Swans 2.2 Ultra High-end Loudspeaker System without a doubt. My previous favorites were the Montana's...
The Swans 2.2 won all of the speaker awards at the 2003 CES show 2 weeks ago and every dealer, manufacturer or rep in the industry I spoke to at the Swan's booth agreed that they were by far the best sound they ever heard.
Of course!!! 16x2 midrange ribbon drivers, 32x2 ribbon tweeters and 4x2 8"woofers were a wall (or should I say 2 walls!) of the most exquisite sound for $68,000 a pair! |
Besides, live, unamplified acoustic concerts that I attend I would have to say The Wilson WAMM with Halcro was incredible,
The Von Schweikert VR-4 with BAT was also stunning ! |
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My Sharp boombox makes my Britney Spears CD sound so real , that I could almost feel her breasts. |
VMPS RM/X at 2003 CES late Saturday afternoon. |
Mejames: Thanks for mentioning the Mirages, it's been at least 5 or 6 years since I heard them but they impressed me at the time. I'd like to hear the Dunlaveys and some of the other big names. Anyone else ever heard the Shahinian Diapasons? |
Beveridge Direct Drive Electrotatic 24" Hartley System
This is the dream system over 20 years in the making.
The first set of Bevies were found at a local junk shop, after looking for ten years and cost 1,000$ (totally-toasted). Starting out with 70-watt class"A" Krohn Hite amplifiers. YES...
The sonics were first rate but not the ultimate.
The imaging was "PURE ENLIGHTENMENT.
Going to a pair of modified Altec 1570B's was impressive and powerful with a loss of detail over the KRON's, but an unparalleled acoustic triumph!
Pure chance brought a 150 watt OTL Home Brew amp into the store for repair.
!!WOW!! I told the owner that if he ever wanted to sell the amp that it had a home here. And life was good.
Always thinking of Direct Drive Electrostatic amplifiers eventually we found a pair of Acoustat amps in Hawaii.
Adapting to the Beveridges took several hours, But after 15 minutes we were so far beyond being stunned the imaging and sonic effectivness of the system was and is a revalation.
The advantages of a lo-mass panel with ultra accurate imaging and punishing transient response. They also have the line characteristics of a ribbon source without the coloration of a low impedance interface or transformers of any kind!
There is a final pay off of this topology and that it is what we call a MONOPOLE Acoustic source.
After listening to thousands of systems half way across the globe no....I REPEAT NO OTHER AUDIO SYSTEM CAN COMPARE.
REPEAT........FORGETABBOUTET............
NUFF SAID
HOPE YOU MADE IT TO THE END OF THIS RAMBLING..
Take care.
mike |
Montana WAS speakers at a friend's house in Fla. this past summer. But at $55K retail a pair it was way over my budget. I settled for the Montana EPS's at $8K retail a pair and don't regret the change a single moment. The B&W 802's and N805's went out the door. |
jbangelfish the Mirage M1 Si are clearly inferior in every sonic parameter compared to the Dunlavy 4 speakers I previously owned both sets in the same listening room. |
Martin Logan statement run by VTL wotans, cj preamp
$15,000, Wadia cd player.Cardas wiring.Then the Avant
garde speakers. |
Piega C10ltd New ribbon technology with 2 active and 2 passive woofers |
Quad 988's were very impressive in the 1/2 hour I listened to them. I'd go with the Shahinian Diapasons for the overall best with the Quad 988 best for lower level listening. Both of these speakers try to emmulate a point source. Both of these speakers are the best I've heard in terms of ability to recreate the sound of real musical instruments. |
While i thought that the Pipe Dreams had some very distinct advantages over other large designs that i've heard, i thought that the soundstage lacked depth. The imaging that was produced was rock solid, but it all seemed to come from a few feet in front of the speakers. I've noticed this on a few other line arrays, so it is probably a problem that comes with that type of design. If you are in a big, long room, the Pipe Dreams can "throw" sound much further than more conventional designs due to the fact that the sound does not "fall off" nearly as fast due to the geometry of the drivers. As such, they really DO play louder than most designs if you are away from the speakers. As i mentioned above though, every design has trade-off's and flaws and this one is no exception. Sean
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Von Schweikert VR5-HSE. I've had mine almost five months and have not once missed my daily listening session. Truly amazing. |
I just got back from CES where Quad Classics had a double pair of stacked Quad ESL 57s from their new production. It made me wonder why I had sold my double Quads. They had one of the best sounds at CES. |
B&W matrix 801 or Wilson Audio Watt/Puppy combo. Easy. |
Audio Limits, I'd love to hear them. My Scintlla does the thunder and whisper exceedingly well too. |
How about Mirage M1's? They might be the best I've ever heard and nobody mentions them. I have not heard Dunlavey's or BW 800 series either but would like to. I don't particularly like stereo stores as there is always pressure to upgrade to something very expensive. I have enough trouble with that on my own, buying used equipment online.
Anyway, it's probably been ten years since I went shopping in a stereo store and that was when I heard the M1's. They had great clarity and everything seemed to be there without having to crank it up. If I were going to spend $5000 on a new pair of speakers, I'd go listen to the Mirages again and probably buy them. Would welcome anyone who can compare these speakers against others and let me know their feelings. Thanks
Bill |
B*W Nautilus 801 with Mark Levinson Bi Amps....pure as gold!
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The best speakers in the world are the Nearfield Acoustic Hemisphere's.
No other Speaker can recreate a live performance like the Pipedreams... |
What about ProAc's top of the line? |
TBG...right on about the Servo Statics 1-A's! |
for sheer dynamics and holisonic presentation of the movie soundtrack , I would { believe it or not} go with the Polk srt s . I owned 3 sets in one system and the impact is nothing short of astounding. I have just sold all 3 sets and I know regret will settle in soon. Audition these before buying , they can be had cheap on the used mkt. For 2 channel , the ML statement but I have not heard everything. Aerial 20 t and Vandersteen 5 currently have my fancy. I am purchasing the 20 s from a super dealer I found in Columbia SC . A-V . These guys are the reason we stay interested in this stuff. Happy hunting. |
Nearfield Acoustic PipeDreams they're six foot tall line arrays. The imaging and transparency is truely incredible. Beginning at$50,000 and up they should!!! |
I have heard the Paragon several times and sought one for almost a year. To be at its best I am told, it needs to be on a very solid platform 18 inches high.
I would not say it was one of the best speakers I have heard. At various times in my life I would say the Infinity ServoStatic 1s and 1As, double Quad ESLs, the Exemplars, and the Beauhorns were. I have also had the Fulton Premiers, the Linn Isobariks, the Sound Lab A1s, the Infinity QLSs, the Altec VOT, the Avantgarde Trios and Duos, and the Duntech Sovereigns and Black Knights. |
Avantgarde Unos. I'm still saving up to be able to buy a pair someday. |
It's got to be the old JBL Paragon horn speaker from 1960. Incredible warmth and balance. Now very rare. Anyone else familiar with these? |
NHT 3.3. I wish I had written down the amp that was
powering it.
I am not a long time audiophile so I haven't listened
to a lot, but my next speaker purchase will be a set
of 3.3's, without a doubt. |
original mirage m5 not to be confused with mirage m5si
punchy bass sweet,very detailed mids and highs and affordable |
db design oris 150 horn speakers ,the best speakers you can get for the cash ,plus you can build then to fit your tastes and budget . |
The best speaker I have heard is the Alón Exotica Grand Reference System. While it excelled in virtually every audiophile parameter, the bottom line is that it provided the most realistic presentation of recorded music I've experienced.
Larry |
Shahinian Diapason- sounds like live music - can play unstrained at live levels - motivates you to listen to all of your recordings again so you can hear how they were supposed to sound- reproduces the lowest frequencies effortlessly- motivates non- audiophiles to compliment your system- priced very reasonably |
JM Labs Grande Utopia Beryllium's are the best speaker on the planet. I just returned from an audition in NY and all of the hype is warranted,they have outdone themselve once again. |
B&W Nautilus...my vote sounded so "right" |
VMPS RM40. VMPS' New RM Elixir is probably the best sounding speaker I have never heard-yet! |
The Wisdom Audio M-75's with the Parasound JC-1 amplifiers (4) Monos make a very serious statement in High-end audio. Another very impressive speaker line is the Acapella. These speakers are made in Germany. They utilize the Ionic Tweeter that produces the most extended, open, and natural highs that I have ever heard. |
Analogous to best wine/beer/food/etc.. you ever tasted! I don't think it's worth an answer because it depends so much on personal preferences, atmosphere, mood, occasion, etc...
The best speakers I ever heard was a cheap pair of bookshelf Fisher speakers on top of my old bed while I was making love the 1st time to my then-girlfriend! I can't repeat the same experience with the much more expensive MA Studio 6 with the same person anymore ... Sad .. |
I dont really have alot of experience listening to higher end systems, but from my experience wihtout a doubt the best sounding speakers are Definitive Tech's BP300TL. |
Heard some top-end ATCs yesterday. $16K per pair is a little out of my price range (although that does include a power amp in each box). That said, these were the most incredible speakers I've never heard. I mean "never" heard. I felt like Count Basie, the Roches, Leo Kottke, were playing in the room for me. Astonishing! (thanks, Chris, for the audition!). |
Walk-around the musicians in your living room. Real palpable imaging with great dynamics and real bass. |
The four or more tally list:
7 Sonus Fabor
6 Wisdom
5 Apogee
5 Quad
5 Avalon
5 Martin Logan
5 B&W
4 Piega
4 Dunlavy |
I have owned Apogee Mini Grands for years. I have tried many speakers, all highly regarded. None, have been able to replace the Apogee. There is a certain addicting quality to their sound. Turn the lights off, put on a good female recording, and the rest is history! |
Von Schweikert:
www.vonschweikert.com
If choosing tubes, go for the DB100'S.
VR5 HSE are also out of this world.
Albert Von Schweikert has a dedication to produce the most relaistic soundstage you will ever hear. If this question can be interpreted to read, 'What is the most revealing and realistic speaker', then it's VSR all the way.
However, depending on what people listen to and how 'coloured' they like their sound, this will always be a subject open to further interpretation. |
Genesis 201's are it. These big speakers literally disappear as sources. They throw the widest stage I ever heard images totally outside the edges of speakers. The wall behind the speakers and side walls disappear with these speakers like no others I have heard before. The speakers are very quick on transients and never sound stressed even when playing extremely demanding pieces with very complex arrangements all the different parts remaining distinctly separate from each other. The bass is absolutely unbelievable when the recording asks for it to be. The air in my 20x23 room actually shuddered along with the entire structure of the room like their was an earthquake happening. Very defined and quick also. I thought I owned excellent subwoofers before but these are in a different league. |
The Apogee Diva, whit triamp is the most accurate timbrical speaker for me |
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I have heard many speakers and keep coming back to my 1980s Cabasse MT type speakers. I think they were the equivalent of the Cabasse Skiff that came out a few years later, but don't know what their equivalent (if any) would be these days. Great detail, incredible soundstage. |
I don't own this pair....JBL 4343s'S studio monitors. A seller of some used audio was letting me audition a used amp when I heard the JBLs. I haven't heard anything like them before or since. They were big and they were ugly, but they had the best highs and lows and mids I've heard together in one package. They were relegated to the basement due to thier appearance (Wife Factor) |
Cerwin Vega's with bose 901's stacked on top, facing the wrong way really rock!! |
Klipsch Heresys with a 100 watt Nak 730 receiver playing Van Halen, Ice Cream Man in a 12X12 college dorm with the volume turned up to 11. |
