|
I completely agree with Ritteri. Just to add the Revel Salons have about the best bass also, I have ever heard. Similiar to the (very fast) Eidolon, but goes much deeper. |
I haven't read many of the other responses so I'm sure this has been said before. I can't honestly say a speaker is the best I've heard because it always should be considered as part of a system. The best sounds have always come from systems with the best source componets. I don't have any experience with highend cd but when I was listening and comparing the Linn LP-12 was a common denominator. The SME III and Sleeping Beauty cartridge were also. Some speaker's personality change dramaticaly with different amplification. I suspect that Infinity Quantum Speakers were designed and auditioned using their switching amp and I never knew how good they could sound until I heard them with a Sony switching amp years later. A friend who was an Infinity dealer had their amp and preamp with a LP-12 and his system always sounded great with whatever speaker he had at the time. Same with the RS 2.5's and the switching amp. Polks with a Naim intergrated were outstanding, I'm not sure if they were elevated to such a high opinion because the sound so greatly exceeded expectations. Fried W's in two different systems were jawdropping. One system had an ARC SP-6. Dynamic range, ease of presentation, and shading with Linn Isobarics and the Naim equipment was the best I've heard. Mission 770's with Sony AudioLab equipment gave remarkable resolution of bass detail. The M2 by Meridian is another outstanding speaker great imaging and bass considering size. Other speakers I've auditioned which could amaze you at times were the Hill Plasmatronics and the Sony Esprit series, all three behemoths. Let's not forget Magnepans with GAS electronics, Linn, and homemade teflon interconnects. |
Revel Salon's for me hands down. I had the opportunity to AB directly again Wilson Watt puppies(Version 6 I believe),ML Prodigy,B&W 801,Revel's own smaller Studio,and Ariel 20 and 10T speakers.All great speakers Im sure everyone would agree. But I personally felt that it(Salon's) was the best speaker for my equipment combination,room size and listening preferences. I felt these speakers basically did everything just a bit better. Especially low level detail and imaging. Most people always talk about how the bottom end is on a whole different level, but its the midrange sweetness and detail,resolution and pinpoint imaging that floors me everytime I hear em. Goes to show you what absolute engineering is cablable of. I wish more speaker companies had a R&D dept. that was the calibur of Revel's. We would all be winners in the end. |
Magnepan 20.1. Absolutely awesome. I belonged to Maggie after that. Vandersteen 5's close second. |
Did anyone go to CES this year? There is a reason the VMPS Elixer smoked evryone. Come to think of it, they smoked everyone last year too. Imagine that. A loudspeaker under 5K cutting 20K-50K loudspeakers to ribbons. See anything wrong with this picture??... |
Hi fbi....I'm not completely sure about BEST speaker all around but I totally endorse your suggestions as I am a very happy RS 1-B owner. They just do everything thing so well (for me....for now). |
~~~~Has to be Infinity Reference Standard Beta and 1a/b. A moving experience with each encounter!
Just The Facts
By |
Rosinante Dulcinea monitor speakers are the best in my opinion. |
I can only disagree with the above post regarding the tube amplifiers being limited on loud passages simply isn't my findings with the Genesis 201 speakers even when using the VTL SIGNATURE 450 amps even in triode mode at ear damaging levels in a large room, needless I say the reference 750 in triode mode is much better sounding regardless the power difference. What tube amplifiers are you referring to tim777 ? |
Genesis! The actual systems are 201 and 350 (and the 1.1 for very few). There is absolutely nothing which can be compared with these speakers in musical sound! They run very good/best whith Classé Audio amps, specially the 401. Often it is said they run good with tube amps, but there are limitations in loud passages with tube amps. Also the Classés give more vividness than tubes. (The Classés run very good also with other speakers)
If you live in Europe, there will be a new company for this kind of speakers next year. Prices will be very interesting.
If you are intersted please leave an e-mail massage on info@earlston.de.
Also extremly good are the Martin Logan Statement 2, but they are not suitable for most people because of costings and space. The smaller Martin Logans do not have this quality. That does mean that the smaller Genesis models are much nearer to the big 1.1 than the smaller MLs are near to the Statement 2. So if you consider of a very big system both ML and Genesis are your choice, if you want a smaller system take a Genesis 201 or 350 (the smaller genesis models do not have this sound quality).
ML Statement 2 and Genesis 1.1 are by far the best actual speakers in the world!
Best regards from Germany! |
Linn Komri powered by all linn equipment. tri amped it was just amazing. I really like linn. So i am personally buying Linn Espeks next year because they sounded amazing as well. |
Jesse Jackson is a real good speaker.
So was Abraham Lincoln.
hehehe |
I am using the Dynaudio Evidence Temptations, but it took six months of auditioning differnt equiptment and cables to bring out the magic. These speakers respond to the most minute changes in equiptment and room placement. They definitely belong on the shortlist of great speakers to audition. |
BEST is the MONTANA WAS's. Not only do they sound extremely good, the workmanship, hardware, and attention to detail is spot on....built for a life time. |
|
the best imaging speakers would be a pair of little 6&1/2 inch 2 ways that wally from speaker city in burbank thru together in june......Magic, just unbelievable......he has been doing this for 35 years and so have i,nothing kills us these do and they cost about 600 bucks.....okay volume,responce,and all the rest....who knows ???? but imaging ???? magic.... scan speak parts with an xover that makes NO sence at all but who cares ????? |
That's the one, Wilson Benesch A.C.T. Blew my mind.
|
without a doubt the Cabasse Atlantic's are the best I have ever heard |
Sound Lab A-1 delivers music better than any product I've heard. They are huge and power hungry, but if you can make that work, they are simply stunning. |
What I have now off course.
Usher 738:form me the best sound for the price.
Fantastic medio low frequency managemente.
Spatiality too and dynamic.
Ciao |
I have to join the Avantgarde Duos with SET (300B) monoblock amplification. I always think other systems are lacking by comparison after living with the Duos for a couple years.
|
No single winner
Infinity IRS Beta driver by Carver Tube amps, I forget the name of the amp, with a turntable for the front end. I don't remember the entire setup, but I think the preamp was a Counterpoint & there was a solid state amp on the bass towers. I heard it in Lyric HiFi several years ago,
Also, Martin Logan CLS w. Eminent Technology Bass Towers. Great sound. I heard this several years ago. ARC tube amps on the Martin Logan
Cello speakers w. Cello amps - uncanny dynamics.
My Nautilus 801s playing loud with Rock.
Avalon Ascent or Eidolons playing at medium volumes.
I am still looking for a great speaker which can do it all. What I found is that intimacy & the ability to play loud are mostly mutually exclusive. |
Toss up between Thiel CS6 and Vandersteen 5s. Gotta drive the Thiels with current however i.e. Krell |
Sonus Faber Cremonas paired with a Mark Levinson amp and cd. Clarity, depth, and warmth - magical |
Green Mountain Audio flat out makes everything else I have heard sound bad. I've heard a lot too. I was in the retail high end audio business for 8 years. I'm also a musician. Nothing speaks to me musically like Green Mountain Audio.
'Nuff Said. |
I think that 'Luke' system proves the best bang for your buck speaker I've heard is the VMPS RM40s. (Tubes rule, Luke!)
The sound is exceptional for the money ($4K). Over $10k, the jury is still out. The Sound Lab A-1s are the best so far, but I'm going to SF next weekend for the show, so the jury is still out.
Enjoy the music. |
jbl 4412's in a studio in burbank playing a newly mastered cd whose music was mastered using a similar type monitor 30 years before. i guess thats why the pros dig'em. |
Heard all speakers here accept the Piega's and the Wisdom's. I would not trade my Talon Khorus's for any of them that I have heard. Period. I have some frieds and collegues that have the Piegas and say the same thing with very similar equitment that I am using, but my sound is so good that I am now not thinking of what the next upgrade will be-I am looking for new music that blows my socks, pants, and shirt off! The Talon's with the right equiptment are simply amazing, but must be matched with the right stuff to your liking. Highly recommended. And for those bass junkies out there they are unmatched in there ability to go low and then simply go away-SPEED...And play at concert levels if you have the amp... |
AR-2Ax pushed with a Fisher 500C, in 1964. First time I ever heard Stereo, nothing has made such an impact on me since. |
Dunlavy SC IV-A's. Great clarity and soundstage. Excellent bass. Huge speakers but sweet music! |
Montana WAS's. Heard them and was really impressed with the seamlessness of the cross-overs; the midrange clarity; and the deep, realistic bass that extends evenly toward the midrange. Had to buy them. They are not even broken in yet and they continue to astonish me every day. I can't believe how clear the cymbals and vocals are!
Someday, I'd love to be able to hear all of the speakers referenced above (that would be a noble quest). In the meantime, I'm plenty thrilled with these. If any of you are ever in the Charlotte, NC area, drop me a note. |
Naim Audio DBL. Because it is one of the few reasonably sized loudspeaker that is able to capture the live "you are there" kind of musical experience. This loudspeaker and I emphasize the word loud is not an audiophile loudspeaker but one that allows the listener to get to the soul of music without any form of compression. Best used in the active format to fully exploit the potential of the loudspeaker albeit at a humongous cost on the amplification. You will require 3 stereo amps to operate this loudspeaker in active. |
Not that it makes any difference, but I would like to see evidence of nearly 100% using B&W. I would also like to know what they pay for these speakers. |
Where is the compression driver advocates? I lust after a complete Ales system, but there are other quick horn and compression driver system, which although expensive have, I suspect, never even been approached by any of the speakers mentioned above. The new JBL K2s may come close, however, for $12,500. |
Tom writes: "nearly 100% of all professional recording studios use the B&W Nautilus 801 as their reference for the best quality sound".
Really? Nearly 100%? Well, the nasty little Yammie NS10 is ubiquitous too.
I think studios have different requirements to many domestic situations and often master at higher volumes than much of our home listening is done at. If one lives in an apartment and has to respect one's neighbours, one wants speakers that are enticing at low levels.
Regards, |
I have listened to so many different speakers either floorstanding or monitor at my friend house and at any shows from the price range of $2000.00 to $15,000.00 but I never been exited when listening to a pair of Rosinante Dulcinea moniter speakers made by Ric Cummins (retail at $6500.00) in my system. They sound incredibly awesome with the tonal balance, musical, detail and dynamic. The speakers can handel all kind of music (vocal female in jazz, rock pop, classical and instrumental) without disappointed by the listeners hours long. |
The new Piega C-10 Ltd are definitely a major upgrade from the P-10s. Deep and tighter bass with to die for midrange. New ribbon technology and 4 woofers makes a marked improvement |
The ones in my rec room, the Revel Salons. I used to have a pair of Dunlavy SC-V's and prior to them the SC-IV's. The Dunlavy's were good but the Salons just do it better. The detail is better at low volume levels, there is more bass punch and the speakers image so well that they dissapear. They are power hungry though, I use to run either of the Dunalavy's with a Bryston 4B-ST and I had to go to 7B-ST monoblocks for the Salons.
I have auditioned the big Wilsons, Avantgarde, Sonus Fabers and others and none have matched the overall performance of the Salons. |
Hey Tom:
I guess beauty is in the eye, or in this case, the ear of the beholder. That is why their are as many opinions as there are manufacturers. Personally, I wouldn't lamb-baste your speakers and say they are crap. Although they are not my cup of tea since I don't like metal tweeters which make my ears bleed, I wouldn't insult what you own. And as a matter of record, many recording studios in Europe do use Dynaudio and in this country they use a lot of M&K. But you are most welcome to express your opinion just the same.
Happy Listening,
Steve Bachman
Phoenix, AZ |
Before you spend to much time on discussing which speaker has merit or this one is better then that one, spend a little more time on the right amplifier, consider also that nearly 100% of all professional recording studios use the B&W Nautilus 801as their reference for the best quality sound, ever wondered why??? I own a pair of B&W nautilus 805's the bookshelf variation, the 801's I found to expensive, the 805 really come into their own with an excellent valve amplifier, I have compared most of the speakers, and really Quad is just crap and sorry, so is Dynaudio, you get better flatness and sound accuracy from much cheaper Infinity or Sony speakers, Sonos Faber are for people who do not understand music or have an ear for proper intonnations, I found then highly annoying.
happy listening
Tom Gorman PHD |
First off let me just say that their is no one "best" speaker. We all have different ears, hearing and music types that we listen too. We all also have different expectations of what we would like to hear. As well, we all are using different electronics, some with Tubes and some with Solid State. That being said we all are entitled to our opinions. I personally have not heard all the speakers listed yet I am sure they all have their own special sonic qualities. I personally am in love with Dynaudio speakers and their uncanny ability to reproduce just the music with no real masking of anything artificial. The Esotar tweeter in my humble opinion is the finest tweeter to be produced. Why else would SO many other manufacturers be buying that tweeter to place in their boxes? If you ever have the chance to audition the Evidence Master, Evidence Temptation, the new Confidence C4 or C2 with the proper electronics, you all owe it to yourselves. You will not be disappointed. I personally own the Dynaudio Craffts which is a studio monitor produced and marketed in Europe. What a fine piece of craftmanship. Oh, one more thing; for those of you who think that the speaker or the amp or the pre-amp is the most important piece of equipment in your lineup, you are HIGHLY mistaken. The absolute most important piece of equipment bar none, is your source!!! All music starts at the source and works it's way back to the speakers from their. If your source does not reproduce the sound in the most accurate and purest form, everything else down the line is most inconsequential. Great thread by the way.
Happy listening,
Steve Bachman
Phoenix, AZ |
EFE T-60s. $5K buys you $20K-sounding speakers.
|
The VMPS RM40 w/TRT caps and dual LARGER subs can meet or beat anything I have ever heard. |
I own Quad 63 USA Monitors, and love them, but do have to say that a pair of Quad 57s properly refurbished by Wayne Piquet had the most midrange clarity of any speaker I have listened to. My friend's Innersound Eros MKIII also gets a big nod from me as one of the best speakers I have listened to. As far as dynamics go, I had Northcreek Rhythms, liked them very much. Though the Quads stole me away from them, I probably will build Northcreek's budget Borealis speaker (or the new monitor kit they have) just to have a dynamic speaker for some heavier rock stuff. No one speaker does it all for me, but if I were to stay with one, it would be my current Quads, or another electrostatic (like Innersound, etc) |
QUAD 57 ESL met QUAD mkII krag-versterker.
Verseker die beste klank! |
Quad 988 for $6K retail. Out of the 20 speakers Ive auditioned, utterly involving. Like live acoustic music. Need a sub woof. And romor had it not for punchy rock and roll. |
Though I haven't heard most of the above listed
speakers, based on what I have heard, my choice would
be Silverline Audio Sonata's.
I would dispute your thesis being that your speaker
selection is the most important component of your system.
I submit that a system with good speakers and a killer
source would sound better than a good source with killer speakers. |
Check this web site for the CES awards. All of the cream of the cream were there and this company got the award as the best sound and engineering. http://www.techtv.com/news/ces2003/story/0,24195,3413910,00.html |
Linkwitz dipoles: Pheonix
http://www.linkwitzlab.com |
