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 ---
The Acoustic Research AR9LSI are one of the finest speakers I've owned. AR9LSI: Floor 12" cone woofer 10" cone woofer 8" cone midbass 1.5" dome midrange .75" dome tweeter Response: 28-32,000 Power: 15-400W Imped: 4 Ohms I've had them re-surrounded recently and they still sound as great as the day I bought them. They were manufactured by Teledyne in the 1980's. The next awe inspiring speaker that I've listened to is the Kef 107/2 with the cube equalizer. I believe these two speakers should be in the top ten and can hold their own.
The best all around system is a double pair of KLH-9s and driving them a Futterman H3a(a) OTL amp(s). I currently have a set of SoundLab A-3s but they don't compare in musicality at all.
To this day, KEF-107.2 with cube equalizer remains the best sound for the buck after 20 years. Anyone who has listened to these speakers in my sound room, was permanently damaged for life. Once they heard what music could actually sound like they will spend the rest of their life in pursuit of replicating their sound experience.
1)Quad ESL 2)IMF SACM 3)B&W Nautilus 4)B&W 800 Diamond series 5)B&W Nautilus 800 series 6)Wilson Watt/Puppy 7)Meridian M1 8)Martin Logan Monolith 9)KEF 105 10)Infinity Reference Standard
Nothing impressed me more than hearing the absolutely lifelike sound of the original Quad ESL and then being told it was a design from the 50s. Uncanny. The most classic and still one of the best loudspeakers ever made. The IMF was a bold step, and is still the most memorable bass I have ever heard from a loudspeaker. Nothing so clean and powerful have I heard since. The B&W Nautilus series, commencing with their landmark functional work of art, the Nautilus, is my favorite current speaker. The Wilson Watt/Puppy is a modern classic. The Meridian M1 really opened my eyes to what a powered, electronically crossed-over speaker could do.. as clean and transparent as anything I had heard at the time. Martin-Logan brought the best of two worlds together in an elegant fashion and made a great speaker. The KEF 105 is a classic, and still their best ever. The Infinity Reference Standard was just big.. very big.. and delivered real life-sized sound.
DCM time windows, I owned for 5 yrs, and the Teledyne Acoustic Research AR-9 it just does so many things right, I still own a pair! I am looking into an upgrade either gonna try Eminent Technology, Newform Research 645 or VMPS monitor 2. I dont want to get off the path, but anyone who knows the AR-9 and what I am interested in getting please email me for thoughts...great thread!
10)AR-1 9) Bose 901 (not kidding, got a lot of people into Audio) 8) Soundlab Ulitmate 1 (wow, what a speaker) 7) Martin Logan Reference 6) Infinity Towers (back in the Day) 5) Mangepan 3.6R (talking my book) 4) Wilson Maxx Series 2 3) Quad 989 2) Quad 57 (little buggers still sound great) 1) Klipsch Corner Horns (don't even argue, going on 60 and still sound great, most important speaker ever built)
Started this thread some 5 years ago and continues to amaze me the response to this thread and how tastes in speakers evolves.
Moved further up in the Alon range of speakers to the Model 1 and these are a true delight. One of the few speakers that can please the planar crowd as well as the acoustic suspension group.
Once a dyed in the wool planar fan, but once I heard the Alons, have become hooked on this fabulous signature of the Alons. Not to be missed.
In the weeks that have passed several people have listen to the Alon Model 1 speakers and each have come away more than impressed with the overall musicality of these speakers. In fact most are seeking out the Alon Model 1 or other Alon speakers for their systems. It is amazing just how many audiophiles are unaware of Alon Speaker Systems. When new in 1993 these drew rave reviews from TAS and Stereophile. Now I know the reason behind those reviews. Alon speakers are something special indeed and are worthy additions to any hi-rez system. Listening fatique is absent and one can listen and appreciate day in day out. These are true reference speakers by any stretch of the imagination, only surpassed by more expensive Alons.
Well worth traveling to pick them up, and will have Alon speakers in my system from now on. Only to move once again further up in the Alon range as time,money and availabilty warrants.
Merlin VSM-MX. I thought to myself, they could not be this good. Too small. Just two drivers - (a 6 1/2" bass?). I was a skeptic. After listening to these speakers (and now owning them)I just have to keep wondering how Bobby P. was able to do it - they look so small and simple. I have had all sorts of speakers (Alon, ProAc, Vandersteen, Dunlavy, Energy...)-- all good and enjoyable speakers, but to my ears, none are as whole, detailed, musical, present, transparent, and complete (articulate, deep bass , fleshed out, 3-dimensional midrange and clear realistic, grain-free treble) as the Merlins. My next speaker will be a Merlin upgrade to my VSM-MX.
Sonus Faber Extrema speakers are pretty incredible. I've had them for years in my main reference audio system. And still to this date have heard nothing overall better natural sounding.
Not one mention of vintage McIntosh. Hmmm. I still have my XR-7s and XR-5s with the MQ107 Environmental Equalizer and they sound natural and rich. They've been keepers while others came and went. Vintage 1978-79.
McIntosh XR-7 Isoplanar Radiators with the MQ-107 Environmental Equalizer (from late 70's), even though there was a design flaw in the dome midrange speakers which McIntosh was able to correct (and still does) to perfection. Warm natural sounding and beautiful to behold from all angles.
- Soundlab A-1 - Apogee Duetta Signature (there is no other speaker that even comes close to it at the price - absolutely worth buying almost 20 years later) - Apogee Diva (still worth buying 20 years later...) - Celestion SL700 (still worth buying 20 years later...) - Quad ESL-63 (sill worth buying 30 years later...) - Infinity IRS Beta (still worth buying 20 years later) - Martin Logan CLS IIz - Wilson Benesch Bishop - Magnepan 20R - Proac Response 3.8 - Audio Research AR-18 (eleventh choice just to throw in a bit of college days nostalgia...)
JBL Century 100s, Dalquist panels from the 70's, Martin-Logan CLSIIz with Kinergistic SW800 subwoofer towers -- the 100s had the most incredible midrange and with a simple equalizer accenting the treble and bass, the 100s were incredible rock and roll speakers.
Nola Viper IIA. Open, dynamic, organic sounding. Sounds great with SS or tubes, and almost any kind of music. The Viper II Plus and Viper II are pretty special too.
MY TOP 10 LIST starts with: KLIPSCHORNS CAN DO THINGS TO MUSIC THAT NO OTHER SPEAKER CAN. MAKE CHILLS RUN UP AND DOWN YOUR SPINE. Duntech Soverigns though not as accurate as they could be have a beautiful wide range sound and when driven by good electronics sound wonderful. B&W Signature 800's, outstandingly accurate and very good, maybe not as exciting as the K'horn and the Soverign. Paradigm Signature S8 Does a lot of things well and is a very balanced speaker and properly team it with a Signature Servo and it will be wider range and rock solid clean bass as good as any.
Just bought a new pair of Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage speakers. They replaced my Hales System 2 Sig's and are far more musical. Having heard many speakers in the last 25 years, the G's are a real piece of art and IMHO the best speaker for small ensemble, classical and small jazz or blues in the world. Have not heard the new Memento's, but I have a feeling that their ring radiator would be inferior to the Esotar driver.
After owning my Sonus Faber Guarneri's for a couple of months, I feel they are definitely some of the best speakers I have ever heard, maybe the very best. In my top ten, they are either the top or second.. The original B&W Nautilus might be better in a larger room.
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