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?
Unit Audio's Fountain Head Speaker by Unity Audio by Bob Grost give the best midrange upper and low tone quality. I have not compaired them to others but wanted to see what others thought of Unity Audio
Dennisboldt, Bob several years ago demoed at CES a pair of monitors with subwoofers. I was quite impressed and then ventured to hear the reference system. I was not impressed but have to say the line voltage where I heard them varied from 106 to 114. I knew nothing of the amps being used.
Well it's a year later since I posted my two cents. I've tried to listen as many different speakers as I have time for, so I'll listen, purchase, re-sell and move on up the chain. So far it's been Revel M20's, Diapason Adamante III, Opera Quinta's, BC Acoustique A3's, Mark & Daniel Maximus-Monitors, Mark & Daniel Aragorn's w/ Bass Extenders, AAD Reference Monitors, Mark & Daniel Maximus-Diamonds+, Mark & Daniel Maximus-Subwoofers. Right now the only ones I'm not going to sell anytime soon are the Mark & Daniel Maximus-Monitors used with the Mark & Daniel Maximus-Subwoofers (2 ea). Two subwoofers sound so much better than one. I'll report back when I find something better . . . a speaker junkie!!
Tbg - Line voltage wouldnt have an effect on sound quality since speakers draw power off of the amplifiers storage device, ie. Capacitor not line voltage unless the amplifier is over driven...or line voltage is outside of the amplifiers specs in which case it would shut down...
The Audio Acoustics Sapphire Ti-C Se. The construction is remarkable. 14 layers of resonance controlling membrane and polymers. A true transducer. No sonic character at all.
I am sad to say I listened to the ADAM Tensor Delta in semi active configuration powered by an Accuphase A45 amp. CD vinyl it doesn't matter these are outstanding!!!
I listened to these against the Wilson Maxx 3's and IMO these are the most lifelike speaker I have ever heard. Not even their top of the line speaker yet the the X-art tweeter and midrange delivered a sound that I would have a hard time telling was not live with my eyes closed.
Just an outstanding sound like nothing I have ever heard before and I don't think I will be able to enjoy my system anymore since hearing these.
No wonder Speilberg recommends them for his theaters and has ADAM's in his home. Pure heaven.
Hear a lot of crazy priced speakers and though their prices are now high a real winner was Verity Parsifal Encore with tubes.Not to large and just "right".Agree with those who get into plannars or electrostatics but they get a piece "perfect" but just don't deliver the whole way.Same with some fine horns like Avatgarde.What you get is great but when you hear another well made dynamic speaker you question what you get. Chazz
Easy to answer now that I have had them for a few weeks, the new Tidal Piano Cera with my Gill Alana linestage, Einstein LITD hybrid power amp, Reimyo CDP, Stage III cabling and Running Springs PLC. Rather than trumpet the virtues of this extraordinary piece, I recommend reading Jason's Stereophile report on the Axpona show about the Tidal system. I would have to say that more than anything, it was the sound of the Tidal that he was hearing.
the best loudspeaker I have heard is the one that hasn't been designed yet with a revolutionary discovery. In essence it's a personal taste. Most of us could never own let alone hear some of the most expensive and exotic loudspeakers out there and on this site. I am sure most are the best sounding to those who like their sound. I am happy with ohm's, magnepans, eminent tech, acoustat because those are the manufacturers I own and I was once a bose flagship owner in the 80's and until I found about audiogon and high end, I never looked back. For me, I cannot go without planar/electrostats and CLS (Coherent line source) designs by magnepan, ohm acoustics and any of the electrostat manufacturers like martin logan's, innersound, quads, etc. since my acoustat is defunct in the u.s. and belongs to china now. I purchase or upgrade based on these designs. I like horns since I own klipsch and wharfedales zaldek also
Armyscout, ah, another solution to my old problem-have everything. I decided instead that no speaker was more than a compromise of one aspect or another.
Wilson Watt/Puppy. Incredible imaging, dynamics, timbre, and soundstage. And, importantly, balances well visually in an apartment for those of us who don't have a dedicated audio room.
For naturalness, smoothness, detail, liquidity, openness, air, and vocals, Quad ESL-63 USA Monitors.
The B&W 800's are awesome, but my tastes run to the Quads, then the Wilson Watt/Puppies.
Earlier this week I was one of a few lucky individuals to be presented with a full demo(indeed an audience world-premiere) of the upcoming Raidho Ayra C-4 at their home facility in Denmark. The experience was monumental, and by and large elevated me to a musical happening seemingly detached from the speakers, or the notion of reproduction as such. What struck me was the emotional reaction to the music, in that I appeared to be fully entangled with the event taking place as if there was no "running away" in analytical judgment or cool restraint; this is not to say there was no choice whether to dissect the impressions of the sound itself, as would be the job of a reviewer in some way, but that it didn't render the option particularly appealing. You could say the experience of listening to the C-4's had a way of naturally insisting on a musical event, not what I felt to be in a manipulative(coloring) manner, but through approximating the parameters by which the signal is granted a progressively (linear) free path, so to speak. The music seemed to appear freely, non-constricted, and unfolded before me in a full, natural bloom - the background stoically calm. Instruments and voices simply locked into place and typicality with their environments. Dynamic contrast seemed unlimited, both micro and macro. Ditto with regard to bandwidth, only slightly hindered in the very bottom octave, and with mild excess in the central bass region(an area still in the addressing of the manufactorer, I was told).
Honesty or truthfulness of presentation may seem self-effacing to some, as in "lack of character," but herein lies the very essence and true mark of high fidelity, and the insight with which the C-4's call attention to the music itself in its full palette, and the overwhelming sensation of the real "life" of music, tells me that they do indeed master this feat in an unrivaled manner.
Vandersteen 5a, with the usual Ayre or Aesthetix or ARC gear (all three were available). Quad 988 side by side ever so slightly veiled in comparison. I will audition 57's soon. Vandys had great imaging, soundstage, and very importantly, suspension of disbelief and disappearing as speakers. Revel Studios and Dunlavy IV's were very close to the above. Magico 5's with EAR electronics and Clearaudio statement.. though the Magicos were indeed stellar...when factoring in price... I call them Stupidos. When 45k Vandy 7's sound reasonable...then electronics prices are entering the realm of tulipmania.
Tidal Contriva Discera SEs, I had concluded that every speaker was a compromise in one way or another, until I got these. And they are well short of the 600 hours of breakin.
My main question now is finding an amp to get the most out of them.
The McIntosh XRT2K at the McIntosh Labs headquarters in Binghamton N.Y. in March of 2008. Of course driven by Mac 2000 watt mono amps and associated Mac equipment.
The best speaker I ever heard was the Linkwitz Orion. Being an active crossovered speaker with separate amplification for each driver and also being a dipole, you need to place it out into the room by at least 3-4 feet. But if you can do that, you will be amazed at the huge soundstage, the great imaging, and a sweet spot that is enormous. It sounds great even anywhere in a room. Go to the Linkwitzlab.com site.
As far as classic loudspeakers go, the Devore line, with the top of the line Silverbacks are beyond incredible. The next down the line in the Gibbon series is the Gibbon 9 at MSRP $6,500/pr. In a medium-sized room it is amazingly wonderful and is so easy to drive that it thrives on low-powered tube amplification, such as Leben, Shindo, and much less expensive tube amps.
Much earlier in this thread I made an indication of the best speaker I have ever heard. These speakers were not set up in an ideal environment , but yet I was blown away by them .I would like to point out that a speaker cannot be evaluated on their own. The room and its acoustics, the connected equipment and cables , the ac supply , the recording , even the time of day , all play a part to the listening experience . Unlike headphones , there are to many variables . We all would have differing opinions to greater or lesser degrees, if the same speakers were set up in different environments. We are all aware of the complexities of putting a system together, making each component work with the rest (according to our own individual tastes ). I personally would like to know other facts about the system/room in which speakers have been determined "best". If this is the beginning of another thread, that was not my intention. When I or someone else says that " these are the best speakers I have ever heard " , the listening conditions are important and critical. I hope I have not upset anybody. The pursuit of perfection , when it comes to listening to recorded music over these years , has made me highly critical ( which is not always a good thing ). Thank you , Dan
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 speaker I have heard lately is the Magico Model 6. My local dealer often has it set up with either full Spectral/MIT or top of the line Boulder equiptment and each time I heard them they were impressive. It also appears that it is equally at home with all types of music.
They are way out of my league. Just good to hear new stuff though.
I agree with Jdub39 about the Hales Transcendance 8 being an exceptional performer and providing an absolutely satisfying musical experience. I have them and haven't felt the need to upgrade from them yet. I said yet, because in this hobby everything is on the table as you know. That being said I always do keep my ear out for my next speaker. Just hard to displace the Hales.
I own one pair of each. I'm original owner of the CLS from 1988- they DO need a subwoofer, and I am shopping (wore out 2 Velodyne ULD-15 over the years). I just found the QLS in St.Louis this year and will bequeath them to my children when I die.
Heard Beveridge 2SW years ago- another of my fantasy speakers. Soundlabs- have not heard, but would love to someday.
Rellsaesser, I bought Infinity Quantum Line Sources after I could not get Infinity ServoStatic 1As. I had the JBL Ice Cube amp (the first switching amp). I also owned Martin Logan CLSs but it was much later. I know you are happy with what you have so my advice is to never listen to Tidal speakers.
Reply- I just Googled the Tidal website. Wow. I would love to hear them sometime. But, Lord have mercy- they cost 10 times what I paid for my QLS. I still have a kid in college.
Yes, I couldn't buy them when I had kids in college. Come to think about that I had the QLSs while they were still in public schools. I think I paid $3000 for them.
For many years I owned Crosby modified 63's with two pairs of Entec LF 40 subs. The sound was in many ways as good as it gets, particularly with respect to low level detail and dynamics at the soft end of the scale. Sadly, the speakers did have some limitations, dynamuc range at the loud end of the spectrum, bass extension without a sub, top end extension and most importantly reliability. Still one of my favorites. Note that Richard Lees is currently modifying the newer Quads and says that they surpass the 63's.
Rockport Arrakis in a purposely built and tuned room mated with all Gryphon electronics (Mirage and Colosseum) is the best setup I've ever heard. I just can't imagine anything better, only different. The Clearaudio Statement turntable might have helped too.
Or the Tidal Contriva Discera SEs. There is no question in my mind. I was convinced that all speakers were compromises somewhere. I now realize I was wrong. I only wish that I had them for the previous 45 years of my audiophile life.
I do not believe the Sunray is better than the Arrakis. I listened to Sunrays in Hong Kong. However the room wasn't as good as the room the Arrakis was in. Also IMO there is no question that the cabinet construction and overall build quality is better with the Arrakis.
I have not heard a broken in Sunray and have only heard the Arrakis once at a show, but I have heard the Tidal Contriva Discera SE under comparable circumstances and have always been shocked at their fidelity to the instruments and voices in the recording as well as the realism of the sound stage. I have never heard any other speaker do this.
I now have about 400 hours on my Contrivas and realize how much better they sound here rather than in the shows. Frankly, I don't think any speaker even approaches them. Until these I thought that I had to accept that all speakers were compromises and that you had to choose where you wanted the compromise. I now know that is not true.
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