Best speakers you have ever heard?
- Thread starter papaya
- Start date
dinglebeer
Active Member
I suppose it would have to be a pair of B&W, Nautilus 802's iirc. I have no idea what was driving them as I was in a stereo shop but the tt that was playing cost several thousand dollars.
Jupiter1610
Active Member
Audio Physics Virgo IIIs powered by Rogue Audio Zeus tube amp and Rogue 99 pre-amp. Source was a Esoteric DV-50. Listening to the Sam Cooke "Live at the Copa" SACD was stunningly realistic. Never heard a soundstage like that one.
My current setup is really, really good. It´s a pair of Infinity RS 2.5 biamped with a Kenwood L-1000 pre and poweramp, and a new Dynavox VR70-E2 tube amp for the mids/highs. Previously I had the Yamaha NS-1000M which sound merely adequate compared to the IRS 2.5, and that´s pretty impressive to say the least. 2
:thmbsp: 
The best were either the Spendor S5Es or the Apogees.
The Spendors were driven by Chinese tubes at the dealer.
The Apogees were decades ago and were perfect - so long as you held your head just so....
In my home, it's the Infinity RS 2.5s. Still need more power than the 105 wpc McIntosh amp.
The Spendors were driven by Chinese tubes at the dealer.
The Apogees were decades ago and were perfect - so long as you held your head just so....
In my home, it's the Infinity RS 2.5s. Still need more power than the 105 wpc McIntosh amp.
Big sound: B&W 801 series II driven by dual VSP TM150 (not bridged - one channel driven on each) with home brew non-IC bass alignment filter.
Smaller sound: Orig Quad ESL (AKA ESL 57) driven by refurbed Quad II amps. This particular combo produces a sound that is still a reference in natural music reproduction as long as high SPL is not reqd. There is credible bass even if psychoacoustics play a role.
Smaller sound: Orig Quad ESL (AKA ESL 57) driven by refurbed Quad II amps. This particular combo produces a sound that is still a reference in natural music reproduction as long as high SPL is not reqd. There is credible bass even if psychoacoustics play a role.
thedelihaus
Nocturnal transmissions
I can't say just one pair, but so far my favorites have been the Allison CD 8s and tint Royd monitors, and the delightful Infinity WTLCs. Run off a Sansui 7500 (first two) and a rediculously large Pioneer 1280 (last one). Runners up? The DCM Timeframe 600s and Timewindows, run off that Sansuui 7500. I'll also say I love the Boston Acoustics A150s I own (ran 'em off my diminutive Marantz 1060 with 30wpc), the ADS L630s I own run off a Kenwood 7500, and I imagine my Dahlquist DQ-10s will be stunning once I finally get to play them, but running off something with substantially more power than either the Marantz or the Kenwood. also got some Boston Acoustics A-200s I'll need to refoam, than listen to.
Best speakers I've never heard, yet? Some Electrostats (I know I'm gonna love 'em when I hear 'em, and want some dearly) and AR 9s/90s.
That's my take on it, so far. But there's a world of listening out there to do, and many speakers I've yet to hear.
Best speakers I've never heard, yet? Some Electrostats (I know I'm gonna love 'em when I hear 'em, and want some dearly) and AR 9s/90s.
That's my take on it, so far. But there's a world of listening out there to do, and many speakers I've yet to hear.
markd51
Nyuk Nyuk
Dang, this thread sorta depresses me. So many great speakers, and so little money! lol
Living in Chicago virtually all my life, I got to sample much of the high end. Dunlavy IV's, Wilson Witt, and Watt Puppies, Huge Apogee Ribbons, MBL Radialstraulers, Martin Logan Requests, many Pro-Ac, virtually every B+W including 801 Series III, and the $40,000 Nautilus, Maggies, Thiels, Revels, $40,000 Dynaudio's,
And of course many of the vintage speakers many of you rave about here that have been made over the years. (Paragon, ESS, AR's, Quads, McIntosh, and yes, even the Bose 901! (lol)
Being a big JBL fan though my virtual entire adult life, I still will never forget the sound of a pair of JBL Voice of The Theater Cabs (Grey Cabs. with 15" and Bolted on 23"or 24" Sectional horn/Compression Driver on top), and another I loved, an auditioned another time, was a pair of 4343 Monitors (Both pairs were driven by McIntosh SS Amps, which I believe were MC-7200, and MC-7270).
While perhaps these JBL's I mention didn't have quite the finess of many of the speakers I mention above, I will never forget thier visceral punch, and "You are there-In your face" sound. Of course, speakers such as these don't exactly integrate very well into small rooms!
Mark
Living in Chicago virtually all my life, I got to sample much of the high end. Dunlavy IV's, Wilson Witt, and Watt Puppies, Huge Apogee Ribbons, MBL Radialstraulers, Martin Logan Requests, many Pro-Ac, virtually every B+W including 801 Series III, and the $40,000 Nautilus, Maggies, Thiels, Revels, $40,000 Dynaudio's,
And of course many of the vintage speakers many of you rave about here that have been made over the years. (Paragon, ESS, AR's, Quads, McIntosh, and yes, even the Bose 901! (lol)
Being a big JBL fan though my virtual entire adult life, I still will never forget the sound of a pair of JBL Voice of The Theater Cabs (Grey Cabs. with 15" and Bolted on 23"or 24" Sectional horn/Compression Driver on top), and another I loved, an auditioned another time, was a pair of 4343 Monitors (Both pairs were driven by McIntosh SS Amps, which I believe were MC-7200, and MC-7270).
While perhaps these JBL's I mention didn't have quite the finess of many of the speakers I mention above, I will never forget thier visceral punch, and "You are there-In your face" sound. Of course, speakers such as these don't exactly integrate very well into small rooms!
Mark
Fast_Eddie
Upper-middle fi
Some of the best I've heard-
Some big Martin Logans. I was told they were not TOTL.
cubdog's DQ10s
Nice pair of Magnapans.
Others that I sure like a whole lot and am lucky enough to own:
a/d/s L810 driven with Nikko Alpha 230
DCM Time Windows driven by a Marantz 2230- they match very well.
DCM Time Frame 400 II also on the Marantz.
Take care,
Ed
Some big Martin Logans. I was told they were not TOTL.
cubdog's DQ10s
Nice pair of Magnapans.
Others that I sure like a whole lot and am lucky enough to own:
a/d/s L810 driven with Nikko Alpha 230
DCM Time Windows driven by a Marantz 2230- they match very well.
DCM Time Frame 400 II also on the Marantz.
Take care,
Ed
emoxley
Well-Known Member
Hello folks............
New to this forum. I did a search for Allison, and this was the first thread that popped up. I haven't heard of the Allison CD, that the poster mentioned, but I have a pair of Allison AL-115 speakers. I think they are fantastic speakers! I've had them for about 13 yrs., and they sound as good today (or better), as they did the day I bought them. They have been used almost every day, since I got them. Now days it's about 90% movies and tv, and 10% music.
Allison went out of business for about 10 yrs., but are up and going again, and have been for the past 2-3 yrs. I saw on their website http://www.allisonacoustics.com, that they had a speaker that looked like mine, but are called PB 8.2 now. I sent them an email, asking about AL-115s, and they said the PB 8.2s are the same speaker.
If anyone has heard any of their newer speakers, I'd like to hear your thoughts on them. No dealers are near me now, so I can't go listen for myself. The price sure has jumped up on them. Mine cost $400 pr., 13 yrs. ago. I read somewhere that the PB 8.2s cost about $1350 pr. They are a little out of my price range now..............
New to this forum. I did a search for Allison, and this was the first thread that popped up. I haven't heard of the Allison CD, that the poster mentioned, but I have a pair of Allison AL-115 speakers. I think they are fantastic speakers! I've had them for about 13 yrs., and they sound as good today (or better), as they did the day I bought them. They have been used almost every day, since I got them. Now days it's about 90% movies and tv, and 10% music.
Allison went out of business for about 10 yrs., but are up and going again, and have been for the past 2-3 yrs. I saw on their website http://www.allisonacoustics.com, that they had a speaker that looked like mine, but are called PB 8.2 now. I sent them an email, asking about AL-115s, and they said the PB 8.2s are the same speaker.
If anyone has heard any of their newer speakers, I'd like to hear your thoughts on them. No dealers are near me now, so I can't go listen for myself. The price sure has jumped up on them. Mine cost $400 pr., 13 yrs. ago. I read somewhere that the PB 8.2s cost about $1350 pr. They are a little out of my price range now..............
