Revel Salon's have to be the best speakers I have ever heard. Words cannot describe how unbelievable these speakers are. I think their only a mier $20,000 for a pair. |
Speakers are the most important component, but vary the least of any component (save frequency response). A great amp through mid-fi speakers will sound great, whereas a mediocre amp through the best speakers in the world will still sound mediocre. Anyone who has made a living in audio and doesn't have a tin ear knows this. The idea that you can make an objective evaluation of a speaker without due consideration of the driving amp is the silliest concept in this hobby. With few exceptions, and there are some that I know of, the sound of the speaker you love so much is really the sound of the driving amp. In fact the better the speakers the better you can hear the amp. The physics of the best speaker in the world of a certain type (ribbon, electrostatic, dymamic etc.) varies little relative to the circuit design (physics) of various amps (not to mention tube vs solid state). Don't spend a fortune on speakers or a source component(cd players vary second least ) until you have spent a fortune on the amp and preamp. Experimentation in this hobby is fun and a good thing but there should be some logic applied or else you will end up being taken for a lot of dough before you finally figure it out (or at least approach your ideal). |
To Anacrusis
I'm not so sure I agree with the statement about speakers varying the least. Being mechanical devices, they would tend to vary the most, at least to my ears. However, I agree that the amplifiers DO matter, and to a great extent, since they impart their sonic signature to the speakers. And, I have heard some combinations that involved excellent speakers being driven by horrendous amplifiers, with predictable results (acoustic agony). And I've also heard speakers that were not very impressive, improve markedly when hooked up to a superior amplifier.
When considering speakers, the quality of the design itself can vary greatly as well. Has it been designed to work under real world conditions, or just to measure well? How is the transient response and low-level information retrieval? How much noise does the motor assembly of the woofer make? (This can obscure musical detail.) How is the phase response? Will it sound good with a wide variety of amplifiers, or will you need to take out a second mortgage to power them?
As to the speaker itself, I have recently acquired what I consider to be the best sounding one yet, that sells for a fraction of much of their competition: Escalante Design's Fremont. At $15K a pair (increasing to $19K on 11/30/06 because of production costs), they absolutely blow away anything near, or at multiples of, their price. They are 'mega-monitors', and come with their own dedicated stands, included in the asking price.
Sonically, they are incredibly articulate and detailed; with loads of air, space, timbre, etc., but with a dynamic range that rivals live performances. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of their performance is not just that they sound good at all volume levels (they don't 'disappear' at lower volumes), but that they NEVER compress ANY part of the music, no matter how demanding the passage.
They are extraordinarily smooth, and pass on whatever characteristics the rest of the musical chain possesses. You could power them with a low powered SET (I've heard them with one), or use a super powered monoblock with wattage figures approaching a kilowatt. They are 93 dB efficient, and go down to 18Hz, CLEANLY.
As a long time advocate of planar speakers, since I am a nut for detail and imaging, it took a little time to adjust my thinking to having a dynamic speaker, but they are simply that good. |
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I can not say the best but for sure one of the best TALON FIREBIRD DIAMOND! |
Avant Garde Trio's fed by Lavardin Mono's. |
B & W or Vienna Acoustics |
Magico Model 6 and/or FocusAudio Master 2 |
At this point, clearly the Acapella Triolons driven with Audio Note electronics, Jorma cabling and EMM Labs digital. The Triolons significantly extend the dynamic envelope with excellent microdynamics and crescendo's capable of rattling walls, all with a vanishingly low level of distortion. Detail retrieval, particularly low level ambient detail is phenomenal. Even though the speakers utilize three very dissimilar types of drivers (ion tweeters, horns and dynamic woofers), they are very coherent and seamless, with an effortlessness reminiscent of the Goldmund Reference TT. Images have a solidity and three dimensionality. The bass is tight, well controlled, goes low with great authority and speed. More importantly, by pushing the horn technology down to 200 hz and dividing the range between 200 hz and 5000 hz so that it is handled by two horns, there is a significant lowering of intermodulation distortion that effects the entire range. Acapella has been able to do this in such a manner that the two horns act almost as a single unit. You cannot pick out the crossover point and there are no discontiuities as the sound moves between the horns. Bells and other percussive instruments have a steep leading edge with a with a natural reverberrant tail. Voices are a joy on this speaker, both male and female. The plasma tweeter remains the best high frequency driver that I have heard and that includes the superb diamond tweeters used in the Martens and Kharma's |
Best I heard was Tyler Linbrook Signature System, a Dual 8 for bass, dual 7's for midbass and the finest tweeter, The Millinium. had it all in a good balance. Weakness: none. |
magnapans 3.6 w/ mac intosh equipment. |
Best full range
Dynaudio Evidence Master with all Chord electronic.
Best Monitor
Diy two ways: preamp Deqx Dsp/X-Over
Mid-High: Raven 3.1 pro driven by Cary 805 AE with Amperex 211 + super mods
Mid-Low, Audiotechnology C-18 driven by Bel Canto E-1000)
unbelivable experience!! |
I heard these at the Stereophile show in 2005.
These speakers were amazing.
They use ScanSpeak's ring radiator tweeter.
A 5 inch midbase by Skanning and 2 9 inch Skanning woofers.
They sounded sweet and holographic with a perfect bass response. |
Magnepan 20.1 with 2 Mark Levinson 23.5 in biamplification (and a tube active crossover)..... |
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Many years ago I had the opportunity to listen to the infinity reference standard system and they totally blew me away. I've gone to the shows and heard alot of great speakers but my mind always goes back... |
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Now the best I have heard is the LSA Model 10s. I doubt these speakers will ever be produced. |
I would have to say the JM Lab grand utopia.
I also heard the Audio Aritstry Dvorak in Mount Kisco at Audio Outlet it was a four piece system and was amazing.
Joseph Audio Pearls at the Stereophile show were great too. |
MBL SIMPLY THE BEST
NO OTHER SPEAKER MAKES MUSIC SOUND THAT LIKE LIFE! |
Albert Porter's Dali Megalines. They are outrageously good! :-)
Cheers!
M |
Sonus faber Stradivari!!! |
Analysis Audio Amphitryon Full Range Ribbon Speakers. They even edge out, by a small margin, my second favorite, the Dali Megalines. |
I am looking for Artemis EOS sig. anyone forward to me ?
kim@kmold.biz |
I have to break this down into three catagories; dynamic bookshelf, dynamic floor standing and electrostatic. Of the latter, I've only owned one, The Martin-Logan Aeriusi. While it was surely different, I cant say it was the best loudspeaker I've ever heard. As for bookshelf dynamic, I'd have to say the Paradigm Reference Studio 20. I wish I could afford them now. Paradigm also rules in the floor standing dynamic category. There, it's a toss up between the Paradigm Reference Studio 60 and Esprit bipolar. I really miss the Esprit's. Presently, I am listening to Mirage M-290's which I purchased for a ridiculously low price on ebay. They are very good indeed. Any comments? |
Tyler Acoustics Woodmere. |
I still think my B&W Matrix802s3 sound great but the last 2 speakers I heard were new 802 Diamonds with Mark Levinson gear, at Audioden in LakeGrove Long Island. And Wilson Sophias, with I think Linn Equipment. Talk about a disapearing act and sound stage |
Apogee Duetta signature and Thiel CS5
were the most memorable listening experiences I've had. |
For best full scale real world speaker I give the nod to Dyanaudio for their C4's. Music is performed through these speakers in full measure and in a disarmingly natural way..no artiface, just pure unadulterated sound. I don't miss my Wilson's, B&W's, Dunlavy's or Magnapans. |
Njonker: I oun a pair of Nova Evolution III speakers . They are outragious in price but nothing comes close ...Be prepaired to buy the farm but oh what a ride ! |
While my exposure has been limited, this topic really needs to be expanded into categories IMO:
Horn systems, bookshelf, etc.
Having said that, I do remember liking the vintage mid-70's Wharfedales. So unfair to limit it to just one. |
Avantgarde Mezzo.
The basshorn will give you fast clean bass even at low listening levels.
Sound is absolutely the BEST I have ever heard.
Looks are stunning: my wife likes them, my and her friends also. So you can put them in the living room.
See what www.high-endaudio.com has to say about AG's. |
Ridgestreet Audio Designs Sason LTD...perfectly coherent from ~high 30 Hz to the highest treble, deepest, most layered soundstage I've ever heard, image and tonal density beyond reproach, amazingly natural portrayal of detail...an extraordinarly expressive and communicative speaker! It doesn't go real low (2-way with 7" mid/woofer), but what it does, it does better than any other speaker I've heard. Never even missed the bottom 10 Hz. I've got my order in!!
The Avalon Eidolon Diamond with all Spectral components and over $20k of room treatment at Progressive Audio in Columbus, OH was able to soundstage and image almost as well as the Sason's, but tonally it was too lean. Substituting an ARC VT200 added a little weight to the lower midrange, but soundstaging and imaging suffered. It was a tweaked out system in a tweaked out room.
I've heard the MG20.1R's in good setups/rooms that were also very good, but I'd take the RidgeStreet Audio Sason's over anything I've heard in 20 years. |
The word "best" covers a lot of ground. It has always been reserved for the Quad ESL-57, but... it is slowly becoming the Gallo Ref. 3.1 (which I have owned for a very short while). I will know for sure when the Edge M6m amp (another Audiogon purchase) gets here next week.
As long as my hiney graces the well worn seat in my recliner, the 3.1's are Nirvana. Only the 57's have given me the musical enjoyment that these funky looking Gallos have. |
I have owned the following speakers in the last few years. Please keep in mind that I like everyone of them during the path of upgrade/changes with an exception of the Advangarde Duos ( I dont no what is so goog about them).
B&W Nautilus, 800
Avangarde, Duos.
Magnapan 20.1R and 3.6R
Wilson WP7 and Sophia
Martin Logan Prodigy
Kef 207
Usher Dancer 8571 and Be10
Revel Salon and Studio
Eggleston Anda II
I bought a pair of Black Swans from Gershman Acoustics a few weeks ago (do not mistake this for Swan speaker). This by far is my favorite pair of speakers in my 15 years as an audiophile. I am hoping to have enough time to post a review soon. I thought the speakers sounded good at the show, oh man, they sounded a lot better in my home. I am running them with some Conrad Johnson, Cary, and McCormack electronics (LP70s, CT5, UDP1, and Premier 350: Cary: SPL-05,CAD-805 AE, SACD306).
I have heard too many speakers to list. Basically I have heard pretty much everything or as many as a i could in the 4 days I spent at the CES each year, Alexis Park and Venetian (2000-2007). Some sounded really good other sounded like crap regardless of the price. If you are looking a pair of speakers in 20-30K range, please do yourself a favor and listen to the Black Swan. They are that good....Acurate, cohesive, expansive sound stage, (wide, deep and high), balanced from top to bottom, beautiful mids, and airy and silky smooth highs. (sound stage is not as deep as I would like to have- potential room acoustic isssues.
The best speakers I heard was at the MBL show room this year. |
Without a doubt, Dynaudio Evidence Masters. Even in a smaller room they are oustanding. Low volume, high volume, any music you play, perfect. |
The best speakers I've ever heard are probably Apogee Scintilla's. The best speakers I've ever owned are Apogee Centaur Majors. |
Hales Concept 5
Just picked up a pair for 1100.00. These are really nice. Big, rich, realisic sound. I can't ask for more. |
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Sonus Faber Amati Anniversario or the B&W Silver Signature. |
1) Yamaha NS-1000
2) Big Wilson monster-thingy
3) Linn Isobarik DMS
4) Spendor SP1/2
5) Martin-Logan |
Have not read the whole 14 pages so I don't knoe if mentioned, but I heard a couple of MBL speakers (driven by MBL gear) recently and I doubt anything can sound that "real". |
My Wilson Alexandria's with Audioquest Everest and Sky interconnects driven by SH-833 Monoblocks and my 27 watt Ongaku amp, 20 pounds of silver baby. May upgrade the cables though. |
Price no object: Heard the MBL Radialstrahler 111E at the HK Hi-Fi show last year and they are definitely the best I've heard. They need a big room and an even bigger wallet though.
Keeping feet on the ground (barely): ATC SCM100 (Active). Possibly the best midrange I've ever heard. |
Has anyone heard the new soundlab majestics? |
"My Wilson Alexandria's with Audioquest Everest and Sky interconnects driven by SH-833 Monoblocks and my 27 watt Ongaku amp, 20 pounds of silver baby. May upgrade the cables though." I do agree about the X-2's. It is the best speaker I have ever owned. I also use SET (Lamm ML 2.1 at 18 wpc) Consider Valhalla cabling and then you will have something even more special. |
Well in this matter you would find out many different opinions and taste here go’s my own.
My #1 speaker it's Tannoy Silvers 15".
Way? Every single sound was natural and everything comes from a single point, not bright or dark just NATURAL.
PD. One day I was doing a cleaning maintenance on my Tannoys and mom comes visiting with her cat. The speaker was upside down on the floor playing some new age music with bird’s sounds. THIS CAT WAS ON FRONT OF THE SPEAKER LOOKING RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE SPEAKER LIKE TRAING TO FIND OUT WHERE ARE THOSE BIRDS AND TRING TO FIND OUT WHERE ALL THE SOUND COME FROM. THIS WAS FOR MORES THAN 30 minutes.
In 24 years of been in the Hi Fidelity, This was the only speaker that catch the attention of my Dog and my mother cat. And every time they were in the house I try, and every time these speakers catch their attention, looking right in the center of the speaker. |
PRICE WISE> HORNSHOPPE HORNS& MARK AND DANIELS RUBIES |
Wow Oneobgyn I really like your room. You have the perfect space for those. My space may be just a smidgen too small for the X2's, but I just wanted the best. I may try Vanhalla, I'm looking for all pure silver though to coincide with my Oyaide receptacles, binding posts, conditioners and what not. Would be the ultimate clear-sounded synergy... |
Peak Consult Incognito X, without question |
