Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic. Read 110316 times.

Russell Dawkins

Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #80 on: 15 Mar 2010, 08:51 pm »


My personal favorite to date was the Usher D2 with it's original TAD driver, modified x-overs and high power tubes. 100 watts of triode power driving them. This is not to say they are the best I have heard but a speaker I miss the most.


I'm guessing this says something about the importance of dynamic capability in a system.

Bill Baker

  • Industry Participant
  • Posts: 4887
  • Purity Audio Design -Custom Design and Manufacturi
    • Musica Bella Audio
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #81 on: 15 Mar 2010, 09:08 pm »
Quote
I'm guessing this says something about the importance of dynamic capability in a system.

 This speakers could be driven with an alarm clock radio but to get the 15" drivers moving, big dynamic control played it's part. The amps on the top shelf of the rack are 1.5 watt 45 amps. They produced beautiful music with these speakers. An 8 watt 300B would lift the ceiling tiles. That kind of power was not needed. Most listening was done with a 50 watt tube amp.

they were simply fun speakers.

Not too many people could accomidate 6 foot tall, 650 lb (each) speakers.

Delta Wave

Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #82 on: 15 Mar 2010, 09:12 pm »
My friends VMPS RM-V60 / VLA Four Piece Reference System... WOW!
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?action=systems;area=browse;system=798

PaulFolbrecht

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 761
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #83 on: 21 Mar 2010, 10:25 pm »
Tonian Classic 12.1 S at Acoustic Image in Studio City, Ca. It was at a gathering of the LA/OC Audiophile Society (I am not a member). I went to meet Tony Minasian (the designer) and retrieve my CD I had left there when I demo'd the TL-D1s  (which I bought) and was blown away, seduced, lulled and captivated when I heard the Classics. Needless to say, I stayed there for the better part of a couple of hours. Those PHY drivers are the finest I've ever heard.

How would you compare the Classic 12.1 to your TL-D1s?

I have a pair of TL-D1s and am ordering the Classic 12.1.  If my room were not cavernous the TL-D1 would be the last speaker I would need - but it is.

Bob in St. Louis

  • Volunteer
  • Posts: 13248
  • "Introverted Basement Dwelling Troll"
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #84 on: 22 Mar 2010, 02:28 pm »
Well of course the last set of speakers I just built are the best I've ever heard.
No question about it.

Bob

JackD201

Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #85 on: 16 Oct 2010, 05:12 am »
Von Schweikert VR-11s

thunderbrick

  • Volunteer
  • Posts: 5449
  • I'm just not right!
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #86 on: 16 Oct 2010, 02:58 pm »
I have owned or auditioned in my home Dahlquist, Thiel, Vandersteen, Sound Labs, Martin-Logan, and now Maggie 1.6s.

The finest sound I've heard?  The first time I heard my (now) wife's voice over the phone.  I was gobsmacked. :o

nicksgem10s

Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #87 on: 16 Oct 2010, 03:24 pm »
Well of course the last set of speakers I just built are the best I've ever heard.
No question about it.

Bob

What speakers did you build Bob?

-Nick

nicksgem10s

Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #88 on: 16 Oct 2010, 03:45 pm »
Not in any particular order the best I have heard are: 

Salk HT4, Gedlee Summa, Verity Audio Sarastro II, Rockport Aquila, Supravox 215-2000 EXC field coil, Pi Speakers 4 Pi

I could live happily with any of these designs.  I owned the Supravox field coil and now currently have the 4 Pi speakers.

-Nick

Bob in St. Louis

  • Volunteer
  • Posts: 13248
  • "Introverted Basement Dwelling Troll"
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #89 on: 16 Oct 2010, 04:13 pm »
What speakers did you build Bob?

-Nick
Hey Nick,
My comment was slightly tongue in cheek. Meaning that (of course) since I spent the time and effort of building something, that mentally it's always going to sound better than if I hadn't.  :lol:

But to answer your question, I've built numerous pair of Open Baffle speakers with 15" Hawthorne Audio drivers in them. If you're interested, I can show links to build threads.

Bob

audioseduction

Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #90 on: 26 Nov 2010, 02:24 am »
I would say a pair of Martin Logan Summit Xs powered by a pair of Pass Labs XA160.5s.  This is what I have in my dedicated 2CH reg.

JLM

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 10654
  • The elephant normally IS the room
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #91 on: 26 Nov 2010, 11:08 am »
First, any decent speaker must produce a solid 3D image.  So strike dipoles or arrays immediately.  And you may want to strike "2.1" designs (that use two mid/woofers with one doing bass/mid-bass only).

Second, any good speaker (for music) must produce 30 - 20k.  So strike nearly any standmounts.  Active designs are the exception.  I heard the old Paradigm Active 20 years ago and was gobsmacked.

Third, any great speaker must be capable of producing life like dynamics without colorations.  So strike low to medium efficiency speakers that can't handle literally thousands of watts of power or nearly all horn designs that exhibit excessive air compression in the throat or flexing of the horn itself. 

Fourth, the finest speakers would be active with EQ customized to the room. 

Now what does that leave (that I can afford)?


doug s.

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 6572
  • makin' music
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #92 on: 26 Nov 2010, 02:36 pm »
First, any decent speaker must produce a solid 3D image.  So strike dipoles or arrays immediately.  And you may want to strike "2.1" designs (that use two mid/woofers with one doing bass/mid-bass only).
the only problem w/this is that arrays produce some of the best solid 3-d imaging extant, so why would i strike them?  (i cannot speak for dipoles.)  at the top of my list are the old infinity irs-lll's - solid imaging (and everything else, for that matter) to die for...

Second, any good speaker (for music) must produce 30 - 20k.  So strike nearly any standmounts.  Active designs are the exception.  I heard the old Paradigm Active 20 years ago and was gobsmacked.
i disagree - first, 20hz-20khz is the requirement for me.  second, a standmount crossed to a pair of quality subs will get you there.

Third, any great speaker must be capable of producing life like dynamics without colorations.  So strike low to medium efficiency speakers that can't handle literally thousands of watts of power or nearly all horn designs that exhibit excessive air compression in the throat or flexing of the horn itself. 
no problem - i will stick w/low efficiency designs that can handle power, and horns that are accurate...

Fourth, the finest speakers would be active with EQ customized to the room. 
i agree that active eq rocks.  i used my deqx w/a pair of $20 craigslist sansui sp2500's and the results were nothing short of astounding...

Now what does that leave (that I can afford)?
plenty plenty plenty for a reasonable outlay, especially if you are willing to shop used.  $4k can get you oh-so-close to the best, imo; which i consider reasonable, considering we are talking "finest".

ymmv,

doug s.

turkey

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1888
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #93 on: 26 Nov 2010, 03:56 pm »
First, any decent speaker must produce a solid 3D image.  So strike dipoles or arrays immediately.  And you may want to strike "2.1" designs (that use two mid/woofers with one doing bass/mid-bass only).

The image depends upon the recording too, so scratch any speakers that _always_ produce a solid 3D image.

I agree about scratching the line arrays, although for different reasons. As for dipoles, Linkwitz Orions image quite well.

Quote
Second, any good speaker (for music) must produce 30 - 20k.  So strike nearly any standmounts.  Active designs are the exception.  I heard the old Paradigm Active 20 years ago and was gobsmacked.

It depends upon what kind of music you're listening to. There are a lot of recordings with nothing below 40 Hz. Then there are some recordings of pipe organs that go far lower. However, in general I would say that most of what you'd hear below 30-40 Hz is just noise and not music.

I don't think speakers need to go up to 20K. There just isn't anything to be heard that high in most cases, and certainly not at the listening position.

Quote
Third, any great speaker must be capable of producing life like dynamics without colorations.  So strike low to medium efficiency speakers that can't handle literally thousands of watts of power or nearly all horn designs that exhibit excessive air compression in the throat or flexing of the horn itself.

Power compression is a real problem. In addition, it seems that most of the drivers sold by companies making consumer drivers aren't really that good.

Proper waveguide designs don't display either of the things you mention. As for horns, they're ok for soccer games, hostage negotiators, or the tannoy at a railway station in the UK.

Quote
Fourth, the finest speakers would be active with EQ customized to the room. 

Passive networks can work just fine. In fact, I feel the finest speakers around are ones with passive networks. (Although the crossover to the subs will likely be active, and EQ for the subs may be useful.)

Quote
Now what does that leave (that I can afford)?

How much can you afford?

DougSmith

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 158
  • What will the next hundred years bring?
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #94 on: 26 Nov 2010, 03:56 pm »
I'm with Bob.  I built my own full range system with Geddes Abbeys and 2 subs.  It's best I have heard - but I haven't heard that many different systems.

Bob in St. Louis

  • Volunteer
  • Posts: 13248
  • "Introverted Basement Dwelling Troll"
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #95 on: 26 Nov 2010, 04:51 pm »
Now what does that leave (that I can afford)?
The Bose Wave Radio?  :dunno:

Wallacefl

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 44
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #96 on: 27 Nov 2010, 12:52 am »
Martin Logan E2 Statements at an invite at Sound Advice in Sarasota(now closed) :thumb:

timind

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 3847
  • permanent vacation
Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #97 on: 27 Nov 2010, 01:51 am »
Proac Response 3.8. It was quite a few years ago I had a chance to sit and really listen to them. They were the last speakers I heard that blew me away. Since that experience I have listened to some fine speakers that were much more expensive but none of them left an impression on me the way those 3.8s did.

Stu Pitt

Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #98 on: 27 Nov 2010, 02:29 am »
I heard a new system a few weeks ago that really blew me away.  I haven't heard one do that in quite a while.  I've heard systems that do some things better than it, but I haven't heard a system carry a tune and just boogie like this one did - 

Full Naim system:
NAC 252 pre-amp
NAP 300 amp
HDX music server
N-DAC
Ovator S600 speakers

There may have been an outboard power supply in there.  Not sure.

sunnydaze

Re: Name the finest pair of loud speakers you have heard
« Reply #99 on: 27 Nov 2010, 02:35 am »
Proac Response 3.8. It was quite a few years ago I had a chance to sit and really listen to them. They were the last speakers I heard that blew me away. Since that experience I have listened to some fine speakers that were much more expensive but none of them left an impression on me the way those 3.8s did.

I have a buddy (with very good ears) who loves the 3.8 -- probably his fave also.  And he's heard lots.  Swears it even handily beats a very well set up pair of Vandy 5A.  That is some accomplishment since I think the Vandy is an incredible speaker.

I've never heard the Proac, but my tastes and priorities are typically aligned with his, so I sure do look forward to it.     :thumb: