I did enjoy the largest Apogees back in the day. My dealer then LOVED them and made sure they had their own room and the highest end ARC ref gear with MIT cables 'tuned' for the system by Bruce Brisson himself. They were pretty darn good from what I remember.
I too loved those Extrema's. I haven't heard the new ones but I don't love the new Sonus speakers. I just loved the sound of their older speakers back in the day and they look was WOW..... |
Jump on Radio Shack before they go out of business. |
Ebm,
You are the king of non sequiturs. |
Indeed Mr.Adsal,the Wamm 7 were most probably the Reference of references in Wilsons whole lineup of loudspeakers!
I would vouch to say that even the Alexadria's pale in comparision.This was a limited edition that Wilson made at the time.
And at 250k a pair back 20 yrs was a heck of lot of $$,if were to compare it to todays market.
I can only think of two other companies offhand that are most definately in a leage of their own.
1st is MBL top of line.Unquestionably considered by the toughest of critics to be one the best systems ever.
2nd would have to be without any reservation whatsoever who have to be Goldmund.This along with MBL are handcrafted
and could definately leave the most descriminating audiophile speachless! |
10-11-14: Ctsooner
Funny as stats and panels just have never done if for me. Way too hot when I've heard them and I've heard most of the TOL speakers. They seem to float the soundstage and almost always sound bigger than the actual performance was (yes, I've been in recording studios or recorded live on metal tape and heard the differences). Some folks love that sound, but in real life when you heard music live the panels won't usually sound 'right' for ME...That's just ME and not anyone else, so please don't take it that way. Some speakers are so detailed that they don't sound like live music either as most live music blends and that's what makes it sounds so awesome. We are also tricked by crowd noise as in audio we are the ones sitting on stage, but when you are live you usually are in the audience and hear the crowd noise differently. Just saying... Cts, I found Infinity's Emit & Semit tweeters could sound a bit hot and generally benefited from some tubes in the mix. Indeed Arnie Nudell & John Ulrich voiced their speakers mostly with Audio Research tube gear. I've owned 3 pairs of classic Infinitys including the Ren 90's & found a happy medium running a Classe power amp & JVC XL-Z1050 as transport and Vimak DS-1800Mk2 dac. Though solid state, the qualities of that gear worked well with the Rens. So it might be partly a question of system matching/synergy. Another challenge you eluded to with panel speakers (as with all dipoles) is setup. True ribbon panels like the TSW Apogee Divas for example are notoriously hard to setup, require a large room & need to be placed well out in the room. Apparently the TSW Duetta Sigs are easier to setup. I haven't heard the resto'd TSW Divas, but my understanding is that Graz's new ribbons solved an issue with the original Diva's midrange power handling which results in smoother, more coherent sound. Whilst the stronger magnets, stiffer frames & better crossovers used today lift the speaker up to a new level. That said, the best dipoles i've ever heard were a pair of Infinity IRS-V's setup with massive Electrocompaniet mono blocks & an analogue front end. |
The two that have stuck with me – each for a completely different reason - were the Volti Vittora and the Goldmund Prologos. |
Snecma, Nice JBL speakers and set-up, I bet it sounds great! |
ZYAC39
Fascinating comments on the WAMM7. Would love to hear the WAMM7 someday. How does it compare more specifically with the Alexandria? Why does the Alexandria pale in comparison? I am told the XLF is voiced a bit more similarly. Any thoughts on this? THANKS! |
Radio Shack jump on a pair now!!!!! |
NO I'm just the Prince mr cool. |
This is a great thread as you can tell what type of sound people gravitate to. I love that as it's a hobby and there are no absolutes...
I was in Audio Connection in Verona, NJ yesterday. He had Richard Vandersteen in to show off his new amps with his 7's....Jonny as always had a great set up for the carbon Treo's, the 5A carbon and the 7's...Lot's of analog as well as digital. Heard Pono for the first time and WOW did it sound great with an Ayre separates and the Treo's....the 5's with AR ref (ref 75 for the amps) was the best I've ever heard them sound. AQ cabling throughout the store. the 5's BLEW us all away...Yes, THEY were THAT great from top to bottom. I'm in awe as they sounded better in that room with the AR gear than most any other 100k plus speaker I've ever heard. Rockports and others included. The 7's were the fastest speaker I've ever heard. Soundlabs, Quads, Maggies, ribbons anything....they are THAT FAST....most folks didn't 'get' the sound. It's the closest to LIVE that I personally have heard. I think it was almost too fast and perfect for most...It's the first time I've ever heard audio NOT sound HI FI...EVER! Again, most won't get it right away, but when you listen you just hear what you are listening for and it all melds together. You can and will sit of hours on end and listen to anything well recorded. It was an AR ref pre, Romulus, AMG table/arm and Richards amps and speakers the cable was WEL from AQ...if you are near Verona, NJ, just got LISTEN...Bring your own records or digital and LISTEN...You will be lost and the hours will melt away. Not saying they will be your favorite, but they rock and play loudly, but it's all about the total emersion into the sound. |
Tidal speakers in general...the most true to the music speakers i have ever heard.The reason i bought the Contrive Diacera-SE speakers after a long 3 year search... |
I agree with Calloway, gave up looking for anything better when I acquired Tidal Audio's Piano Diacera. |
Hey Ctsooner. The one time I heard the 7's I had a similar experience. It took a couple lps, but combined with the ARC electronics and room these speakers offered the least hifi presentation I have heard. The speed, tonality, staging...audio descriptives...don't well characterize the "live" beauty of this system. Something about the carbon drivers.
As much as I appreciate the Avalon's I own, coming home left me wanting; but who's got the scratch. |
JBL Pro Series theatre speakers model 4676, two-way based on 4550 Bottom Cabinet. Has anyone else heard a pair? |
Siddh, I went with the Treo's. When I update and go separates, I can add the new subs he's working on and my system will slam (when I want it to of course). You can get the new 2's and add the Ayre separates and I promise you that you will get a LOT Of the 7's sound for budget costs. The newer Vandy's have the better drivers, but he just makes changes and rarely puts new numbers on things. I can't wait to hear the 9's rock out with his new amps...That will change the game I think as the people who want real 120db listening (stupid for your ears) will get it. |
Has anyone used any of the sonus faber bookshelf or monitor speakers could you tell me your thoughts on them. |
Like anything it depends on he model especially since the new company took over. It also depends on room and components. They were known for a rounded or romantic sound. I used to love their old "sound" with audio research amps. |
I want the old stuff not the new sound. Cremona auditors on up. Please no Olympica stuff. The serblin era or a little after. |
My cousin has had Sonus Faber Guanieri with ARC tube separates for over 10 years now. He played the Eagles' Seven Bridges Road for me once (CD recording)). The aliveness of that music (great separation & texture/tonality on individual vocal parts) made a lasting impression on me. Something I've sought to recreate in my own much more modest system. Ain't got there yet, however. I'm not saying the SFGs are the best - have not heard enough speakers for a valid opinion. But they are certainly very good. Mainly just posting my impression in response to the question about Sonus Faber. The other thing worth mentioning is that for how small they are bass was well represented in the music I heard from them. Takes quality amplification, I'm sure. |
@ghosthouse thanks. I guess that was the guanieri homage. I wanted to know about the bass performance. I'm glad you gave me your other impressions. I would be using audio research on the front end. That's what I have now. |
Calvin, I'm checking with him. See if I can get you some more details. Regarding bass...going by old memories here but I know for sure he used to crank some ZZ Top on that system and it certainly didn't sound anemic. Not trying to say it was like having a sub in the room, but still a pretty satisfying listening experience. |
Thanks I'm going to probably go with a smaller speaker from the early sonus faber family. |
Calvin - I was wrong on the SF model but this might actually be more relevant to your current direction.
The speakers he has are SF Electa Amator, NOT Guarneri (don't know where I got that name from).
ARC equipment is VT130 amp w/LS2 pre.
Regardless of name. It sounded great. Good look in your search. |
I have listened extensively to the new Auditorium-23 Cinema Hommage speakers. They are absolutely stunning in every way. Musical presence, soundstaging, instrument textures, timbral accuracy, transparency, dynamics, resolution, weight - everything I could ever hope for in music reproduction, rendered in a way and to a degree that I have never before experienced. It might take weeks or even months, but I am going to find a way to own a pair! |
I will go arc/sonus faber combination. I have ref3 if I go smaller I will get vsi60 arc integrated with sonus faber speaker. |
11-22-14: Mdemaio
The two that have stuck with me – each for a completely different reason - were the Volti Vittora and the Goldmund Prologos. + 1. The Prologos are very dynamic and musical speakers. They sound very smooth and are good sound stagers. I would love to hear the mighty Apologue Anniversary! |
the 80k Rockports are pretty amazing too. Forget the name, but I've heard them really sing with some incredible amplification and vinyl. |
in my own personal experience I have to say Advent 6003 speakers are best I have had. I bought a pair new in 1985 or 86. I first took home a pair of the large, 2 way Advents with the fried egg tweeter. my wife insisted on the 3 way speakers. we returned the 2 way speakers, and got the 6003s. never have regretted that. still have those. we had listened to a lot of speakers and for $650 for the pair new we thought those were a great buy. I sell Jolida audio gear. Have had quite a few Klipsch vintage speakers come through our store. The 6003s sound a good bit better than the Fortes, a bit better than the Cornwalls, and the 6003s put the RF52II and RF62II speakers to bed handily. No comparison there. Connected to the JD502CRC tube amp and using the FX DACIII jazz sounds live right there in the store. Norah Jones sounds so nice. There is not much information on these speakers. Made about 85 and 86. 3 way speakers, 10" woofer that does put out some bass. These are hard to find speakers, and rare to find in really good condition. If you ever have a chance to get a pair do so. With the right amp these are capable of being real exciting to listen to. And very real to life sounding. In my own opinion. In the old days Advent represented real value for an accurate sounding speaker. |
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Magnepan 20.7 and its priced right! |
The infinity IRS I listened to had 16 EMITs per front and back, total of 32.
I later built what I had called the mini-IRS, using 9 EMIMs and 8 per side EMITs. These speakers were way better than the Infinity RS1/A/B, and when I mentioned it to the Infinity people it seemed one company owner thought it was a stupid idea, yet another said the IRS, helped sell the Infinity name and my speaker idea would not be worth its production costs.
This was much nicer than saying my idea was stupid.
My crossover design, simple 2-way, was much better than that complex design used in the large Q and RS models |
very cool....do you have pics? How did you get the drivers? |
Ladycharnet....very interesting. Like Ctsooner....any pics and more info???
Thanks
Rick (RWD) |
I liked the Vandersteen 3aSigs vertically bi-amp with VTL mono blocks and 2-2wq subs. The last Vandi I owned were Mod 5 sigs like them a lot and kept them for awhile. When I heard Von Schweikerts that was a game changer for me. Started out with vr1, vr2, vr3 which I use in the ht system with LCR15 and TS-350s. In the main 2 channel room VSA VR 5 in vertical tri-amp configuration seems to float my boat and all my classical musicians player friends. So in essence I own what I like. The exception was Infinity Rs1 I think it was 4 7 foot high panels with tons of electronics sounded very good just too much gear. |
I recently heard the Raidho c3.1 speakers and they are the best sounding I've ever heard. Was great is they are relatively small and a great looking speaker. |
Labtec, I think most of us who have been around this for years agree with you, however on a thread like this of fun, you typically assume that folks are feeding the top speakers a top signal. I would disagree that a great speaker will sound like the worst with poor quality fed to it. It won't sound it's best, but it can still sound better than a terrible speaker being fed with a great signal. Both would sound poor obviously, but I'll take the speaker as being the most important part of the chain with the font end being second. JMHO |
Haven't heard that many speakers, but the KEF LS50 is spectacular. There may be a number of better speakers out there (its always a matter of taste) but I believe it will be very hard to find one that matches the sound, form and price of the LS50s. |
Hi Tvfreek
Did you try JBL studio 530?
You should.... :))
$600 VS $1500 |
A well set up MBL 101 (E and onward) radialstrahler is the most impressive speaker I've ever heard. At certain shows, wandering into the MBL room makes every other speaker sound like drivers and boxes. Their top end was unique IMO. I've never heard cymbals truly sound just like drum cymbals in a room, vs "hey, those tweeters are pretty good" type sound. (And I don't just find them spectacular in terms of the obvious soundstaging: I found their reproduction of a kaleidoscope of believable timbral colors to be incredible).
I also heard them at some more controlled set ups. Finally got hold of the small stand mounted 121 version, which aren't of course as spectacular, but they still have to my ear almost uniquely natural upper frequencies.
I've never heard Magicos though, and would really like to. |
Best speaker I have ever owned, it's got to be REGA RS5.
Why? imaging is extraordinary, left to right, back to front. Tonality, transparency, detail is spot on. Not too forward, not too bright, the presence is awsome. Voices are palpableVery Dynamic, but not too thunderous. Bass is just right. Super easy to position! Easy to drive. Enormous qualities, within this $1.5k budget of course...
Before, I have had in chronological order bose 301, polk rt-12, b&w 601, my own (scanspeak/vifa/dynaudio), dynaudio active bm5, martin logan aerius i, magnepan mmg, magnepan mg12, b&w cdm-9nt, vandersteen 2 signature, paradigm studio 40, psb image t5, and the Rega.
I usually swap speakers once a year; I have had those for the past 4. Next stop will be totem. Unfortunately, it is hard to go somewhere and listen these days, but I would like to give totem a listen. If anyone has had the opportunities to compare the rega rs5 and preferred something else, I would be interested to hear your comments. |
Electroslacker, yes I had such an experience with Infinity ServoStatic 1s driven by ARC early tubes stuff. I had to go in and ended up buying them and the ARC a week later. But I've had many more instances at CES and other shows, where I walk in hear awful sound and turn around and leave. Once this was a McIntosh speakers where the young woman at the door who had welcomed me looked curious and I said, that had just remembered an appointment.
Incidentally, I will never have an experience walking past a dealer anymore, as there are no dealer with 200 miles of me. I expect within 50 years all dealers will be gone. |
I spent some time at a friends house today listening to the Raidho D1. This was the best sound I've ever heard to date, on all genres of music. In all fairness, the entire set up was very well thought out and my friend does own a high end shop. He was also using the Raidho stands. If I had the money I would buy them without thinking twice. |
Raidhos are great speakers. I have the C1.1s and the sound is sublime. |
I don't think I'm ready for ceramic drivers again. I think the B.M.C. Arcadias sound much better than any of the Raidhos I've heard. |
I personally have loved most any speaker using a carbon fiber variant for the Tweeter and a fiber Mid range. Just very natural and open as heck. FAST is a word that comes to mind. I have heard ceramics sound great too, but not like carbon drivers when utilized properly. |
Quadral Speakers, I have the Platinum M50 as Main Speakers and are awesome. Better than many big brand and costly speakers. |
I've aquired a pair of Casta Acoustic model C's. Best I've owned and heard. Can't go wrong with a 2" horn, 17" horn midrange, 15" bass driver in each. Dynamic, robust, coherent as hell and lazed sharp imaging. Delicate when needed though deep and authoritative. The amount of information I get out of these made me rid my centre channel, Svs Pb13 ultra subwoofer and maybe soon my rear speakers. |
Jump on Radio Shack before they are gone!!! |
Steen Dossing designed SD! loudspeakers.Brilliantly transparent and punchy too. Slightly woolly bass but great to listen to through some top level Audio research gear. The only fault with them was they had a ribbon tweeter that would blow if you put too much juice through them. |
