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Best Speakers that you've heard

185K views 403 replies 215 participants last post by  Oleson M.D. 
#1 ·
What are the best speakers that you have had a chance to listen to?
 
#292 ·
About 20 years ago a buddy and I got to do an extended listening in room 4 at Sound Advice in Jacksonville Florida. The system consisted of a $3300 Krell CD player (single disk with a heavy weight to lift off/on), $6000 Krell preamp, $6000 Krell 100 wpc amp (class A, I believe), B&W 801 Matrix Series 3, and several thousand dollars in interconnects.

I mention the electronics as I had a brief audition with those same Krell pieces and Kef Reference 105/3s that left me in awe. We later came back and they set up a high end HT system with the 103/5s as L/R using 200 wpc Adcom monoblocks and a Lexicon processor, and a different high end CD player. Played the same CD in stereo and no chills. Same room, same speakers.

Back to the 801s. They were the most "being there" event I have ever experienced to date. However, only 4 of the 11 CDs we brought with were recorded well enough for that system. The Series 3 were ruthless on marginal recordings. That experience put my audiophile journey on hold for about 16 years as I did not want to change my music tastes for my system. Still, when the recoding was up to snuff, they were simply amazing.
 
#293 ·
Back to the 801s. They were the most "being there" event I have ever experienced to date. However, only 4 of the 11 CDs we brought with were recorded well enough for that system. The Series 3 were ruthless on marginal recordings. That experience put my audiophile journey on hold for about 16 years as I did not want to change my music tastes for my system. Still, when the recoding was up to snuff, they were simply amazing.
I actually have the 801 Series 2's here at the house... at least until I find a buyer. They are impressive speakers.
 
#296 · (Edited)
I have KEF Q900 front, Q300 rear, Q600 center. and a Paradigm 2200 sub. For the money these make an awesome set up. I am looking to add another Paradigm to the sub range. These replaced a pair of B&W 301 that I really liked. I listened to some of the new B&W same size and was really disappointed. The KEF Q are so clear and make a broad stage for imagery.
I'm using a Oppo 93 through a Onkyo 708. I would like to get a Mcintosh tube amp. I think the sound would even better.
 
#299 · (Edited)
In my own defense all the time I worked in store at best buy I could tell people the differences between different components and I could even help troubleshoot problems. I'm sorry if you've had issues with your local store but please don't lump all of us in together. I know not everyone is an expert but most of my colleagues can hold their own with local mom and pop.

Sorry to call you out but sometimes I feel like I can't be an enthusiast and work for bestbuy/geeksquad/MHT without someone trashing my hard work on these message boards.
 
#300 ·
:T

You are in the fifth percentile of employees at Best Buy. Whom know an Apple from a McIntosh. I wish I could meet more like you at my local Blue Shirt Big Box.

Most of the people I encounter there, think the Logitech 5.1 speakers are the best money can buy where as most of us on this forum (and forums like it) find them to be lackluster in their performance.
 
#301 ·
I didn't start out knowing everything, i still don't. I've worked for best buy since late 2005. When I started I knew nothing about home audio. I've always said hifi is a rabbit hole. It just keeps getting deeper and deeper. Believe me the state of retail in America is not limited to one company or field. When was the last time you had a sales person at sears who truly knew all the ins and outs of a suit jacket or been able to talk with someone at target about waffle makers. Or even been able to find a car salesman who could talk torque vs HP?

We're enthusiasts, we read av articles for fun. Most of us know more about our chosen field of intrust then the general public. I personally learned more from knowledgable customers then from store trainings and computer tests. When ever this kind of comment pops up I always ask people to be kind the that idiot teenager who has never heard of Steely Dan or Marvin Gay and teach them something. You never know you could spark their curiosity.
 
#306 ·
I heard a really nice set of B&W 802s powered by a pair of McIntosh monoblocks (MC601, I think) this weekend.
If budget was no concern, B&W 802 + McIntosh electronics would be my dream system.

Jim - I see you are in Houston - did you by any chance hear this setup at Modia near the Galleria? I may know exactly what room you're talking about :)
 
#308 ·
I've listened to the B&W's vs quite a few other brands and found that in a direct comparison the B&W's lack air and space, sound thinner at the high end and lack tonality in the lower bass. Try to get a listen to Magnepan MG3.7R's to hear what a really transparent tweeter (ribbon) sounds like. I usualy run 3.7R's with twin REL G1 subs, but last weekend I brought my old pair of Infinity IRS Betas out of storage (similar to the Genesis mentioned by Rab-Byte) and boy they still sound great - even though they are 24 years old.
IMHO you need dipole radiation and plenty of sub cone area to fully capture the scale and authority of a decent sized orchestra or rock band. Ain't no substitute for power either !
 
#310 ·
Old thread... but that's okay... however let's do keep it on topic.

Since it has been about 7 years when I first replied, these Serenity Acoustics Super-7 speakers that Danny Richie designed and were shown at LSAF this year, may just be the best I have heard. The CLS-9 Line Array speakers were pretty sweet too.

 
#311 ·
Hi guys i will be 68 years old in a few days and i have been an audiophile for more than 40 years with Acoustat electrostatic speakers for the last 30 of those years DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR the best speakers i have heard are a pair of DIY Acoustat Spectra 8800s built by my friend Jocelyn from Quebec Canada.

PS: More photos here
- - - http://www.flickr.com/photos/mracoustat/



 
#312 ·
WOW! those are big speakers. Im sure thay must sound amazing.
 
#315 ·
I recently heard some sound lab A-3 electrostatic loudspeakers from the mid 90's powered by krell amplifiers in a dedicated and treated sound room and WOW! Not sure if it was the room, the amps or the speakers but those things sounded beautiful to me. It seemed crazy to me that the guy had a pair of krell amps priced around $12,000 powering some 20 year old speakers but it worked, and worked very well!
 
#316 ·
This is another friend with Acoustat's Spectra 4400s & 6600s driven by Krell KRS-100s mono blocks from 1988 old yes but still an amazing system.

 
#319 ·
I may never be able to afford a pair of Rockport Arrakis speakers but having a buddy who owns them is the next best thing. They are simply amazing. Here is a picture I took of them in his custom purpose built 2-channel room.

 
#322 ·
Ya' you would need a large space to enjoy the true sound from speakers that large. They are not something that you could use in an average size house. By the looks of them they are about 7ft tall.
 
#324 ·
I bought some old Advents at a garage sale for $20. The surrounds rotted out and I thought I could refoam them cheap. They were higher than expected but WELL worth it. Incredible sound from 10" subs, but can only handle around 50 hard watts each. By then they're stressing the sheetrock. Other than that, I would say Cerwin Vega systems are king.... especially the folded horn Earthquake subs.
 
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