Tekton with Lyfngdord digital. Wait minute you say nightmare or dream?
me live dream with Maggie baby only finest big city the women love it.
me live dream with Maggie baby only finest big city the women love it.
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
Does resale value enter the picture? Very expensive speakers appear to depreciate the most based on what I have seen over many years. So I would go with greatly depreciated iconic models of years ago. Based on casual listening at shops and shows here are my choices: Dunlavy SC-V or VI Focal Grande Utopia Avalon Eidolon Peak Consult: only heard a smaller model but if the larger one has sound quality that scales up I would go for the Dragon Legends. |
@tlinkie, same here. I agree that diminishing returns do set in fairly quick around the £1000/$1000 mark but on the other hand I can't think of any great full bandwidth designs selling near the 1k mark. Whilst I'm happy enough to stream through a decent Bluetooth speaker, (oh the sheer convenience of it!), I feel that if a loudspeaker claims to be of monitor quality then it really must have a fairly flat extension down to at least 45Hz. Or a matching sub. Maybe Steve Guttenberg can help in a future upload. https://youtu.be/H1waVEH16pU |
Can you tell me more about the YG Exquisite Extreme Grand limited speaker product? I found out quite interesting about its sound quality. Currently I own a karaoke sound system of Starsound speaker brands including main starsound and micro starsound. I bought that product here: Bảng giá dàn âm thanh hội trường MỚI NHẤT 2019, từ 30 - 100 triệu |
@tweak1 I am shocked none have mentioned Scaena Acoustics which combine elegant art with wonderful music playback I wouldn't be so shocked. It's not like that is a popular brand. I didn't even know which brand that was until I googled it, then thought "oh yeah, I've seen those things here and there." I don't know what they sound like, I believe I've heard good things about them, but I have to part ways on the aesthetics. Looks gaudy and, yeesh, that "woofers in prison" look is cringe-worthy IMO. |
Mijostyn, great summary. One quibble, line sources fall of as 1/R, and point sources as 1/R^2. Also, the full length Maggie lines act more as line sources in the bass, though not perfectly because of the way the resonances are distributed (lowest frequency segments near the floor to take advantage of the reinforcement). But any planar woofer is going to react very differently in a small room than a large one because of proximity to side walls. The 30.7 solves this with separate bass panels that are tuned to be flat when positioned at the side walls. For smaller Maggies in a big room, they recommend reinforcing the midbass with the DWM. BTW, I don't know of any speakers that equals the clarity of ESL's, but taken as a whole, the 30.7's are the most realistic speakers I've ever heard -- between the ribbon tweeter and the new high quality midrange, they have a stat-like clarity to them, whereas earlier Maggies lost some of their clarity as they got down to the midrange (but were still clearer than dynamics). |
LOL, you could play them all at once and average their strengths. :-) It's true, isn't it? Everything one the list has its strong points. (Haven't heard Roger Modjeski's new ESL, though.) I wonder if Wendell has done just that -- listened with 30.7's on one side of the room and IVa's on the other. One thing I'll say -- I've heard the 30.7's twice and both times were in decent but less than ideal dealer setups, but they do some things that the IVa's just can't touch. The new high performance midrange driver is killer, the only other time I've heard midrange that realistic is on ESL-57's. And according to Wendell, they added the new midbass coupler so that the bass panels wouldn't intrude on the clarity of the midrange with the single pole crossover. My IVa's do do some things that the 30.7's didn't do but not sure how much if anything that has to do with triamping and how much has to do with their being in a small room with tweeters in and not having 20 other guys in the room with me. But I don't see why you couldn't biamp the 30.7's if you were willing to open them up and bypass the crossover. I think I'd want to wait for the warranty to expire first, though. :-) |
Hey @josh358, wouldn’t it be fascinating to hear the Tympani IVa and MG30.7 side-by-side?! That would take a MIGHTY wide room ;-). As you recently (today?) said over on the Planar Speaker Asylum, the 30.7 can’t be bi-amped, so the T-IVa has that advantage. I think both share the same ribbon tweeter, but the 30.7 has the new Magnepan mid-bass driver. If I were wealthy, I’d have ’em all: the 30.7, some Sound Labs, Roger Modjeski’s new ESL with his dedicated direct-drive tube amps, the Sanders ESL, new Quads, double (stacked side-by-side) Eminent Technology LFT-8b, and any other planar contender. And a room for each! When I with my sisters watch the HGTV shows, I’m always looking for the room in each house that can accommodate big planars. None of the home buyers mention their need for a "music room", but the guys always want a man cave for a big screen TV. Normal people (non-audiophiles) seem to have lost their interest in surround, though. |
Joey, I love your list, lol. The 7 mk2 are surreal for their price (compared to well over 6 figure speakers. I have owned the Treo (now have Quatro). Heard that Harbeth in FL and fell in love. They are really nice, but for that price I'll take the Treo or Quatro as they do things the Harbeth cant, but still keeping that magic midrange in a full ranger... So many great choices and we all are built differently, so plenty of options. Fun thread all. Thanks. |
Magnepan 30.7. They're the best speakers I've ever heard, though to be fair, I haven't heard the other flagships in recent years under good conditions, just at shows where speakers are rarely at their best. I currently have Tympani IVa's, so I have the space for them, a small dedicated room. (Needless to say, both the Tympanis and 30.7's would sound better in a larger room, but acoustic treatment has done wonders for the room I have and the slam of large planars in a small room is not to be believed!) |
For me personally something that is the ultimate has to sound and look exquisite at the same time. I really can't have something that sound beautiful but is ugly as hell to look at. Kharma Enigma Veyron EgglestonWorks Ivy Signature SE Raidho 3.1 Any of those three with appropriate electronics would put me in heaven or my own little world. |
I used to have a thing for Meg Ryan, so cute and perky in all those movies... Then one day I found myself standing behind her in line to get a sandwich at the LA airport. I mentioned to her where she had to go to pay as she didn't seem to know. She merely looked at me, didn't speak, and in that moment all fantasies were shattered. I just had the same experience a few days ago when I went to the P.S. Audio and heard their IRS V system. It was simultaneously the best system and the most expensive system I have ever heard, while being one I wouldn't want to own. It was detailed, huge soundstage, deep bass, and got better the quieter the music became. But while being technically "perfect", it grabbed me by the ears and said "listen dammit", while what I want is a system that speaks to my soul and seduces me into listening. So, the on my list until I heard them speakers: Infinity IRS Avantgarde Trio (any of the Avantgarde line actually) On my probably list: Any of the big Sound Lab speakers. I have owned and used the same set of Sound Labs for 35 years now, I must like them. The $650k Wilsons. I have never heard a recent pair of Wilsons, although when the WATT/Puppy first came out I didn't care for it at all. One of the big Tannoys. I am working on a DIY speaker based on the Fikus Electric P-17, could add that to the list, but they will not export them out of the E.U. I'm in the fine tuning phase, using old Altec high efficiency drivers, and powering them with my beloved 2 watt S.E.T. amps. The sound is beautiful, but they don't image like my Sound Labs. I'm working on it. That is my true dream speaker. |
Vandersteen 7's with Sub 9 woofer (best I've ever heard. The Sub 9 takes them to a new level I'm assuming (never heard the Sub9, but know what Richard does with his powered subs and love it) Tidal's top speaker (forget the name, but man are they cool) Rockport Lyra (heard them a few times adn always sound incredible). |
Magnepan 30.7 . IMO along with the KEF Muon , the best speakers one can have.The Magnepan 30.7 are NO SPEAKERS , meaning the speakers disappear completely. You will have to go to Audio Consultants in Evanston, near Chicago to hear them. Another new speaker that disappears is the new line source from Germany - THE NOTE - a Porzilli line source from LAUFER TEKNIX. I heard these speakers at AEXPONA yesterday. The difference is that the Magnapan moves a lot more are, so you get a fantastic presentation when you listen to big orchestral music. Now, if you are a rock & roll fan the Magnepans may not be the best speaker for you. But, adding an excellent sub ( from REL ) may give you better bass extension. |
Always wanted to know what the Meridian DSP8000’s sounded like and thanks to audiogon and places like it I’ve been able to bring home several of my dream speakers and tbh some don’t live up to the imagination because of room integration or wrong equipment pairing or whatever, but I gotta say these 8k’s are legit. |
I am shocked none have mentioned Scaena Acoustics which combine elegant art with wonderful music playback Unlike most of the recommendations here so far, the Scaenas are slim and although tall, their slimness makes them virtually disappear.. I have a large room and no WAF, I have owned very physically imposing speakers (Accoustat 2 + 2s and Magnepan 3.5Rs) and because of their width, I don’t like how they cut up my large room. Maggie 30.7s might give the Scaenas a run for the money at < half the price, but since they would really be claustrophobic to me, and money is no object here.. I can tell you this having seen and heard them, they look much better than the website photos, which IMHO, don’t quite capture their 3D elegance. |
Magicos, Wilsons, YGs suck up power but don't sound as musically interesting as even cheap Maggies. I like Maggies too but I'm drawn to more conventional dynamic speakers that have dynamics more like horns and resolution more like electrostats. I had Acoustat 2&2s in between Acoustat Xs and ML Monolith IIIs. I never had sufficient power for them (except for the Xs which were considered coffins by my late wife and were vertically sound challenged). The 2&2s were the friendliest of the bunch. What I long for are big Von Schweikert speakers. My SOTA was a $1.5 million system with the Ultra 11s but my new music room can only accommodate the VR-55s. |
Oh and Cleeds, All subjective reviews are biased. If not by money and favor than by experience right or wrong. Specs are one thing, how something sounds is another far more complicated issue. Again I say you have to know what you want to hear and that is experience you have to gain for yourself. The only ears you should listen to are your own. There are instances when reviews help particularly when everyone raves about a piece like the Parasound JC1. It was on Stereophile's recommended list for 15 years! I'm sure JC is going to come up with a .2 version.The Kuzma 4 point is another example. Back in the day the Original SOTA Sapphire was the first example I can think of. Everyone loved that TT for years. It was the very first turntable you could jump up and down in front of without bouncing your cartridge into oblivion. Hard to miss. |
Hi Cleeds, JAs measurements are great until he gets to some newer electronics that are more accurate than his test equipment which he frequently admits too. His waterfall plots are great and tell you a lot about how a loudspeaker will react with a room. The argument here is, do measurements tell you how a piece of equipment is going to perform under your circumstance and specification. I would say no. Some would say yes. I have had the same speakers and turntable since 1981. They suit my purpose almost perfectly. There are better now but at a price I can't afford yet. I got off the equipment merry go round a long time ago. Know what you want to hear and find equipment that matches it. Absolutely, definitely, with out a doubt speakers are the most important determinants of how a system sounds. The best electronics and cartridges will not help speakers you do not like. You can make great speakers sound crappy with bad equipment. Linear arrays are essentially a single or group of drivers acting as one that radiates in a line. The length or height of the line determines the frequencies at which the array will act as a line source. Line sources do not radiate off the top or bottom limiting comb filtering in most rooms. They also project power better which is why you see them at concerts. Volume drops off at the square of the distance with line arrays but drops off at the cube of the distance with point sources. I use 8 foot electrostatics which are and act like one driver. In order for a multiple driver array to act acoustically as one driver the individual drivers have to be closer than 1/2 the wavelength of the highest frequency you want to reproduce and the whole array has to be longer than the deepest frequency you want to reproduce with one caveat. If the array ends at boundaries (ie walls) acoustically the array continues on into infinity. The analogy is if you put mirrors on both ends of a string the string appears to go on into infinity. So, other than projecting power better what is the benefit? All linear or line arrays give you a larger sound stage. If you like to sit in the first ten rows the image is more realistic. If you prefer being in the back point sources will do. Their image is smaller. Again this is a matter of taste. Just ask any Magnepan owner why they like their speakers. The reason Magnepans have problems with bass is because they stop acting as line sources at about 80Hz and power falls off rapidly. If you cross to subs at 100Hz boy can they rock. Electrostats are always ragged on for having limited output. I have no problem hitting 110 db. I cross to subs at 125 Hz and the subs themselves form a linear array continuing the insanity down to 15 Hz where things are rolled off steeply by a digital filter, an absolute must if you play vinyl. 95 db is a comfortably loud volume by the way. I hardly ever listen louder. 110 db in a normally sized room 16 X 25 feet will cause an earthquake and maybe even a divorce. Of all the dynamic line source/linear arrays I have heard I think Magnepans are handily the best value. I have listened to Pipe Dreams and Carvers and did not think much of them in the environment they were in. Electrostats are the best. You only have to hear them once set up with the right equipment to fall head over heals. The only ones on the market today that meet my spec are the SoundLabs Majestic 845s with the Ultimate frame. I would buy them in a heartbeat if I had the money. Some day. The speakers I am currently using are modified Acoustat 2+2s. The power supply is my own design, is adjustable and will put out 6000 volts. The transformers are Sowter 1/100 4 ohm units which is a stupid spec because they drop to just under an ohm at 20 KHz which is what drives a lot of amps mad. They are British by the way which explains a lot. So why doesn't everyone use linear arrays? Packaging is the big one. Most wives vomit when they see the things. Then tell them that they have to be 3 feet from the wall and they chase you out of the house with a shot gun. Manufacturers make stuff they think you want to buy which does not include the monolith from 2001. Because of Quads many people think electrostats are hopelessly fragile. Not so. The only thing I can do to hurt my speakers is run a stake through them. I can handily clip 800 class A watts into them. The amps are probably in more trouble than the speakers. I have beat the crap out of the Stats for 38 years! All I have done besides the mods is replace the grill cloth once. One more item. Line arrays that are dipole radiators have additional advantages not shared by any other array. They radiate in a figure 8 pattern. Almost no energy is aimed at the side walls again limiting interference patterns. A linear array dipole radiator only aims energy to the front and to the back. A little acoustic foam behind the speaker kills the first primary reflection from 250 Hz up. The end result is holographic imaging. No other speaker can do this as easily. It is time to get back to Lee Morgan. |
mijostyn Just a note. Forget reviews. There is way too much bias involved.Do you think this applies to all reviews? Do you think JA's measurements in Stereophile are "biased?" For me all point source speakers are out ... Linear arrays are much better at this and they project power better ...Will you please tell us what a "linear array" is? |
Just a note. Forget reviews. There is way too much bias involved. You have to know what you want to hear. For me all point source speakers are out. They simply do not throw a realistically sized soundstage unless you always like sitting in the back of the auditorium. Linear arrays are much better at this and they project power better. They can put you right up front. Problem is they have to be huge and domineering to do this and are not everyone's cup of tea for this reason. Having said this I think Sonus Faber makes a great speaker for the money and they are also very nicely made. YGs and Magicos are ugly and Wilsons always remind me of Robots not forgetting they are extremely over priced. I would take Magnepans way before I would consider any of them. Great Value. This is all based on what I want to hear which probably is different than what you want to hear. One thing is universal, Price is no indicator sound quality or durability. No one has to spend stupid money to get a SOTA system. |
