speakers may be better for that reason alone. (Assuming that the new speakers are designed well.)
Some parts of a speaker may degrade over time, so that has to be considered.
Changing speakers every 6 months seems excessive to me, and keeping the exact same speakers for 20 years also seems to be excessive. There's some middle ground that would be best.
If someone gets pleasure out of switching speakers every 6 months, I guess that's their business. But I'd just question whether they actually know what they're looking for, or are just trying new things in a random attempt to reach some nebulous goal. |
Lifers??
Rockport Antares(currently using) or for less money[a lot less], try the DeVore Fidelity Silverback References... |
I purchased a pair of Signet SL280EX in August 1994, They emit some of the best sounds I have heard from any speaker at the price point I paid for them then. Those Signets are still providing my family and me with the same good sound they have provided since the day I purchased them. I have also purchased a pair the SL260s for rear surround and a Signet center channel speaker in 1996. I am about to upgrade to either Quad L series or Wharfedale EVOs and hope to keep them for at least 10 to 15 years also. If a pair or set of speakers produces good sound, there really is no need to upgrade any more often than that. |
I'd be interested who still has their speakers they've claimed to be worthy of a lifetime. And if they've moved on, to what and why? This thread has been around a long time. I'd be surprised if 1/3 of the contributors still have the same speakers.
I've still got a pair of N805s. I sold my other pair to fund other hardware purchases. |
As I mentioned above, I've changed from Coincident Total Victories to Fab Audio Model 1, now supplemented by a pair of ACI Titan subs. I discovered that there were better speakers out there, but I just hadn't heard them yet. The Fabs are faster, more neutral and efficient, and have better resolution and microdynamics than the Coincidents. I have no doubt that there is an even better speaker for my purposes and tastes out there somewhere waiting to be discovered.
I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking, "Ah, these XXX are the best there is!" when what they really mean is "These XXX are the best I've heard so far." |
KEF 104.2's. My all time favorite, reasonably priced speakers were the KEF 104.2's. Another great sounding speaker for the money were the Klipsch Fortes. Those are some jamming rock speakers.
Scott |
Tannoy hpds active with messa strategy 400 / 200 a side valve amps. |
Bought 'em back in the 70's. Still have them, still love them. |
Nrenter, I meant it when I said it, Köchel K-300 horns. Not that I'd limit myself, but I really don't see any reason for me to change over to something else. They are wholly satisfying to me. I will probably do a parts upgrade on the cross-overs. I could also see toying with subwoofers someday when I don't have anything better to spend my budget on. |
It depends on the size of your listening room. For a smaller listening room, I will go for LS3/5a. For a relatively large living hall, I am using Avalon Ediolon. I am very satisfied with Ediolon, the better front end added will allow you to explore its capability to the fullest. I took more than 2 years to fine tune the positioning of these speakers and since then, I never stop enjoying listening to music. It simply has the best of everything and the sound it produces is so life like! |
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Wilson X-2 Alexandria. I have owned many great speakers but this is the penultimate speaker |
Oneobgyn, you have obviously spent much time and effort putting together a beautiful system; but if the Wilson X-2s are the penultimate speakers, what are the ultimate speakers? |
I will go out on a limb and say the Wilson Maxx ll.
The series 2 upgrade on these speakers is truly amazing as it has much of the X-2 technology at 1/3 of the price. They are a speaker worth owning--so much so that Wilson Audio has discontinued their much more expensive X-1 Grand Slamm Series lll as it is outperformed by the Maxx ll |
My Dahlquist DQ-30's are awesome!!!!!!!!! I drive them with an Adcom 5802 and the sound is amazing. I was thinking about selling them .... Dont know yet.. |
oneobgyn
so you're saying that the new maxx is better than the alexandria? |
The Maxx ll comes awefully darn close to the X-2 with much of the same technology. What I said was that the new Maxx ll bests the discontinued X-1 Grand Slamm Series lll (which I owned and found it to be a terrific speaker). For 1/3 the price of the X-2 the Maxx ll is an amzing speaker and worth an audition. At 20K less than the Von Schweikert VR9, I feel "IMO" that it is a far better speaker (than the VR9). It is worthy of everyones audition if they are considering either speaker. |
ok. so the maxx II would be the penultimate, and the alexandria would be the ultimate in your ranking.
thanks |
I don't know but I sure miss my Hales T8's |
I think I am "done for now", and maybe forever, with the new Intuitive Design Summit loudspeakers which are about 3 weeks old. About 3500 for the speakers and ~1500 for the stands, these are utterly phenomenal. I can't even imagine what the Intuitive Design Denali loudspeakers must sound like (priced at 40K per pair). I am sooo happy with these--I HAD been seaching for this level of sonic performance all of my adolescent and adult life--now I am THERE. |
These little speakers could produce music like you could never dream of. Small book shelf. Big soundstage. Huge dynamics. wow. |
The Summits sounded good at RMAF. I heard the Denalis in Denver Sunday night after RMAF was over. Impressive dynamics. They're $65k, not $40k. |
All Rogers speakers:
I have Studio 1a, Studio 1, LS7s
Each a bargain with amazing sound for what it is.. |
If you can afford it, I suggest you audition ATC 50's or higher. ATC's are typically used in studios where engineers spend long hours criticaly listening to music...many musicians/artists such as Tom Petty and classical composers such as Hans Zimmer buy ATC too....as well as Holywood film sound track studios. These are all people with demanding tastes, who can afford most anything out there, and who listen to an awful lot of music a lot of the time.
They are not cheap: A significant investment for a studio, concert hall (Disney for example) or an individual, and an investment that buyers do not expect to have to change for many many years.
ATC rarely, if ever, advertise in audio magazines and rely entirely on word of mouth in professional circles for sales. Studios tend to buy mostly new gear and since ATC is not a household name to consumers, there is not a huge resale market. None of this is a problem if, like most ATC users, you intend to hang on to them for life. |
I have a pair of Audio Physic Sparks that I've now had since 98.They sounded good when I last played them.They have been boxed since 99.They were so expensive that I didn't want to keep playing them, fearing that I may get used to the sound and that I would have to upgrade and the upgrade would cost more than my $2,500 spent for the sparks. |
I had a friend ( passed on) that would always help me bye my gear, he some how always got great deals. On my Kef refference fours on my veloydne sub and my theater grand I never paid anything close to retail price. Should i just be thankfull for the luck ive had and now pay retail or is there some thing i can do to learn his secrets. Im looking for the Martin loagn vantage |
please diregard this thread i thought it was a new thread i was starting,cj1cap |
I HAVE OWNED THE DUNTECH SOVEREIGNS FOR 18 YEARS AND I SEE NO REASON TO CHANGE THEM. A TRULY MAGNIFICIENT SPEAKER. |
I've owned Unity Audio Signature 1's since '93. Wonderful on any type of music-great midrange and good treble and bass response. They simply disappear and have great soundstage. A great bonus is their appearance-beautiful furniture-grade wood. |
Still love my B&W Matrix 802 series 3 I think Ill Hang on to them for a long time. Best Ive heard, And Im in an Audio club on Long Island where the median system is 30-75$K They hold there own. Also still have my Polk monitor10's in my BR for the second system those are Lifers. 15 yrs old now, as good as new, in looks and sound. |
Another Quad esl57 owner here. 8 years, and 3 pairs do i own. only avantgarde trios have matched them so far, and thats an amazing comparison. have mine in a 12'x12' room at the moment!!!! still sound great. Rolling stones on now, cant always get what you want, but you get what you NEED yah |
Spendor BC-1s purchased in 1979.
The most tonally accurate speakers I've heard. Other speakers have come and gone. Some I still have. Some rock more. Some do this or that better. But none sound as much like live music as Spendor. |
