The best speaker you ever heard?


In my opinion, the speaker is by far the most important part of the audio system. After all, it is the only part you hear. OK, the other stuff really matters a lot, but without a great speaker... No go.

I am a bit 'speaker-obsessed' I guess, and now I am wondering: What are the best speakers you have ever heard, and what made them the best?
njonker

Showing 3 responses by rickmac

I haven't read many of the other responses so I'm sure this has been said before. I can't honestly say a speaker is the best I've heard because it always should be considered as part of a system. The best sounds have always come from systems with the best source componets. I don't have any experience with highend cd but when I was listening and comparing the Linn LP-12 was a common denominator. The SME III and Sleeping Beauty cartridge were also. Some speaker's personality change dramaticaly with different amplification. I suspect that Infinity Quantum Speakers were designed and auditioned using their switching amp and I never knew how good they could sound until I heard them with a Sony switching amp years later. A friend who was an Infinity dealer had their amp and preamp with a LP-12 and his system always sounded great with whatever speaker he had at the time. Same with the RS 2.5's and the switching amp. Polks with a Naim intergrated were outstanding, I'm not sure if they were elevated to such a high opinion because the sound so greatly exceeded expectations. Fried W's in two different systems were jawdropping. One system had an ARC SP-6. Dynamic range, ease of presentation, and shading with Linn Isobarics and the Naim equipment was the best I've heard. Mission 770's with Sony AudioLab equipment gave remarkable resolution of bass detail. The M2 by Meridian is another outstanding speaker great imaging and bass considering size. Other speakers I've auditioned which could amaze you at times were the Hill Plasmatronics and the Sony Esprit series, all three behemoths. Let's not forget Magnepans with GAS electronics, Linn, and homemade teflon interconnects.
I posted in this thread about six years ago. Many good choices. I just wanted to add the speaker that really got me started in the pursuit, the Stacked Advent. A friend in college had these in his dorm room with a Citation 16 and 17. Unbelieveable!!! He became my friend because I sought him out by following the music to his door. I haven't seen him in 30 years. Thanks Bob..
The most impressive speaker I've heard was Isaac Asimov at Rutgers in the early seventies. I loved the Foundation Trilogy.