Magnepan 1.6s paired with an old 15” Sumo subwoofer and Sumo crossover. Never could dial in an optimal mating between the panels and that huge sub, but this combination was otherwise as fun as all get out!
What is the most FUN pair of speakers you've ever had and why?
Not the most expensive, not the best reviewed, not the biggest, but the most FUN. You know, that ONE that just makes you throw on some more music and keep listening, the one that makes your toes tap, your head bob, your ass move the most. The one that makes you think to yourself "damn, why doesn't everyone have a pair of these?" Let 'er rip.
175 responses Add your response
For me it would be the Klipsch KPT-904. Great clean bass and articulate highs and no one wants to leave when you fire them up. 2" horn top with a two 15" woofer bass bin and 105 db efficient and even small amps would deliver more sound than you could handle and the drivers did not have to work to do it. Cello to heavy metal they did it all superbly. |
Everyone here knows I am a Magneplanar bigot and believe that any other speaker is nowhere near as revealing or accurate. PERIOD, end of discussion (given quality source electronics and material). HOWEVER, if you ever heard a pair of Fulton 100's, you would like them very much for what they do given they are boxes. Robert Fulton, along with many other pioneers in the industry, was able to almost create that illusion we all seek of being in the room when the music is being played live. Other than that, the old Radio Shack Minimus 1 speakers were pretty good for the money when used in small environments for background music, etc., like a dorm room. Today, there are probably MANY other small speakers that are better, but this is about the past, so... Cheers! |
@richopp, I replaced my Magneplanar Tympani T-I's with Fulton Model J's (which used the Model 80 as it's midrange. The 80 had an 8" woofer, the 100 a 10"), wanting their deeper bass (transmissionline-loaded woofers) and greater transparency (the Model J contained six RTR ESL tweeters per speaker, the same ones Wilson later used in his WAMM). I soon regretted it, and went back to planars. |
bpoletti1,066 posts12-27-2019 9:49pmOh boy, that takes me back. Bozak Concert Grands. Yup I don't know what can compare to those. A beautiful(refridgerator) wall of sound. If you have a good handle on building a 'like sound' of those B410's could you pm me.? Probably be a fun project. |
For me it's the first speaker I ever bought without hearing it. The Soliloquy 6.3 2003 model closeout with the square cut corners and silk dome tweeter. This was the Phil Jones design. Good review here. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Soliloquy+Model+6.3+loudspeakers.-a097823139 No matter what changes I have thrown at them, amps, pre-amps, other speakers, universal players(I like the Burr Brown ladder dac), power cords and cables . I feel I heard a difference. Still my primary speaker. |
@jaytor *L* + on the 1B's...I had a pair of those....became an amt driver fan to the point of buying a pair of Just the drivers. Didn't bother with what was underneath them.... ;) An amazing device... 'Most fun'? Mmm...dialing the Wayback machine....a pair of Bose 901v2's, driven by a Marantz 2270 with an AR tt. Think it had a Stanton cart on it, but that's where memory fades.... But I do remember how the 901's could drown out conscious thought *L* If I felt the need to rattle anything not bolted down or too heavy to vibrate, the 2270 could drive them until the bass line made the pilot lights dim to the beat... At that point, better judgement prevailed before heat cooked it... ;) All items survived that era and moved on to others, as I did. *S* |
A pair of Altec Valencia's. Home version of the VOTT. Man, could those things rock! On my 22nd. birthday I had my pair behind my house facing a lake. Had all my friends over, with two lovely ladies. One in each arm and a cold draft beer in front of me. Those speakers, (and the two ladies) made for the greatest birthday party I ever had.... sigh...... |
@douglas_schroeder and bdp24: Thanks for the mentions. Yes, it is kind of fun out here. As a former dealer, I had the opportunity to listen to pretty much everything back then, so I was in a better position than most. As for today, I leave that to the new group of dealers and buyers. What I did learn, however, is that boxes have limits and Maggies do not seem to have the same ones, but different ones that rely more on quality equipment and ROOM placement, etc. Fun times, indeed! Regarding the Fulton J setup, we listened at length (when you own the shop, you get to do things like this) to the individual components by themselves and together. Certainly the 80's and 100's were similar in sound and the larger woofer was helpful. I would buy either one today for a workshop room or a system in a non-central listening room. However, I am certain that others have improved even on those today; I simply don't get around any more in this world and rely on posters here to provide suggestions. (I have no intention of buying any speakers--I have two pair of Tympani I-C's--one still in the boxes after a complete redo at the factory--so I am good.) As for the J components, the RTR's broke a lot--we had a stack of individual "panels"--the electrostatic panels that made up the array--so we could replace them when they blew--at high volume, of course, but we were younger and crazier at the time--I think they were black in some models, but a LONG time ago, so... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Crown-Electrostatic-Speaker-Panels-NOS-HF150-RTR/263423519137?hash=item3d5543e9a1:g:BIsAAOSw~AVYplb4 https://www.ebay.com/itm/RTR-HF100-Electrostatic-Speaker-Panel-NOS-Janszen-130-ESS-Infinity-SAE/263423519138?hash=item3d5543e9a2:g:fN0AAOSwjXRXYeT3 https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/vt.mpl?f=vintage&m=238523 (Scroll down to see the speaker...) The Model 80's were wonderful in any situation, and the huge "J" woofers reminded me of the ones we made for the crazy Levinson HQD systems back then. (We also made some of the dual-Quad ESL-57's/Decca Ribbon stands for them as well--full disclosure.) http://www.vintagehificlub.com/mark-levinson-hqd-system-11/ The J was a great idea, but pretty pricey and difficult to move around and set up. Magges were SO MUCH easier even given their quirks, etc. We loved Mr. Fulton--he was a great guy to us--and were pleased to handle anything FMI created--great recordings and, I think, a tonearm and cables, of course, and other stuff. He was pretty good at what he did, right? Gone way too soon...RIP. The issue with ALL electrostatic's is listening fatigue, which you do not get with Maggies. So, in spite of the initial "WOW" factor from such systems--Wilson as well--over time and many hours of listening to all genre's of music from every possible source--once again a dealer privilege (and obligation)--it was obvious that one was not going to stay in front of any of these other than the Maggies for extended periods. And finally, the drive to "tall" speakers seemed to start with the success of Magnepan and has been copied by all the big (expensive) companies now. Interesting, right? Cheers, and happy listening! |
Richopp, did you sell the ARK Label LP's Bob Fulton recorded? Fantastic sound quality, as good as direct-to-disk! Fantastic transparency and inner detail (you can hear every single voice in the Minnesota church choirs he recorded), natural organic timbre, and deep, deep bass (the "shuddery" notes made by the pipes of the lowest organ bass pedals move my walls!). I have about a half dozen. I never blew a single RTR tweeter, but I powered the Fulton J's with an ARC D-75. I have some spares of that great RTR tweeter, got them with the ESS Transtatic I loudspeakers (which had three in each) I bought used in '82. One speaker had a replacement woofer, not the correct KEF B139 (also used by Wilson in his WAMM). I called ESS, and got the last one they had in stock! I still have the speakers. I'm really looking forward to hearing the new dual-dipole Magnepan "project" loudspeaker. Hope the tour comes to town. |
Did not own them, but I spent some time in a studio, a friend of mine co-owned, and in their large sound room, was a pair of Augspurger Design studio monitors that were, well, fun ! I would, exchange my Lascalas for a pair of those. I remember they sounded great, listening at near field. I do enjoy my Lascalas with my custom made subs. |
It was the fall of 1971 I was a junior in HS and I used every dollar I made bussing tables at a restaurant down the shore over the summer to buy a system package from a chain outfit called Tech Hifi in Bryn Mawr Pa. The package consisted of a Dual 1219 turntable, a Harman Kardon 610 receiver and a pair of Large Advents. The whole thing retailed for around $600. I hooked it up in my bedroom and listened to Tumbleweed Connection. Pure bliss. It was the moment that I became an audiophile. I never looked back. While my current rig blows that little system away I still have a great deal of fondness for it. I attribute that to the Advents. |
Infinity 1.5, with 12” dual Watkins woofers & emit tweeters. Bought them used in 1980, and they still rock. Ran them back then with a Hafler DH-500, paired with an Adcom GTP-500 II and a Technics SL-1200 (Stanton 681EEE). I used to take them to parties and it would shake a room, I even set them up in gyms, and people would be amazed at the sound. In today’s standards, they’re not that accurate, but when you turn them up with a stable amp, they can still amaze you. |
The most fun speakers were my first ones. I bought a DIY speaker building book. Designed my own ported cabinets, around 12" three way Jensen speakers. Did this fifty years ago when I was sixteen years old. Then I bought an Eico amplifier kit. Spent a couple weeks building it. Bought a Garrard turntable, and we had music! Mid 60's rock and roll, at its finest! Were these the best? Heavens no. But they were good sound and loud. What more could a kid want? They went to college with me, blasting Ina Gada Davida, for the whole dorm to hear. Sold them and the amp when I got married and moved up to Sansui separates. Those were the days. |
Back in the mid-70s I had a set of double Advents, stacked vertically, on custom stands, tweeters together. Powered by an HK Citation 16 and Soundcraftsman preamp with octave EQ, Thorens TD-160 and an Ortofon MC cart. It combined the Advents neutrality and bass, doubled up for the wall of sound bigness and the dynamics of a whole bunch of power, with the kinda peaky Ortofon making up for the Advents soft upper treble. That system rocked. With 4X10" woofers it could play the subterranean synth bassline on Stevie Wonder's "I Believe (When I Fall In Love)" from Talking Book like few others. The Eagles "Hotel California", Linda Ronstadt, they all sounded fabulous, as did Keith Jarrett's "Koln Concerts" Al di Meola "Mediterranean Sundance". |
While I’m in love while in in love w my Energy RC-70s’ currently, they sound amazing. My most fun pair (which I still own) CERWIN VEGA D9s’—- Great sound and thump. Honorable mention - CERWIN VEGA AT-15s’- a more crunchier midrange than the D9s’, but less bass. For a few years I had both pairs stacked w D9s’ on bottom and AT-15s’ upside down on top. That was some of the best music I’ve ever heard,, I eventually ended up melting the binding posts on the back of my Onkyo m-504 amp. Have since learned about the work OHM LOAD,...and why it’s IMPORTANT when choosing an amplifier for driving an amp at a basically 0 ohm load. :)) |
The Epicure 100 bookshelf system pair were a "fun" backup system. I owned them for 35 years. Their sonority contrasted any other systems owned. Moderate efficiency and 90% linearity yielded "stellar" low volume listening. The "fun" go to listening "rivaled" friends systems from the college dorm era. |
The most fun speakers I owned were a pair of G. R. Research OB7's. I did many experiments with them to test the orthodoxies extolled in audio magazines and books on how to create the ultimate stereo system. I tried bi-amplification with the tweeters on their own 245 SET amps and the midrange (2 5" cones open baffle) and the low frequency (4 5" cones sealed box). Then I read about the Wavac 833-A stereo and I made a pair of 833-A SET monoblocks which I connected to the low frequency speakers. Separating the tweeters from the midrange by powering them with separate 245 SET amplifiers sounded better than running both the tweeters and the midrange on the same amplifier. Active crossovers made of resistor and capacitor networks inserted between the mu-follower 6SN7 drivers sounded good and they are supposed to sound better than passive speaker crossovers. But the passive crossovers sounded better. Finally, I tried running the speakers on only 833-A's to all three speaker elements and this sounded better than anything I had tried before. I learned that not everything which is supposed to be the best way to run amplifiers and speakers applies universally to every system and I should not be surprised because speakers costing over $50,000 use passive crossovers. Eventually I upgraded to Magnepan 0.7's the biggest Magnepans I can fit in my small house of 500 square feet floor space including the bedroom, the shower room, and an open kitchen because I was put off by the complications of cone speakers, their need to have elaborate notch filters in addition to high and low pass filters for crossovers, and boxes which require so much bracing, lined with sound deadener layers inside. I auditioned the Magnepans and they sounded more like live performances in the opera house where I go than any $50,000 speakers I had heard. But you can't drive them with thw 300B, let alone the 245 SET because they are insensitive. That is the price for circumventing the excessive variations and complications caused by back EMF of cone speakers influenced by the surrounds and even the cone material and the cabinets, all with resonances and wild variations in output with respect to frequency. When I got them home they sounded even better with the 833-A's driving them. GR Research has impressive speaker kits which rival 4 figure factory made speakers and they are well suited for low power SET amplifiers if you don't want to use tubes which take 100 Watts just to heat the cathodes. |
It seems whatever speakers I have are the most fun, modifying speakers is my idea of fun. Dahlquist DQ10, mirror image and internal wiring mods. Various models of Alon's, cabinet and driver mods. Merlin VSM-MM, just about every part within BAM and Duelund VSF caps in speaker. Present Klipschorns, every single thing modified with exception of bass portion of cabinet. I generally keep speakers for many years, by doing mods over relatively long periods of time I create better synergy with partnering equipment. Tuning my system by ear, and for relatively little expense is both great fun and devoid of the audiophile nervosa equipment churning brings me. And I still have both the Dahlquists and Merlins, can't bring myself to sell them. Dahlquists have been in storage for thirty years, perhaps someday I'll reinstate them. Hearing DQ10's, Maggies and Dynaco speakers in various high end systems back in the 1970's brought me first awareness of high fidelity. |
