Speakers to hang on for life

[Auricauricle]

I think that the previous post that considers the material being a key component in determining one's preference for speakers is well worth revisiting. I also subscribe to the fact that in speakers, no one has successfully developed a "one-size fits all" device.

In terms of electrostatic speakers go, to my ears, the Quad ESL 63's were and are some of the best producers of voice, wind instruments and strings. Chamber ensembles are reproduced with great presence and the coherence and staging made me feel as though I had taken a chair joined in....

With planars, I have been lucky to know a local audio dealer sells ML's, which I have spent a little time listening to. Very pleasant they were, too, but did not reproduce near the fat, round tones of the Quads, IMO. For vocals and strings (especially accoustic guitar), the ML's were very good, but I just didn't get that "wow" feeling that the Quads gave me. Other planars I have listened to are the Apogee Centaurs and the Carver Amazings. Unfortunately, I cannot recall much about the Centaurs and the Carvers weren't that amazing....

Horn-wise, I have been fortunate enough to listen to quite a few Tannoys. A friend owned a nice pair of Studio Red Monitors that reproduced big bands (with Ella Fitzgerald) very faithfully, with crisp drums and brassy trumpets and horns (yeah, I know...). I have also listened to their higher-end models including the Signatures, the Edinburghs, the Sterlings, and the Westminsters. I spent an afternoon gushing over the Edinburghs' ability to pump Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here with great finesse. Similarly, the big Tannoys were very adept at reproducing orchestras. Beethoven's 6th (Omar Suitner, Denon) was played with beautiful subtlety and love, and I fell in love with the speakers (until I saw the price). I finally bought a pair of Klipsch Hereses, which I enjoyed for awhile, until the horn-sound became unlistenable. I liked the Hereses' ability to jam out Bruce Springsteen, etc., but when my taste in music became more refined (ahem), I found their sound a bit harsh.

In conventionally designed speakers, some of the best I have listened to include some very impressive boxes made by Fried. The speakers I listened to reproduced all sources with smooth and transparent alacrity, allowing me to enjoy an immense wealth of material.

At present, I own and listen to a pair of Polk Monitor 7c's with an Eosone RSP-112. While they are not in the same league as the speakers you guys are talking about or as the ones mentioned earlier in the post, they are pleasant and enjoyable enough to endure while I grope my way through grad-school....

Just a few thoughts to wrinkle a couple of eyebrows and noses....

[E-Stat]

At present, I own and listen to a pair of Polk Monitor 7c's with an Eosone RSP-112.

Should sound pretty nice. I use Polk RTi35s with a pair of Eosone RSP912s in the HT with a third octave EQ on the subs.

rw