There are probably many speakers available which outperform the ARS Acoustica Celera (taken into account retail price), but I have yet to hear them. I especially like the way they disappear sonically, and the sheer clarity and directness of the portrayed musical image. Every single note appears to be amplified individually, without pulling apart the music as a whole. Sadly discontinued, but very, very high on my wanted list, and hopefully available secondhand in the main future.
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?
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?
2,090 responses Add your response
JP1208: I believe that you hit the speaker on the head. 'Ole Doc77 seems to hawk everything made of Vapor in his other posts. I've never heard them, quite probably never will. They may be a good or even a great speaker but someone who sneaks the name of equipment into forums, while representing it, should let us know. More power to him if he is a rep. or a dealer, but it seems rather small of someone to disguise himself as a forum blogging consumer. Most people would like to know if they are seeking the advice (of a rep or dealer) beforehand so they can calculate any bias that may be injected into the persons opinion. My 0.026 cents Tubeears Oh, my best speaker: I don't believe that I have heard it yet. In my younger years.... everything was the best ( even the bad), I wish that I could get that feeling now. |
After owning so many ultra speakers, so much ultra-fi, I have been hesitant to say any one thing is the best. Part of it is that I have been so picky about the smallest of flaws. I end up saying "I can't say this is the best I've heard, on this particular record I wish the snare had just a little more weight....". After a great amount of thought, the best I have ever heard is not the most expensive I have ever heard, but reminds me of real music, in many different genres, more often than any other speaker: The JBL Everest DD67000. |
I have a very full time job that's not at all related to Audio. I'm just a very enthusiastic owner, 20 years of Hi-Fi merry-go-round, and now I'm off thanks to the Cirrus. And yes I have helped Vapor at a couple shows, but no favors or payment ... just happy to help, and it gives me a reason to attend the shows. I've even visited Ryan's house a couple times to hear his other creations. If people can't share the experience of products they're excited about, what's the point of this forum? Every quality brand has their cheer squad. |
Doc77, or can I just call you Ryan? What do you do for a living? I have been in the HVAC industry for 26 years in the Reno NV area. Care to share? With all the cheer leading you have done for Vapor I think the right thing to do here is to give us some more detailed background. You have zero feedback and you are not a registered user here which is very odd. Especially for someone who has been in the hobby for 20 years and has posted for years! You can only post to threads? |
Congrats Jmaffia, My favourite of this long line of Wilson speakers. What are you using to drive them? They are one of the tougher Wilsons to drive, and specifically (i recall) have a very low impedance around 80hz which can cause some amps to have a bit trouble full controlling the speaker. They are a great sounding speaker...enjoy! |
Fredless, how do the the ARS Acoustica Celera compare to the ARS Acoustica Gravitas Max? Arthur at http://www.high-endaudio.com/ thought only the Coincident Pure Reference Extreme Speakers were better then the ARS Gravitas Max. I heard the ARS Gravitas Max at the Stereophile show in 1996 in NY. They were being played on Lamm Amps. The speakers were fast with a nice midrange and the bass was fast and tight. The speakers were really good. They were designed by Irv Eisenberg Here's a pic of the ARS Gravitas Max http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/speakers/messages/31/319947.html |
I have always enjoyed the effortless power of Fried's G3, and Ohm Acoustic's Walsh 5000. Their dynamic presentation they put forth in such a matter of fact, non-intimidated way reminded me of the Snell Type A also. Ballsy command and authority, or supple gentleness, whatever your pleasure, these masters of sonics have always been my all time favorites. I'll never forget the privilege I had listening to them. |
Ever had for me. Never heard anything expensive. As for me on a BUDGET .. Proac super towers,,MAGGIE 1.6,KEF 104/2,PINNACLE GOLD TOWER,DAHLQUIST DQ10,ADS L910/L980.STAN WHITES SHOT GLASS/FULL SHOT.ALL UNDER 1K. NHT 1.6 or 1.5?,Large advent,b&o rl40 large snell towers. green mountain entry level bookshelves. And I ALWAYS have had two powered 15"/18" subs with a velodyne udl18 box to put between the subs and fronts with conrad johnson tube amp or a 555 or parasound amp large amp. with a hybrid tube /SS PREAMP. Also a theta data basic .benchmark dac. Vinyl basic set up as well. I love music just never had anything more than this. Looking at this post and can't believe all the pages wow. What to try next. I live for my kids and then audio,lol. |
Doug99: The Celera sounds just smaller than System Max, but with the same ease of portraying music. I remember the dealer using only the top part of System Max as a full range speaker, and I guess the Celera comes very close to that. Obviously, System Max could not be bettered in the bass department, but the Celera certainly has quite the propelling energy of it's larger brother. |
I have owned Altec Lancing's "Voice of the theater series" in the 70's -80's. I have been in a couple of recording studios and heard powered monitors that blew me away. They had names like Adam and A.I.R. approved speakers that I can not remember. Check out Mojo's speaker reviews. I heard the Vaughns and they were as good as anything made any where. Problem, I could only afford a 2 speaker system. Now, lets get to best for the money. I wanted the Audiophile 2-channel and also the 5.2 Theater. I found Tekton Design. They are custom made. They take 4-8 weeks to get. I received mine 2 weeks ago. Red 5.2 Pendragons. They sound as good as anything I have ever heard. Let me be clear. I an not an expert. Don't know audio engineering. I do have a demanding ear. I will stop here. Read the reviews. Play the soft and they are full and clear as a bell. Turn them up a little and I am at a "live" performance. You do not just hear the loudspeakers, you FEEL THEM ! Now,I will stop. |
With all ayre and it wasn't top of line. Just so musical. I have heard many of the esoteric stuff over the years and many are very revealing etc but I want honest and musical. I listen to live music all the Time and want to hear it the way it sounds at a venue. I think too often we get wrapped up in the equipment and not the music. I've been a tube guy most of my audio life and that's since I was 11 or so. I'm now 53 and the hearing is still good. I'm hoping to get to audio connection to meet Richard Vandersteen and hear his new amp with the 7's. I have a feeling it will be quite the treat. I'm about to purchase the Treo's as I was blown away by them. Naturally relaxed but still detailed and not rolled off. I can't afford more bass as that's where so much of all the extra dollars go for in speakers. |
Definitive Technology BP8. I was 14years old wondering around a department store while my mother shopped, when i came upon these odd black cylinder Idols on displaced. I asked the salesman what were those strange things used for? He said they were speakers and would I like to hear them? I shrugged my shoulders and said ok, what did I have to loose. When he turned the music on, i was amazed and shocked! The speakers seemed to cast the music into space around themselves. They were effortless, commanding and before i knew it an hour had passed but the seed was planted! I was hooked! And that is why I will always have love definitive technology, they popped my cherry!.. |
Redmor, it's funny how that works isn't it? We all have similar stories. Mine were Klipshorns with Phase Linear amps as well as Crown amps. I think the turntable was top of the line Garrard (in 72/3). I was blown away and said that when I can buy the Klipshorns I'll go that route. When the time came to upgrade, I ended pu with the Polk 10's (when Sandy was there) with Moscode/CJ amplification. Looking back, it all sucked, but it was MINE and I felt that I was learning. I heard the original Vandy 2's at Sound Unlimited in SD where I was stationed. They became my dealer when I was there and had money. I met Richard Vandersteen while there as he was down just showing the speakers off with Sota TT. I don't remember the amplification, but it was tubed gear I think. I think it was all Kimber Kable (the brown and black stuff that I also ended up getting with my new amplification. I was at Singer's in NYC many times along with other NYC stores and have heard the TOL Wilson's (actually at many stores around the country). I just have never been impressed. Too analytical for me. It's interesting as we all have different ears but think that what we like is best for all. Not so and that's why there are so many choices. |
I was 17 years old and wandered into the local Audio Associates in Bethesda, MD. The salesman was quite kind to this scruffy kid and allowed me to demo the JBL L-65 Jubals - WOW, WOW, WOW - "Angel trumpets and devil trombones" to quote my favorite droogie!! I was absolutely smitten. I *had* to have them. And about a year later, having worked hard and diligently saving my nickels and dimes, they were mine!! Woo-effin'hoo, I now had a little slice of heaven right here on terra firma - I owned and loved those speakers for the next 10 years! I had a similar experience many years on when I was privileged to hear the Gallo Reference 3s at Dave Pogue's beautiful home. Man, those speakers *really* did it for me. And Dave's rig was very carefully assembled over many years, the man really knows his stuff! So, once again, I set about saving my money until 8 months had passed and I was able to find a 3 month old pair for 1/2 of retail. I could not get the wallet out of my back pocket fast enough ! I am still digging those speakers after 4 years has passed - I'll probably be buried with them beside me... -RW- |
Back in the 70’s I auditioned the Beveridge, It sounded like the orchestra was inside those speakers beating their way to get out. Too bad I could not afford them at that time. Of the many speakers I have owned the best sounding were my Acoustat 2+2’s. Set up right with good amp’s they disappear. The sound stage and imaging was so good that you could feel the presents of the vocalist and you could follow them even when they slightly turned their head. |
Funny as I just hooked up my new/used Ayre AX7e integrated with my Proac Supertowers and WOW what a difference. I'm still using the 'tubed' MIT CVTerminator (made for tubed gear). Talk about a HUGE difference. The speakers sound warm and inviting. Huge soundstage pin point imaging. Air around every note and there is a wall of music with depth and even some height, lol. I'm loving them again. I still want the Vandy Treo's, but until I can sell off everything else, I have a great system in place that is musical. I"m hearing things I haven't heard since my Quickie pre/silver mono's were hooked up. |
No, the ProAc's are one of the three pair of Proac's I'm selling as I"m going to buy the Treo's. I just didn't realize how good these Proacs are. The dealer installed new drivers and made some upgrades he said and right afterwards I had to switch out to a small NAD integrated as my wife wanted remote control. This is why I'm selling my Quicksilver pre and amps too. I have just decided to sell off everything and start over. |
I have loved teh Maggies for years. they are big (if you want full sound) and don't fit everyone's room, but if you can fit them, they sound awesome. I wouldn't buy them for personal reasons, not based on their sound or construction. I nearly did years ago, but instead went with a dynamic Proac. I think there are a few special speakers in various price categories that exceed what the competition can do and two Maggies fit that bill for me as do a couple of the Vandy speakers. Personally, I've been concerned with too many speaker companies who haven't been around long. Speakers will eventually breakdown and need to be fixed, refoamed or even need new drivers and I've been burned in the past by companies with strong designs that sound awesome for the money, but are not in business when I needed help and they became a scrap pile waste for the most part. I think more audiophiles who are my age or older have stuck with the tried and true companies for this reason. One of the best systems I've ever heard was the largest Maggies with AR ref gear all the way around and MIT cabling. Crazy good, but after hearing the Vandy 5 and 7's, I'd stick with them as I think they get the music even more 'right' from top to bottom. Panel speakers seem to add something the more I listen to them. Maybe it's the extra energy they send out on the back wave that isn't dissipated. I think that's why I love the Vandy's and really liked the Legacy Aeris's I heard. We all heard different things and that's why they make so many speakers. Fun hobby and it's nice to see folks passionate about their gear. |
I have heard the all TAD system at Pioneer Plaza in Japan, at their TAD showroom. Was shown around by one of their senior execs who happened to be there...a true gentleman. I was very very impressed...on Glenn Gould, I appreciated the clarity of the fingerwork by Glenn Gould...but found the tonal weight of the piano keyboard particularly in the middle a bit hard/light. Simply my opinion...and who knows...maybe it was recorded that way. But I have heard this recording for years and years and on multiple systems. And with the ones I preferred, the tonal balance and weight of the keyboard sounds much more like when I used to study piano. Nevertheless, I fully appreciate the appeal...and think it might be that the whole system could be setup more to my personal taste with a few different components rather than a necessarily deficient design or system. I don't think it would take much. in the end, I admit it did not compel me to investigate further. YMMV. |
Agree Ctsooner...and it also needs to be set up for the listener's personal preferences. I realize in extreme examples particularly, it makes perfect sense as we all hear differently. some of us measure the frequency response in-room...few measure our hearing with an audiogram. If you have a slight high-frequency hearing loss...you certainly will perceive 'even' sound differently than someone with 'perfect' hearing. And both of these tests probably don't test for 'everything' that human brains use when hearing music, so the tests don't show everything either. |
and at the end of the day it really is all about what you hear regardless of measuring. I fell in love with soundstaging and imaging. That was due to the proacs being more involving that way than other speakers I heard. I've since realized that my Proacs are even better than I tought when I got the new Ayre amp set up to it. I could keep it forever, but I like the Vandy sound better right now. Some wouldn't agree adn would rather hear Proacs. I can live with either and love them. Threre are a ton of speakers I coudl love I guess. Most would feel the same way if they heard them set up properly. |