[TKonrad.NOLA]

We often hear about speakers that are best for certain types of music, such as rock and hip-hop.  I noticed that Steve Gutenberg, speaks well of Zu, Devore and Klipsch which are all high efficiency speakers.  Ken Micallef also has Devore speakers.   Are these type speakers better/best for Jazz?

[JackD]

Brands that I own or owned that worked well with Jazz for me were Verity, Reynaud, Rosso Fiorentino and Nola.  All with efficiencies in the high 80's low 90's db. I tried Harbeth which are usually recommended for Jazz but not for me.  A lot's going to depend on the size of the speaker that will work in your room and budget.

[tgood]

My Marten Design Birds are very nice with snappy dynamics and extended tonal detail and accuracy when driven by quality products such as the Lamm M1.2’s and LL1 Sig pre in in my room.  Each of Marten Design’s speakers is named after a jazz legend and I think I read where the principle focus of their vision is to be as transparent a conduit for lifelike playback of the music of the jazz greats of yesteryear as possible. 

[Early B.]

We often hear about speakers that are best for certain types of music, such as rock and hip-hop.  I noticed that Steve Gutenberg, speaks well of Zu, Devore and Klipsch which are all high efficiency speakers.  Ken Micallef also has Devore speakers.   Are these type speakers better/best for Jazz?

Don't think of speakers like that. A great system should be able to play any type of music well. Why wouldn't it?   

[Rusty Jefferson]

Don't think of speakers like that. A great system should be able to play any type of music well. Why wouldn't it?   

I would respectfully disagree with that. Most jazz recordings are studio based and the listener doesn't need speakers that will create a realistic soundstage necessary for say opera or classical music that's recorded in a live acoustic space. Therefore, since all speakers are a compromise, for jazz only listening, I'd probably go with horn speakers. Either diy, or classic Altec or JBL. You'll get the realistic dynamics like sitting at the front table in a small club.

[Tyson]

I don't listen to a huge amount of jazz, but to me the best jazz speakers I've heard have all been high efficiency.  There's a 'jump factor' and a natural rhythmic groove that HE speakers produce very well that's difficult for lower efficiency speakers. 

[Early B.]

I don't listen to a huge amount of jazz, but to me the best jazz speakers I've heard have all been high efficiency.  There's a 'jump factor' and a natural rhythmic groove that HE speakers produce very well that's difficult for lower efficiency speakers.

Certainly, high efficiency for all forms of music for the same reasons you mentioned. In fact, I wouldn't consider buying a speaker that's less than 95dB or so. And it must produce plenty of bass. Horns, of course, for efficiency.

[Tyson]

Certainly, high efficiency for all forms of music for the same reasons you mentioned. In fact, I wouldn't consider buying a speaker that's less than 95dB or so. And it must produce plenty of bass. Horns, of course, for efficiency.

Just checked out your system - AudioKinesis speakers, very very nice!  On top of servo OB subs, even better.  That's an amazing setup you have there.

[mcgsxr]

I have played with high efficiency open baffle DIY, low efficiency commercial OB's (Magneplanar MMG and 1.6QR), and low/mid efficiency monitors usually with subs.

Some of the best I have owned for Jazz were Paradigm Studio Reference 20 V2's, Totem Model 1 (own again today - for the 3rd time!), Focal Electra 906, and the Maggie 1.6QR.

Those represent some very different speakers, but all were involved with my enjoyment and exploration of early 50's sax driven jazz.

[JLM]

Depends on the type of jazz you're referring to.  Can range from big band to single guitar. 

The best all around loudspeaker I've ever heard/owned were JBL 708P (active 2-way monitor with 8 inch woofer and horn tweeter and ADC/DAC built-in).  Very dynamic, room filling, balanced, detailed, and honest.

[TubesGlo]

While I agree that a good loudspeaker will reproduce all genres of music well when source, amp and room are in sync, I have heard nothing convey a live jazz experience better than a large, very efficient horn loaded speaker. The dynamics of the instruments, especially sax and trumpet come through effortlessly with realism. Ride cymbals and the kick drum are heard and felt as though they are in the room with you. That being said, for many years I wouldn't even consider horns or Klipsch for that matter. My whole perspective changed after hearing their Heritage series for the first time and I became hooked on Cornwalls. I wanted the IV series in a bad way but couldn't justify the expense at the time. I ended up building a clone or "tribute" to them with Crite's Type B package. For me, 9.5 hours out of 10 listening in my room is to traditional jazz. With a tube preamp and refreshed ST-70 running original Mullard xf2's, when in that chair I am always in a happy place.

[TonyinBerkeley]

Another speaker to consider is Omega Speaker Systems

[richidoo]

I like listening to jazz on Legacy Audio speakers. They have a little extra bass that fills in the bass-less recordings of the pre-digital era. And they have larger woofers than other brands so they still have good bass even at very low volume levels. So you dont have to shut it off when the little kids go to bed.   

[VinceT]

Depends on the type of jazz you're referring to.  Can range from big band to single guitar. 

+1

I'm more of a jazz Fusion guy, so dynamics as well as soundstage to me are very important. A lot of the older Bebop stuff is also panned left and right versus stereo mixed.

I tend to agree a good system will reproduce everything well. Now if I was a pure rock guy, or EDM, or strictly early jazz I would adjust my system accordingly and there is some good input already.

[rockadanny]

I love jazz. It's my fav music genre and which must sound best on my system. My speakers are Pure Audio Project Trio-15 Horn 1, which are open baffle with horn. I've heard jazz on many types of speakers and greatly prefer this speaker. If not horn equipped, at least an open baffle is my suggestion.

[Early B.]

Speaker selection also has to take into consideration what you value in the sound. For instance, I value bass above everything else, regardless of the type of music I listen to. For jazz, I want the upright bass to sound better on my system than it does at a live venue.

[FullRangeMan]

Hi sensitivity speakers always good for Jazz as +98dB.

[Jazzman53]

The Jazzman MKIII's are amazing. 

Only seven pairs were built and there will be no more.  However, one new/unused pair is still available-- PM me if interested.

More info here: http://jazzman-esl-page.blogspot.com/?m=0

[FullRangeMan]

Great panel Jazzman, congratulations.
Very detailed, first class site 

[dsockel]

Audio Note speakers. I have the An-E SPeHe's and listen exclusively to jazz.