Dmurfet asked:
"I have still yet to hear a sax that sounds as *breathy* as in real life with a sax right in front of you..... anyone heard different?"
The best sax I've heard... "breathy" and very real sounding has come from my Apogees in my room playing one of my "Houston Person" CD's. I think trombone (Steve Turre) 20bit Telarc recording I have is the best "bite" I've heard from that instruments reproduction by a pair of speakers... The trombone can also be somewhat "breathy" at times.
Dave |
sogood - that would be easier to check - I have a trombone - I used to play in a "Brass band'oop Noorth" when I was younger. I'm in the UK - you might not get the accent! |
Dmurfet
Drop by the Apogee speaker users forum, we have members in the UK that will be more than happy to let you do just that. We have members all over Europe with many Apogee models for that matter. BTW, A pair of one of the best ever Apogees (Scintilla) is on Ebay/Europe as I type...they look to be in great shape!
Dave |
Duane,
I don't give two hoots what you think of Klipsch Cornwalls. I just know I like them. Go stuff your head in your favorite speaker and don't knock my mine.
Larry |
Duane
What's a Victrolla ? The correct spelling is Victrola.
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Hi, my Dad has asked me to sell his DQ20i's for him and I have no idea what they are worth. They were purchsed in the mid 80's and are all black.
pls e-mail erinb007@yahoo.com
Thanks,
Erin |
Larry, didn't mean to upset you. I was pointing out that there are several ingredients to a live performance that remind us of the event. When a sound system reproduces the one or two things that are most important to you then you are happy and to people that like Klipsch it's dynamics. I am cursed with the fact that it takes 15 ingredients for me and when that is the case it costs tens of thousands to get dynamics with it.
I have been listening to equipment that is so good for so long that almost everything on the market is not good enough. Nothing personal.
By the way, you don't have to know how to spell to listen to music. I went to public school. :-) |
To me, a really great speaker would be designed to output the original signal as faithfully as possible. Then, theoretically anyway, if you have these speakers in a good room and set up correctly, and if the system upstream is also accurately reproducing the original signal, you will get a good facsimile of the original recording.
I believe good speaker designers have identified and analyzed shortcomings with existing designs and made efforts to correct these deficiencies. This has resulted in many designs that do perform better than other previous designs, at least in those areas the engineer was addressing. It is perhaps our sensitivity, or lack of sensitivity, to these areas, as well as those not specifically addressed by the designer, that lead to our brand or model preferences. And even this is limited to what we have actually been able to hear (has anyone heard them all?). So we end up with speakers that surpass all other designs, but usually only in one or two areas.
For instance, I currently think that B&W makes some of the most accurate [in many areas] drivers ever produced. You could definitely build a great system around some of their D series speakers. But the sound just doesn't hit my ears right. Does that make me or them wrong? And then nobody does lifelike dynamics and resolution better than Wilson. If careful, someone could have a great system around these too. But not me.
For me, the speaker system I have heard with the most potential with the fewest compromises is the Thiel CS-7.2. If set up correctly, this speaker system has resolution, neutrality, soundstage and imaging to rival the best, but without the shortcomings (comparitively) I am sensitive to of other designs I have heard. Definitely one of the best, if not the best speakers available. |
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The best speakers are the ones that allow you, the listener, to enjoy the music. Everyone hears differently, and everyone's listening rooms are different, as well as what your source components are. If you have effected a synergy between your room, the source components,pre-amp and amp, and your speakers, then you have it made! |
Apogee Diva's driven by Krell and Martin Logan CLSIIA's coupled with the Kinnergetics SW800 subwoofer. Sub driven by Levinson Model 23 and Audio Research SP-11 Mk2 and D250 Mk2 Servo for the CLSIIA's. Transparency, detail, speed, imaging, and power. Awesome. |
I love the Vandersteen line - especially the 2ce's..but I have to say after hearing the Von Schweikerts Vr 99's - not much else compares.
Larry |
Everything in the universe is relative...but for my room, my equipment, my listening ear, etc., the 802 diamonds are something special! |
Apogee Scintillas & Divas.
Avalon Ascent MK.2's & Eclipse Sigs.
Dahlquist DQ-20I's & DQ-30I's.
Vandersteen 3 Sigs & 5A's.
Von Schweikert DB-99, VR-7&9's.
More than one pair, sorry ! |
Question is very subjective.
Best speaker to A might not be for B's ear.
To me, I think the marten design coltrane should be one of the best. |
A toss up between Soundlabs the Ultimate one with CAT electronics, and the Sonus Faber Stradivari with Nagra tube equipment.The rooms of the owners were different as was all associated gear but both were systems with first rate sound.It would be hard to pick a winner,so I'll call it a draw. |
The Joseph Audio Pearl. I heard these at CES and thought there was a real accoustic Bass player in the room, so I went in. It was just the Pearls in there. |
The Fab Audio Model 1 driven by Tom Evans Audio Design electronics (Vibe/Pulse/Linear A) are doing things I've never heard another speaker do in 25 years of audiophilia nervosa. It's hard to put into words just how real this setup sounds. Much of it is due to the amp, but the Fabs are the most transparent speaker I've ever heard and let absolutely everything through. I've not heard a planar of any description, nor indeed any other speaker setup, come close to this. It's the whole enchilada. |
Speaker: Wilson Watt Puppy 7s System: Ayre V-5xe Amplifier
Ayre K-5xe Preamplifier
Ayre C-5xe Universal Stereo Disc Player This combination of equipment has been the best combination I have heard to date. I don't have extensive experience with equipment way past its price range, but it is better than systems I have heard that were twice the price component wise, including one system I heard at Harvey Electronics that the salesman claimed was a $150,000+ (USD), which was in their Home Theatre showcase room. It was so real and 3 Dimensional sounding I knew I was screwed the minute I heard the first song start to play on it, and have started saving up to buy all the components in the next year starting with the Ayre C-5xe which I already purchased. It isn't even that bad a price considering how great it sounded and how much better it sounded compared to the stuff I heard around my area that costs twice the price and then some. I do think component matching with speakers has to be crucial, because I have heard these speakers with other equipment, and while they still sounded incredible, they didn't sound as stunning as they did with the Ayre gear. I felt like I was sitting in the studio hanging out with the band I was listening to while they were playing. I'm not sure what cables they were using. |
Zu Definition 1.5. No crossover between 40 HZ and 12Khz provides impeccable phase coherence where it matters. Speaker is solid and implacable to 16 Hz because of 4 ten inch powered woofers per speaker. This may sound gimmicky to you but I assure that it is the result of original, substantial and considered engineering. Add in a nearly resistive 6 ohm load and 101 db efficiency and you are approaching the ideal. Check em out. |
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The Legacy Whispers with Legacy subs, driven by VTL pre/amp combo. Source was an SME table and arm but not sure which one. I wont stop until I can get close to the beautiful music I heard that afternoon. |
Revel Salon driven by Levinson gear at a dealer in NYC a few years ago. With the prices of used Salon's getting more and more resonable it sure is tempting......but I'm pretty impressed with the sound that I'm now getting with my Energy V2.4i's and Talon Roc2002 sub. Funny how once you have a kid, the gear you already have starts to sound really nice. |
Hands down, Infinity IRS Beta's! but one man's gold is another man's junk. |
MBL's 101e. The closest to what feels like the real thing. |
ATC Aniversary 50's or Martin Logan Summits. |
It's amazing how many different speakers are the best heard. This, I think, shows how variable sound systems (and their owners) are.
What I look for in a speaker is its ability to disappear leaving only music. For me, Equation Gaya's have done this best, but they need the right system behind them to do it.
When I first heard them, I could not believe that air could be so filled with music. If someone had put a blindfold on me, I would not have been able to locate the speakers. It really was like the musicians were in the room playing. It's been over a year since I heard them and I still cannot forget the sound. |
I have heard the Dynaudio Evidence with T + A electronics and was blown away. |
Nucore Electromagnetics Cathedral Sound, LR42, LR45 and LR48 transmission line speakers. These high efficiency loudspeakers are the best sounding loudspeakers I have ever heard and speaker placement is very practical. Cathedral Sound leads you to believe live music is being played by real musicians. Hifi stereo systems are all about recreating the live music experience and creating the most accurate reproduction of the recording possible. I also love the fact that these speakers work very well with both solid state and tube amps. I recognized the value and quality and purchased the LR42 speakers and use them in my home theater system. Cathedral Sound |
I'v heard, that there is a pair of old raido shack speaks, that are amazing but haven't heard them personaly. any comments? |
IMHO, the Nova Utopia Be are the best around. Expensive at 37000 USD ! But incredibly refined... Capable of very deep bass and very accurate medium. Exquisite treeble. My prefered speaker to date... Don't you agree ? |
That is easy.The best speakers I ever heard are my ears.I think I will keep them forever. |
The Martin Speakers USA Transflex 4050 (an improved transmission line) with two 11" Woofer, 5" curvilinear midrange, 1' dome tweeter, had Rec. Amp 100-300W it was 52" tall and 12' wide was capable of well defined sound pressure levels of up to 120 db and was designed for concert level listening. Low frequency to 28HZ. This was my personal choice of the best speaker I have ever heard, I should have saved a pair! |
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Infinity IRS Beta in my system. ( at shows and dealer showrooms I loved the MBL 101 , Soundlab A1 and the Genesis systems) |
Apogee Diva, Scintilla, and Duetta Signatures beats all the aforementioned speakers hands down for soundstage, detail, clarity and depth+transparency.
R. |
B&W Nautilus 800 speakers. Simply amazing !!! |
Zingali 215.
And I have owned many speakers : Sonus Faber, B&W, Quintessence, Keff, Dali, Cabasse, Wilson, thiel and Dynaudio. |
Clearly, it has to be the Plasmatronics, which hasn't been made for years now.
This monster used helium gas and converted it to plasma, the fourth state of matter. Then, this purpleish glowing spherical ball of plasma was modulated by a direct drive tube amp, which had a 5000 volt plate supply, if I remember right. The surface area of the plasma sphere became the point source radiator and let me tell you, from 700 Hz up, it was flat out perfect. It also used a very large tank of helium each year, too.
It didn't work below 700 Hz so you had to complement it with subwoofers and stuff. The problem is, nothing would mate with it well, so there was always perfect sound mixed with non perfect bass. It was huge, too; reminded me of a loveseat put on its side and you had two of these things in your living room. It was one helluva system, let me tell ya. That purple ball of plasma floating in space really caught your eye.
The other speaker system I heard that had a lot of promise, but wasn't finished, was a spherical point source electrostatic. Richard Shahanian and another engineer perfected a way to make a spherical electrostatic and that had a lot of promise. Unfortunately, Richard doesn't own the patent, otherwise I am sure he would have perfected it.
Of course, Shahanian's Diapazions are very good, which is why I saved for years to buy them. |
SONUS FABER AMATI ANNIVERSARIO. |
B&W Nautilus 800 speakers are one of the best I've listened to in the last few years. |
Green Mountain Audio, PICK ONE, THEY ARE WHAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING FOR. It took me thousands of $ to find GMA |
Proac Response4 driven by top of the line NAIM electronics (CDS3-Naim 555 and 552 and 555 powersupply). |
it's the original quads.
4 of them with a low powere tube amp is audio heaven. |
Gotta agree with the GMA response. Spent a decade selling high-end audio and a lifetime as a musician and have heard nothing as real sounding as these speakers. |
I also agree on the Green Mountain Audio speakers. Once you experience them in your home, you will want no other speakers. |
Harbeth Super HL-5 were WAY up at the top of the list, too. |
VON SCHWEIKERT VR-9 SE'S- you can (almost) squeeze a symphony orchestra into your living room with these puppies; my beloved eggleston andras, one of the most musical and balanced speakers from 20 to 20 i had ever heard, could never really convince me i was hearing large-scale ensembles- they lacked that last chunk of scale and authority.
plus, as good as they were at resolving detail WITHOUT sounding analytical, the VSA's are in another league altogether- the midrange, a lone 7 inch driver, is so transparent it reminds me of maggies and quads. btw, can you hear the tiny sound string musicians make as they position their bows a second before the music starts? in 40+ years in the hobby this is the 1st time and one more thing- the vr-9's come with adjustments for the three tweeters as well as the built-in activer subwooofer (they go flat to 16Hz if you like bass). the sound can be taylored to your room acoustics and your personal tastes. once upon a time i thought the wilson WAMM's were, given their size and complexity, the best speakers i'd ever witnessed- they reproduced live concert sound as well as classical orchestra music with equal authority. but they have more than met their match, and for almost 1/4th the cost. only the vr-9's
can reproduce a solo guitar with uncanny delicacy while the WAMM's might blow out of proportion. |
As folks at ML saying "happy listenning", to me the best speaker is the one that matching to the rest of your systems. There is no "the best speakers" in this imperfect world gorvened by the imperfect laws of physics. I have owned from JVC,Fisher,Klispch,Definite Tech.,Mirage,Martin Logan, Sonus,B&W..in the past 20 years. They all have weakness and strength...Due to my recent downfall, I now own a Krell 400xi with Sony es Sacd,and a pairs of rt14 POLK..yes a low-end cheapy Polk..laugh all you want but with some old pjb-RCA (Kimber) and 8TC-speakers (Kimber)that I have left from the old systems(sold them all thru this web), Diana Krall and Shirley Horn still sound quite beautifully. TRust your own ear when spending your money. Happy listenning.. |
