What Are the Best Sounding Speakers You've Ever Heard.?

[ecwl]

My favourite is Magico but I know others prefer other sounds. And I totally see the charm of Wilson, Focal, KEF, Sanders, Martin-Logan, Magnepan. Now if only I have the room and can afford the Magico...

[gmgraves]

Priaptor: I too had Watt/Puppies with a Wham (subwoofer), much better without the Wham part.

 

+1. Watt/Puppies were excellent, but the Wham ruined the entire illusion by making the whole system sound worse than mediocre.

[gmgraves]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29661[/ATTACH]

 

Apogee Duetta Signature powered by Threshold monoblocks and FET ten/e pre-amp with Meridian CD front-end.

 

 

I had a pair of those. Sounded great but the fiberboard "cabinets" were fragile and easily broken and the pair I had, for no apparent reason had a huge piece of magnet break-off which fell down into the bottom of the speaker frame making that speaker rattle all the time. I sold them to a kid who said he didn't care...

[mordante]

Best speakers I've heard are

Blumenhofer grand goia

Wilson Audio watt/puppy 7

Raidho D3

Gamut not sure what model.

 

I'd love a pair of Blumenhofer FS2 for my living room.

[Priaptor]

+1. Watt/Puppies were excellent, but the Wham ruined the entire illusion by making the whole system sound worse than mediocre. [/color]

 

Yup. It was the beginning of the end of my love affair with Wilson. I really didn't like the sub and then I moved "up" to the X1s which just were not my cup of tea. I have had lots of time with the newest iteration of Wilson as my buddy is a Wilson dealer and to me their "best" speakers still reside in their "cheaper" more monitor like speakers.

[Priaptor]

My favourite is Magico but I know others prefer other sounds. And I totally see the charm of Wilson, Focal, KEF, Sanders, Martin-Logan, Magnepan. Now if only I have the room and can afford the Magico...

 

I still think best bang for the buck speaker and regardless of price one of the most engaging speaker of all time is the Magnepan. The 3.7i IMO is their best. It does so many things right.

[realhifi]

I still think best bang for the buck speaker and regardless of price one of the most engaging speaker of all time is the Magnepan. The 3.7i IMO is their best. It does so many things right.

 

+1

Those and McIntosh's big integrated MA8000 are a "set it and forget it" system that just flat out rocks! I could VERY happily listen to that combo well into the future and could see it being a destination combo. LOT'S of wayyyyy more expensive combos can't touch the pure musicality and gestalt that they effortlessly put out.

[Priaptor]

+1

Those and McIntosh's big integrated MA8000 are a "set it and forget it" system that just flat out rocks! I could VERY happily listen to that combo well into the future and could see it being a destination combo. LOT'S of wayyyyy more expensive combos can't touch the pure musicality and gestalt that they effortlessly put out.

 

Few are "better" many are far worse!!

[semente]

Agreed.

And if the ears have been biased by all the hype, a quick look at the measured performance of those many leaves little room for doubt.

[sphinxsix]

As for McIntosh MA8000 - its looks are as classy as the amp itself ..but how much cheaper could it be without the prehistoric equalizer (and its 8 knobs).?

[realhifi]

As for McIntosh MA8000 - its looks are as classy as the amp itself ..but how much cheaper could it be without the prehistoric equalizer (and its 8 knobs).?

 

Who cares? That's how they roll. What I know is the combo sounds superb in so many ways that the supposedly "superfluous" equalizer matters not a whit. It's one of the very very few lifetime audio purchases that feels like it would age gracefully and be used just as enthusiastically 20 yrs down the road.

[sphinxsix]

Who cares?

I do. Just like most people who don't like to spend their money on stuff they won't use. How about a device with digital tone controls (no knobs ).?

 

 

 

With this one the process of aging may be even more graceful - they upgrade it via new software versions downloads..

[realhifi]

I do. Just like most people who don't like to spend their money on stuff they won't use. How about a device with digital tone controls (no knobs ).?

 

 

 

With this one the process of aging may be even more graceful - they upgrade it via new software versions downloads..

 

The wonderful thing us that you have the choice to spend your money on whichever of those product you'd like. One product clearly attracts a different customer than the other.

[1markr]

Omega Audio Alnico single driver crossover-less speakers.

 

Although to give this perspective I do not go to audiophile shows and there are few good audiophile shops in my area, and the ones that do just have the high power amps coupled to low efficiency speakers. So although I have been pursuing this for nearly 40 years my sampling is pretty small.

 

I favor the "first watt" idea and have not been disappointed.

 

+1

[YashN]

Omega Audio Alnico single driver crossover-less speakers.

 

Very interesting read about it over at the SH forum.

[monteverdi]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29661[/ATTACH]

 

Apogee Duetta Signature powered by Threshold monoblocks and FET ten/e pre-amp with Meridian CD front-end.

 

I had these too and I really liked their bass impact but they were not the most precise transducers. The best i know are the ones i built myself from scratch but still hear (and measure) areas of improvement.It will have to do a lot with material sciences! In general I like 2 way designs the best because the integration of different drivers is never perfect as are full-range drivers

[joelha]

YG Acoustics' brand new Sonja XV. Absolutely remarkable.

[tapatrick]

+1

 

+ 1

I have the Omega super alnico monitors powered by 8 watt tube amp. Probably the last speakers I will buy.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NOMBEDES]

I want to argue that "speakers are the most important component"--but I won't. Linn did/does it better than I can, and I've had it demonstrated to my satisfaction.

 

Best speakers I've heard--2.

 

1. Many years ago (say 1969) I was in a hi-fi shop waiting to talk to a salesman and behind me, playing the local FM radio station, were a pair of AR 3a speakers. The voices were so natural that I kept on turning around because I though I was being approached from behind. I couldn't afford the 3a but bought a pair of 2ax instead.

 

2. I was auditioning my current speakers (SGR CX4F) and they played me next step up, the MT3 (currently in 3.2 mode). I couldn't afford them either.

 

Greg

 

 

+1 on the AR 3a speakers. Still have mine. They are 39 years old. Still in rotation.

 

Despite Linn's position, I think speaker/room synergy is the most important aspect of audio enjoyment. That said, the Goldmund speakers with DSP are amazing.

 

My prediction. In the year 2047. The majority of sound systems will be lossless steaming (multi channel) with DSP. Sorry I won't be here to enjoy it.

[Priaptor]

pics?

 

 

Middle was Audio Research GS150, power transformer=silver circle 5.0, cables Nordost Valhalla 2, top right MSB Diamond DAC V, middle ARC REF10, bottom CAPS and speaker is Nola Concert Grand. ASC Tubes and Stillpoints Apertures in in key locations.

 

Garbage all over since I just changed tubes in my REF10 and needed to re-level my Townshend rack; sorry about that.

[ecwl]

I have to say, I simply find speakers a really personal choice. In addition to some brands I've mentioned that I can see people liking, I've also heard some high-end speakers that I just don't understand why people would like, except I know lots of people love them, like Sonus Farber, MBL, YG acoustics, B&W 800 series 2 & 3 speakers, Vivid V1.

 

I think part of the challenge too is that if you have a decent pair of speakers, even say the older Paradigm speakers or the current PSB, Bryston, Monitor Audio or Goldenear, and if they are setup in a room with good acoustics with good speaker and seat placement, the sonic impact is going to be much greater than a more phenomenon speaker with poor room acoustics or poor seat placement where you have uneven bass frequency response. As a result, ironically, I have seen and heard rooms with problematic acoustics and speaker/seat placement that sound way better with inferior speakers and actually sound worse with speaker upgrades.

[semente]

I have to say, I simply find speakers a really personal choice. In addition to some brands I've mentioned that I can see people liking, I've also heard some high-end speakers that I just don't understand why people would like, except I know lots of people love them, like Sonus Farber, MBL, YG acoustics, B&W 800 series 2 & 3 speakers, Vivid V1.

 

I think part of the challenge too is that if you have a decent pair of speakers, even say the older Paradigm speakers or the current PSB, Bryston, Monitor Audio or Goldenear, and if they are setup in a room with good acoustics with good speaker and seat placement, the sonic impact is going to be much greater than a more phenomenon speaker with poor room acoustics or poor seat placement where you have uneven bass frequency response. As a result, ironically, I have seen and heard rooms with problematic acoustics and speaker/seat placement that sound way better with inferior speakers and actually sound worse with speaker upgrades.

 

I would probably choose and/or add other >20k speakers that I find significantly flawed performance wise for the price (people's tastes are as varied as speakers) but I agree with your opinion, although I do think that the OP was looking for comments regarding full frequency and dynamic range speakers and these invariably need to be large.

 

But if I had the space and could spend that amount I would not buy a commercial speaker.

If I did buy, I'd rather lose out on the bottom octave but get smooth on- and off-axis response and no driver resonances.

 

R

[Priaptor]

I would probably choose and/or add other >20k speakers that I find significantly flawed performance wise for the price (people's tastes are as varied as speakers) but I agree with your opinion, although I do think that the OP was looking for comments regarding full frequency and dynamic range speakers and these invariably need to be large.

 

But if I had the space and could spend that amount I would not buy a commercial speaker.

And I'd rather lose out on the bottom octave but get smooth on- and off-axis response and no driver resonances.

 

R

 

You bring up a great point and one of the reasons I have and likely will always be partial to a "monitor" type of speaker. I too would rather live without that bottom octave and few full range speakers, IMO, get the full spectrum right or acceptable as there are usually compromises that room treatment and room itself can sometimes make better.

 

There are people who will buy stuff that just won't work in their room because they can and wind up flipping their equipment to try to get that sound they remembered in the dealer. I have watched people try to stuff XLFs or Q7s into a room that can't handle a bookshelf speaker or try to get them to blend with their wall unit and wonder why they don't sound good or dismiss them as lousy because what they are hearing sucks at no fault of the speaker.

 

I never would have thought I would have wound up with my "final" speaker being a full rang one as I have. I was very skeptical BUT the Concert Grand blends as well as any monitor I have ever heard while effortlessly providing a coherent full range dynamic experience at ANY SPL. However I have no idea if this speaker would work as well in most people's rooms. Mine happens to have unique and wonderful sonic characteristics AND is big.

 

Monitor type speakers are usually much easier to setup and get the most out of no matter the room; but of course the room always matters.

 

Brings back the point that to get a really good speaker to work properly takes effort before one can judge.

[semente]

Here's an example:

 

 

 

With a custom-designed 4 way speaker you can adjust the lower crossover to match the strongest resonant node, and perhaps you can do the same with subwoofers...

 

R

[zackthedog]

They'll pry my old, battered black ash ProAc Response 2's out my cold dead hands. :-) They don't do everything but what they do they do extraordinarily well. And they make my homebrew tube amps sound better than they have a right to.

 

Magnepans are really wonderful and such a great bargain. Gave mine up in favor of the ProAcs. Same seamless imaging but easier to position and drive, and better bass.

 

Best speakers I've heard to date are Nestoroviches. They look like coffins but they completely disappear with the right equipment.