I second Gary (Grr6001), after 4 years of listening to high-end speakers in Europe and the USA ranging from $10,000-100,000+ I too thought the Evolution Acoustics MM3 speakers are the absolute greatest speakers for the money out there. I only wonder if the Rockport Arrakis at $165,000 could be better sounding or not... |
Did anyone ever hear Mister or Madam speaker? Live ? Breathtaking to be able to bring silence to such a house of chaos. British House of Parliament that is...ORDER...OORDER...OOOORDER!!!!! |
I was impressed by the Harbeth Monitor 30 when I first heard it. But I wouldn't put it in the top tier of best speakers, as by definition to be able to realistically reproduce for example an orchestral piece, you need something bigger.
The best speaker system I ever heard I own: Evolution Acoustics MM3 but especially paired with Dartzeel's its a match made in heaven... |
Gaslover, how come then that you listen through Bose speakers???? |
Foster, you still have a long way to go... |
"Cambridge SoundWorks Model Six - I love them "
...and at $99 a pair a rightout bargain, and that's really the best you've ever heard Jkl2000? If you get serious about this high-end hobby you're in for the ride of your life! |
The question is fine, it basically asks what the best speaker is that YOU have heard. That means nobody can argue against that, EVER. It just says a lot about that responders personal experience. If Mr Tennis feels that the Quads are his best ever speakers he heard, well that's a reflection of his personal experience and taste. Who can argue with that? :-)
It pays to keep listening to different speaker systems and setups though, just to validate ones experience and understanding of how it impacts sound ... you do have the right to change you mind and/or taste! Especially with ever improving sound reproducing technologies and products. And Tbg, don't forget the room impact... |
Mr Tennis, obviously you didn't read the title of this thread, or maybe you forgot, after all this thread has been going on for a long time. The title is, just to remind you: "The best speakers you ever heard". That means Mr Tennis by definition that ALL the answers by the posters are correct, and are indeed the best speakers that the poster has heard PERIOD. So everyone is right, as opposed to everyone is wrong as you are trying to assert.
The best speakers I HAVE EVER HEARD are my Evolution Acoustic MM3's, I am not saying its the best speaker ever, nor better than speaker XYZ, but IT IS THE BEST I HAVE EVER HEARD. And that Mr Tennis is a CORRECT answer to the title of this thread! |
Heard for past two days:
The Magico V3, very impressive, driven by all Soulution and PAD cables.
But so was the Vivid Gaya, driven by Ayre/Wadia chain and Transparent cables.
None of these want to make me change from what I have, but good effort nonetheless. |
Hansonaudio, can you share what kind of music you were auditioning that brought you to tears? Thx. |
Montejay, surely the redhead at the CES 2008 show inviting you into the Coincident room made the biggest impression on you ... :-) |
Detlof, I'm totally with you that there is no speaker system that can reproduce an original event 100% despite some claims to the contrary. Anyone who doesn't think that is the case I would advice to go to a live concert of any kind, but large stadium rock concerts really drives home the point. Some of my favorites live events are:
Pink Floyd at Wembley Stadium, The Nelson Mandela concerts in same stadium, Guns n Roses at Feynoord Stadium Rotterdam. I think the difference was probably the amount of adrenaline rushing through my blood helped by a healthy dose of expectation, weed and/or alcohol. Irreproducible.
But since I don't have that expectation from my system, I am quite happy with what it can do. And occasionally, when the wife and kids are away, the volume ... ahum the pleasure control ... can go up and brighten those amp eyes to the max. That can get my adrenaline going a bit, but its a long way off from real live. I'm already happy when music played through my speakers gives me goosbumps ... that's all I expect of my system to do very very well. And it does, very often!
To all audiophiles out there, the goosbump test is the only real "objective" one out there IMHO. You need to be in the right state of mind, but if you are, and there are no goosbumps, then continue your search... |
And that Tbg is where the goosebumps come in to play... |
The best speaker is one that is just not there. I mean a speaker that appears to be physically gone - vanished - a speaker that does not get in the way of the original music. The music is just there in front of you, or around you, depending on how it's recorded.
That does exist, however you need to have a very good complete set and a perfect - if there is such a thing - room. I think you can have that with different speakers, but so far I've only heard that in two rooms ever in my life. One of them is mine. |
Shadorne, not that I have the perfect room (its my living room) but 15 acoustic resonators are doing there work to great effect. |
... plus a dozen sugar cubes, several strategically placed diffusors and a phase corrector... all from Franck Tchang's Acoustic Systems! |
Shadorne, all of FC's products are amazing tuning devices ... the size of the speaker was not a criteria for me, although size has certain advantages, as was a life-like music experience. If that sound came in a smaller package it would have convinced me too. But you are right, the ease of control, dynamics, and tunefulness in the MM3 closed system powered subwoofers is easily one criterium that separates the boys from men in speakerland.
Those tuning devices play a BIG role in controlling and tuning base in my room. |
Bob, if I tell you I'd have to shoot you ... just kidding. To be honest their exact complete physical/psychological workings are beyond my tiny brain. But like any audiophile I try and make up my own opinion by trying them out. And I didn't just try them out, researched their origins, and try and comphrehend its technical aspects, I also heard other's experiences and opinions, heard them in other rooms. Extensive a/b testing etc.
These things really work, and are especially welcome to audiophiles whose main living room is the actual room where the system resides. No big bass traps, panels etc. therefore a high WAF.
You can start by reading the 6moons.com series of reviews. These are as unbiased a group of audiophiles that exists. |
Excellent point, after going to something like the CES its clear that you can't separate the speaker from other components unless you are probably the designer, or you are intimately familiar with all components and you are a room acoustic expert... and even then! |
Nice one Bbro! Not sure about the 4 years, bad ones have lasted 8 years too, recently! |
Great observations Dan, at least if someone says "these are the best speakers I've ever heard" nobody can argue with them. As a personal experience is always true to oneself, and alas, with more experiences comes changing opinion. That makes this hobby so much fun! |
The best speakers I heard are the ones that disappeared ... |
