Would These 3 Vintage "Best" Speakers Still Be Contenders Today?

[lmitche]

My first audiophile system was purchased in NYC in 1984. This included a Naim 42 pre-amp powered by a SNAPS, with a Naim 110 Amplifier driving a pair of Linn Sara Isobarik speakers mounted on very heavy, spiky stands.  I still have this system but haven't used it in a few years.

 

My shopping was done in two stores, Sound by Singer in Manhattan and Innovative Audio in Brooklyn Heights. Both offered full systems. Both store owners, Andy Singer and Elliot Fishkin, met with me on multiple occasions before I decided to purchase the Naim system.  I can't remember the offering from Sound by Singer, but it is likely it included the Snell speakers as I have been aware of these speakers for many years. Both Andy and Elliot were interesting people. I liked Andy's intensity and Elliot's laid back presentation.

 

In the end I went with Elliot's offer.  He emphasized the "source first" philosophy which made complete sense to me. Accordingly he recommended a Linn LP-12 for my system.  I couldn't afford one and this new technology called a Compact Disc was just released. Everything about digital made sense to me so I bought one of the first Sony CD players.

 

We moved to London UK in 1997 and I drove to the Naim factory in Salisbury to have the system voltage changed from 110 to 220 volts. The lady that did the work opened the preamp, looked at the wiring, and pointed at a fellow sitting nearby. She could tell that he was the one that assembled the preamp years ago by the way the wires were bent and placed the box. After spending a few fascinating hours in the Naim demo room, they returned my system. They had upgraded the 110 to the next level 135 amp and replaced the output transistors with a better matched pair with new capacitors for free.

 

Later while still in London I bought new Naim electronics and CD player for the Linn Saras. The Saras are bookshelf speakers with the Isobarik design that uses two woofers one mounted behind the other. This design delivers terrific bass for such a small speaker.

 

Many systems later, I am grateful to Elliot whose axiom "Source first" has been reinforced many times through the many iterations of digital music servers and endpoints explored over the past five years. Digital 'rips' of those early CDs sound better than ever and finally deliver on the promises of the format.