Here goes my short list:
IMHO and in no particular order:
Totem Model 1's
Simply because they rewrote the book for many people on what a small speaker could do. I wonder how many non-audiophiles looked at these and thought $1500 for what? Then they heard a set and wanted them.
Totem Mani 2's
Okay maybe it is unfair to have two speakers from the same manufacturer but what the Model 1 did for the non-audiophile the Mani 2 did for the audio enthusiast. Jaw dropping bass. Hey where's the subwoofer?
Quad 57's
If you have to ask, you've never heard them. Bass? Not important. Just listen to that midrange. Perhaps the best that has ever been.
Quad 63's etc...
Okay another manufacturer with two speakers, actually more if you count 988's, 989's, 2805's etc. I kinda group them all together because the are essentially the same electrostatic panel. Not as clean in the midrange as the 57's but not nearly as self-destructive either. They have better bass as well.
Linn LP-12
The table that launched a thousand upgrades. Man you gotta like any company that keeps a 35 year old design current enough to be in the same conversation as the latest cutting edge designs. Ivor may have been down, but his table continues to battle on.
That's it for now. I'll repost if I can think of so more.
Cheers All