How do you guys get a chance to listen to all these great speakers? Do you belong to a club? Do you have friends that are all audiophiles? I am alone when it comes to good listening stuff in my group of friends, so I have no one to share any of this. My brother thinks I am nuts.
It is too bad that posters could not include a retail and wholesale price with the speakers they are recommending. That would be very helpful to me and maybe to others, too. |
I was really impressed by the Avantgarde Uno speakers a few years ago at the CES Show being driven by a $125,000 Audio Note 300B power amp. It was so nice I could have listened for hours. My dream is to someday own a pair of Avantgarde speakers (when I hit it big on the stock market, which may be awhile). |
1)Kharma Ceramique 1 (probably best dynamic speaker period at any price)
2)Soundlab A1
3)Avantgarde Duo
4)Consider Silverline Audio, very impressive for the money. You can't go wrong with any of the above. Pure Musical Utopia when coupled with the right electronics and wires. |
Spendor 1/2's. These speakers have with stood the test of time.
Way too many positive reviews (and sales) for the Spendor 1/2's not to be considered an all time great. |
JM Reynaud doesn't get the press they should (aside from Listener magazine). I own both the Trentes and the Twin MkIIs... Both are exceptional speakers for the money and they have no equal in the "toe-tapping" catagory. 'very musical line of speakers...I never find myself thinking "nice speaker performance".. I just keep thinking "wow, I love this record..."... I hear the Offrandes are great, but at $3800+, I'm not there yet. |
burmester' b99 nothing like this one |
Snell AIIIi's are wonderful speakers. Have had so many speakers in my listening room but the big Snells always stay after comparing. |
I have used these speakers for almost twenty years. My reference standard comes from live recordings using a stereo Neumann mic and my 1/2 track Crown tape deck. I was there making the recording...using that as my reference point I find the AIIIi speakers still able to reproduce the original performance. In the subsequent years I have changed turn tables, CD players (now Wadia 850), tuners (Marantz 10B and SAE MK VI) and pre amp/power amp combo...was audio research, now Spectral DMC 30 and DMA 150 ....the result is always better sound...more accuracy...but the Snells seems to permit the associative changes to come through clearly...which makes sense considering Peter (going back to his days at EPI) pioneered smooth time accurate powerbandwith...with low time distortion (accurate control of phase distortion) and low resonant cabinet construction with minimum refractive distortion....same things that Revel...Avalon do...thus these are wonderful speakers.
John |
Magnaplanar Tympani D I get chills just thinking about them. |
There are so many variables in selecting speakers, it is impossible to agree on this list. Generally, I selected ones that I think do the best job of achieving their desired goal (ie. best for a certain price or best possible sound).
From my experience in the business and as a listener I would pick:
Avantgarde Duo
Quad (original)
Wilson Watt/Puppy
B&W 801
Beverage
Goldmond (small)
Magnaplanar MG-1
Advent (Large)
B&W CDM-1
LS3/5a |
well guy's there are alot of good spks. most of the stuff i see listed here are expensive. i have owned 350 or so sets of spkrs. mostly because i do repairs and rebuild. just about any sound good it is just a visual thing more than the drivers playing. they each have thier own good points. |
Paradigm Active 40s, when given proper ICs and power cords, stands and a excellent pre and source. When all of these are done you will have one of the finest FULL RANGE speakers money can buy. |
Snell AIIIi speakers are all around contenders. And the Apogee Divas with the right setup. |
We had a set of Maggies (Tympani I-D) for about twenty years. I don't know they're in the 10 best but we did enjoy those speakers. Replaced them with Wisdom Audio M-75. I will seriously argue these are in the 10 best. The most impressive thing they do right is "everything". |
I like Coincident Super Eclipse or Joseph RM33si but haven't seen these speakers in other posts. Am I wrong should I get out there and audition more speakers? |
Vandersteen 4 and Genesis V should be added to the long list of those already mentioned, along with any half-way decent speaker properly placed in a great-sounding room! The room has been the deciding factor (and most severe limitation) with every system I've owned. |
I don't know if they are the 10 best......but I got them brand new in 1983 for $1050 (retail 2200.00, but fortunately for me the guy was closing his store) and have yet to find anything on todays market for under $4000.00 that even comes close.
They are the first generation to the joseph audio line. They were originally designed by a company called JSE Corporation. The model is #2. They handle 350 watts peak and can seamlessly blend all 5 drivers with the infinite slope crossover. The 10 inch and 12 inch bass drivers are all the bass you could ever want and yet quick and tight. The mid driver and tweeter are dynaudio drivers and the other 3 I believe are from seas. If you can find these speakers used anywhere you can not go wrong in buying them because their lack of recognition has left the resale price rather poor. However the sound is in a league with the best of the best. |
EgglestonWorks gets 3 of the top 10 spots, IMHO, with their IVY, SAVOY, and ANDRA models. Nice folks too. |
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In no particular order:
Sound Lab A-1
Wilson Grand Slamm X-1
Eggleston Andra
Vandersteen 5
Thiel CS6
Von Schweikert 4.5
Wilson Watts
Martin Logan SL-3
Sonus Faber Extrema
Aerial Acoustic 10T |
HEY, wait a minute WHATJD....I posted a Henry Kloss Thread!! He was a man to be admired for his passionate professionalism. Something that everyone should admire and envy. |
It was nice to see the Mission 770s and Dayton Wrights mentioned. I would like to add the Merlin VSM-M to the list. |
Actually I prefer the Dynaco A-50s I've used for the last 19 years, but with 600,000 A-25s sold what can you say. The A-25s are still a regular seller on Ebay with consistently heavy bidding on each pair sold. |
Well.....this has been a good thread. However, it kinda sucks that very few of the people on this thread noticed or posted on the thread about the death of Henry Kloss. Mr. Kloss and his impact on Acoustic Research, KLH, Advent, Boston Acoustics....a guy named Tom Holman..ie: THX and beyond...hell where do people think the DQ-10 10"woofer in a 2 cubic foot box..idea came from?
I doubt if any speaker designer had more impact on peoples introduction to the high-end than those speakers designed by Henry Kloss. |
Hands-down: The Dahlquist DQ-10's. |
I know i'll catch sh*t for this, but hey, I believe it to be true...Paradigm makes a great sounding speaker. Keep in mind I am speaking of price ranges here, but for under $3K, someone will have to work real hard to prove otherwise. |
Duke, all of your selections are REALLY bad. Should you happen to take any of those as trade-ins out of pity for their owners, i'll try to help you to keep your show room clean and "litter free" by taking them for a small fee ( out of pity for you ). Just let me know when i can help and keep your check book handy : ) Sean
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Original Quad ESL; Klipschorn; Snell Type A; IMF Special Applications Control Monitor; Maggie Tympani series; Beveridge Model 2; Sound Lab A-1; Wilson Audio Modular Monitor; Audio Artistry Beethoven; Gradient Revolution. |
I loved my Kef 107.2 They were a lot of fun to listen too. Such a big sound stage with the big whomping bass. I now own Moniter Audio speakers which are very nice. But those Big Kef's were sure fun! They could rock! |
An ease one! Verity Audio Parsifal. Owners? . Chesky. Keith Jarret. dCs. Nagra. And a few rich guys out there. Awsome bass, incredible image, liquid highs, small footprint, exotic parts and finish. One listen, Game over. |
The Acoustat 2+2's are one of the most musical pairs of speakers that I have owned.I have enjoyed the Kef 107,Magnepan Tympani IV,The Martin Logan sequel II,Infinity 9 Kappa,and too many more to mention.I have owned a few of the Acoustat models,but the 2+2's really have something special.They will best anything that I have heard in the 2 to 3k price range. |
I would agree with the Beveridge 2SW2, 15-ohm Rogers LS3/5a, and Hill Plasmatronics! -Sam |
Apogee Diva still bests nearly anything at any price. |
I don't know if i've heard 10 different speakers that have absolutely amazed me. As such, i'll have to stick with speakers that have "intrigued" me over the years. This does not mean that i think that they are the finest made or that i've even heard all of them under "optimum conditions". Some, like the Plasmatronics, i've never heard at all. I'm sure that there are TONS of others that deserve mentioning, but these are what stuck out in my mind right away. Many different brands or models are simply refined variations of someone else's previous idea or an existing design.
I do think that most of these listed have specific traits that one might find "endearing" or "special". They do some things so well or differently that you could overlook specific "drawbacks" that you might notice later. Most of these were different enough at their time of introduction that they were "groundbreakers" and as such, i've always loved things that were "out of the ordinary" or "freaks" that carried themselves well : )
Listed in no specific order, the Beveridge's, Hill Plasmatronic's, Ohm A's and F's, Quad's, K-horn's, Dayton-Wright's, the BIG Infinity's, Shahinian Obelisk, DCM Time Windows, Dahlquist DQ-10's, the Radialstrahler's, etc... These were all speakers that caught my eye / ear for various reasons. As you can see, most of these are pretty good sized speakers with some "mid sized" candidates thrown in for good measure. For "little tyke's", i think that the early Spica's come to mind the most.
Believe it or not, i also have to ( honestly ) mention the original Bose 901's. Whether we like to admit it or not, without Dr Bose's "breakthrough" research and initial product release back in 1968, we might not have had "wide dispersion" speakers for some time after that. This is not to mention his idea of a crossoverless full range design ( like the Ohm's ) and the use of multiple smaller drivers for transient response. Honestly, I think Amar was onto something, he just didn't know how to properly impliment it. Sean
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Quad ESL 57, Kef 107/2, Soundlab A-3, Magnepan Tympani, Rogers LS3/5a (15 ohm), Spendor S100, Stax F-82 (?), Celestion SL600, Apogee (original), Beveridge 2s...You can tell some of us live in the past :) Most of the current designs is just old wine in new bottles...don't be fooled by the latest and greatest. |
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QUAD988 if you have the room and $$ QUAD 989 |
I would have to say that the Dunlavy IV-A's are as good as it gets w/o spending mega bucks. Pair them with two Plinus SA-100's and a tube pre-amp and you will be in sonic heaven. Just my $0.02 though.
Judd MacRae |
The Snell Reference A Towers get my vote. Now, I admit I've not heard many of the speakers mentioned above, but I've heard quite a few speakers (I especially liked the vote for Lloyd Bensen re: quip to Dan Quayle .. lol).
I was surprised to see the DCM Time Windows mentioned. I owned a pair of these for several years. I then heard the Snell B Minor in an A/B comparison (because I bought the B Minors). The DCM sounded like they were coming from a box in the next room -- congested, out of focus, distant. But, the Time Windows are great speakers for the money.
Then I bought the Snell A Reference ... which took the sound of the B Minor yet a few more quantum leaps forward ... and the B Minors became, and remain, the mainstay in the home theater system, and the A's remain in the separate stereo system.
Many mention the Martin Logan. When I first heard ML, I was just blown away by them -- it was so *real* in-your-face-right-there sounding. But as I listened extendedly, I came to feel it sounded "thin." Perhaps this is just a prejudice from listening to boxes for too long.
Anyway, we audiophiles are blessed by having so many choices in, not only speakers, but wonderful equipment these days. Those who suggested, several years ago, that stereo was dead and surround had replaced it reminds me of the story about the suggestion, made long ago (when was it ... in Ben Franklin's or Thomas Edison's era) that the patent office should be closed because everything that could be invented already had been invented. Truly, this is the golden age of audio ... the numerous brands mentioned above are testament to that. We are lucky to be living in such an era.
Paul |
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Mine sound so good that I have no desire to upgrade them. That's rare for me. They are powered with B&K Ref 220's. These speakers aren't made anymore unfortunately. You have to buy them used. |
An easy one for me. I am 64 years old and I have been buying high-end for 30 years, and in heavy rotation with speakers for the last 5 to 7 years. The absolute best ? The Verity Audio Parsifal. Small footprint, thundering lows, sweet electrostatic-like lightning-fast highs, and a true work of art all-around. More importantly, a Steinway sounds like a Steinway. Not cheap, but my all-time best nevertheless ! One a more realistic scale |
Klipsch Lascalas perfected w/ AL K networks! These babies rock! With the coming of sub 40hz material, Lascalas don't get the brass ring, although lascalas remane in im my employ, for their ability to repoduce the LIVE sound is very satisfing indeed. |
Easy....but I doubt I'll get many nods in agreement.
Active ATC 150's internally triamped speakers!
I heard in the Sony SACD Booth 5 of the 150's for their
demo room at CES a couple weeks ago. I've never heard better... It was just stunning!
I got curious about them after reading the Stereophile Guide to Home Theater review picking ATC as the system of the year for 2001. After finding them at CES last year and this year, I was so amazed by the brits w/ no USA residential presence. They've only done Pro Audio for years. Now I found that the first USA dealer to DEMO the products is here in Denver and I just parted w/ my money for 3 of the Active ATC 100's for the front of my home theater/audio system.
Has anyone else experienced ATC yet and had the same
response as me? |
reference speakers! I have some JM Lab Tantal, B&W's, and Boston Accoustics a-200's, and even homemade speakers, but if I REALLY want to hear how somthing sounds I turn to the polk's..There are notes, especially low 15-20hz area notes that they play effortlessly. Case in point, "Welcome to the Macine" by pink floyd, you feel the note it's so low, not really hear it. Some notes in Tracy Chapman's music that don't EVEN exist on my other equipment but can be heard clearly on these BIG bad boys. All this is not to diminish the highs and mid-range which seem as flat as they come. The 4 tweeters per channel help in the high end department. The imaging is unprecidented as well oweing to the column of 6 inch speakers playing the sonic opposite of the channel opposite...did that come out right, well you know what I'm talking about the cable that exists between speakers feeds the signal. I agree, can you tell? |
Legacy Whispers have got to be mentioned among the best. Yes, Wilsons, B&Ws, Martin-Logans, Dunlavys, Dynaudios, Genesis, and others, all can have great sound. But for the money, I'll put my Whispers up to the task. Real clean, room friendly, mid-range to die for, tremendous soundstaging, they truly disappear. For some, the lowest end could use a sub-woofer blend, because of the dipole open-air design, but that is the price to pay to get the rest of the package. They are also works of speaker art, especially in the premium woods. |
Oris horns and klipsch la scalas |
KEF 105.2 also very good just perferred the two smaller woofers vs one larger woofer, 105.4 woofers seemed to respond faster? |
Okay- you can laugh, but I love the sound of old Polk SDA-SRS speakers. With my equipment, and in my available listening space, these seem to give me the best all-around sound for whatever music my mood deems necessary at the moment. They can make Chopin sound as though someone is actually playing my piano in the other room, or they can rock so hard my dogs start to shed. Best of all, they fit into my budget effortlessly. Now if only they didn't weigh 185 pounds each.... |
