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What's the most coherent sounding 2-way speakers you've ever heard ?

vintage4 said:
If you had to compile a list of the most coherent sounding 2-way loudspeakers you've ever heard what would it consist of ? My list is very short and includes two speaker systems that I currently own , Dynaco a25 and EPI-100 . I've found that even most modern hi fi loudspeakers don't blend and mesh the way the drivers in these speakers do . You seem to always be aware of the tweeter sticking out like a sore thumb or not blending like it should . Give these speakers a nicely recorded jazz lp or CD and they are seamless . Whoever designed these two vintage speaker systems did an excellent job of making sure they were a perfect match to each other . What are some of the most coherent sounding 2-way speakers you've heard from the vintage era ? You would think modern speakers would dust vintage speakers on this aspect but I've found it not to be the case .
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Copa1934 said:
Sure hope the OP answers this, rather than a bunch of people chiming in.
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Would this be an answer? Or is it too subjective?

cnh2
 
Lots of older B&W's

B&W DM-100's and DM-1200's were and are wonderful - frankly the Brits thru the 70's and 80's had a fetish/obsession about small 2 ways and produced a lot of fine sounding speakers. And I always enjoyed selling , owning and listening to the Dynaco A-25's - they're on my buy it anytime list - not the ultimate in HF detail - but even by today's standards - really good mid-range / vocals , not the least bit fatiguing and thanks to butyl rubber woofer surrounds - no rot to deal with. Of all the commonly available "vintage" speakers - probably most likely to just work and sound great - with no repairs required to enjoy them.
 
As has been mentioned, I think Quads ('57s & 63s) are beyond reproach. For box speakers, I'd say Spica TC-50s are very good, as are Linn Kans, and smaller Thiels.

...I'm a bit surprised that so many people here mention the big Altecs, 19s in particular, because the one issue I've always had with those large horn 2ways by Altec, was in the integration between horn & cone. To me, even new, they always sounded like "2 ways" - a distinct upper & lower range, and it's always kept them at arm's length for me.
Just goes to show, how we all hear things differently!
 
Coherent / Lifelike

When I listened you my Altec / JBL / McCauley monitors for the first time...myself and several others listening all reacted in amazement. Not only can you physically feel the power of the sound hitting you it was as close to live as I have ever heard. However, I would love to someday get my hands on some L300's.
 
Anything that has been EconoWav'd.

I own a pair of ESS AMT 1b, a pair of HPM-150s that I put Heils in, a pair of DIY electrostats, and a set of Infinity Servo Statics.

I've owned hundreds of other well known speakers.

I listen to my EW'd Pioneer HPM-40s every day, with more enjoyment.
 
frommerstop said:
the one issue I've always had with those large horn 2ways by Altec, was in the integration between horn & cone. To me, even new, they always sounded like "2 ways" - a distinct upper & lower range, and it's always kept them at arm's length for me.
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Give a listen to the Klipsch Jubilee where you have a huge horn on top being supported by an even huger horn on the bottom. (yes, I just made that word up :D)

Anywhere from maybe 7 feet on out and it's very difficult to discern where the sound is coming from. I might add, this is when using an active crossover and the biamped signals are aligned.
 
Unless I'm mistaken coherence in a speaker means time and phase coherence. It doesn't have anything to do with whether you like a speaker or not.

Electrostatics because of their design and lack of a crossover are naturally coherent. Theils and (I believe) Vandersteen's are also time and phase coherent. This is because of their construction and crossover design. There are also other speakers that are "coherent". Their names escape me at the moment.
 
Mission 770s, the original model with the clear polypropylene woofer. Or KEF 104aBs.
 
Advent 3s blow the Polk bookshelf speakers I have away. I use both on the same amp, and the Advents image like gangbusters and just generally sound great. Miles ahead of the JBLs, Polk, etc. speakers I also have.
 
My two way Carver Amazing Loudspeakers sound very coherent through the mid range.

My Magnepan MMGs sound more rich in the midrange and they play louder but they also sound colored in comparison.
I think my pair of ESS Heil AMT1B sound very good too.
I have a pair of Thiel CS1.2 that sound nice and very coherent in a small room


I just picked up a pair of Altec 614-8b and Great Heil AMTs and was thinking about going active crossover. I think this combination has a potential to sound very good.
 
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Probably the Altec A5s with 1505 horns/288 drivers on top (and high zoot Hiraga XOs) at Gary Kaufman's house.

My 604E Duplexes with Mastering Labs XOs do fine through the MR as well, as do my ESL-57s.
 
JoeESP9 said:
Unless I'm mistaken coherence in a speaker means time and phase coherence. It doesn't have anything to do with whether you like a speaker or not.
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Although not mutually exclusive, time alignment, phase coherence, and generally "coherent sound" are not the same thing. I took the OP's question to be about how well a speaker "hides" it's crossover point, making it hard to discern where one driver rolls off, and the other comes in. I agree that. in general, speakers that do a good job of this are often designed with time & phase alignment as priorities, but not always. I think if the drivers are well matched, and the crossover points are just right, even a "conventional" 2 way can sound very much like a "one way"...even if doesn't use any "tricks" to delay the tweeter's sound getting to you, like sloped baffles, or complex crossovers. The Linn Kans that I mentioned are just such animals... as are a number of good box speakers like some from Advent, Celestion, or Rogers, to name some more.
 
In my experience only:

Gershman X1
Paradigm Studio 22
Totem Model 1 Signature
Totem Mani-2
Rogers JR 149
 
My Martin Logan Vistas are as coherant as any 2-way I've heard; all of a piece, one apparent source with no part of the range flashlighted.
 
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