Best Speakers that you've heard

**Richard in SF** · **03-13-09, 06:43 PM**

Seconding a guy from a couple of years ago: Ohm F. The best I ever owned were the little brothers: Ohm G. They unfortuneately died of foam rot, and I have never heard as good since.

**Jason_Nolan** · **04-25-09, 11:14 PM**

I saw the Mcintosh XRT2K or whatever they were, but they didn't turn them on. The quality of the build was great though. I don't know how they sounded, but I've never seen a more beautifully built set of speakers.

I've heard Focal BE something or others. They sounded awesome.

I would love to hear the Revel Salon 2's, which I plan on soon.

For inwalls I would have to agree about the Concertos. They sounded very nice.

**mjb1023** · **07-19-09, 12:32 AM**

I had the opportunity to hear Martin Logan founder Gale Sanders' personal reference system at his home in Lawrence, KS about 8 years back. To say it was amazing would be an understatement. He had the 7ft tall Statement system driven by four Krell FPB700 monoblocks an a Conrad Johnson ART preamp.

**Madmartigano** · **07-19-09, 04:31 PM**

The best I remember hearing were a pair of Wilson WATT/Puppy speakers driven by Spectral electronics at the Home Entertainment Expo 2003 in San Francisco. My Merlin TSM-MMe speakers with Martin Logan's Grotto i subwoofer come in a distant second. I would love to hear Von Schweikert's line of speakers, though. From what I've read, many people think those speakers top Wilson's.

**Peter Jon White** · **07-22-09, 12:07 PM**

The first speakers that really impressed me were Rogers BBC monitors, from about 1972. A few years later, I bought the Spendor version (pretty much the same speaker). The very best speakers I've ever heard are Martin Logan Vistas, which I now own. I would assume Martin Logan's larger speakers would sound even better. But if I can't afford them, I'd rather not know how good they are. ;-)

**KptKrunch** · **07-26-09, 01:49 PM**

Best speakers I ever owned (and still do) are my Totem Hawks in my two channel rig. The sound the produce for such small towers belies belief. It's uncanny and boy can they play deep and articulate bass.

Best speakers I ever heard period were probably some JM Labs Grand Utopias - huge speakers, very neutral, and second would be Eleganza 7 foot towers (made by Monster, as in the cable). Of course, both speakers were driven by gear that you could buy a car with, so I take both of those sessions with a grain of salt.

A speaker only reproduces what it is fed. When demoing expensive speakers in the future, I'll bring my Hawks along (they're small enough

) to compare directly against the speakers I like being driven by the same equipment in the same room. The difference may not be as large as it may seem (especially for the price tag).

**andy123** · **07-27-09, 10:47 AM**

I love my Kustom KPC215H PA Speaker they are the best. I have used them alot in parties in open air. They sounds terrific.

**HionHiFi** · **07-30-09, 09:09 PM**

Well to answer that question I have to first state that I've heard plenty of nice speakers at a few CES shows I've been to. Specifically "The Show."

The best speakers I've had the pleasure of owning and hearing was a pair of Von Schweikert VR-4's from the 2001-2003 time frame. A true full range speaker the VR-4 is. At the time I owned them they were about $3k, but went on to retail for more than $6k by the time they finished production. I still dream about that speaker. I WILL own it again.

**Jason_Nolan** · **07-30-09, 09:20 PM**

There are several VR-4's for sale on Audiogon now. It looks like they're asking about 8K for the Von Schweikert Audio vr-4 sr mk2.

Not sure if you're aware of this site or not.

Good luck.

**8086** · **08-06-09, 12:59 AM**

Paradigm Signature S8 v.4 & v.5 , Paradigm Signature Servo, and on McIntosh Solid State amplification and McIntosh Solid State pre-amplification. The sound was very well balanced, clear, the servo 15 produces bass so buttery smooth, musical, and flat.

**Teyry** · **09-30-09, 09:32 PM**

Best speakers I've ever heard were my personal pair of Dunlavy SC-IV speakers mixed with a pair of Vandersteen 2WQ subwoofers.
2nd favorite were Thiel's, it's been a long time and I can't remember the model number. I believe they may have been the 7.2 or the CS6, I've listened to many Thiels and enjoyed them all.
Other speakers I really liked were the Infinity IRS Sigma, B&W 801's, and speakers by JM Labs and Montana .... I believe they were the Master Reference.
I also like Vandersteen loudspeakers.
Always wanted to hear the Dunlavy SC-VI and the Duntech Sovereign.

**8086** · **09-30-09, 10:54 PM**

Quote:

Richard in SF wrote:

Seconding a guy from a couple of years ago: Ohm F. The best I ever owned were the little brothers: Ohm G. They unfortuneately died of foam rot, and I have never heard as good since.

Foam rot is not the end of the a speakers life. Any speaker can be refoamed and repaired to it's factory condition. The Speaker Exchange in Tampa, Fl are masters of all matters involving transducer repairs, including voicecoils and foam surrounds. They are very well reviewed and highly regarded.

If you still have your OHM speakers, I'd suggest you give them a call; last time I checked their rates were very reasonable for the services they provide. As a matter of fact, they specialize in the repair of OHM speakers.

http://www.speakerex.com/
http://www.speakerex.com/speaker_repair.html
http://www.speakerex.com/pics/Speaker_Repair_Form.pdf

(I think it was sterophile that gave them a good review years ago)

**walmat** · **10-06-09, 05:07 PM**

First off I'm nowhere near an audiofile and I don't have a trained ear but as a guitar player I think I know or at least have an opinion on what speakers sound good. The first time I heard a set of PSB speakers playing Stevie Ray Vaughan I was floored at their clarity, warmth, detail, and depth of sound. I found out later that these B25's were only PSB's Image line which is second from the bottom. Now I know there is better out there but these little guys really impressed me so much so that I use them for fronts.

**Jarrod** · **10-06-09, 06:01 PM**

I've heard some nice setups from B&W (Matrix 801) and Martin Logan that were actually somewhat affordable. But in terms of price-is-no-object, absolute best with no other qualifications, I'd have to go with the Pipedreams line array speakers. Completely 3-D imaging and just amazing detail and clarity. I closed my eyes and it literally sounded like the musicians were in the room with me. I would pay admission to hear those speakers again in a proper listening room.

**DaveN** · **10-06-09, 07:51 PM**

I really liked the Wilson Maxx 3 in an all Audio Research rig. The room was not ideal and I do not believe that they lived up to their potential but the sound was great. I also listened to MBL 101 speakers with MBL equipment. The sound was very good but not the best. The Maggie 20.1 with Cary tubes were really sweet on vocals.

**deafbykhorns** · **10-09-09, 07:45 PM**

Khorns for dynamics
PMC for jazz and serious listening
Quads for nearfield

**recruit** · **10-10-09, 05:32 AM**

Wilson Benesch would be my favourite speaker make, in particular the A.C.T and Discovery's are my favourites

**notchyours** · **10-13-09, 12:54 PM**

My dad had a pair of Dali Royal Towers set up at his place when I went to visit him a couple years back. These little speakers just blew my mind. Very small footprint with a very BIG sound. Now, I haven't had a chance to demo large quantities of loudspeakers of varying brands, but from what I have listened to these outperformed them all.

Here it is a couple years later and I am listening to these beauties as I sit and write this post! I feel very fortunate to have a pair of Dali speakers having only invested in one pair of floorstanding speakers prior to getting these. I feel these will be around for quite a long time.

**fabulousfrankie** · **10-13-09, 10:47 PM**

The Martin Logan Summit's I own.

**sivadselim** · **11-04-09, 12:08 AM**

Apogee Duetta II
Allison Acoustics Four

**Josuah** · **11-04-09, 02:49 AM**

Updating my list. New speakers I have listened to in bold.

Monitor Audio Bronze line
Monitor Audio Silver S6, S8, S10
Definitive Tech BP10s?
Hsu VT-12
Castle Avon
Swan 2.1
Onix Reference 1
Onix Reference 3
B&W Bookshelves (705 or 805)
AV123 LS-6
Magnepan 12, 1.6, 3.6
Martin Logan Source, Purity
Analysis Audio Omicron or Epsilon
Usher Be-718
Spendor (older generation)
AV123 Strata Mini

My favorite are the Analysis Audio speakers. But they're too pricey. I use Magnepan 1.6 (second best on that list) speakers in my 2-channel reference setup now.

**Tannoy** · **11-05-09, 07:36 PM**

verry nice and verry expensive....

maybe to nice and expensive...

they have hidden a 15" driver in there, this cabinet is hudge....

**StereoPackRat** · **11-09-09, 06:43 PM**

I've been lucky enough to hear a lot of excellent speakers at shops and shows, and I could come up with a number of different categories of "best". However, I'll go with the category of "Speakers that inspired the most immediate, lasting lust to possess", since I believe it gets to the heart of the matter.

Winner: Dynaudio Sapphires, as played by Wadia in their demo room at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2008. A little bit more relaxed sound than most Dynaudio's, but with all the usual precision and dynamic liveliness. Simply beautiful, with a midrange to die for. They're $16,000.00 until the limited edition sells out, which is not as ridiculously expensive as some high-end contenders, but it's still way more than I am likely to have while they're still available.

Runners up: Energy Veritas 1.8's, as set up in a Good Guys! store I worked in about 10 years ago. Properly positioned, run by the best electronics we could muster (Sony ES or Adcom CD players & Adcom separates), these things were unbelievable. The Dynaudio Sapphires sound eerily like the same speaker, only better.

JBL's Synthesis K2 system, as demo'ed in their Harman International demo trailer at RMAF 2009. I sold Klipsch once upon a time, and I just never could love them, although I respected them. This is the first horn system that has ever made me say, "I need that!" A remarkable balance of dynamic impact with natural midrange and treble. The bass was simply phenomenal.

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