Bose 901 series 6 sounds better than my JBL L150A and the JBL's are right up there with the best sounding speakers ever made! Now I know why the BOSE 901's has been around for so many years....there DAMN GOOD! |
>>Bose 901 series 6 sounds better than my JBL L150A<<
So does my Tivoli Radio. |
so does my 8-track player from my '69 Impala... |
Klipschorns, one of the original speaker designs and still one of the best for the money. Some people do not like the horn sound but i love my klipschorns. |
It's very hard to list a top ten speaker of all time. Too many price points, sizes, personal tastes and etc...
But from a dollar to dollar perspective my pick is clearly the Dunlavy SC-IV signature series. Nothing I mean nothing can touch these speakers "overall performance for the money". I have owned speakers in the price range from $2000 - $90,000 retail and the Dunlavy SC-IV signature series speakers impress me the most.
Only drawback is they are big and not th easiest to setup. But once you give these classic speakers the right amount of space and excellent electronics & cables they deserve to have. Wow ! You will hear what I mean.
Another drawback is you can only find the Dunlavy SC-IV signature series speakers preowned since they are no longer in business. The only reason why Dunlavy is no longer in business is because Mr. John Dunlavy became very ill and retired there after.
I am a critic of Stereophile at most times. But back in 1994-1995 calling the Dunlavy SC-IV's product of the year was rightly so accurate. The signature series are even better sounding than the orignals. And forget the Dunlavy SC-IVa speakers. Dunlavy became ill and rushed for an upgrade in actuality cheapened a few things which took away the magic from the Dunlavy SC-IV signature series.
There are a number of worthwhile additional speakers to mention on there greatness but the Dunlavy's stand out in my mind. |
Duntech Soverign is one of the greatest. They are easy to set up if you have the space. Very efficient, as close to reality as any speaker ever made. I had the crossovers updated by the factory in Australia last year, now they are state of the art. But they are big and heavy. They will reflect the quality of the upstream components, and are not forgiving. I use a 100 watt ARC VT100 with them which is a great match. |
Also add a pair of Mordaunt Short System 442 speakers to this list. Untouchable at the price point.
You rarely ever see any for sale. Don't think I've seen a pair on Audiogon ever and I've been with Audiogon since the beginning.
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If you have had a chance to audition the Princeton Acoustics PA-5 Monitor, I think you'd agree that it's smooth presentation is ES-like, (tweeter unit resolves down to 100hz, avoiding sensitive x-over bumps -- thanks E.Jordan!) Bass is pretty much unreal for a speaker of this size, and the finish is beautiful. A real unknown treasure. |
gonna do brands here to show its more commitment and consistancy than a happy accident. some made some bonners, but many were among the best ever.......dunlavy/ar/rogers/hales/duntech/B&W/kef/impulse/ jbl/klipsch.....honorable mention..bozak/allison/imf/quad/maggies/ohm/epi......lightning stricking once, bose 901 |
Properly set up JBL 250Ti's were/are incredible and incredible value. |
Jaybo - you better duck because I think your going to get blasted for mentioning Bose in this thread. :O |
Wisdom Audio D75, Infinity IRS, Snell Type AIII,Watt Puppy 5,Linn Keltik Acktiv, Martin Logan CLS |
Snell AIII, Vandersteen 2ce Signature, Alon Model 1, Wilson WATT Puppy, NHT 3.3, B&W 801, Quad esl, Audio Physic Virgo,Sonus Faber Stradivari, Thiel 2.2 |
4 KLH Model 9 Full Range Electrostatics!
Difficult to find accompanying equipment and placement is never easy BUT if the obstacles are overcome it is one of the top loudspeakers of all time. Creates the illusion of live music. |
DCM TFE200's...............AMAZING GOOD! |
1. The big MBL's 111 I think (with MBL amps)- incredibly even top to bottom - and they create genuine ambiance like live musicians...
2. Yamaha NS1000 (with Lavardin IT amp - what i use)- the closest thing to being at a live event - astonishingly fast transient response
3. Avalon Eidelon (with conrad Johnson amps) - effortless, even handed, true depth of field
4. Rockport (model name I don't know but they were big)- astonishing imager, rude bass
5. King Audio electrostatics (the big ones)- neutral, smooth, and unfussy
6. proac response 1SC (small rooms)(with Lavardin IT, and musical fidelity TriVista)- underated, very neutral, accurate, my favourite sub £2000 speaker
7. reference 3a de capo (small rooms) - a bit like the proac, very neutral and natural
8. JBL (K2 I think)(with Klimo Beltaine)- oh so smooth and even handed, great depth of field
9. Apogee (with £120K of McIntosh amps)accurate, dynamic, and astonishing bass
10. Bosendorfer - musical
The MBL got top spot as they have a natural sound, and do something none of the others are capable of. If that don't do the trick for you get the Avalons (if you want to relax), or the Yams if you want to rock and roll!
The above are the only ones that stood out for me. |
Quad 57, Maggie MG20, Snell E5, Vandersteen2CE Sing,sound Lab M1
rollo |
Montana KAS tower speakers - my dream... |
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Sound Lab
Meridan (really a whole system)
Mirage Msi series |
Rockport Technologies - Hyperion [practicle]
Goldmund - Epilogue [full set]
Variety Audio - Lohingrin II
Avalon Acoustics - Isis
Marten Design - Coltrane
Gryphon - Posieden
Wilson Audio - Alexandria
Aerial Acoustics - Model 20.2
Vivid Audio - Giya
Sonics - Gerhad Jochim & Issophone [putting in 2 here - sorry]
Not necessarily in this order........ |
Hey Lohanimal, you've obviously never heard the JBL 250Ti's.
The yams would go out with the bath water if you had. Those JBL's "really" rock. And I've used mine to play weddings in medium size church halls and still could'nt tap all their potential-the yams woould have been "dancing around the stage" with the juice and volume those 250Ti's sucked up & cranked out. Did you know those 14 inch woofers had a 4 inch whatever and 18-20 pound magnet. I love (and respect)the way JBL and now Revel-who I feel are todays JBL-create speakers. No pussy footers for those boys--and--importantly-they keep the prices "real world" and provide way more 'bang for the buck'than the competition. Can you tell I'm a fan? Cheers & happy listening... |
Dahlquist DQ-10, Snell Type A (I'm biased 'cause that's what I own now :-) |
kharma 3.2 f ceramic and Musical Affairs 16 0HM high sens/ty full range with PHY drive.The first is analytical and direct the second is analytical and musical -as a musical instrument-.
also the mbl's musical and analytical |
GoldmundEpilogs,Plasmatronics,ImfMonitors,MkLevDoubleQuads,DaytonWrightXg8's,SoundLabs,DahlquistDQ10A's,Nestorovics,LinnDmsIsobariks,Kek105Mk2.......J.C. |
Large Infinities from the 70s
Esp Concert Grande
Symposiums
Harbeth 40.1
Magnepan 20.1
Spendor LS/35a
Quad 2905
Klipsch Khornerhorn
Spendor SP100R
Reference 3A Grande Veena |
Quad ESL-63 USA Monitors; Swan (forgot model, but circa 1989); Wilson Watt/Puppy. |
Magnat Magnasphere Beta .... |
I know this is an old thread but I just found it. I was a High End Audio dealer ( Audio House) during the 1980's. I sold, Rogers, IMF, Acoustats, Mordant Short, Pro Audio, Speaker Art speakers. I also sold many high end used speakers like Infinity, Quad, Klipsh etc. From being a dealer and attending many CES shows and auditioning the best available, I came to the conclusion that one develops a certain preference for a speaker sound. I love the British Monitor sound. I think Rogers did the best job in this department. I own a pair of Speaker Art speaker made in CA by a very small company. This speaker captured the British sound and has a great base to go with it. I sold a pair of Rogers speaker that were powered by two Quad amps. Can't remember the model but I think they cost $6,000. They were very good. For this list I would include the very expensive Infinities, LS3/5a, Acoustats, Speaker Art, IMF, Mordant Short. They made some great speakers those days. The Home Theater systems seems to have clouded the issue and I have not kept up with what is being offered today. Enjoy what you have. It sounds good. Terry |
From the limited number of speakers I heard these most impressed me:
MBL 101 and 116
Wilson X2 alexandria
Symposium
2nd best in no particular order:
Viennna Acoustics Kiss
Verity Audio ?model around $8,000
Magico Mini
Merlin VSM:--- very hard to beat this speaker, I say that because I own them and never regret hearing the more expensive speakers knowing that I can come home to one of the best speakers out there that didn't break the bank |
Well lately i had the pleasure of listening to a pair of modified Acoustat Spectra 6600, of course i have not heard every speaker out there, but at 64 years old i have listend to many, 2 channel audio as been my passion for more than 40 years, and dollar for dollar i haven't heard anything that even comes close, you can see pictures of those Acoustats in MrAcoustat member gallery on Canuck Audio Mart, the small ones are mine Acoustat 1+1s and the big ones are my friend Jocelyn they are Acoustat Spectra 6600, both where rebuilt by him with lots of T.L.C. |
accetturos@qwest.net
YES!
The IMF's were so beautifully voiced...when I voiced my LSA1 and LSA2's (Standard, Signature and Statements) those are the speakers that I had in mind. Of course, the goal is 'live music', but realistically, we've all been bitten by some speaker which we fell in love with at a moment in time, which haunts us.
Bud Fried used to call me several times a month--and we'd talk about design and music--he was an amazing man.
One thing I did with the design, was to overstuff the cabinets of the Statements, with real wool--the difference it made was remarkable. That was a Bud Fried 'basic'...natural fabrics for cabinets! I remembered, and so many years later, could find nothing better to use than natural wool.
But, top ten---MBL's big boys are the best IMHO.
Followed by the LSA10's which never saw the light of day...but were fabulous nevertheless.
Larry |
JBL Paragon, Altec Lansing Voice of Theatre, Bose 901's, AR 3a's, KLH 4's, Dynaco |
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REFERENCE 3A GRAND MASTERS GENERATION II M5 4WAY NO CROSSOVERS!!!
ONLY IF YOU LISTEN TO THEM YOU LL UNDERSTAND THAT THEY STAND REALLY ALONE!!!!!! ON THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID
NO SPEAKER UP TO $ 20.000,00 CAN COMPETE TO ITS QUALITIES
HARD TO BELIEVE I KNOW, BUT THANK GOD I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY FEW TO OWN A PAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A MUST LISTEN ONCE AT ONES LIFETIME |
OK, I know it's subjective, but if any of the "Best 10 speakers of All Time" don't include a pair of:
Klipsch
Quad
Magnepan
AR
Wilson
all of them, then you've not listened to many speakers besides those you currently own, and you are no longer allowed to comment.
OK, I made that last part up, but really.... |
New and Improved BOSE 901 series 6 version 2's. Go listen to these improved 901's for yourself... |
Tidal Sunray ( never heard T1 yet) |
I've heard a lot of spkrs in the past & some i bought them.
But only 2 spkrs that always back into my memory : Bobby Palkovic's Merlin VSM & Tierry Budge's Escalante Fremont . I've ever owned these spkrs in the past.
They are not perfect , but get my real enjoyment in music.
Maybe i will get them again soon .
Sigh... really hard to forget them. I really miss them. |
Best Category:
MBL's Remarkable...incredibly dynamic, lifelike imaging
Nearfield Acoustics Pipedreams Model 21 (owned 18's)
Sound Labs A-1 (five years ago) Remarkable Clarity (Owned)
THIEL CS5 (Owned) Ruler Flat, neutral Freq. Response and terrific CLARITY. 5i, later, improved bass dynamics.
Moment in time Award:
IMF Studio Monitors: They were a scandalously high priced amount, $2200. in 1978--but made musical noises to my ears. I was in love but not ready to purchase at that price back then. Bud Fried was clearly a music lover.
Guilty Pleasures Award: Phase Linear Andromeda III Panel speakers with the following complement of drivers...5 vertically mounted tweeters, with diffraction cones for front and rear dispersion...two 4" drivers, one front mounted, one rear, and two 8", one front, one rear...then a sub with two 10's?. Outboard box for adjusting rear spl.
In some ways, and certainly in their day, they were fun and dynamic and, had a life like quality that I enjoyed then.
Oddly, I replaced them with Fried ALS 30's a little bookshelf speaker that was IMHO fun and very musical.
Fun trip down memory lane.
Good listening,
Larry |
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Winston Churchill was a great speaker. |
Best image celestion sl 600. Best bang for the buck maggy 1.6. Best ever for me atc 100's. Active. There are a bunch I have or do own but those would be the top 3 for me |
1.MBL 101
2.Acoustats with OTL DD sewrvo amps only
3.Anthony Gallo Stradas |
- Burmester B100
- Burmester B80
- Burmester 961 MK3
- Burmester B30
- Hansen "The King V2"
- Magneplanar 20.1
- Rockport Technology "Arrakis II" |
Everybody probably know Yamaha NS-1000M - old unexpensive now speakers with beryllium mid and twitter. Since I am a JBL fan and love JBL bass, I went ahead and replaced an original Yamaha woofer with JBL 128H-1 woofer. The result was as expected. Very detailed, crispy,has JBL bass and below $1000. |
DCM Time Window 7 Signature Series.
These are rare, since there were only 200 matched pairs ever made...I have one and know where 2 more are :) |
Magnepan Tympani ID
still sought after and command relatively high prices. Best bass from a panel speaker....perhaps ever. |
Don't think any of these are in the top 10, but they helped a great deal of us become hooked on Audio.
Original Large Advent, Any entry level Magnepan, the 1.2, 1.5 and 1.6 Thiel. Any of the entry level Martin Logans.
And for their part the British have helped quite a few get started with KEF, Ouad, Rogers and others.
We all have to start somewhere and my progression of Magie 1.6 to 3.6 to 20.1 and with Thiel from 1.2 to 1.5 to CS6.
But the true "start" for me was the great Henry Kloss and nearly everything Advent did on his watch....ask Tomlinson Holman and others. |
