If price is also determinant, then the Newform Research series is unbeatable. I own a pair of R 630 (the R645 are even better, but they require large rooms), and since I bought them the upgradeitis fever is gone.
Top Ten Speakers of All Time?
Well its time for a new Top Ten Thread. WOW-Have I learned a lot.Thanks to all Audiogon members.Have had several e mail thanking the Top Ten Threads. We have a lot of new members just starting their High End adventure. Info was much appreciated. I will start the thread for the Acoustat 2+2 and Model 2 of which I still own and continue to enjoy. So lets have your top ten members. --- MANY THANKS ---
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im with stutrex: i have had my altec 604e super duplexes now for four years till i got them i never had a [air of speakers for more then three months and i wouldent traid them for a pair of ten thousand doller speakers and i honestly think they are the lowdest clearest speakers ever built but i havent heard many of the above just all i say keep rockin i no i will:) |
KEF 105.4 I've had these since 1981 and have constantly upgraded my amps CD player etc. and the KEFs just sound better every time! I visit the hifi store a couple of times every year and listen to the best available - costing *many* thousands - these speakers are an anomaly - they remain superior to the vast majority of new offerings! The only criticism I can make is that the bass response is not as extended as one might like although its very accurate. The sound is generally uncolored, neutral and detailed. Sound stage is excellent - at the focus! |
I loved my Infinity Kappa 7's about 13 years ago. Then came across some used DCM Time-Windows. I still have them to this day, and they are still my main speakers. I have listened to MANY speakers the last few years but I am so much in love with the sound of these old timers. The bass is sooo smooth!! |
I have to say altec lansing they have the history and the best sounding equipment in the world hands down.try there famous 604 duplex or there voice of the theater A7 and model 19s. they will simply blow the doors off anything you have to compare JAMES B LANSING is without a dought the grand audio daddy of them all god bless. |
Over the years only a few speakers have really sounded like music. From the 1970's till now I would mention; Magnepan Tympani D,Beveridge electrostatics , Soundlab R1, stacked Quads, dayton wright XG8-10 with the leaf tweeter,Hill Plasmatronics (best $10,000 tweeter ever),Watson labs ( Mike Wright design), Appogee Duettas,Martin Logan Quests and Monolith 111. More recently the Magnepan 1.6 and 3.6, and Inner Sound electrostatics seem like the best sound quality for the money. I have yet to audition the new soundlabs, or the Avantegarde line and Avalon Eidolons which have all gotten rave reviews. I have left out the huge mega buck speaker systems that few can afford or have the space for..... |
My favorite speaker(s) of all time??? (01). KEF Reference 105/2 (02). Vandersteen 2Ci/Vandersteen 2Ce (03). B&W Nautilus 801 (04). Martin Logan Statement (05). Infinity IRS Beta (06). Infinity IRS V (07). Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy System Obviously.... I haven't listened to enough REALLY good speakers in my lifetime in order to compile an actual "TOP TEN" list. But the ones that are listed above are the ones that I have listened to over the last 25+ years (and I am only 40) are the ones I am familiar with. They are listed without regard to price. Because I feel that if you have good engineering, good execution, and good performance right along with good support, that will go a long way toward putting out a good product that will last almost indefinitely. Price only comes secondary after the fact. Any of the speakers I have listed above will be a welcome addition to my audio system. But only if they are paired with the correct amplification and front-end anciliaries. And in saying that, I can use the Vandersteen 2's now with my current system if I just want to make the change to acquire these speakers without further tinkering as far as my system is concerned. The other six I have listed will require a drastic change in amplification and anciliaries before I can get any enjoyment out of them. But just like I said though, if I end up with any of these speakers right now, I don't think I'll be disappointed. Just for the record, I currently own the baby sized version of the KEF Reference 105/2......... the KEF Reference 102. The 102's may not be the last word in ultimate low end extension, but they have a midrange clarity and an airy top-end that you can just die for. And they image like the devil too. I had mine for 15 years now, and during that time, I even auditioned other speakers in the event of finding something that could finally supplant them and ultimately replace them. That hasn't been done yet. And next to my Nakamichi BX-300 Cassette Deck (which I had a year longer than the KEF Reference 102's), if I can keep a component THAT long, then it must be doing something right. I know of some marriages that don't even last THAT long. --Charles-- |
Revel Ultima Salon and Studio coupled to a pair of B15's or a pair of the upcoming Sub 30's = probably the best combo of all time. No weaknesses whatsoever from 15hz up to over 30khz. True audiophile speakers. Image's like electrostatics without the inherant distortion, dynamics equal to horn loaded compression drivers, and bottom end presense equal to any live symphony. Anything less though from speakers in this price range simply is not acceptable performance. |
I've got to support Thiel. It's hard to pick an exact model, but I've heard a good number of them, and to my ears, they are the best all around speakers that I have heard. But if I had to vote for a particular model, then I'd say the CS3.6, which is what I bought. True, there are newer models that have more clarity, but the 3.6's sound very musical to me. Yes, Martin Logan's can get my pulse rate up as well, but to me, they aren't quite as well rounded as comparable Thiel models. The older AR's are pretty darn impressive, too, especially when you consider their size and price. I have always thought that the TSW series from AR didn't receive the recognition that they deserve. Tom. |
These are the speakers that have most pushed my buttons (in no particular order): 1. Stacked Advents 2. Klipsch LaScala 3. Yamaha NS1000 4. Stax F81 5. Spendor LS3/5a 6. Quad 63 w/Entec SW1 subwoofers 7. Vandersteen 2Ce 8. Martin Logan CLS w/Entec subwoofers (the big 3 woofer per side jobbies) 9. Avantgarde Duo 10. Wilson Watt/Puppy 7 |
Caveat, I put price visa vis the era of introduction into consideration, top to bottom: Vandersteen 2's, Thiel 3.5's, Magnaplanar III's, Dunlavy SCIVA's, Martin Logan CLS, Quad ESL 63's, Linn Kans, Original Acoustic Research sealed boxes, PSB Alphas, Acustats. Honorable mention to Advents and Spica TC 50's. I haven't heard the Sound Labs, German Physics/Huffs,and I'm sure a lot of other worthwhile candidates. |
The best ever? No cost consideration? 1 Beveridge Model 2, one needs to add bass columns 2 Apogee Full Range 3 Infinity IRS (stock) improved, it would be #2 3 Infinity Phase 3 (my design) 4 Apogee Scintilla 4 Genesis 1 5 Apogee Diva 6 Avantgarde Uno 7 Magnaplanar MG-1 8 Snell Type AIIIi 9 Original Quad ESL 9 Infinity RS 1b with IRS Beta bass 10 Infinity RS 1b I have reworked the big Infinity IRS, but the Beveridge is, in my opnion, still the best if you add an IRS like bass column! Best ever is my way for saying these were a wonder and it is too bad the production costs are so high today. The IRS can find improvements, for example the wiring, the internal passive crossover parts. The biggest problem, as I see it, was the external crossover bass enhancement system. I rebuilt the electronic crossover and used much improved balanced connectors, redesigned the bass management system, this made such a big difference, I went out and built the same bass column as the Genesis 1 and could not really improve on the unit built for myself. The other problem was the internal bass amplifiers they really cause a rift in the acoustic low cross point sound wave. This, for me was their greatest fault. A. N. told me he did not expect to have a marketable speaker with the IRS, but sell the smaller RS 1, I thought the one was lacking and told A.N. so. The telescoping above 800HZ was the big mistake; Infinity should have used 9 EMIMs and 16 EMITs, four on the back. Again, Infinity said it would be cost prohibitive; I did design several of these and they sold well thought the 1980s and even the early 90s. The bass column was like the IRS Beta, rather than the little 8” cones used in the RS1. I can’t say the EMIM is at its highest point of development, yet it is a better driver than the L-EMIM by a long shot! Genesis made a big mistake not using the EMIT, the single round magnet made for a fair at best high frequency transducer. I would like to add whoever said the EMIM and EMIT were single ended and had magnets only in the back, should take time to take one of these drivers apart, so they will learn the foolishness of their comment! Keep single ended were it belongs, for amps with single output devices, or those RCA plugs that are truly outdated. |
Goldmund Dialogues. These obscure speakers were offered briefly in the 80s in this country and were light years beyond any other dynamic at the time. I'm out of touch now so I can't speak to how well they hold up to modern achievers but here's the facts. They are 4 ohm, 96 db efficiency, and sport the fastest crossover in history with slopes in excess of 60 db/octave. The drivers are 1 inch inverted soft dome tweeter, 7 inch midrange, 7 inch woofer. All drivers are made by Focal. The cabinets are synthetic stone and weigh in somewhere around 150 lbs. each. I love them. Certainly they are a top ten item but as I said I don't know where they would fit on the scale. |
Goldmund Dialogues. These obscure speakers were offered briefly in the 80s in this country and were light years beyond any other dynamic at the time. I'm out of touch now so I can't speak to how well they hold up to modern achievers but here's the facts. They are 4 ohm, 96 db efficiency, and sport the fastest crossover in history with slopes in excess of 60 db/octave. The drivers are 1 inch inverted soft dome tweeter, 7 inch midrange, 7 inch woofer. All drivers are made by Focal. The cabinets are synthetic stone and weigh in somewhere around 150 lbs. each. I love them. Certainly they are a top ten item but as I said I don't know where they would fit on the scale. |
Klipschorns would most definitely have to be at the top of that there list.They were developed before many of us so called audio fanatics were born! It's almost like being in the league of Tommy Edison for developing the phonograph. Other notables would be KLH,Magnepan,JBL,BOSE(for the 901's),Advent and there must be other's but those names have to be in the hall of fame. |
Can anyone say REVEL???? I was, a short time ago, in an audio store that carried B&W, Revel, and Vandersteen. They had a room of all Levinson equipment to try out these lines. The B&W 802 were on a pair of 33H. the sound was good, but not great. We traded the B&W for the Vandersteen 3 and went down hill. After the disappointment, we walk to another room of identicle size where they had a Classe system consisting of the CDP1, a 47.5 pre, and the CA200 amp hooked up to a pair of Revel Studios, the small brother of the Salons. The sound was the best I have heard to date. I attend CES every year and still have found nothing better. Assuming the Levinson equipment is better than the Classe, The Studios were even more impressive. STUDIOS, STUDIOS, STUDIOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Started this thread over two years ago. Just shows our diversity and how all of us perceive sound. This is as it should be,just a wealth of information. A few months ago acquired a pair of Alon Point V floor standing speakers. After living with these awhile I have found them very musical as far as box speakers are concerned. The clarity and sound stage is just down right amazing. These have managed to replace the venerable Time Windows,something I didn't think would happen. At this point will be looking at the upper line of Alons. If you haven't heard Alon speakers,do audition a pair. I think you will be most impressed. |
I have a pair (# 17 & 18)of Snell Type A speakers since 1978. Apart from having to replace blown fuses and the occasional driver, the speakers have always been up to the task to handle whatever power source that I use to drive it. Rather than spending thousands of dollars to replace them, I spent $500.00 to replace all the drivers last year. Although the Snell Type A-III are probably better I think the orginal Snell Type A were and still are fantastic sounding speakers. |
Matchstikman, you should go to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It's every January and every speaker discussed here (that is still being manufactured) will likely be there. Listening conditions are not that great, but considering entry is free and airfare, hotel and food can be had for as little as $500.00, it is a bargain not to be missed. Below is a link to my thread on this subject. Many others may be found by using the word "CES" in the search engine here at Audiogon. http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ymisc&1029813468&read&keyw&zzces |
