Who are your top loudspeaker designers?

[JohnMichael]

I know a few brands I am interested in and I know of some of the designers. I was wondering who your favorites are and the speakers they have designed.

[Poultrygeist]

Martin J King who pioneered the H-frames.

Quarter Wavelength Loudspeaker Design (http://www.quarter-wave.com/)

[dingus]

Lawrence Dickie - B&W Nautilus, Vivid
Edgar Vilchur - acoustic suspension pioneer and Acoustic Research
Roy Allison - Acoustic Research and Allison Acoustics
Henry Kloss - KLH, Acoustic Research, Advent, Cambridge Soundworks
Ken Kantor - Acoustic Research and NHT
Mike Kelly - ADS and Aerial Acoustics
Richard Vandersteen - Vandersteen

the list could go on for some time.... of those i listed i've only met Kantor and he's a freakin' genius.

[RGA]

I prefer not to know the designers all that well because it might get me to subconsciously be nicer to something I don't like all that much. I'd rather just evaluate the loudspeaker. Knowing names also goes the other way - if I hate 3 speakers and the guys is a "known" name designer then I might tend to roll my eyes at the next product that comes out when they advertise the man's name. So and so designed this new speaker and I think - "that's supposed to impress me."

Take the list of names provided y Dingus - well known names - all of whom have probably contributed important things to audio reproduction but the speakers themselves don't sound alike. If you love Vandersteen you probably won't love B&W or NHT. Just doesn't sound alike.

[thekid]

I am not a student of speaker design but Henry Kloss is a name I got to know through the speakers I have owned. He came up with speakers at 4 different companies that are still well regarded today. Quite a feat IMO.

I am also a fan of Steve Ederbach of early DCM fame. He seems to have perfected transmission line speakers. You would be hard pressed to find speakers built with such run of the mill drivers that produced such SQ in design after design.

[Hyfi]

Albert von Schwiekert

[JohnMichael]

I prefer not to know the designers all that well because it might get me to subconsciously be nicer to something I don't like all that much. I'd rather just evaluate the loudspeaker. Knowing names also goes the other way - if I hate 3 speakers and the guys is a "known" name designer then I might tend to roll my eyes at the next product that comes out when they advertise the man's name. So and so designed this new speaker and I think - "that's supposed to impress me."

Take the list of names provided y Dingus - well known names - all of whom have probably contributed important things to audio reproduction but the speakers themselves don't sound alike. If you love Vandersteen you probably won't love B&W or NHT. Just doesn't sound alike.



So no one from Audio Note?

[emaidel]

Mike Kelly - ADS and Aerial Acoustics
.


Not many people know this, but Mike Kelly was, for a brief period, president of dbx. He was hired by the company who purchased dbx from BSR - Carillon Technology Inc. (CTI), and strong-armed and man-handled all along his brief tenure there.

To his everlasting credit, he resigned in protest over the firing of the National Sales Manager by the two top jerks in CTI.

dbx never set any sales records with its "Soundfield Imaging" loudspeakers, and Mike's predecessor at dbx spent millions of dollars putting on fancy grilles (that fell off) and cast aluminum trim rings around the cheap drivers in a failed attempt to fool people into thinking the drivers were other than the cheap Pioneer drivers that they actually were.

Mike came up with a design that made a better sounding speaker, with better drivers, and the ability to be either a "direct-firing" or "Soundfield Imaging" speaker, and was just shot down by upper management, for reasons that were never explained.

I'll never understand why CTI bought the company, since they sold off the profitable sections (the pro side, in particular to Harman International) and intentionally destroyed the others. As far as I know, there is no longer a company called "CTI," and for that we should all be greatful. And, I"m happy for MIke that he found his niche at Aerial Acoustics.

[JohnMichael]

Henry Kloss for my Small Advents
Ken Kantor for my NHT SuperOnes
Jon Bau of Spica
Amar Bose for the 901
Daniel Dehay at Reference 3A
Josh Bizar for voicing the OML1

[Byron4]

Richard Vandersteen Vandersteen 2CE

Jim Winey Magnepan

Jon Dahlquist DQ-10

Carl Marchisotto Acarian Systems Alon 1(Because I own them)

[JohnMichael]

Carl Marchisotto Acarian Systems Alon 1(Because I own them)


I would like to hear his Nola Boxers for my small space.

[dingus]

...If you love Vandersteen you probably won't love B&W or NHT. Just doesn't sound alike.

they are all different in their sound and presentation, but i could easily live with any of them. each has a sound thats easy to love imo.

[RGA]

So no one from Audio Note?

Audio Note hires different experts for different things. Peter Snell would be the guy who designed part of the speaker - the wave-launch approach - but L.L. Beranek designed the cabinet shape as "perfect" boxes for the reproduction of an acoustic signal - and being one of the world's best acousticians (every speaker maker references him and every book on loudspeaker design references him) and he's world famous as an opera house designer. The guys at Bell Labs also played an important role in the speaker.

You can generally tell if it's something good:
1) it lasts and lasts with very few to little changes. The same model sells consistently well for 15+ years without 7 MarkII, Mark III, Mark VII or other versions being applied merely to have the product kept in a perpetual review cycle

2) if it goes out of business - another company buys up the rights and makes it under their own name (Snells Systemdecks voyds or LS-3/5a). Lots of people blather on about 30 year old speakers - and yet no one bothers to say "gee that would actually sound good and would compete today - I think I'll make it and put my own name on it." If they were REALLY good someone would. (exception might be appearance or saleability projections) - and possibly unique parts that can't be reproduced today.

[bobsticks]

I've always enjoyed Calvin Klein's presentations. He usually has a good Kramer anecdote.

[dingus]

...Lots of people blather on about 30 year old speakers - and yet no one bothers to say "gee that would actually sound good and would compete today - I think I'll make it and put my own name on it." If they were REALLY good someone would. (exception might be appearance or saleability projections) - and possibly unique parts that can't be reproduced today.

(as long as we're straying off topic....)

i dont have a handful of examples that go back a full 30 years, but i suppose one needs to define their meaning of the term "good sound" regardless.

some modern high-end speakers i've heard within the last 5 years...

B&W Nautilus
Sonus Faber Stradivari
Martin Logan SummitX
B&W 800d

some speakers 25 years of age and older i've heard....

Infinity IRS Delta
Acoustic Research MGC-1
JBL L-300
Tannoy Berkeley

the modern speakers all outpaced the vintage speakers in terms of dynamics and spl's, with the exception of the JBL L-300 which held its own in this regard. aside from that i cant say that the modern speakers held an overall advantage over the vintage. there are always trade-offs. for example, the Martin Logans image better than all the others, but the Tannoys do vocals best.

for your "good sound", if you prefer a 3d soundstage, go with the Infinity IRS Delta. for imaging and impact, the Martin Logans will do nicely. if you prefer an overall balanced presentation, the Sonus Faber Stradivari probably do that best. if you want an uncolored from top-to-bottom, liquid-smooth presentation then go with the B&W Nautilus. for the ability to deliver the highest possible sound quality available with the electronics you have in use, they will all do that pretty equally.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Not many people know this, but Mike Kelly was, for a brief period, president of dbx. He was hired by the company who purchased dbx from BSR - Carillon Technology Inc. (CTI), and strong-armed and man-handled all along his brief tenure there.

To his everlasting credit, he resigned in protest over the firing of the National Sales Manager by the two top jerks in CTI.

dbx never set any sales records with its "Soundfield Imaging" loudspeakers, and Mike's predecessor at dbx spent millions of dollars putting on fancy grilles (that fell off) and cast aluminum trim rings around the cheap drivers in a failed attempt to fool people into thinking the drivers were other than the cheap Pioneer drivers that they actually were.

Mike came up with a design that made a better sounding speaker, with better drivers, and the ability to be either a "direct-firing" or "Soundfield Imaging" speaker, and was just shot down by upper management, for reasons that were never explained. {/quote]



I'll never understand why CTI bought the company, since they sold off the profitable sections (the pro side, in particular to Harman International) and intentionally destroyed the others. As far as I know, there is no longer a company called "CTI," and for that we should all be greatful. And, I"m happy for MIke that he found his niche at Aerial Acoustics.

A friend of mine purchased both the SF-1 and SF-150. The concept was brilliant, but the execution left a lot to be desired. The concept of creating an egg shaped dispersion pattern that favored the area between the speakers is an excellent concept. The fact that I could be standing right next to the right speaker, and can clearly hear the left speaker as well is true stereo everywhere technology. The problem I have with this speaker is the same I have with the Bose 901, and that is the comb filtering that occurs when a speaker bounces its output all over the room in all directions. You get stereo everywhere, but it is diffused and blurred. I personally enjoyed the SF-150 a bit more than the SF-1.

For favorite speaker designer I would choose John Dunlavy and Jim Thiel along with the other have mentioned.

[JohnMichael]

I would have loved to hear a pair of Dunlavy SM-1 two way speakes. Nothing like a good two way for me.

[RGA]

they are all different in their sound and presentation, but i could easily live with any of them. each has a sound thats easy to love imo.

Interesting - I could not live with any of those brands - if I could I would be living with them. Art Dudley noted in a review that over his time reviewing which is about 40 years he has heard about 14 loudspeakers that he could live.

I am more of a speaker slut than Art so i could probably live with about 15 (but in half his years).

Unfortunately some of those excellent speakers that would make my list like Soundlabs, Acapella, Trenner and Freidl the speakers are too big for my space or far too expensive or both.

[Feanor]

Interesting - I could not live with any of those brands - if I could I would be living with them. Art Dudley noted in a review that over his time reviewing which is about 40 years he has heard about 14 loudspeakers that he could live.

I am more of a speaker slut than Art so i could probably live with about 15 (but in half his years).

Unfortunately some of those excellent speakers that would make my list like Soundlabs, Acapella, Trenner and Freidl the speakers are too big for my space or far too expensive or both.
Which illustrates what a spoiled sh!t Art Dudley is. I guess he'd kill himself if he had to live with my speakers, or yours, RGA. I wouldn't miss him, I'd just keep on enjoying the music.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Which illustrates what a spoiled sh!t Art Dudley is. I guess he'd kill himself if he had to live with my speakers, or yours, RGA. I wouldn't miss him, I'd just keep on enjoying the music.

Either spoiled, snobby or both.

[JohnMichael]

Which illustrates what a spoiled sh!t Art Dudley is. I guess he'd kill himself if he had to live with my speakers, or yours, RGA. I wouldn't miss him, I'd just keep on enjoying the music.



Art is a fan of Audio Note E speakers. He owns a pair and pairs them with tube electronics. I like Art and he is a musician.

[JohnMichael]

How about the designers at Tyler Acoustic or Salk loudspeakers?

[Enochrome]

Henry Kloss for my Small Advents
Ken Kantor for my NHT SuperOnes
Jon Bau of Spica
Amar Bose for the 901
Daniel Dehay at Reference 3A
Josh Bizar for voicing the OML1

I agree, and only have heard, two of those:

John Bau - Spica TC-50
Henry Kloss - Large Advents
Peter Snell - Snell Type Jll

I appreciate all of them for their adherence to neutrality and that they tried to give as much "hi-fi" as they could without you or them throwing crap loads of money to get it.

The fact that John Bau created a speaker that knocked on the door of Quad ESL's in coherence and imaging with some budget Audax tweets and woofs just does it for me. I admire a designer who out thinks instead of out spends.

Henry Kloss for making those Large Advents sound like they weren't from the 70's and they looks sweeeeeeet.

Peter Snell : do I really need to explain. If so ask the guy from Audio Note. Although on a side note and speaking of Art Dudley. I read his recent write up of my Snell Type J's and I am not sure if I hear as much grain as he does. Although he's got finer taste than I do, so I might not actually know what "grain" is.

[Enochrome]

I'd like to live with a pair of German Physiks or Deuvels just to see what they were about. But they get a nod from me for being "out of left field". I'd like to make a Deuvel Ventus clone out of some old Dahlquist drivers I have just for sh*ts and giggles.

[Enochrome]

Where's Poultry with the Shindo OB nomination!?

[Poultrygeist]

Like most OB fans I've only heard what I've built and I'm too modest to list myself.:biggrin5:

[cubdog]

Like most OB fans I've only heard what I've built and I'm too modest to list myself.:biggrin5:

Go ahead. I won't mind.:biggrin5:

cubdog

[tube fan]

A friend of mine purchased both the SF-1 and SF-150. The concept was brilliant, but the execution left a lot to be desired. The concept of creating an egg shaped dispersion pattern that favored the area between the speakers is an excellent concept. The fact that I could be standing right next to the right speaker, and can clearly hear the left speaker as well is true stereo everywhere technology. The problem I have with this speaker is the same I have with the Bose 901, and that is the comb filtering that occurs when a speaker bounces its output all over the room in all directions. You get stereo everywhere, but it is diffused and blurred. I personally enjoyed the SF-150 a bit more than the SF-1.

For favorite speaker designer I would choose John Dunlavy and Jim Thiel along with the other have mentioned.
I have not heard a modern speaker that I prefer to my Dunlavy SCIVs. They are efficient, flat in frequency response, and produce three-dimensional images.

[Poultrygeist]

Hey cubdog, glad to see you here. This place is a little quiet :sleep: at times but unlike AK your posts stay current.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Like most OB fans I've only heard what I've built and I'm too modest to list myself.:biggrin5:

Go on and take a bow.....I'm not hatin you for it!