Sound Labs 845 Ultimates with 4 of my own force cancelling subwoofers.
What are the top 3 dream speakers you wanna buy next regardless of price?
Assuming cost no object, equipment matching no issue, wife no opinion, what are the top 3 dream speakers you wanna own and what is (are) your current speaker(s)?
Don’t worry about being the best ... nor most expensive ... they could be something you’ve never tried yet, and you feel intensely curious about...
(if you feel you already own your dream speakers, just state so, for our education?)
My top 3 (in any order)
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YG Exquisite Extreme Grand limited
Wilson Audio WAMM Master Chronosonic
YG Sonja XV
What I have now (in any order)
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Kharma CRM 3.2 FE
Wilson 3/2
Western Electric 10D (odd isn’t it?)
Don’t worry about being the best ... nor most expensive ... they could be something you’ve never tried yet, and you feel intensely curious about...
(if you feel you already own your dream speakers, just state so, for our education?)
My top 3 (in any order)
--------------------------------------
YG Exquisite Extreme Grand limited
Wilson Audio WAMM Master Chronosonic
YG Sonja XV
What I have now (in any order)
--------------------------------------
Kharma CRM 3.2 FE
Wilson 3/2
Western Electric 10D (odd isn’t it?)
158 responses Add your response
@nutella , "Only one for me. Kii Three with the BXT. I am unaware of another choice in this particluar category option. Anything else would be simply exploring a different flavor. I had a ten year span where I was out of the hobby and not paying any attention to developments in the industry. I was disappointed to find out that most improvement was quite small and the same arguments go on and on. This product I feel is an actual step forward, not the little side steps and baby steps everyone seems to exaggerate as jaw dropping improvements. The hyperbole in this hobby is astonishing to say the least." Yes, you could say that. Especially when some of the most highly regarded designs are over 50+ years old (Quad 57s, LS3/5, Tannoy Golds, various JBLs, Altecs etc etc). No real new technology, just endless refinements and a trend to downsize. As a certain Scotsman used to proclaim, "Ye cannae change the laws of physics, Jim". However in the case of the Kii Three, it's interesting that even the usually restrained and sober Sound on Sound posts a glowing review. Something more than an incremental improvement? https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.soundonsound.com/reviews/kii-audio-three%3famp |
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Whatever speaker my dealer is working with at the time and the room has to come with it! If I went by my auditions at axpona the list would have those little speakers neat makes, they're about the size of a shoe box and have a veneer that looks like something from ikea. Raidho D1.1? and top of the list would be the 'SE' update to a pair of dsp8000's. |
Mine used to be Avantgarde speakers but after hearing them in person, I was pretty underwhelmed with them, especially for the costs. Then I ran into Charney Audio stuff (I actually called him on a CD player/DAC unit). And I have to say, my dream speaker will be his Concerto with the AER drivers. They are just out of this world. And you only need a 4W amp to drive them so they can be very fast and articulate, but have deep and highly detailed/nuanced bass at the same time. It’s really hard to describe - if you’re in the area or within 2-3 hrs drive from his place in NJ, you should definitely come by and listen to his stuff to have a sense of what his speakers sound like. He has the Concerto and the smaller Companion for demo (I have his Companion set). And if I have all the money in the world, I would like to commission him to do something really unique for me (the guy has a CNC machine in his workshop downstairs so he seriously can design/make almost anything you want...). |
Considering speakers to be very relevant and subjective and the fact that, at this point of life, I will never have, or need, a home, or audio room (14' W x 27' L x 10' H, opening to a 10' W x 14' L, dinning area) larger than the one I now have - I can think of a few speakers that would very nicely work in my space and with my preference of music: Refurbished Apogee, Duetta Signatures (one of my all time favorite speakers) Sound Lab's Majestic 545, or possibly the Majestic 645 Magnapan 3.7i or 20.7 (would love the 30.7s, but would need more space and a larger budget) Jim |
After extended hearing them with my wife, she (and I and almost all critics who heard them) opt for the von Schweikert Ultra 11s. Music at its most captivating in all respects (with classical, jazz and rock of our choice). I cannot accommodate those speakers in my new, smaller listening room so I may have to go with their VR55Aktives or Lumenwhite Kyaras. I prefer higher efficiency speakers. I don't like Magicos, Wilsons, B&Ws, etc. I do like Tannoy's big speakers. Those are my sonic preferences, but the Von Schweikert had seemingly no sonic signature on the music. |
I own them now; Egglestonworks Viginti’s. Every time I finish listening to them, regardless of what I was playing, I always tell my wife; "Man those speakers sound great!" Of course, she’s happy that I like them (love them), but she really doesn’t care. At least I don’t think she does, does she? Although... I put a Brahms symphony on vinyl last night and she came down and said "Brahms; very nice-- beautiful violins, open and airy composition." Wait, was that really my wife? |
Yes they are very audiophile. We were called HiFi enthusiasts at that time. If I learnt anything in the last 59 (I 'm 67) years of critical listening, audiophile speakers are anything that work well. In the 50s and 60s the community lusted after Voice Of The Theatres and to make a point Altec Lansing built a nice cabinet around them and branded them A7 Magnificents. They built a smaller version called the Valencias. I believe that Art Dudley of Stereophile owns a pair. Trivia . . . I had the great privilege of working with Saul Marantz's brother, Charlie, at a company called Swedlow in the late 70s. A fun time that was. Nice to know this cottage industry from the inside track and why Saul soldout to Sony Superscope? The Dahlquists were Saul's designed speakers sold under his engineer's name to circumvent trade agreements. The second best speakers that I like. Charlie's obit . . . I miss you bud https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=charles-emanuel-marantz&pid=18910320 |
Please allow me to blow away everyone's world with THREE (3) of the following that were used to voice the soundtrack of Ben Hur by 20th Century Fox: http://www.sonicflare.com/archives/destiny-6000-giant-horn-system.php You can replace the old drivers with modern drivers, but you will not impact the laws of physics more than marginally. The source material better be clean, e.g. 2 inch masters with minimal discrete components in the signal path |
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In my price range I have my dream speakers, the Spatial Audio M3 Turbo S . After hearing these , there is no way I could want another speaker with a box cabinet - Open Baffle properly done is so natural and realistic it puts all box speakers in a lower class , IMO . I have owned Klipschorns and later Klipsch RF-5's with upgraded tweeter capacitors and single strand OCC copper internal wiring. They were a little less great than my current speakers . Room placement is also far less critical with OB . Having said that,and if I had a larger room and budget to suit , I'd love to hear a pair of Pure Audio Project's Trio 15 Horn 1 open baffle speakers for $ 8000 / pr delivered in the U.S. With their 8 ohm impedance and 94-96 dB sensitivity they should play fine with any amp 8 watts or more, and probably even usable with a 2A3 SET amp at more modest spl's . Spatial Audio has a generous audition and return policy and other , larger speakers . Both brands are sold factory-direct and both owners are a joy to communicate with . Nice gentlemen. You would find it difficult to part with their speakers, once heard at home , IMO . I'm driving my M3's with Gilmore Audio Raptor class D amps and my sound is better than I thought I could have .Also try Analysis Plus cables - real science and engineering there . My opinions , and my only affiliation with the mentioned brands is as a customer either real or potential . |
MEYER SOUND BLUEHORN system. (see link below). Beyond this stunning example something from Revel or Wilson perhaps, but these examples from Meyer Sound are in a class by themselves. Regardless of your preferences take some time to research this amazing feat of engineering out of Berkeley California. Although beyond the reach of most people they offer a glimpse of what true cutting edge engineering can accomplish. This system is akin to the Apollo moon landing in terms of speaker engineering. I'm afraid after experiencing this speaker I will never be completely satisfied with anything beyond SOME live performances. https://meyersound.com/product/bluehorn-system/ |
inna, That calculation was based on you buying your equipment young, assuming it never breaks down, and never upgrading anything for more than 30 years. While drinking coffee every day of the week (except weekends). By the time you spend the same amount on coffee, you are thinking about retirement. Add your two cassettes and you just added one more year of coffee. All in all, as much as coffee may be expensive in New York City (is it really $5?), in real world $50 000 is far above "modest". Just lika another poster above, I have not heard even the names of most of the speakers mentioned here. According to the most recent prices on the Internet, it would take me about 10-11 months of skipping coffee to afford my dream speakers. I suspect that my dream speaker choice is so far the cheapest mentioned. And I do not even drink coffee so I am all set for when a pair becomes available. |
I currently own the best speakers that I have ever heard, AN15 Alincos, AN being for Audio Nirvana. If money were no object though, I would like to try multiple Quad 57 ELS panels integrated with cone woofers/subs, though I suspect that the AN15'S would remain. I owned 57's years ago, but went to Acoustats, they were not quite as transparent, but I wasn't limited to the low volume of the Quads... I currently have Thiel CS-7S, B&W 801M'S and a few others, but crossovers kill the lifelike sound that you get from a full range driver, IME. The problem with the AN15'S is the need for a really good sounding front end. Thankfully I found Don Sachs before I found the AN15'S. Some may be willing to spend the 25K or so for a better preamp and amplifier, but that's a bridge too far for me. My Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, with the latest output stage, may be beatable these days for a similar or slightly more expensive DAC, but I am finally content with my stereo for the first time in 45 years or so. If there is a better speaker out there I can't imagine what it would cost. |
Exactly. It's a bloody expensive coffee. And that's only one cup a day. Just couple of weeks ago I had to buy two new Maxell Vertex blank cassette tapes for my Nakamichi, $129 each. Now that's expensive, but there is no substitute. I'll save a lot by not getting $5 coffee and $20 lunches. One reason, not the most important one though, why I want to switch to open reel deck - reels are less expensive. |
"...$4-$5 for a cup of good coffee in NYC is what ? Do the math, if you want to drink it five times a week..."Splitting differences and paying $4.50 for one coffee and aiming at $37 500 audio system, it would take 32 years for coffee to catch up. ($5 coffee and $50 000 system would meet after 38 years and $4 coffee and $50 000 system would be there after 48 years) |
As Neil Young said: ” Live Music is Better bumper stickers should be issued” Neil has so far declined all offers to come over at my whim and play tunes... so I make due with “ The Grand Illusion “... step right up, get your ticket to the show.... i am looking forward to catching John Hiatt solo acoustic in a small venue soon.... |
