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
I believe at this point I will try a different approach before I 'check in but never leave'. If I find a source that could provide a recommendation for speaker 'pre-treatment' or upstream equipment such as amps, pre-amps, table and cartridge along with cd player, then I would know that I am giving these particular speakers the chance they deserve. If there is a site or source where one could plug in the specs or basically provide all of the site data on these 510's and get some suggestions on how to power them up to get the most out of them I may stop there..(for now..my user name has a reason for being). But matching up reasonably priced equipment for these lower cost speakers (based on all of the speakers mentioned here) maybe I will find a big improvement in what I already consider wonderful sound. I use an old Sherwood from the 70's and a newer Sony high watt amp, plus an old Dual table from the 70's with a ??cartridge from the Dr. in the twin cities. My brother picked up a new table and cartrige from the Dr. at about $1500 and it made a world of difference in his system. I am embarrased to say that I do not come close to what others on this site seem to spend but I will progress as necessary. Just can't close the IRA at this point..suggestions? Be harsh..I don't mind.
Obsessalot - Your name sounds very familiar. Weren't you one of Arthur's Knights of the Sound Table?

The trap in this hobby lies in obsessing about what you might be missing. This can lead you to do stupid things that you regret (there are threads here devoted to that topic). Focus on what you do have and just enjoy it. Many people have better systems than you do or I do or doo doo. It's all relative.

Can you identify any shortcomings in your present system? If not then forget about equipment and play with the room a bit. And buy more music. Or learn to play an instrument. Or seduce your wife. Join the gym.
Find another way to stay busy. Otherwise, you will get sucked in and before you know it you will be as broke and weird as we are.
The soundlab for a poor guy like me.

Why?

No phase distortion.
Even sound everywhere!
Good base response!

Works best with a nakamichi av10 for me. I know most people hear would say that I committed the most horrible crime of all. But trust me, for an Indian music and most others the nak is the best. At a clean bass boost of about 20 dB using loudness and bass knobs makes these soundlabs sing like they should. And yes the sound is untiring as I could listen for a long time. Harmonic time alignment is very noticable and works!!
Thank's Macrojack. I appreciate the advice and the suggestions. As does my wife...well at least one of the suggestions she is on board with...unfortunately it is join the gym.

I am going to take a close look at my system, make a couple improvements in the turntable area, find out a bit more about my amp and pre-amp, definately have more music to buy as my tastes are very wide ranging, ecclectic I guess you could say - if I spelled it right - and go from there. As far as best speaker, yes as I read through this thread I can see the potential for disaster in many ways.

For now I am going to keep involved with reading and studying but maybe I can keep it at that..I do enjoy it.

Meantime I go back to the round table for a possible name change - very good by the way - and then.......off to the gym I guess.
I still am going in a circle over this Bose 901 thing. I have had at least 100 pairs of spkrs in my audio life...including 2 pairs of 901s. They were without a doubt the WORST sounding spkrs i have ever heard. I have told ppl in the past..there great for AV spkrs..like for the jet engines on Top Gun..you cant hurt the damn things. Just never and i mean NEVER listen to music on them.