Why do you like your speakers? [Archive]

20to20K

03-30-2005, 05:39 AM

My current speakers are Polk LSi15's. I bought them because I was looking for the best sounding, and best looking $1500 floor standers I could find that could fill a 25x15 room
without a glaring need for a subwoofer. I later bought a Velodyne DLS-4000 anyway.

I compared them to the Infinity's, Klipsch, Definitive Tech, KEF and B&W in this price range and these were the clear winnners to me. I later heard a pair of Quad 2.2L for $1600 that I would have picked over the Polks...but it was already too late. I also preferred the Paradigm Studio 100s but at $2200 they were a little out of my price range.

I am enjoying my Polks now, but I know I will probably upgrade to the next price point in a year or two. I like the Sonus Faber Grand Pianos, B&W 804, and Meadowlarks in the $3000-$3500 range.

Acoustic jazz and vocals sound great on my Polks. Those are it's strengths. I was listening to Rickey Lee Jones "Pirates" and Joni Mitchells "Hijera" last night, both on vinyl, and the sound was stunning. Same is true for Stevie Wonders "Innervisions". Bass extension is also surprising as well. Keith Jarrett's "Still Live" CD on ECM and Herb Albert's "Rise" really demonstrates this.

I could easily recommend my Polks to anyone shopping in this price range. I realize that Polk has a negative stigma attached to them because of their weaker, mass marketed products available at Circuit City and Best Buy, but if you listen to the LSi series for yourself instead of listening to hear-say you will discover that these are quite impressive speakers at a very reasonible price.

Eric Z

03-30-2005, 05:55 AM

Like what speakers do you have?
I have some decent entry level Mirage FRX speakers (fronts, center, and surround). I finished completing everything about 6 or 7 months ago and I'm pretty pleased. I also have a Def Tech PS80 subwoofer.

Why did you choose that particular speaker or set (incl swfrs)?
I bought the Mirage FRX fronts because Tweeter had them on clearance and I got a good deal. I also listened to some other speakers in the same $300-$400/pair price range and liked the Mirage the best. Since these were my first "real" speakers I bought, I was just pleased they would sound better than my Acoustic Design blown bookshelf speakers. I picked up the Def Tech PS80 sub because I wanted some more bass and the store I frequent gave me a great deal- I know it's not the biggest and baddest sub, but for under $250 I couldn't find anything better.

What need did you have that they filled?
I wanted some new speakers that were pretty decent and my set-up is doing just fine.

Like what was right for you about your speakers that made them right for you?
Price and they were a huge upgrade from what I had before.

Also are you upgrading?
Tossing the idea around of upgrading. It's hard because I'm in a good position; my wife is totally cool with me spending $2K on some new stuff, but it's hard for me to justify it. I like HT and speakers, but sometimes I wonder if that $2K wouldn't be better elsewhere. I don't want to upgrade just because I can. I know some of you may think I'm nuts, however, maybe I just need to hear/see other systems to hear/see what I'm missing.

Thanks for asking.
Eric

N. Abstentia

03-30-2005, 06:20 AM

I've had Paradigm Active 40's for about 6 years now and they still amaze me. The main thing I liked about the sound was that they are just the most alive sounding speakers I could find. They also eliminate the amp factor, as they have FOUR amps built in. Not only are they bi-amped, they are quad-amped with electronic crossovers :)

For a sub I use a Paradigm Servo 15 because it matches perfectly and is the most musical sub I could find for under $3000.

Pat D

03-30-2005, 07:45 AM

Like what speakers do you have, why did you choose that particular speaker or set (incl swfrs). What need did you have that they filled? Like what was right for you about your speakers that made them right for you. Also are you upgrading? I'll go into subwoofers first, because having a subwoofer can influence the choice of main speakers. To my mind, a subwoofer should be able to reproduce a 32 foot organ pipe (fundamental at 16 hz) adequately and have sufficient output capability to meet my needs. Why get a lesser sub when it only saves a couple of hundred dollars? I could see no reason why a good sub should have to cost more than a thousand dollars. The 15 inch Paradigm PW-2500 did what I wanted it to and still does.

For main speakers, I like smooth, uncoloured sound. The speaker should not call attention to itself but project a consistent and plausible stereo image. In the reviews, I looked for speakers which measured well, which had a smooth frequency response and wide horizontal dispersion, which should not only image well but be room friendly. They should sound good with all the types of music I listen to.

Well, we needed new main speakers because the old Quad ESL-63's power supply had gone. This is expensive to fix and one still is not sure how reliable the old things would be. The Quads are narrow dispersion and while they are not as difficult to set up as many say, they are not that room friendly. They need space to sound their best. Since this house doesn't really have the room to get the best out of the Quads, I figured I would concentrate on forward radiating speakers. In fact, we did try out the bipolar Mirage OM-7 but I never could get a neutral balance.

Well, we auditioned a number of speakers. The PSB Stratus Minis sounded about as good as any. They have a wide horizontal dispersion and a smooth, very gently declining frequency response, which tends to make them more forgiving. They throw a wide and consistent stereo image with plausible depth and have no obvious colourations. By themselves without the subwoofer, they have useful bass down to around 35 hz and even in a large listening room in the store did not seem bass shy at all on most music. Most recordings sound very good to excellent (that goes along with the good measurements) and rather to my surprise, when we tried them out at home, most sounded even better than on the old Quads. For example, I had never been able to get a proper sound on piano with the Quads in this house. They outclass the Paradigm Reference Series, either version 2 or 3, in overall smoothness (i.e., Rachmaninoff's 2nd Symphony).

I am not going to tell you that the Stratus Minis are better than a number of other speakers we listened to, but they seem just as good, and their overall balance is more to my liking than most. It's nice they cost less, too, of course. They play beautifully with all types of music from Diana Krall to Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Are they as good as the Paradigm Signature S2 or the Totem Mani-2? Well, I didn't compare them directly, so I can't be sure. The S2 is a bit less distant, hence brighter. The Totem Mani-2 Signature is a really nice speaker. it goes deeper in the bass, but not as deep as my subwoofer--neither does their subwoofer, for that matter. I did notice some emphasized glottal stops on an old Leonard Warren recording the owner and I both have, that I have never heard on another speakers and don't particularly want to. I don't know what's going on there.

It would be nice to have a home audition of the Paradigm Signature S2 and and PSB Platinum M2.

Rod B

03-30-2005, 07:57 AM

I have a pair of Paradigm Monitor 9's. . .a price I couldn't refuse, under $200. They sound great, I got lucky!

Florian

03-30-2005, 08:09 AM

I have a pair of Paradigm Monitor 9's. . .a price I couldn't refuse, under $200. They sound great, I got lucky!

Under 200 is a steal :D

chimera128

03-30-2005, 08:45 AM

Mains: BP7000SCs x 2 ... liked the sound and they take up small floor space. Builtin subs that have made me fear for my house. They sound equally good for music and for movies. I am biased to bipolar/dipolar sound lol, this is another reason why I bought them. I like the spacious sound they provide, direct radiators usually sound bland to me.
Center Channel: C/L/R 3000. It matches the mains.
Surrounds: BP10Bs. Bipolar, matching mids, great bass response, don't have to hang them on walls, no stands needed.
Rear Center: 2 promonitor 100s wired through a prosub100TL. I had them leftover from my apartment setup and am using them until I can get some more towers. They work really well though so I will probably keep them for a while.

I listened to a variety of speakers and for what I use them for, basically 50/50 music/ht, they provided the best money/performance ratio. The only thing I plan on upgrading is the receiver. I want to get amps/prepro in the next couple of years. And if I can replace the two sattelites/sub for my rear center.

Buzz Roll

03-30-2005, 08:59 AM

Ohm Microwalsh Tall:
I chose them because of the space limitations in my listening room, and the fact that I couldn't find a floorstander in the range of $1000-1500 that I liked. Ohm honors a factory-direct, 4-month at home trial period so it was worth a try.

The needs that they filled for me have been - uncolored sound (the head designer at Ohm mentioned to me that a microphone company is now using Ohms to test their mics due to their neutrality), wide open soundstage with no boxiness or cabinet coloration, huge sweetspot, great bass, amazing mid-range resolution. The other benefits were dealing directly with a great company, and the assurance of possible upgrades as they become available. Ohm services all speaker models that they have ever produced.

For this particular listening room, I see no upgrades happening soon.

Feanor

03-30-2005, 09:40 AM

Like what speakers do you have, why did you choose that particular speaker or set (incl swfrs). What need did you have that they filled? Like what was right for you about your speakers that made them right for you. Also are you upgrading?
I have Magneplanar 1.6QR's. They are a dipolar, planar design. They have very good resolution and tonal balance, very good imaging, and can convey spatial information very well. In common with some other well-designed di- and bipolar speakers, they create a great sense of "air" and an expansive soundstage. For me, especially given I like accoustic music, particularly classical, they give a greater sense of the musicians being "there in the room" than any other type of speaker.

Are they the best speaker in the world? No, they aren't -- in fact, they aren't the best Magneplanar -- see Florian's comments. However they are absolutely outstanding for the money. Like other dipole planars, they have some downside aspects, but these are minor in my situation.

No, I won't be upgrading any time soon (or, at my age, perhaps ever). Actually, I very recently upgraded from the smaller Magneplanar model, MMG. From here on the upgrades will be to my music collection and/or, maybe, other components such as my digital or analog sources.

Florian

03-30-2005, 10:08 AM

I have Magneplanar 1.6QR's. They are a dipolar, planar design. They have very good resolution and tonal balance, very good imaging, and can convey spatial information very well. In common with some other well-designed di- and bipolar speakers, they create a great sense of "air" and an expansive soundstage. For me, especially given I like accoustic music, particularly classical, they give a greater sense of the musicians being "there in the room" than any other type of speaker.

Are they the best speaker in the world? No, they aren't -- in fact, they aren't the best Magneplanar -- see Florian's comments. However they are absolutely outstanding for the money. Like other dipole planars, they have some downside aspects, but these are minor in my situation.

No, I won't be upgrading any time soon (or, at my age, perhaps ever). Actually, I very recently upgraded from the smaller Magneplanar model, MMG. From here on the upgrades will be to my music collection and/or, maybe, other components such as my digital or analog sources.

Many people buy a 1.6 or 3.6 and keep the speaker till death do them part. I had one for 7 month or so, i am still alive but have the 3.6's now :D

ericl

03-30-2005, 10:21 AM

This is fun, you guys all have great speakers I've wanted to try for qutie a while - Maggies, Polk Lsi's, Paradigm actives, Ohm - you're all making me drool! I wish we all lived nearby by so we could all hear each other's stuff.

My main speaks are a pair of Klipsch Cornwalls, which I love very much. The create a huge sound field, are very dynamic and real, and most importantly, Musical. They are obnoxiously large, but I don't think I will ever part with them.

Just last night I swapped out my Fisher 500c (in need of tube replacements and going up for sale) for a recently purchased Yamaha CX-1000 pre amp and one of those teeny Sonic Impact tripath amplifiers as a stop gap until I can afford the tube that I want. Geez, this thing sounds pretty darn good! Listening to both vinyl and streaming internet radio, I got a new perspective on what the Klipsch's were capable of. Very clean, dynamic, crisp, music. that tiny amp is very impressive, and making me think twice about whether or not I need that expensive tube amp (i will probably still try it at some point - i'm an addict :D )

Eric

Florian

03-30-2005, 10:30 AM

They are obnoxiously large, but I don't think I will ever part with them

Tell me about it, mine are almost 6ft tall and look like doors :p

The Klipsch are a classic, so no need to duck !! Keep on rocking

Worf101

03-30-2005, 10:53 AM

System One:
I'm currently running Platinum Audio Studio 3's as my mains after years using Ohm Walsh 4's and F's. The wife *****ed and moaned about "Pyramids belonging in Egypt" so I had to get my first "modern" speaker. Great underated mains with a marvelously detailed soundstage. I HATE the modern "slim box" look but love the sound. Plus I got them for $300.00 picked up, what a bargain.!!!

System Two (Bedroom).
Using Platinum Audio 808's wall mounted. Wonderful small speakers with scary amounts of bass. And they look schweet with that fake rosewood finish.

I could mention subs and other stuff but these are my mains right now.

Da Worfster :cool:

paul_pci

03-30-2005, 11:01 AM

I got my speakers because they (B&W 601s + LCR60) are better than the ones (Polk rti28) I had previously. Far more detail, better soundstage and awesome imaging, espeically for HT. I also got them because I could purchase all three for the same price as a pair of Studio 20s which didn't seem to me as being much better than the 601s. I also like them because they will serve me well as rears when, and if, I'm ready to upgrade front main speakers again. All in all, I'm very happy with the cost and performance. No regrets.

Jimmy C

03-30-2005, 11:54 AM

Like what speakers do you have, why did you choose that particular speaker or set (incl swfrs). What need did you have that they filled? Like what was right for you about your speakers that made them right for you. Also are you upgrading?

... of Revel M20s, and a REL Strata III. I suppose I chose them because I liked them better than anything else at that price! Geez, I recently heard speakers at twice their price that I wouldn't trade for.

I was using (still have) Studio 60s, v2 with the REL. The M20s do everything better than the Paradigms, most notably the "openess" and ease of presentation. The bass is deeper, the mids are cleaner, and I don't hear any cabinet colorations aymore. They remain "buttoned down" at stupid-high volume levels, can't say that about the 60s. Also, the soundstage is no longer too pin-point... a more realistic size to the people/instruments. Instrument texture and nuance is better as well.

Upgrade? Well, as soon as something "blows me away". I have heard a lot of great stuff this year including Joseph, Reference 3A, Spendor, Dynaudio, Audio Physic, Genesis, Legacy, Logan, Maggie, Vienna, Sonus, ad infinitum. I can't say I would jump ship for any comparitively priced models. They certainly all had their strengths, but as a package deal... I'm still happy!

I think a tubed integrated is in my near future - maybe that's where a bit of extra "magic" resides...

topspeed

03-30-2005, 12:43 PM

Like what speakers do you have, why did you choose that particular speaker or set (incl swfrs). What need did you have that they filled? Like what was right for you about your speakers that made them right for you. Also are you upgrading?
Why do I like my speakers? Because they provide a portal for me to step thru when I want to escape. What made them right for me is irrelevant, it will be different for every person. Music is subjective, pure and simple. Future upgrades are all centered around HT: new monitor, new HD stb w/ Tivo, new universal player (maybe). All of these will likely be done within the next few months and certainly before 'SC kicks-off in Hawaii :D.

Geoffcin

03-30-2005, 06:05 PM

Like what speakers do you have, why did you choose that particular speaker or set (incl swfrs). What need did you have that they filled? Like what was right for you about your speakers that made them right for you. Also are you upgrading?

To my ears there's really nothing to compete with a large planar for the breath and hight of soundstage. That being said; planars are not for everyone. Maggie owners are a very loyal bunch, but I'm not one of those "my speakers are the best and there's nothing else" people. I not only LIKE a lot of box speakers, I keep a full up 7.1 HT system in the same room with the maggies. (this is heresy to some maggie owners!) I also use dual 15" subs, but really they are mostly for show, as there is very little music with energy down that low. (they hinge at 40hz) Actually, as of late I've been experimenting with using the dual subs for HT. It's working really well, but there's just too many darn connections now!

I've been planing a couple of upgrades for my system, (not my speakers!) but with a daughter going to college in a few months I've been putting some stuff on hold.

Who knows though? It's just a few weeks till the HE2005 show here in NY. I might just have to go nuts there!

abstracta

03-30-2005, 09:59 PM

I always wanted a speaker that i do not hear, it was supposed to put the musicians in my room and have absolutly no coloration or any box sound at all

I've noticed that Magnepan owners are the most satisfied of all speaker owners. I caught the bug a few years ago when I heard a pair of 1.6's in a showroom, and promptly went home and threw my $700 satellites in the garage (I already forgot the brand) because I felt violated after hearing those glorious 1.6's

To my ears there's really nothing to compete with a large planar for the breath and hight of soundstage. That being said; planars are not for everyone

I've heard close. Legacy Whisper, JMLabs Utopias, and a few Wilsons I've run into over the years. The Whisper in my opinion matched the big Magnepans the closest in terms of transparency, detail and neutrality, but the maggies have a much more vivid and extensive soundstage, and are significantly cheaper. That being said I steer most of my friends towards high value, nice sounding dynamic speakers like Athena FS2's, Ascends', etc.

drseid

03-31-2005, 03:45 AM

Like what speakers do you have, why did you choose that particular speaker or set (incl swfrs). What need did you have that they filled? Like what was right for you about your speakers that made them right for you. Also are you upgrading?

What speakers do you have?

Drseid: Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature System for my fronts.

Why did you choose that particular speaker set? Needs filled....

Drseid: I was really impressed with the soundstage ability the Tyler Acoustics Taylo Reference Monitors (now my rear speakers) could put out, and their beautiful mids and non-fatigueing, natural sounding highs... I wanted a pair of speakers that could match or exceed those qualities, but also add very high quality low bass that could equal them... The Tyler Linbrook System at 5K was able to give me everything I was looking for in their price range.

Other factors:

I also liked the looks of the speakers, and knowing I bought from "the little guy" Ty Lashbrook who is just a great down to earth talented designer who builds each pair of speakers to order himself. Finally, the value proposition played into the equation... I always smile when I go to CES, HE and THE Show, or high-end audio salons and I hear 10K speakers sold retail, and to my ears at least, I know I made the better buy...

As far as needs... I just like to hear a good performance as close to the way it would have been performed live as I can... When I whip out my Alison Krauss "Lonely Runs Both Ways" CD and hear her beautiful voice, or the plucks of a guitar string the way it should sound, I feel quite satisfied.

Upgrades?

Drseid: I always am looking, but so far the next step up speaker-wise that I have heard would set me back over 18K a pair... The McIntosh XRT-28s, and I would have to buy some expensive McIntosh electronics to drive them... If I ever hit the jackpot in Vegas I would consider buying a used pair... Until then, I can easily live with my current setup. :-)

---Dave

kexodusc

03-31-2005, 06:24 AM

I have 5 speaker models in my house right now, so I guess I'll talk about them in order of least fav, to fav.

1) Axiom M3Ti's...bought these from a friend on a whim...don't buy all the review hype that compares these to Paradigm Studio 20's, because on their greatest day on steroids, they just don't come close (I use to own the 20's)...that being said these are very good speakers for the $215 or so I paid...the bass is a littly shy below 60 Hz, but it is accurate and tight, and midrange is rather pleasing...these really would do well in a complete Axiom home theater I think and are a good alternative for people looking for good sound on a budget...I'd rank these right up there with the Paradigm Mini Monitors I use to own...I dislike the fussiness these things seem to have with respect to toe-in and placement...

2) Paradigm Studio 40 v.2 - Although they've been replaced I just couldn't part with these...they're sitting in a closet right now waiting for me to make up my mind about where I want to put them...Enough's been said about these speakers so I won't get into great detail, but for me it came down to B&W, Energy, PMC, and the Studio's...price became a factor, and these offered the greatest value to my ears (though I purchased a complete 5.1 system, for 2-channel only, I'd have to re-evaluate). Good staging and imaging, solid bass, and nice, detailed, bright sound that I tend to prefer...

3) DIY - Peerless woofer/North Creek tweeter - Cleverly named the "PeeCreek" after the drivers, this was the first non-kit DIY speaker I ever made without help...very easy to build because the cabinets can be bought pre-finished at Parts Express, the crossover has a mere 9 elements, despite employing 4th order LR rolloffs for both drivers... (and the design is readily available at www.speakerbuilder.net
Many thanks to "The Reverend" Wayne Jaeschke.
These have a wider, deeper soundstage, amazing imaging, and more pleasant midrange than the Studio 40's, though don't have as much bass....I'd say the bass is equal in quality....the tweeter is rather neutral, perhaps not as detailed or bright as the Studio 40's, but tends to have a bump at the very high frequencies...this gives the impression of sibilance at the highest end of the spectrum and can be slightly annoying on rock music with a lot of cymbals, but they sound great with classical or acoustic music...The North Creek tweeter IMO is the weak link, and many DIY-ers have substituted it with higher-end tweeters from Morel or Usher, but this puts the price up considerably. All in all, I like these a bit more than the Studio 40's, because of the strong midrange and larger soundstage, though you probably wouldn't want to use these in critical, stand alone 2-channel system without a sub...at about $280 in parts (including excellent finished cabinets) or $200 if you build your own cabinets, these are great for small rooms, HT, or 2-channel without serious heavy bass...I find the imaging is, well, "too accurate" for my tastes in music, but I haven't heard a speaker under $1500 that does it better.

4) Audioreview.com's own, (EFE Technology)Ar.com DIY's - These use the same quality Peerless woofer as the PeeCreek, and are in the same price-range, but that's where the similarities end. These use a higher quality, better sounding driver IMO, a Peerless, 1" soft-dome tweeter. These have amazing off-axis response, an even wider and deeper soundstage than the PeeCreek and a few other perks. The bass response is lower and more defined than the PeeCreek or my Studio 20's...and 99% as low as my Studio 40's...not quite there...but that's fine...the midrange is and smooth, detailed highs are a good step up on the Paradigms. My favorite aspect of these speakers is the wide soundstage they produce, and how much "give" the center image has...it's not as sharply focused as the PeeCreek, but you can sit off-axis more and still maintain good imaging! The higher crossover really lets the Peerless woofer shine - awesome midrange performance for the money!
I made 6 of these at an average cost of about $215 a pair...They'd be about $340 with pre-made cabinets, but I made my own...much cheaper. These replaced my four Studio 20's and Studio 40's in my home theater...just in time for my jump into multi-channel audio.

Ed Frias of EFE Technologies makes this design a real treat to build. Despite making no money off the hundreds of sales Madisound and SpeakerCity make every year, he graciously answers every stupid question you throw at him, and usually inside of a day.

5) Vifa/Scan-Speak - towers...+/- 2 dB from 36-20,000 Hz and -9 dB at 28 Hz, these are mated to my Rotel integrated in my basement studio, where I do my most serious musical listening...This was my first venture into speaker building and I had a lot of help from an experienced friend designing and building these...they use a 7" Vifa wood/fiber cone woofer, and a Scan-Speak 1" Soft dome tweeter...I love these speakers, but since they're in my studio with my all my guitars, amps, etc, we finished them in an ugly carpet finish...I was told at the time this would soften the sound as well, but someday I might refinish the cabinets to make them look as good as they sound...they're the best speakers I've ever owned. They cost me a little over $500 in parts, so much more expensive than the AR.com DIY's, maybe not as good a value, but I'd put them up against any $2000-$3000 speakers I've heard. A lot of $2000-$4000 speakers use the same drivers so it's not surprising. I don't think I'll ever move these to home theater...building matching speakers would get too expensive and even for multi-channel audio, I just couldn't justify the diminishing returns on investment....maybe someday I'll build a better speaker for cheaper...

15" Dayton subwoofer project is next, then probably my first ever transmission line speaker...we'lll see how goes.

I'd love build an electrostat or planar speaker kit, but I'm still way too much a newbie to jump into that.

Great thread!!!

Tarheel_

04-01-2005, 09:39 AM

the sweet midrange is what brought me to my current speakers, Revel F30. They reveal many layers of music unheard in lower-level speakers. Even lift Directv programs to a new level (American Idol, etc).
Just a joy to own and since i put my time in researching them, 2.5 years later, i don't have one desire to replace. Now, components are different. Peace.

thepogue

04-01-2005, 11:06 AM

for my two channel married w/a Monitor audio ASW 210 Sub.....

I hunted quite a bit before picking them up and heard much more after owning them and I'm still thinking the 100's are giant killers...I've seen/heard many many speakers compaired to the 100's (for better or worse) but very seldom do you hear the 100's compaired with anything in its 2K price range...that for me...is the proof in the pudding...take most any brand...B&W, Revel, Canon, PSB, Linn, etc and see what 2K buys you...in my mind the 100's are giant slayers! Now I'm not saying at all they sound the best out there...no not at all....in fact I fully agree that the 100's present in a forward way (to some a huge disadvantage and to others liking) but I'm cheap...and I think they are a best buy all the way around...when I upgrade I'm quite sure it's not going to be the Paradigm family because quite frankly I've spent many many hours listening to $10,000+ speakers and each and every time I get back home..slap in some Steely Dan (Asia) I know I've made the correct choice (for me) the only speakers that I've heard that left me wanting are a set of $6,000 ML Prodigy's (married with a hugh Krell and a 3K source w/ 2K worth of cables) and for the price range of EQ I SHOULD have been drooling!!...so I think I'm a closet "Stat" kinda guy but I'll hunt and listen to all comers out there...and then make up me minds..but I'm sure I'll still have the 100's...somewhere making me smile!!...I'm hoping someday someone that has a nice set of maggies invites me to his house for a beer and a listening session but nobody seem to fit that bill in the...ohh...let say virginia/NC area ;) ahem ahem...any how....I love the 100's and if I had to do it all over again...I would without hesitation...I dont always look for the best...but I ALWAYS look for the best for me!!

Peace, Pogue

Vardo

04-01-2005, 06:21 PM

For my music only listening room I have a pair of Mirage M5si's, and a
Velodyne ULD12 to help out on the bottom end. The Mirage's are Bipolar,
(matched drivers firing forward and backward in phase) and I love the sound,
presents a huge soundstage. Imaging could be better, but that's
the trade off when you have bipolar speakers. They are powered by
an Adcom GFA555 mk2, and the preamp is a "Great American Sound"
"Thalia". I don't think I'll upgrade very soon. They sound great,
and I've had they since 1994.
Home Theater wise I have Atlantic Tech 350THX speakers (except for
the sub). I have 2 HSU VTF2's subs (The VTF-3 wasn't available when
I bought these). Powered by an ATI 1505 power amp and B&K Ref 20
prepro. I still like the sound of the speakers, although they kinda suck for
music (IMO), they have pretty good impact for movies.
I also have a small home theater in progress, and it's only 2.1 now.
Speakers are Axiom M3ti's, and they sound very good, open and
detailed. The bass is OK, but I have a sub (10)" from parts
express to help with that.............Vardo

.

Lord_Magnepan

04-02-2005, 12:44 AM

I like my new speakers (Apogee Scintilla's) because they tell the truth, te whole truth and nothing but the truth. And its a true fukkrange, since she plays flat to 20Hz. She is 1ohm impedance and drops to 0.88ohm sometimes, which seperates the man from the boys when it comes to electronics.

Mad Dog II

11-21-2007, 06:29 PM

jim goulding

11-21-2007, 08:32 PM

My speakers do what Florian described but on a smaller scale and are powered the way Abstentia's are. They are Meridian M20's on 20" sand filled after market stands. The drivers, a 1" dome and two 5" mid/bass drivers in an MTM configuration, are electronically time aligned in the crossover for a seamless transition. I use my own product. My system be sounding very real and transcendent in my 15' X 12' X 8' listening room. I be estatic.

Oh yeah . . they produce very convincing images with the ability to appreciate the size and walls of the venue in which the recording took place and the location of the players relative to one another. Fooking organic is what.

PeruvianSkies

11-22-2007, 01:32 AM

I use PSB Platinum T6's for my stereo system.

Several reasons:

1. the mid-range is superb and rarely heard on speakers in this price range ($4,000-$6000)

2. they disappear and enable me to just be with the music.

3. incredible imaging that you would swear there was a center speaker in between them.

4. awesome neutral sound that represents the music in a faithful, accurate, detailed manner.

5. they look the business.

6. high quality build and design by a speaker making genius: Paul Barton

7. highs, lows, and everything in between.

8. rival speakers that cost 3-4 times as much and in comparison won't break your wallet in order to deliver the goods.

thekid

11-22-2007, 04:39 AM

This probably not exactly what the question asks but.....

I like my new thrift store find RTR's because they sound incredible. The other reason is (I know to many out there they may not be a top of the line pair) is they have truly opened my ears.

As regulars will know I have come on this site from time to time talking about my Sony floorstanders or my Bose set-up (201's) and have expressed the opinion that while recognizing they are not the best speakers out there they are pretty good for the buck (I still believe that to be basically true regarding those units for HT) I never could see the point in spending more dollars for equipment that for the $ only sounded nominally better. I guess in part because my listening experience has been pretty limited to what the big boxes have to offer and even listening to some units in a Magnolia store I would walk away unimpressed. The RTR's however have really changed my perception in that I could for the first time I could hear a distinct-clear audibile difference in quality over the Sony's and Bose. I knew there was better stuff out there and I trusted and value the opinions of the many here that gave me thoughtful and reasoned responses as to why my speakers were not the best I just had not heard it up till now.

It may be that my ears really like the qualities of the older equipment or something else but it has really taken my interest in this hobby up a notch. I don't have the money to spend 5K-10K for example, on a set of speakers but if I did and I found a set of speakers that do for me (from a music standpoint) what the RTR's have done I would buy them. Add to that my new hobby of looking for hidden treasures like the RTR's in thrift shops and it makes my wallet and my wife happy as well.

briannye

11-22-2007, 05:37 AM

i just got my DCM KX212 and i love them because they shake everything without MUCH trebble loss...

basite

11-22-2007, 07:38 AM

holy thread revival!!

Why I like my Thiel CS2.3's...

fantastic sound, they dissapear, they're time coherent, absolutely no phase differencies, the transition from woofer to mid/tweeter is not noticable, they are extremely detailed, very big soundstage, holographic imaging, smooth sound, tight bass (which runs pretty deep, btw), lifelike sound...

and their looks of course, they look really classy, really high end, georgeous finish, well sized,...
and I like the fact that they're an exellent match with the Mcintosh...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

Jack in Wilmington

11-22-2007, 08:31 AM

I bought my current speakers in 2000 (Paradigm Monitor 9's)
I was getting back into this hobby and was just discovering HT. Over the next couple of years I filled in my HT setup with other Paradigm speakers. As my addiction grew and I listened to more speakers, I realized that I needed a more musical speaker. In the spring I will be remeding that problem with the purchase of new speakers.

Feanor

11-22-2007, 09:52 AM

I have Magneplanar 1.6QR's. They are a dipolar, planar design. They have very good resolution and tonal balance, very good imaging, and can convey spatial information very well. In common with some other well-designed di- and bipolar speakers, they create a great sense of "air" and an expansive soundstage. For me, especially given I like accoustic music, particularly classical, they give a greater sense of the musicians being "there in the room" than any other type of speaker.
....
No, I won't be upgrading any time soon (or, at my age, perhaps ever). Actually, I very recently upgraded from the smaller Magneplanar model, MMG. From here on the upgrades will be to my music collection and/or, maybe, other components such as my digital or analog sources.

Hard to believe this was 2.5 years ago. I still love the MG 1.6QR's.
...

Mad Dog II

11-25-2007, 03:42 PM

well I gt the phase tech v-12 to replace factory onkyo 1ns...woot woot .
gt the onkyo ht-R520 reciver in A theater in a box deal was best I could talk wife into
lol will B getting V-6 center & V-10 rears. then dont know elite reviver or cambridge audio.
but thats in the futer just talked wife into 110FD plasma...woot woot .so slowly but surely

Mad Dog :5:
and 2 answer the quest ...lol I love the phasing of the V-12's & the mid & low reproduction is wonderful in 2days world of little speakers. & of corse the soft dome tweeter is very nice & crisp

s dog

11-25-2007, 06:47 PM

I have a pair of 8'' two way klipsch synergy bookshelf speakers. The reason i went with them was price and i already had a klipsch S-3 center that i picked up on e-bay. I wanted the front 3 to match, I also picked up two pairs of klipsch SS-1 surround speakers for sides and backs so i would have the same brand all the way around, The klipsch speakers are great for movies because there so easy to drive and are loud, But for music [ IMO ] not very good, or at lest the ones i have are not.

Slippers On

12-05-2007, 02:36 PM

Many years ago when I was living in the UK I used to listen a lot to BBC Radio 4 in the afternoons. This is mainly a speech station. I chose the cylindrical JR149 bookshelf speakers on recommendation as they, like the Kef L3/5a, were commisioned by the BBC as monitor speakers fitted into their outside broadcast vans.

I turned into a bit of a collector of the JR149s, now having 4 pairs. They are terrific for small rooms. As I type this I am listening to Nina Simone playing live at The Village Gate; the voice and music reproduction are absolutely fantastic. There are no walls in the room now and Nina is only 3 meters away.

For my larger listening room I have a set of heavyweight Townshend Glastonburys, but thats another story based on Rockin'.

Slippers On

johnny p

12-06-2007, 06:48 AM

This might seem to deviate from the purpose of the topic, because honestly, I don't like my speakers, although at one point in time I did. At one time, I enjoyed the "big sound" that came from my speakers.
All Cerwin Vegas, RE 30's, RE 16's for surround, the Center, and a downward firing 15" subwoofer. I used to enjoy aggravating the neighbors, and listening to deafening music with 100-150 close friends. During that time, here is what I learned to love about my speakers.

1) They do a great job at holding wax. Yep. If you burn candles on top of them, wax will collect quite nicely on top of them.

2) They are practically a direct hotline to the local police. Just turn knob to "11" (it's One higher) and wait.... the police will arrive.

3) The Subwoofer is a great end-table.... no coaster necessary.

4) They take some of my Rent deposit..... if connected to multiple power-sources, to allow the running of one CD through two systems, and paired with a friends similar set up (with 2 more RE 30's and another 15" sub) The bass will actually break the plate-glass window in the room. Who knew???

5) They're better than a home a gym.... if you want to get in shape, just move to new residences frequently, and don't forget to bring the speakers...... it's an instant work-out.

That's about it I guess.... Despite all of these redeeming qualities, I've purchased new speakers..... I know, I know.... why would I want nice sounding speakers when I could keep these multi-purpose gems.

B&W 686's and HTM7 purchased,
B&W 705's in the works
Subwoofer????? Don't know what one yet, for a small room is the ASW300 enough? should I look at Velodyne? others? sorry.... I digress.

bfalls

12-06-2007, 07:30 AM

I have two main systems. One I call my "Classic" system, the other more high-end. The Classic system has Klipsch Kg4 mains, RS-3 front and rear surrounds, either KLF-C7, or KV3 center depending on my mood, SW8 Sub for upper bass and ACI Saturn Sub for low bass. I really enjoy the overall balance of the Kg4s and the RS-3 provide a excellent ambience while still providing enough direct cues to provide good 3D surround effects. The subs provide a very good foundation.

My higher-end system includes Legacy Focus mains, Silver Screen center and T&A P-30 surrounds. With the Focus' 2-12" woofers/side there's no need for a sub. There's more than ample, well-defined, well-controlled bass with no boomieness from the bi-amped woofers. The Silver Screeen center is actually a duplicate of the upper portion of the Focus'. It never sounds compressed, no matter the level and provides very intelligible dialogue and presence. The P-30s are a three-way that compliment the system.

sgt bass08

12-09-2007, 05:14 AM

i heres my system setup before i had complaints of my neigbours so ive down graded wich i put a thread about them wich ive order some 21 sereis kenwood 5.1speakers with bulit in subs and ill probly get a 10inch tannoy sub to add to them but before i had that done i had a sony str db930 av amp the Denon DCD700AE cd player Samsung BD-P1000 blu ray player m&K V-1250THX subwoofer and cerwin vega CLS 12 front speakers i had this setup cus it was power the cerwin vega spekaers were crazy lound and i was was not even using a power amp :ihih:

newbster

12-11-2007, 05:57 PM

It's been quite some time since I've been on this message board. And I'll tell you about what my favorite speakers are and why I like them. They are the earbuds that came with my iPod Nano. Before the flamers unleash their fury of fire upon me let me explain. My first hi-fi speakers were Paradigm Monitor 7's. Loved 'em for a couple hours then they became very fatiguing. Ear piercing treble and laid back midrange. It's the classic story of poor auditioning skills and impulse buying. Then I got a pair of Maggie MMG's and enjoyed the music more but still found some type of coloration which the best way I can explain was a lack of "coherence". I was on the highway to audio hell and all the exits to enjoyment were closed. I then got some Axiom M3ti's and I have to say for their money are one of the best buys of the century. Nice top to bottom balance yet not quite "clean" enough to enjoy long term. Prior to the Apple earbuds I purchased a pair of B&W 705's which currently are the center of my 2 channel system and as "good" as they are with their super clean transient speed, almost creamy midrange, and almost perfectly tight bass, I prefer the earbuds. Why? They sound so utterly whole and balanced to my ear. The best part is that I've ripped my entire cd library to AAC files encoded using Nero's free encoder along with EAC with an average of 160kbps for the entire library. Why is it that technically inferior sound quality, earbuds made of components costing less than ten bucks, is preferable to me? Hell if I know. I think too much detail is possibly distracting or maybe I've picked all the wrong speakers for my room or I'm possibly not a real audiophile. Hope your questions were all answered :)

mlsstl

12-11-2007, 08:10 PM

Ohm services all speaker models that they have ever produced.

That's a mild overstatement. If you have a set of Ohm Fs or As, the original drivers cannot be repaired by Ohm. What they will do is offer to "upgrade" you to a current model driver. (I owned a set of Fs back in the late 1970s and auditioned a set of Walsh 200s a few years back. While the 200s are nice they seemed to be missing the magic I remember.) The new series of Walsh drivers are not the same as the original. Unfortunately with foam surround deterioration and other issues, any F that is still working is probably close to the end of its life span.

Back to the original question, however, I have a pair of Spendor S8e speakers. They don't hit you over the head with the spectacular, forward sound that seems to be in fashion these days, but I sure enjoy listening to music on them.

Florian

12-12-2007, 01:59 PM

Why i like my speakers..... mmh..... its because they dont sound High End. Just pure fun :-) Plus it keeps me occupied. ^^

pixelthis

12-13-2007, 02:14 AM

I BOUGHT a pair of bose 501-s4's in the mid eighties and got stuck with them.
Never could get them to sound right and couldnt afford others until I could get rid of these, which I couldnt.
Had just about lost interest in being "serious" about sound, my sony HT with some generic sats was fine, was going through some rough times and this was enough.
And them I went to listen to some B&W speakers a local furniture store was selling.
The guy had a family business but ran an audio shop outta the second floor.
I listened to some B&W 601's for a few hours, hooked up to an Adcom intergrated,
and he told me about meeting BB King when he signed him for a local music festival.
I had forgotten how good music could sound. Since then I demoed a ton of speakers,
but a pair of 602s2's that I currently have are really the king as far as I am concerned.
The best audio bargain on the planet (or were).
And thats why I "love " my speakers, they reignited a love of music that I thought had died.
Not HT, not surround, just simple two channel audio playing the sounds of life,
accurately and fully.
And thats why I hate Bose with a passion, people dont understand that time wasted listening to crap gear is time you dont get back
And thats why I audition speakers for at least two hours, no more mistakes like the bose,
and sometimes two hours arent enough:1:

Mark of Cenla

12-18-2007, 06:29 PM

In the "big" system in the living room, we have a pair of Polk Rti4's with custom subwoofers. I got the Polk's for $200, and I really like how they sound, very balanced and good bass for the size. The midrange is clearer than my old Boston Acoustics. I am using the cabinents from the Bostons for the subwoofers. This setup is good for TV, movies, DVD concerts, and CDs.

In the bedroom I mostly do near-field listening. My speakers are JBL Control 1 mini monitors. I only paid $75 for them, and I love 'em. I can hear all of the instruments clearly, and the sound is quite pleasing. I do not have the money or space to go for "transparent." Peace.

O'Shag

01-04-2008, 04:50 PM

It was about 25 years ago as a young fella that I had occasion to hear 2 speakers that made my jaw hit the floor, and essentially started me on the road to this audio insanity.

The first was at the house of a friend I had just met. He was a lawyer and had a really nice pad in the Santa Monica Canyon area. I remember sitting on the couch, then music. It was jazz. I thought the players were in the room. The sound seemed so effortless, and for the life of me I could not tell where there were any speakers. Then he pointed to what looked like a large three panel (I think) fold out screen. These were Magnepans.

The second epiphany happened when I wandered into Rogers Sound Lab in Santa Monica California. I walked into the listening room and was blown away by what I heard. The speakers making this wonderful cacophony of realistic sound were absolutely beautiful looking and lust set in. They were the KEF 107s. I was poor at the time but the dream remained. That dream came true a few years ago when I picked up an immaculate pair. I now own several different KEF speakers including several other brands. The 107, in my opinion is still way above average. For Jazz and Classical, where timbre, tone, harmonics and organicness are critical, it is still one of the best.

O'Shag

01-04-2008, 05:09 PM

Johnny P, Hilarious!!! :cornut:

Feanor, system looks very nice. Looks like your using Nordost Flatline cables. Great cables for the price.

Lord Magnepan, you have a nice setup. The Scintilla's are Ken Kessler's favourite speaker. They are a b___ch to drive though

Florian, do you still have the Apogee Grands?

johnny p

01-05-2008, 11:25 AM

to update, I now have the 705's with B&W stands in my possession......... oh great days these are!

f0rge

01-09-2008, 07:08 AM

Like what speakers do you have, why did you choose that particular speaker or set (incl swfrs). What need did you have that they filled? Like what was right for you about your speakers that made them right for you. Also are you upgrading?

i have deftech BP2002TL's for mains

they filled my need for a big speaker with big room filling sound and lots of bass.

i bought them after doing a fair amount of listening to polk, energy and even b&w and i was just unimpressed for what i was getting "presence" wise for the money i was looking at spending. then i saw a these and figured why not try them out, threw on BLS - Hangover music and the sales man cranked them using some nice NAD equip and they blew away the whole store, filled it with sound and the bass was incredible for such a huge high ceilinged room. i was blown away, whereas listening to others i was merely impressed at most.

they are amazing for HT and (i think) great for music (tho some would disagree), they dont need a separate subwoofer either, they shake my house apart.

would i upgrade? not likely for my main living room setup. i have been considering getting a dedicated 2ch bookshelf system for the bedroom or den that i would use exclusively for music.

if i could do it all again would i do it different? maybe...but would i be happier? hard to say.

Rock&Roll Ninja

01-12-2008, 05:39 PM

Like what speakers do you have, why did you choose that particular speaker or set (incl swfrs). What need did you have that they filled? Like what was right for you about your speakers that made them right for you. Also are you upgrading?
PSB Platinums. They are the best speakers I could audition without having to go to New York City. They fill the 'need' of reproducing music. I have no plans to upgrade this decade, no.

s dog

01-12-2008, 08:40 PM

I like my klipschs speakers because there easy to drive and sound loud and clear for movies.

Monkey Mouse

01-19-2008, 06:32 PM

I have Paradigm Minimonitors (v3 I guess) that I picked up in 2001 along with the matching center channel and bought a pair of wall mounted mini Paradigms for the rear surrounds about 2 years ago - cinema series I believe. I like the sound on HT - it works well with my old but bulletproof Kenwood HT receiver. 2 channel leaves lots to be desired - all becuase of the electronics.

However, we gave my dad a pair of Minimonitors (v4) along with a Rotel integrated amp for Christmas and they are impressive with good electronics. Just need to get the right cables and he should be good as gold.

Seas-man

01-19-2008, 08:14 PM

I like my Tylers because they make me smile everytime I remember that I could just have easily spent two ,three or four times more..(think..Von Schweikert, Wilson, Magico.etc...) to have the quality of reproduction that I now enjoy....
I also like to laugh,too...all the way to the bank.

emaidel

01-20-2008, 02:35 PM

This is a pretty old thread that I somehow missed. So, I have to chime in with my opinion.

Surprisingly (at least, to me) no one has yet mentioned the legendary Dahlquist DQ-10's, which are my speakers of choice. The DQ-10, when fed the proper diet of power and current, and placed properly from a wall and the listener, still provides a miraculously deep and precise soundstage with pin-point imaging of just about everything. To all but "see" the various members of a chorus spread from the sopranos on the left, the altos left of center, the tenors right of center, and the basses on the right, and to be able to precisely locate the depth and breadth of each section is still an amazing accomplishment my far more expensive B&W 802F Specials simply cannot duplicate. The 10's are decidedly bass shy and must be accompanied by a decent subwoofer (preferably not the Dahlquist DQ-1W). but that combination, even now some 31 years after my initial purchase of my DQ-10's, continues to provide me with hours of sonic delights.

The 10's sold for $500 each (plus $100 for each of the stands) when I initially bought them, and prior to being discontinued, went up to $750 each. Every once in a while, Regnar (a facility manned almost exclusively by ex-Dahlquist employees) offers a completely reconditioned and up-graded pair of 10's for $1,500. There are better speakers out there for sure, but not at that price!

Sansui71

01-28-2008, 05:19 PM

Okay, for all of us that can't, or won't spend the money, on high end or even middle of the road, I have a pair of Sansui's, that I have had for close to thirty years. I treat them well, and they respond in kind. 3 way 5 speaker, at 100w peak. My surrounds are Kenwood. I guess that I would have to listen to the Paradigm, or Magneplanars, to be able to hear what you guys are raving so about. But for me, these will do for now. Pics posted on the phot gallery...

shokhead

01-30-2008, 10:30 AM

Like what speakers do you have{B&W}, why did you choose that particular speaker{i liked them} or set (incl swfrs). What need did you have that they filled?{hearing what comes from my DVD player and my receiver} Like what was right for you about your speakers that made them right for youI liked them}. Also are you upgrading?{Only for freebies}

cjjuggler

10-31-2009, 06:48 PM

I have had many different speakers, and have come back to the 149's because they are so smooth through the 60-15000 hz range.

theebadone

10-31-2009, 08:08 PM

I guess you could call me old school. I listened to a lot of different speakers and amps. And i chose the old bigg Altecs with horns. I chose a nice set of Altec santiagos 878A being pushed by a mcintosh amp from the same time period the speakers were made. For system 1. For my backup system i chose to build a set of A7 votts, that are also being powered by a vintage mcintosh system. I chose the horns and big woofers because of the huge soundstage they present, To my ears these systems are the next best thing to being there, that i have ever heard.

dakatabg

10-31-2009, 09:04 PM

I buy and sell speakers and electronics and so far the best speakers I have had are Scott! They are amazing, deep bass and great highs. I still have them and I am not planning to get rid of them soon! Too bad they don't make them anymore!

JoeE SP9

11-01-2009, 09:13 AM

Since you guys revived this thread!
See my signature for my speaker choice. Electrostatic speakers have no crossovers. Although I bi-amp, the crossover frequency is 85Hz. This gets it away from the all important midrange. With no crossovers you have none of the phase angle, time distortion and different radiation pattern problems inherent with any multi driver speaker. In essence, no crossover is better than any crossover. Ideally I would have ESL's that are large/good enough to not need sub woofers.
In addition the only speakers with less moving mass than ESL's are plasma speakers. Lower moving mass means better transient response which means cleaner clearer and yes, faster sound.

poppachubby

11-01-2009, 09:24 AM

Worf101

11-01-2009, 10:58 AM

But the Platinum Audio Studio 3's in my original post are now in the basement. I scored a set of ADS 1290's for $300 dollars and a 5 hour round trip to Jersey. I wanted a set of mains that I could run in 2 channel and not need a sub. With twin 8s in each cabinet these speaks provide deep un aided bass for pure audio mode and rock in HT as well. System must do double duty and these fill the bill.

Da Worfster :smilewinkgrin:

pixelthis

11-01-2009, 12:34 PM

Funny, a newbie resurrects a wicked old thread. AR is my first and only forum I've belonged to. Where do all of the people go who belonged here for years? Seems strange to me to put in so much time and then split.

Anyhow, aside from a general concensus from hardcore audiophiles that they suck, I do love my JBL L110's. For JBL fans they are a sought after pair, for my ears lots of fun. My Avants are vintage, a poor man's Dynaco. A good all around 10 inch.

Speaking of which, I think a solid pair of Dynaco A25 or 70 will be the end of the road for me. I let a pair of A25 slip through my hands recently, just didn't have the cash. I'm old school like that, plus, they just have that nice, natural tone that won't fatigue.

JBL was it back in the day, and they still make some nice (expensive) stuff.
True story, I found a used JBL sub on the "clearance" table(you bought it its yours)
for a hundred bucks at Sears, and that was one of the best subs I have ever had.
Me and a friend traded it back and forth, losing it in bets, etc.
Took a 1,000 B&W sub to replace it, great piece of kit as the BRITS say.:1:

pixelthis

11-01-2009, 12:41 PM

AND WHY DO I "like" my speakers?
They reignited my love of music, beat out a lot of speakers costing a lot more, image and
resolve music like nobodies business, go down under 50hz, unreal for a sub 600 buck bookshelf, still look and sound new after eight or so years.
They are the 602s'2, with the Natilus tweeter, the poor audiophiles speaker.
Main drawback, they look funny in the front with my floorstanders doing surround duty(b&w 305b's).
But hey, music sounds like angels wings with them.:1:

dakatabg

11-01-2009, 12:44 PM

pixelthis

11-01-2009, 12:52 PM

I don't like the new generation speakers! They make them with 8" woofers and have a big lack of bass - I don't like that! I like the old school speakers with the 12" or 15" woofers and they sound much better in my opinion!

Look what Sony, Pioneer and all other brands make today! Nothing that can be compared with their past speakers.

Nothing these days can be compared with past anything.
AND Sony and Pioneer (and most Japanese speakers) are generally considered a joke,
save the expensive "skunkworks" inwalls from Pioneer(2600 for a HT set with sub).
Companies are trying Chinese made speakers , the sign on the side ,"designed in
America, England, etc, built in China" on the side of the box the magic phrase that is supposed to assuage fears of audiophiles buying these speakers.
The verdict is still out on that little experiment, but my Klipsch's were falling apart
like a church whos preacher has discovered the crack after only a few months.
A reviewer of Klipsch's latest high end speakers also complained about QC.:1:

audio amateur

11-01-2009, 01:02 PM

You seem to enjoy bringing up crack, whores and churches in your posts Pixel:p

Auricauricle

11-01-2009, 01:05 PM

I traded a Yamaha preamplifier for the pair of Polk Monitor 7c's that I currently listen to. Prior these, I used Acoustic Research (Holographic Imaging [forget the model]) and Klipsch Heresies. The AR's were actually quite nice, but after awhile the sound was a bit tepid and thin. The Heresies were appealing at first for their sensitivity and their clarity, but after awhile I began to think their sound was sterile. This was made all the more acute when I convinced myself that vocals were breathless and pianos were played without their familiar ring....

The Polks produce the music with a fairly large footprint that is formidiable and weighty, in comparison to the AR's, and warm, in comparison to the Klipsches. I do not have them set up optimally--these are speakers that are best used with stands--but they fill my apartment with very presentable sound. Vocals are quite breathy and liquid; pianos are crisp and wooden and they can rock and roll like hell when I want them to. Meanwhile, the price was agreeable and my contention that one can obtain satisfactory reproduction of sound without breaking the bank or purchasing something au courant (these speaks came out in about 1977) is (for me) vindicated once again.

This will suit me fine, but I still drool over Quads and Maggies, nevertheless....

JoeE SP9

11-01-2009, 07:50 PM

Nothing these days can be compared with past anything.
AND Sony and Pioneer (and most Japanese speakers) are generally considered a joke,
save the expensive "skunkworks" inwalls from Pioneer(2600 for a HT set with sub).
Companies are trying Chinese made speakers , the sign on the side ,"designed in
America, England, etc, built in China" on the side of the box the magic phrase that is supposed to assuage fears of audiophiles buying these speakers.
The verdict is still out on that little experiment, but my Klipsch's were falling apart
like a church whos preacher has discovered the crack after only a few months.
A reviewer of Klipsch's latest high end speakers also complained about QC.:1:

I agree with you about most Japanese speakers. While their electronics, especially the vintage stuff was quite good, with only a few exceptions, speakers from Japan are pretty bad. Frankly I don't understand the infatuation some have with them. Just about any American or British speaker from that era or any era will walk all over them.

Auricauricle

11-02-2009, 05:37 AM

I can't think of any Japanese speakers of note right now. I do remember their fondness for Tannoy. One shop I liked to haunt had the whole line: Westministers, Edinburghs, Sterlings, SRM's etc. I heard that Yamaha had a pair of speaks in the '80's that were regarded pretty highly, but that seems to be more the exception than the rule....

Hyfi

11-02-2009, 08:32 AM

JoeE SP9

11-02-2009, 08:52 AM

Pat D

11-02-2009, 09:57 AM

This is quite an old thread, I notice. When I replied in 2005, we were sort of in between. I wanted to replace the ailing Quad ESL-63s with something more suited to our living room, and I got PSB Stratus Minis with a view to putting them in the family room when we made a final decision on main speaker. The Stratus Minis work great in the family room for TVs and movies, BTW: dialogue is very clear and intelligible and they are completely non-fatiguing. They work well with a 75 watt Yamaha A-V receiver despite being moderately insensitive and having a minimum impedance under 4 ohms.

However, we found the Paradigm Signature S2 to be even smoother and they have a more even horizontal dispersion so that moving a foot or three or found to the side doesn't make much difference. The actual tonal balance doesn't change much even well off to the side for casual listen while in the kitchen or doing housework. They image very well, which goes along with that even dispersion, in case you don't know. There's not to much to say about the sound except that it's very neutral. They don't get in the way of the music.

We still have the 15" Paradigm PW-2500 subwoofer for the deep bass.

There are other speakers I like, of course. The best speaker I've heard recently is the PSB Synchrony One, which is every bit as good as the reviewers say it is. I didn't like the PSB Synchrony One B as well, as it seemed less invisible and not quite as smooth though it's a very good speaker. Like the Stratus Mini, it has deeper bass than most standmounts.

I liked the original Paradigm Signature S8 very much but I have not heard the second iterations of the Signature line.

I also liked the Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor (I think there is a more recent iteration) but it is quite expensive and with a first order (6 dB per octave crossover) and a fairly high crossover to the tweeter (spec'd at 2500 Hz), I imagine its off axis dispersion is less even than that of the Paradigm Signature S2 and hence it would be less room and placement friendly.

The Quad ESL-63 and no doubt later models can sound great in the right set up with lots of space.

manlystanley

11-02-2009, 11:31 AM

GMichael

11-02-2009, 11:43 AM

I love my Strata Mini's because the have planner mids and tweets that give them an airy sound, while having conventional base drives for more dynamic range than most panel speakers in their price range. They also look pretty d'm nice while doing it. Their resistance doesn't drop below 6 ohms so my receiver has little to no trouble driving them.

poppachubby

11-02-2009, 12:52 PM

Well, I like my B&W 684's a lot. When driven by a Denon receiver they sounded muddy. But, with my H/K they sound great. However, I stopped by to listen to a pair of 801D's and was shocked at how much better they sounded. One of these days......

I used to love my Klipch RB5-II's, but I've found that they sound better then by B&W's when driven by a cheap amp. But, that they just cannot bring out the true detail when driven by a better amp.

But, I'm currently very poor, so I'm trying to limp by with what I have.

I'm in the same boat Stan, I was just about to shed a tear for you and then I looked at your sig. You're doing fine, with a nice list of products that look like they should have good synergy. We'll get there someday fella...

thekid

11-02-2009, 03:32 PM

Hmmm..... What do I like about my speakers????
The sheer number and variety..... :D

poppachubby

11-02-2009, 03:53 PM

Hmmm..... What do I like about my speakers????
The sheer number and variety..... :D

I thought you would have mentioned the fact that you have removed the second level floor, and like how they touch your roof. Hmmmm, you're a tough one to figure out kid....lol

JoeE SP9

11-02-2009, 06:39 PM

It's significant that I still have the same speakers I had when I first joined this forum. I had them way before I joined this forum. They must be doing something right.

Nasir

11-07-2009, 04:28 PM

When I bought my 1st home, 20 years ago, I decided to get a decent sound system to rekindle my fondness for music. Back then, the internet was hush hush and Hifi magazines were the only source of information. Having read a few reviews, I checked out a few hifi shops only to come out feeling that this was going to be a difficult task not to mention the fact that I was only shown the popular models. With no prior experience in the audio world and my knowledge only gained from magazines, I walked into a dealer that had a variety of speakers on sale. A couple of unusual looking second hand speakers caught my eye and so I boldly asked for Electrostatic speakers!! Those being beyond my budget, the shop owner being an enthusiast, steered me towards a pair of Magnepan SMGa, fired them up and gave me an audition that has been burned in my memory - for the first time I was convinced that my spending limit was way too low!
The experience gained from my midi Sanyo system clearly identified 2 things, namely, the importance of speaker placement and amplifier power.
My second system being a Home theater brought home another reality : the need for a good subwoofer and the fact that SAF would also allow me show off the speakers thereby allowing them to be placed in full view. Enter the sleek Sony LA 500SS Extended Definition speakers. Now these were speakers one could proudly display and for the next 5 years had my auditory senses satisfied and marital status unchanged. Paired with a decent sub, I was at bliss until the day I came across some serious speaker placement articles. So began my adventure in the dark science of placing these bookshelf boxes and eventually I bought stands and from there improvements in sound became more frequent, being on stands allowed more freedom of positioning them.
But the Magnepans never had their spell over me broken, just that they are mutually exclusive with the 3 resident cats.
Then a demo pair of Final Sound Electrostatic speakers with a high SAF found their way into our apartment: the speaker placement game and old forgotten CDs have brought new excitement into my life. ESLs have clear, detailed sound not to mention the impression of bigger musical instruments playing.

theebadone

11-07-2009, 08:05 PM

Im kinda taking a liking to the old EV stuff now too. Those old EVs, do rock .

squidboyw

11-14-2009, 06:03 PM

I'll throw in my 2 cents:

I have a number of pairs of speakers but my two favorite are the B&W 808 speakers and the Dahlquist DQ-10 speakers.

The B&W 808 have been in my systems for 22 years. They roar when they are called upon, whisper when asked, and always reveal the heart and soul of what ever is being played.

The DQ-10 are much like the 808 in my mind although without the shattering bass and in a much more form friendly size. I have two pair. The first is the base-line and the second are undergoing a recap plus mods of better wire, better fuses/no fuses and maybe a few other things. Once I see how that goes, the baseline pair gets a balls-to-the-walls upgrade with North Creek inductors, Duland resistors, really good caps, better wire, and the bi-wire conversion. We be powering them with 2 recapped and overhauled Sony TA-3200F amps then.

All I do know is that I'm going to need a much larger home with more space for listening rooms.

filecat13

12-01-2009, 07:05 AM

Despite the ration of s#!t that usually goes along with writing about current JBLs here, I'm particularly fond of the more recent JBLs, which in most ways are significant advances over the so-called Golden Years of JBL and IMNSHO superior to most products in their market segments.

Allowing that entry level consumer stuff rates from fair to poor regardless of who makes it and that "bang for the buck" or "great for the money" are easy ways to rationalize product insufficiencies, entry level JBLs meet that criteria along with many others. If saving a hundred bucks or so on a speaker at that level is important--and that's reality for a lot of folks--then one probably can find something that's $20-80 a pair less than the JBL ES Series and sounds as good, better, or at least different. But the ES Series is great for the money and offers a lot for bang for the buck. :lol:

In my home my mutli-channel music-only system is the JBL Performance Series, consisting of four-way stacked towers, a center, and dual subs. The towers have the highly regarded LE14H-3 14" woofer, 8" Ti inverted dome mid-bass, 4" Ti inverted dome mid, and 1" Ti dome tweeter in a waveguide. The subs are 12" anodized Al cones in sealed enclosures. For all but the lowest notes, it's all Ti all the time: pure, clean, spacious, articulate, powerful, natural sound. Pure bliss!

My HT is the JBL Synthesis® One Array system, and as much as I've mocked horns over the years, the SAM1HF horns are unbelievable--not like honking horns of the past, including most vintage JBL horns IMO. With Al and Ti compression drivers, they have pinpoint precision and imaging, excellent presence, and great clarity without slapping you in the face or drilling into your forehead. The impressive dual 8' anodized Al cone woofers provide compelling, detailed, effortless sound from soft to inordinately loud, and the 18" subs will shake your booty for you, even when seated. In addition the unique surrounds create a sense of spaciousness and directionality that has to be heard to be believed.

Of course with Synthesis®, in home calibration is part of the deal, and the extensive room treatments I installed beforehand completed the trifecta of home audio excellence: top quality components, room treatment, and calibration. So in addition to liking my speakers because they sound great, I also like them even better because of where they are--a proper environment.

Happy Camper

12-01-2009, 09:12 AM

Speakers have been few. My first decent set was a two channel M&K sat/sub combo for a smallish room in 86. In 98/99 I built my current M-L stats/Velodyne HT system. I'm getting too old to invest in quality speaker gear. I am considering selling off the HT system for a final two channel rig. I'm concentrating on headphone rig(s) for lifestyle/space considerations. Portable systems are getting very, very good. For quality listening, I enjoy my home hp rig. Ripping to drive makes listening so much more enjoyable. Convenience.

BadAssJazz

12-01-2009, 11:24 AM

What's old is new again and we have a thread resurrected.

I maintain that I'm no audiophile. Not by any stretch. I've owned my share of electronics and too many speaker brands to name. Mostly common market and entry level stuff not worth mentioning. Yet as with all endeavors, a maturity sets in, a measure of design and intent that distinguishes mere dabbling from an earnest pursuit.

For me, that occured about 6 or 7 years ago. One winter morning I woke up wanting a more refined system with a speaker that was both harmonically detailed and seductive aurally and visually. The catch, naturally, is that said speaker would have to accomplish this given my modest earnings. I needed a speaker that performed like a $5,000 speaker for a quarter of the price. Impossible! Before it had begun my quest was over...or so I thought.

Walking down College Avenue along the Berkeley-Oakland border, I stumbled across a small shop that had a pair of used Wilson Benesch in the window. There were other speakers and electronics visible, as were two customers. Curious, I stepped inside.

One of the customers was holding a Rega Apollo, while the other was standing next to a pair of beautiful rosewood floorstander speakers. I quietly perused the store's inventory, eyeing the speakers and eavesdropping somewhat on the discussion between the customer and the diminuitive sales clerk:

"...only owned them for 2 months, but I'm thoroughly impressed..."

"...trading up for possibly the Sonatas...audition..."

"...Silverline Audio ...best kept secret...great reviews..."

"...we'll take in the Panatellas and test them first, if that's ok...?"

At which point, the clerk asked the customer if he minded if he cashed out the gentleman with the Rega CD player first, and tended to any questions that I might have before getting started. My only question was whether or not they minded if I listened in on the auditioning of the Silverline speakers.

They didn't mind and I spent the next hour or so listening to everything the store clerk and the customer (his name was Tom Coltrane, as it turned out; no relation to John) had and a few of my own CD's as well. I was thoroughly impressed, but the Coronas, Sonatas and the Sonatinas were well out of my price range. Even the Panatella II's, which according to Tom sold for $2500 new, were much more than I had intended to spend.

I don't know who spoke first, the sales clerk or I, but Tom's used Panatella II's were my only hope. The sales clerk offered to call me once the owner had assessed the speakers and priced them for sale. True to his word, he called me midweek with an offer that I couldn't refuse. I've owned the Panatellas ever since.

Do I plan on upgrading? Sure. As soon as I can find a speaker that performs like a $10,000 speaker for a quarter of the price.