[davehg]

Hearing the Reference De Capo the first time left me with a distinct first impression. I am eager to hear them again to see if my first impression changes.

That said, it got me thinking about speakers I have heard over time and had a positive first impression (or which did not fade over time). These include (from most recent and backwards):

1. Avant Garde Uno (powered by a VIVA SET Integrated, ohh so nice and the dynamics were to die for, made me change my mind about horns)
2. Rethm, The Second Rethm  (heard at VSAC and fell in love with the Lowther sound without the hard Lowther bite).
3. Quad 988 electrostatic (it don't get much nicer than this)
4. Thiel CS 1.6 (how can such nice sound come out of such a tiny speaker?)
5. Swan Speakers (not the mass production AV speakers, but an older manufacturer in Swans Island, Maine, who made a gorgeous amazing full range speaker. Has since gone out of business).
6. Apogee Stages (powered by the seductive Krell KSA 300's, the first speaker I really lusted after)

Conversely, speakers I had a general negative impression on first hearing:

Harbeth (heard it on Naim gear and just didn't like the combo)
Monitor Audio (tweeters ring like only metal domes can)
ProAc (too bright)
Krell Lats (how can something this big and expensive sound so odd?)
Linn (don't understand the attraction of the Linn speaker sound)

Curious about your first impression speakers. Did the positive impression hold up over time?

[mcrespo71]

Great impressions:
1)Quad ESL 57,63,988- Untouchable transparency- veils lifted away
2)Reference 3a MM De Capo- sweet sounding, good imaging, and surprising bass output.
3) JM Lab Grande Utopia- Best speaker I have ever heard.  Seems to do it all effortlessly.
4) Dynaudio Confidence- Sonic holography. Great bass
5) Audio Physics Virgo 3- Sonic Holography.
6) Magnepan MG 20.1- Sounds like live music
7) Thiel 1.6- Incredible bang for the buck.
Wilson Watt Puppy 7- Driven by good amplification- sound HUGE and disappear.
Poor:
1) Wilson Watt Puppy 5- somewhat strident.  Not as impressed as I thought I would be.
2) Paradigm Reference Studio- Uninvolving
3) some NAIM speaker at CES- BRIGHT!!!
4) B & W- 801 Matrix- old version- good bass extension, but not very impressive midrange or treble.