Speakers to hang on to for LIFE

I'm partial to the Fried lineup. I have a pair of Model C satellites mounted on a pair of Model O subwoofers and I also have a pair of Monitor 7s and a pair of Model Qs 9currently not working). From what I've read I wouldn't mind acquiring a pair of C3/Ls but I guess they're as scarce as hens' teeth. Most people admire Fried transmission line speakers (such as my Model Os) because of their superior bass reproduction but even more I appreciate their ability to make a piano recording sound pretty much like a real piano. (They're not quite there.)

Sonus Faber Guarneri Memento's.

After starting out in this great hobby back in the 70's my first system was a Marantz 2275 receiver and the original large Advent with real walnut cabinets. Then went to stacked Advents, then Polks, then large KLH's, then Dalquest DQ10's with Ampzilla and Linn Sondek, then, well you get the idea. Got out of audio entirely in the early 80's (marriage, house, kids etc..) got back in in the mid 90's with the home theater craze and started an audio only system about 8 years ago. I started out with Paradigm and modest amplification (NAD,Rotel) went to Pinnacle, then Definitive then Magnepan then Martin-Logan then Hawthorne Audio (open baffle) then, well you get the idea. I finally gave in to my mid life crisis(?) and decided to go retro with my system so I sold my digital amps (Panny, Trends) and bought a mint Marantz 2275 (here on Agon) and the difference was astonishing (still with the Hawthornes) so then I thought how bout lets find some Advents (thanks EBAY) and for $175 could they still be any good? Is my 51 yr old memory just clouded by nostalga? Well epiphany number two the Advents had tears in my eyes within seconds, I couldn't believe how good they sounded and not just with audiophile stuff (that I never REALLY listen to it's just so well recorded it sounds good on ANY system) these things ROCKED with anything!!! Jimi, Led, Trower and all my other faves from back in the day sounded like they were supposed to not thin and brittle (Maggies and M-L's) but warm and inviting as if to say play ANYTHING on me and just sit back and smile. I can't tell you how good it feels to know that I'm off the merry go round for good. Look I love equipment as much as anyone and I realize the products I've talked about here are by no means "high end" stuff, but having three kids all at or near college age forces some real easy choices when it comes to priorities regarding finances and for the modest investment of about $1200 total for my ENTIRE system these Advents along with the Marantz are the definition of a "final system", for me anyway. The Advents sit on Mapleshade speaker platforms (which ironically cost me more than the speakers) and I also use Mapleshade Golden Helix wires and Signal Cable Analog two interconnects and digital cable. Front end is a Toshiba 3960 DVD player fed into an Ack! battery powered non-oversampling DAC (bought here on Agon for $200) which is also a very "analog" sounding unit. So in closing it all ends where it began, I have a system the can rock with Jimi, do nuance with Steely, and give late nite chills with Barber, Krall and others.

Hey Polarin; I too started w/ advents. In the 80s I started building my own speakers. I can't remember how many ar's and advents I rebuilt. and upgraded. I would drop a nice poly woofer in and either a dynaudio or vifa tweeter. build a nice two way x/over w/poly caps and now you have the old look with cleaner, faster and more detailing sound. I quit building when audio concepts kits blew anything I could build away. Find another set of cabinets and start playing. great hobby at our age. tweeking the x/over can change the sound to what you like.

On Topic. I've had a pair of ACI (audio Concepts Inc)Sapphire II monitors paired w/ a sub for years. I recently expanded to AV and bought their Emeralds for rears. I could hear much more from the Emerald's tweeter than from my 18 yr old Sapphires. I'm 50 now and have some high frequency loss. After reasearch and listening I bought some paradigm S2s off this site. The tweeter is unbelievable in imaging high end. (see reviews) But, I miss the airyness and natural sound of ACI's. I'm looking at the Sapphire IIIs posted right now. (different tweeter) For the money (factory direct), an easy on the ears, natural detailing speaker The ACI's are great. They have their latest edition the XL out now. Great reviews. As soon as I can afford them Im going to make them channel B. and have both pairs set up. I just can't live w/o the ACI's