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 ---
My current speakers are the Martin-Logan SL3 and I'm most satisfied. The previous all-time champ was La Master Control from 3A (now called Reference 3A). OUTSTANDING monitor with motional-feedback for its powered woofer. They finally blew the tweeters and while I still have them, I've yet to get the successfully repaired.
I'll second the nomination of the Acoustat 2+2s. I sold mine when I moved to a room with a lower ceiling, but liked them very much. My current fave is the InnerSound Eros electrostatic hybrid. It's very coherent and focused, plays LOUD and kicks serious butt when used with a good subwoofer!
Best box-Snell A3i's, Best ribbon-Apogee Divas, Best electrostat-Martin Logan's Statment. All three are great speakers for there category. Room acoustics, and synergy of components is a must to get the full potential of these impressive speakers.
I second Dekay on the LS3/5A. With the right tube amp, these can compete with the very best from 60hz on up. This is especially true of the older 15 ohm versions. Few have heard them with the very best tube amplification.
AVANTGARDE DUOS - Version Two. After owning these speakers for the past month (with BAT "SE" gear), I just may terminate my relationship with Audiogon (just kidding). These days, I'd rather be listening to music, as opposed to talking about it. For some reason the DUOS have a better balance than the AVANTGARDE UNOS or the TRIOS. I am still fishing around for Cabling...any suggestions?
Readymix: Are the newer bi-wirable versions not as good? How do they differ in sound? I keep checking them out on EBay (right now there is a new in the box Spendor version) but am only familiar with the old Rogers single wire version which I owned in the 70's and 80's. I ran them off a pair of Dynaco Stereo 70's, a pair of Mac 30's and also off an Eico HF-81. Boy, they really sounded musical in a smaller room. Even though the HF and LF was not as good as my current setup if I were to pick them apart, it was just the overall sound that killed.
Dekay, the older 15 ohm versions sound better to me with the proviso that I have not bi-wired the newer 8 ohm versions. From other Audiogon contributors I understand that bi-wiring works a modest but worthwhile improvement. I own 3 pairs of 3/5a's: Spendor 8 ohm bi-wire, Spendor 15 ohm (single wire) and Roger's 8 ohm bi-wire. The 15 ohm version is more open, transparent, smoother, and throws an even larger soundstage. A friend who has had 3/5a's since the 70's tells me that the crossover in these speakers takes a very long time to run in-like 5 years(!), which may account for some of what I am hearing. I am driving the speakers with a Steve Huntley modified ARC D150. I find that the speakers sound much better 30"-36" off the ground than the usual 24"-28". Your last sentence describes my views on this speaker exactly. Regards...
In the 30+ years that I have enjoyed this adventure...I would say that three have shots at a top ten of all time list....the original Large Advent, the Dahlquist DQ-10 and the Magnepan MG-20.
My nomination is my present system, the Von Schweikert VR-6's. They are pricey, but once heard, they're hard to forget. And they DO go to 20 cycles FLAT!
Wow!! Stats are a clear winner, and I agree with many of those mentioned. From what I see here and in no particular order, I agree with Quad ESL 57, Rogers LS3/5A, certain Apogees, certain MLs, Dahlquist DQ-10, Vandersteen 5, the original large Maggies, and Hill Plasmatronics (most esoteric). I will add my current speakers, the Aerial 10Ts. These have been around for 8-9 years with some modifications over time. But one of the important points is that they have stood the current test of time; some of the above have too. One thing I love about the 10Ts is that I get point source great mid and treble, with solid and accurate bass. Of course, I must add that Dekay is a funny mother f-----! I give him a lot of credit for thinking of the Bensen line. Dekay, just get the Roger's original off of ebay, and call Speakerlab on how you can rework the innards for biwiring. Ferrari, I too want to thank you for your top 10 series. This time you asked for the top ten members... well my top member is between my legs! ;) OMG, I hope I didn't violate any audiogon rules with this post. If so, I'm so sorry.....
Did not mean the top ten members of audiogon,but the top ten audiogon members support in this thread. Many thanks to all this thread is yielding a tremendous amount of info.I guess I should vote for one of my all time favorite box speakers.That is the Large Advent.At their new price point in late 70s little that could compete with them.Then Acoustat came along.As I said still have two pairs of these the 2+2 and Model 2, just fabulous.
Hi Ferrari, The Acoustat 2+2 was a great speaker. I replaced my DQ10's with them. After that is was the US monitor Quads and a quick fling the MLcls2z. But today I'm a proud owner of curly maple Eidolons. Just phenomenal!!! As Garfish would say... Cheers, Tom Colato
I agree with the part on humour sfbaydude. Gotta remember old geezer here (57) sometimes slow on the uptake.And many thanks for taking part in these top ten threads.
How about Edgarhorn "Virtuosi"? As "colored" as they are and limited bass extension, they sure capture the "soul" and they "comunicate" the music better than dynamic or planars!
Just added Time Windows to the collection. While maybe not in the exalted class of some menetioned here. I have to admit the DCM Time Windows are truly amazing. Great depth, tranparancy,and detail. Still love the Acoustats,but these are the best non-planar speakers I have owned in sometime. Too bad DCM is no longer producing these.
HI Guys!! I love my Wilson Audio Watt/Puppy 5.1 and my Wilson Audio WHOW-u subwoofer. These two pieces of fine equipment brings me a lot of joy and pride. The WHOW-u sub is a custom heavy built enclosure using a Wilson Audio 18" driver along with its external crossover. It pounds like a big drum and helps out the WATT/ Puppy in the low bass notes. These speakers places me in a front roll seats with the performance and brings out the happiness from within my soul. Thumbs up Baby!!!!
Klipschorns with a Belle for the center was the best at the very beginning of stereo, and is still the best today. You simply can not fight the laws of physics. These are the most efficient speakers of all time with the greatest dynamic range. Because the speakers require less movement, they produce less distortion than any other speaker. As a result, they are the most revealing of all speakers. The only problem is that these speakers reveal any and all imperfections in a system. However, the full quality of sound can be diplayed using the best equipment. Also with a spread of 90 degrees, these speakers provide the most realistic spread of sound. Opinions of speakers are very subjective. Some like realistic sound, while others like a more diffuse, laid back sound. If you like realistic sound, klipschorns and belle is the best combination of all time.
I think the current Bose 5-speaker home theatre package will never be beaten for sound quality. The bass goes so low, you can't hear it. The mids...well, it's like a perfect reproduction of sound generated from behind a brick wall...magical. And the highs...the ringing in my ears never stops...how do they do that?!
Soundlab u-1, a-1, m-1 Quad ESL-989, 988, 63 Avalon Eidolon (and maybe the new Diamond, which I have not heard yet) I currently own the esl-63, and any furture upgrade will be one of these, Unless something really fantastic comes along which I find highly unlikly.
The current Magnepan 3.6R, until the next generation comes out. If Magnepan ever puts the true ribbon midrange from the 20 series into the 3 series, then there will be a sub $5000.00 "Ultimate" speaker made by a solvent, customer friendly American company.
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