What are the best speakers you have ever owned and why?
I just recently recieved my long awaited Shahinian Diapason 2’s from Vasken And they are absolutely spectacular! This got me thinking about my long journey to get here. Bless my wife for putting up with the many many many speakers that have passed through. The lifelong saga began with Magneoan MG 1’s back in college which were replaced by Dahlquist DQ 10’s. Then we traveled down a long road of speakers and systems. Magnepan Tympanis, Misson 770, Randall Rsch DQ10’s, Quad ESL single and stacked, Acoustat II, rogers LS3/5A’s, Linn Isobarik’s (2 pairs) B&W 801 Matrix, Hales Signature, Martin Logan Monolith2, Apogee Scintilla (1 ohm) Apogee Full Range, Theil SC 5A, Egglestonworks Andra, B&W Nautilius 801,Quad 63 and some I’m sure I forgot! Each speaker had its virtues and flaws but oh what a fun and a times frustrating trek! I think I have finally found my speaker to take me to retirement they do everything that I value wonderfully . They are detailed without sounding so, very dynamic, they have great low end reach, power and detail, are open sounding like a planner, their tonality and timbre seem spot on and they sound wonderful on any kind of music. Tell me about your journey!
Thiel 3.6. Dynamic and Punchy. With tight and deep bass that did not sound anemic when came to Techno, Organ, and Metal music. Plus they were not a whole lot of money compared to other notable brands.
Miamiangler I was in SLC up to 1979. I bought equipment from Broadway Stereo Shop downtown. Tannoy Cheviot's and Yamaha CR810 receiver. Also up in Sugerhouse, I forgot the shops name, I got some Klipsch Heresey's. Do you remember any of those places? Good times for a young adult. It has been a while.
Some would question my sanity but for me the vintage Polk SDA 3.1TL were and still are in my top 5 best speaker I've had the pleasure to enjoy. It was my choice after auditioning and comparing with the likes of Thiel, Klipsch, Vander Steen etc. Certainly they have their faults, as do all, but for my listening, live representation of music at live levels, they did and still do provide the deepest and largest soundstage of any speaker I have ever heard to date. Sure it required a compromise such as a slight loss in definition but the soundstage just more than makes up for that. If you like Rock and concert realism them Polks will give it to you. My other go to would be B&W, Wilson, Vandersteens, but not if I'm doing heavy rocking, that's where the Polks take center stage. Just my opinion.
The best I've ever owned are my current Audio Physic Avanti III. They're really quite special speakers that doesn't draw attention to anything, just sounds very organic and live. Never heard a speaker that can complete disappear like the AP's.
Before then, Thiel CS2.4 (still awesome speakers), Magnepan 1.6, Hales Concept 5, Magnepan MMG, customer built speakers (small standmounts with a matrix birch, viscoelastic glue, HDF cabinet and all ScanSpeak drivers). First real speakers were Dali (forgot the model now, but I worked the entire summer to afford them).
Wow! Only one person listed a pair of Snell's. WHY? Are Snell owners as dead as the company? The best sound I've ever heard came from a pair of Snell Type B's. It was jaw dropping. They were set up at Soundex in Jenkintown. Any of the people working there who heard them would have to say the same. It was pure magic. Even Frank (manager?) called me and offered to buy them from me for well above wholesale. Yet nothing much gets said about them otherwise. I've to been to many audio shows around the country. I've been to countless homes and audio shops. Nothing I've heard sounded as magnificent as the Snell Type B's WHEN they were set up at Soundex. My 2 cents. Joe
Many years ago, I owned a pair of JBL 4343 speakers. The reason that I consider them 'best' is not what I would consider best today. I was young, and these were perfect for that time. They were damned near thrown in my lap, along with a system that matched them. I would likely enjoy them even today, but not as a number one choice.
Pretty sure I would give that spot to the OHM Walsh 5000's that I currently own. Remarkable speaker in many ways. Incredibly well rounded. Maybe not the single best at single things, but from top to bottom, to my ears they do the trick.
Others...
Salk Soundscape 8 (just wanted more bass), DynAudio Contour 60 (didn't think they had a huge soundstage that I prefer). Salks and the Dyn's build quality were CRAZY good. The OHM's are a solid build, but not the level of detail and attention that the Salks or Dyn's had.
That I have heard...
The top end Vandersteens, the DynAudio Consequence, the Martin Logan Neoliths
That I have heard for the Money at a given price point
Tekton Double Impact (I don't think you get much more with the SE's or as you move up). I have my issues with Tekton, but for 3k, it's a fun speaker.
Ohm Walsh 3000/4900/5000
JBL M2 (street prices on a couple and the amp are in the 10k range if you know where to look.
Salk Soundscape 12
Vandersteen 5A carbon
On the uber expensive... The Consequence and Neoliths in big rooms - wow.
Contrast audio Magic model. 1. Absolutely designed and assembled at own components. 2. Implemented CROSSOVER-less principle (there is no any other same brands now, which use one cap in scheme) Everething gone in past, unfortunately :( 3. Frecquency cut around 10 kHz Crossover modern approach and using the same drivers only in different cabinets, give only chance to wait for a miracle.
I forgot meadowlark,,, wow they made asesome speakers, had the heron and the kestrel, the kestrel for a cheap 2 way speaker is amazing 1/4 wave transmission line.... i dont think they were ever a big brand but they sure sound amazing if you find a deal on old oncew woud not hesitate to buy
it all started in high school with polk moniter speakers
Jbl jubal should have never sold jbl 250 ti should have never sold. jbl 18 ti still have in my bedroom system jlb l7 probably other jbls cant remember the models, i put myself thru college by reconing jbl woofers in the early 90s.
dunlavy sc-iv,,,, been 20+ years and still my main pair so i must like them the best....
dunlavy sc -v i dont own, but when my older friend passes on they are in his will to give me. ,, will still keep the sc ivs and probably need a bigger house
20.1s triad platium series - still have for home theater hard to get rid of these dahlquist dq 10s. then 20s. several smaller magnepans mmgs and 1.6s martin logan clx art and summits not audiophile but have had tons of klipsch, belles, k horns, la scalla,kg 4, chorus..... at one time full klipsh home theater.... several models of allison accoustics, (9s with woofer near floor , cubes) Emerald Physics 2.3 legacy studio monitors
subs, svs, velodyne, jbl, rel, and dunlavy (still have)
EgglestonWorks Viginti! Best sound I've heard in a long time. Especially in reproducing classical music with wide swings in dynamic range. Voices come across natural and accurate. Perfect match for my 20 years old Krell FPB
My Klipschorns, that have been in the family since 1979.I must say my home made KEF Transmission Lines from the mid-'70s are a close second.Zu Soul Superflys are third, by a nose.That's all folks.
Geez I've saved some cash compared to some of the above respondants
From early 1970’sUtah. Anybody remember these Bose 301 Altec 1 Advent Magnepan I I loved these speakers from 1977 to 1996 nobody I knew had them, incredible image, close your eyes and you had no idea where they were. Wish I had room for them now B&W CDM 1 B&W. P6 Downsized after divorce KEF LS50Looking for next pair
A mono DIY I built in 1956 using JBL drivers and XOs. (Huge corner sand-filled cabinet based on a design in Audio Electronics. Had to tear it down when I moved.
Finally on a pair of Thiel 2.7s with a SS2.2 sub. Complete Satisfaction
My current speakers Proac D30R are the best speakers I have ever owned. They have great midrange. Takes time to break them in to hear their full potential.
OK here we go though I am sure I’m leaving some out. My journey from SET + Horn to high power and back
Klipsch La Scala NHT Super Zero + Sub NHT 3.3s Hales Reference-5 B&W 805s + 2 B&W 800ASW subs JBL 4350 Infinity RS-1 avantgarde duo B&W 805s + 2 Revel B15 subs Reference 3a De Cappo + 2 Revel B15 subs B&W 802 Wilson Watt-Puppy 5.1 Thiel 3.7 Klipsch La Scala LS5+ 2 Revel B15 subs driven by Coiencident Frankenstein-II’s (7 watts) Simply lovely and dynamic with the new LS5’s with a sweet non-honk midrange and non-harsh sparkling top end. The dynamics keeps me coming back to horns!
Note I have tried many different subs over the years, Wilson, JL, REL, AVS, etc but always come back to the Revel B15’s due to the musicality, low end grunt and extreme flexability of the 3 band xover + multiple low/high pass and notch options. Front end is PS Audio BHK.
Special thanks to my mom for gifting me a pair of Bozak 302a while I was still a student in college. She personally hand wired the crossovers at Bozak in Norwalk. Others AR3x, Polk SDA 1c, Bowers N802, Thiel CS2.7, Vandersteen TREO, and monitor silver 300 (hands down the most incredible value, and currently in my reading room for listening with the Sunday Papers!). Nice to see what a long strange trip it’s been for all of us.
Most are long gone, but still have the Q5s and the Betas.The Betas are a truly impressive speaker combo, my favourite to date.The Deltas are a good second in a smaller package (2 towers vs 4 towers).
Listened to many other good speakers throughout the years such as Yamahas, Bose, B&Ws, Dalquists, DCM Time Windows, Magnaplaners, Polk Audio, Klipsch, Monitor Audio, Altecs, Cerwin Vegas, Martin Logans etc, but they just didn’t do it for me.
Keep doing what you are doing, go down to your dealer and listen to a
pair of Maggies--the new ones are all over the place with the number of
panels, etc. (I personally prefer multiple panels per side) but make
your own decisions.
I've been at this for a little while now, 4 decades of high end audio and 3 decades of sound recording and post production.... but thanks for the encouragement. ;-)
B&W Matrix 801-S2's I've owned many speakers over the years (i'm 53) and I bought these used in 1997 for $2200. I've tried several times to replace them with other speakers in the 5k-10k price range, and they've all left me unsatisfied. I'm not saying these are perfect... I hear deficiencies in them, but still they have the right balance of qualities for me... Dynamics, neutrality, imaging, LF extension (slightly bloated, but in a nice way). AND they just happen to mate with my room just right. They also need the right amp to drive them... in my case a Bryston 4B-ST. My crossovers are not stock anymore... I've upgraded the caps, bypassed the protection, and reoriented the inductors, to great improvements. I've also tried the North Creek crossovers, and I did not like them at all. These speakers are now 30 years old, and amazingly, not one snag on the gill cloths!
I have to go with richopp69. While I remember DQ-10s sounding clear years ago, nothing, not even $50,000 speakers come close to Magnepans. 0.7s are my favorites because they are simple two way speakers and I do not trust pure ribbon tweeters because they are too delicate. It does take a few weeks to position them right but they are easy to move and to experiment with pillows duck-taped to walls and floor to find out you probably do not need much if any acoustic treatment. Box speakers and the braces to diminish the cabinets adding to the sound is what Jack Northrup called inventing a rubber glove to solve the problem of writing with a leaky fountain pen. I also am not crazy about the notch filters and the crazy gradients of impedance with respect to frequency of cone speakers.
Audio Note AN-E SEC Silver. I bought these used 15 years ago and have been extremely happy with them for my favorite type of listening. I think they shine best on mid-range stuff, like vocals, sax, acoustic guitar, etc. Sinatra's voice sounds amazing on them; round, full, live, emotive. Also acoustic bluegrass, chamber music, and jazz are wonderful. Every string pluck is distinguished and every blend is smooth. Probably not my favorite for hard-hitting electric rock or full orchestra, but I've never heard a speaker that did everything well. Horns probably come closest.
Back in the late 70's I started with a pair of McIntosh XR-16's which I kept far too long. Finally got back into the audio system game and bought a pair of Paradigm Studio 100's that are actually very nice sounding with quality electronics behind them. I then moved up to Legacy Audio Focus which I have been in my system for a while now. Recently, I started reading about open baffle designs and just ordered a pair of Spatial Audio M3 S Turbo's. It's a big leap from the Legacy's with their three 12" woofers to an open baffle speaker but everything I have read indicates they should be very open with a large soundstage. Can't wait until they arrive!
@prof1Now your're talkin'! This is exactly what we did and even though the sounds produced by amplified instruments were controlled by the musician, the sound live and the sound recorded was compared and found either lacking, changed for the worse, changed for the better, or pretty much identical. Non-amplified instruments sound differently depending upon mic placement, of course, but in a recording, as you know, one is trying to capture the ensemble as heard mid-far center, so it can be a challenge. Obviously in a studio, one has elaborate mixing equipment to end up with the dynamic range and mix per instrument on the final recording, but just using a Stellavox and a couple of good mics, our Miami dealer, Peter, was able to do some pretty impressive live recordings back in the day.
Keep doing what you are doing, go down to your dealer and listen to a pair of Maggies--the new ones are all over the place with the number of panels, etc. (I personally prefer multiple panels per side) but make your own decisions.
Finally, funny how all high-end speaker manufacturers are now making 6' tall speakers all of a sudden. I WONDER where they got that idea???
I haven’t owned many speakers, but hands down, my favorites were Apogee Duetta Signatures. I coveted Apogees for years after first hearing them at Paris Audio in Los Angeles, and after moving to a big-enough house in Texas and getting my lovely wife to agree to give up 1/3rd of the great room, I finally was able to buy them in the early 1990s. In the early 2000s, I needed something more home theater-friendly when my system had to start pulling dual-duty, so I reluctantly sold them about 12 years after I got them -- the buyer drove his minivan from Atlanta to Texas non-stop to pick them up and paid just $1k less than I originally paid for them. I then got B&W Nautilus 801s which I’m still enjoying today. They sound great, but <sigh>, I will forever miss the Apogees.
I like the sound of maggies and used to hear them a lot, but admittedly it's now been years since I've been able to hear them.
It can be tough trying to figure out among audiophiles which speakers are most accurate in terms of reproducing live sound, because all speakers compromise somewhere, and someone may be more sensitive to that area of compromise over another.
I've been interested in live vs reproduced sound for as long a I can remember, so I've always been comparing them. (I work in post production sound and record live sound all the time). I've mentioned before on the forum how I made recordings of instruments I play, that family members play, and of family members voices, which I'd use to do direct live-vs-reproduced comparisons through various speakers. It was always fun and illuminating.
The title of the thread and the content are conflicting. Most are saying their history of speakers with no clear winner. Most are just naming their speaker history.
My speaker history is fairly limited. Chronologically: Triangle Celius Magnepan 3.6RTotem ArroReference 3A de Capo (installed the beryllium tweeter) Acoustic Zen AdagioASW Genius 100Reference 3A Veena Spatial M3 Turbo S I've owned the Spatials only for a few months and I have the feeling they might be lifers. But the best speaker was, hands-down, the Reference 3A de Capos. Those gems of monitors were succulent, crisp, warm, and engaging. I never identified anything lacking or anything I was unhappy with.
2 of the best speakers I ever owned were KEF 103.2s then upgraded to KEF 105.2s, very good imaging and sound stage. I still have them packed away in a closet but pull them out once in a while.
My AR-90s are my favorite so far. I also have Infinity RS-1s but am unable to use them due to limited space. IF I had the room maybe they'd be number 1.
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