12 Most Significant Speakers of All Time

TroyD
TroyD Posts: 13,093
edited October 2010 in Speakers
Just got my Sept. Issue of TAS and was intrigued with thier list of most important speakers of all time....pretty good article, no REAL surprises, I guess.

I haven't heard a Magico speaker but they seem to be pretty high on them....

What did you guys think (I know, no SDA....)? I thought that it was pretty cool that I've owned a few of them, at least.

BDT
I plan for the future. - F1Nut
Post edited by TroyD on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
«13

Comments

  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited October 2010
    Dunno. Which are they?
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 34,010
    edited October 2010
    Folks at AK and AA have had a few kicks at this ball...
    Basically no big surprises; most significant does not mean best.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sda2mike
    sda2mike Posts: 3,131
    edited October 2010
    polk sda 2B TL...by matt and ben:D
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,093
    edited October 2010
    Ricardo wrote: »
    Dunno. Which are they?


    FAAK.

    12. Klipschorn
    11. MBL 101 E
    10. Advent
    9. KLH Model 9
    8. Infinity IRS V
    7. Maggie 1-U/1-D
    6. Dahlquist DQ-10
    5. Magico Mini II
    4. Wilson Audio Tiny Tot (WATT)
    3. Rogers /BBC LS3/5a
    2. AR-3a
    1. Quad ESL-57

    I haven't heard the Magico Mini....but the high quality, stand mounted speaker isn't a ground breaking design.....

    Things I thnk coulda been considered:

    B&W 801, love it or hate it....it's a pretty signifcant speaker....

    B&W Nautilus which I think started, or at least got into high gear, the whole 'cost-no-object' statement speaker thing

    Dynaco A-25 (was on some of the individual lists)...probably the best bang/buck speaker ever.

    Quad ESL-63 for obvious reasons....probably the most ubiquitous 'reference' speaker.

    Much as I dislike the sound....something from JBL to represent the West Coast sound..

    Bose 901....again, signifcant in that Bose has sold a shitload of them.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    edited October 2010
    Infinity IRS V

    This is one I would love to hear some day, however would not want to ever have to try and move it. :eek:


    I like Wilson stuff a lot, and the WATT/Puppies are a great speaker I think.

    I never knew that the Klipsch were never changed after all these years, kinda interesting I think.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,217
    edited October 2010
    KEF 107/2's

    Mirage M1's

    SDA SRS

    Maggie Tympani

    Just a few off the top of my head that could/should be considered signifcant. These lists always are hit and miss whether it's auto's, musicians, kitchen appliances, etc. Still good discussion fodder.

    H9

    P.s. Yes, Bose 901 should be on there too as Troy already mentioned.

    EPI's and OHM's should be on there perhaps the OHM Walsh or one of the smaller bookies and where's the Allison entry?
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,198
    edited October 2010
    How about the ESS AMT 1B..?

    The Heil Air Motion Transformer.:D
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited October 2010
    The Ohm Walsh was definitely different. I can't believe JBL's studio monitors aren't listed.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,217
    edited October 2010
    tony millard wrote: »
    How about the ESS AMT 1B..?

    The Heil Air Motion Transformer.:D

    Yep, Nelson Pass' first job was with ESS designing that transducer.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Bernal
    Bernal Posts: 991
    edited October 2010
    How about the LSi serie..?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,198
    edited October 2010
    steveinaz wrote: »
    The Ohm Walsh was definitely different. I can't believe JBL's studio monitors aren't listed.

    Oh yea!!! The ohm walsh 2's that I owned were very nice sounding indeed. Holographic.

    fastz28 said the DCM Timewindows.
    I owned the DCM timeframe 400's and loved their sound-stage also.
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,413
    edited October 2010
    Ummm Vandersteen 1 2 or 3
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited October 2010
    AR-3/3a
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited October 2010
    I agree too many great ones to list a dozen.....pickem, hearem, likem.....speakers speakers speakers.

    RT1
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dabutcher
    Dabutcher Posts: 2,597
    edited October 2010
    Big a/d/s speakers and the best speakers I have owned were the Infinity Quantum 3's.
    MIT Magnum MH-750, Monster HTS 5100MKII, Sony 77" Class - A80CJ Series - 4K UHD OLED,PS4, Def Tech 15” sub,LSIM 706c, Sunfire Signature Grand 425 x 4,Parasound hca 120, LSiM 702 x 4, Oppo 103D, SDA SRS 1.2, Pioneer Elite SC63 , Pioneer Elite BDP-05 “Why did you get married if you wanted big speakers?”
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,198
    edited October 2010
    Why not another one or two.

    Polk audio monitor 5jr.

    Paradigm Studio 20v3...:D
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,093
    edited October 2010
    Well, in terms of significant....

    Yeah, the Vandy 2....probably the best selling high end speaker of the last thirty years...

    SDA was, imo, to audiophilism, not all that significant. To ME it is, but at large, eh, not so much.

    Again, not thinking in terms of 'best' but in terms of speakers that broke or established a paradigm.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,217
    edited October 2010
    TroyD wrote: »
    SDA was, imo, to audiophilism, not all that significant. To ME it is, but at large, eh, not so much.

    BDT

    Well they should have been, but I agree with you when you look at the big picture. I was gaga over them when I sold them, well they most times sold themselves. It was a ground breaking design that never got the recognition or understanding it should have, IMO. I'm sure many her feel the same way, probably not so much on other internet boards, though.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited October 2010
    I bought a pair of KLH 9 speakers from David Bromberg's road manager. They got me hooked on electrostatic speakers. I sold them and took a trip to Ireland with the money. I believe TAS wanted to single out speakers that were a genesis of different styles of successful speaker designs. Today's excellent bookshelf speakers (such as the LSi7 and 9) are descended from the LS35a, for example.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited October 2010
    I like the list overall except the Dahlquist's. Just not a fan of there sound.

    I also have to agree the Bose 901 should have made it. While not the best speaker in the world it was significant.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited October 2010
    heiney9 wrote:
    It was a ground breaking design that never got the recognition or understanding it should have, IMO.

    This is why the audio media and the public at large have never given them the recognition they probably deserve. Certainly a ground breaking design...but one that never spawned any followers outside of Polk. Owners loved them but everyone else labeled them as a "gimmick". To my knowledge ther mfgs. never tried to copy the concept...either because they couldn't or like others felt it was not true audio theory.

    On the other hand, along those same lines...maybe one of the early Monitor designs could have made the list...ie: Monitor 7...the speaker that started it all for one of the largest consumer audio companies.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Pycroft
    Pycroft Posts: 1,960
    edited October 2010
    I would love to hear more about what made a lot of these 'significant'. When I think of significant, I think that they changed the way people thought about audio, or revolutionized the way speakers were made. I am familiar with a lot of the names of the speakers listed there, but not the 'significance' of them. Also...why JUST Advent? I had advent speakers and thought they were fine, but they didn't wow me. Was a model left out, or is that supposed to be the company as a whole?

    James
    2 Channel/HT:
    Sony SS-M9 P's (ES version)
    Sony SS-M1CN Center Channel
    Polk RT800 Surround Speakers
    Odyssey Stratos Dual Mono Amplifiers
    TAD 150 Signature Tube Preamp
    Harman Kardon HK354
    Sony SACD Player
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited October 2010
    Pycroft wrote:
    Also...why JUST Advent? I had advent speakers and thought they were fine, but they didn't wow me. Was a model left out, or is that supposed to be the company as a whole?

    There was no model #. It was The Advent Loudspeaker. IMO it was the speaker that brought HiFi to the masses and is one of the most significant in audio history.

    Also, anything after the New Advent Loudspeaker, circa late 70s (which many refer to as the Large Advent - but that was never the official name) were probably middle of the road as Henry Kloss directed his efforts to other ventures and eventually left the company.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited October 2010
    hoosier21 wrote: »
    Ummm Vandersteen 1 2 or 3

    EXACTLY, I was trying to think of the name; they're like audiophile legend aren't they?
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited October 2010
    steveinaz wrote: »
    The Ohm Walsh was definitely different. I can't believe JBL's studio monitors aren't listed.

    I have to agree with that. I know a LOT of guys here don't like that JBL sound but, hey, it is subjective and there was a time when they where ubiquitous--like BOSE? I have a pair of home versions that are over 20 years old and I still consider them a pretty nice speaker for what they are--they are a bit picky about 'placement' though! A former girlfriend in the 80s had some Ohms which were also nice.

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Fongolio
    Fongolio Posts: 3,516
    edited October 2010
    My garage sale reject Dynaco A-25's made a couple of the individual lists but not the main list. They were significant because millions of them sold and they were very affordable for great sound.
    SDA-1C (full mods)
    Carver TFM-55
    NAD 1130 Pre-amp
    Rega Planar 3 TT/Shelter 501 MkII
    The Clamp
    Revox A77 Mk IV Dolby reel to reel
    Thorens TD160/Mission 774 arm/Stanton 881S Shibata
    Nakamichi CR7 Cassette Deck
    Rotel RCD-855 with modified tube output stage
    Cambridge Audio DACmagic Plus
    ADC Soundshaper 3 EQ
    Ben's IC's
    Nitty Gritty 1.5FI RCM
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Timothy Smith
    Timothy Smith Posts: 764
    edited October 2010
    Joe08867 wrote: »
    I like the list overall except the Dahlquist's. Just not a fan of there sound.

    I also have to agree the Bose 901 should have made it. While not the best speaker in the world it was significant.

    Prefer Bose 901's to Dahlquist DQ-10's???

    That's like preferring Yoko Ono screaming in your ear to Kate Bush whispering in your ear.

    (IMHO)
    Norh ACA-2B tube pre, Sumo Andromeda SS amp. Magneplanar MMG speakers, M&K MX1250 Subwoofer, Pro-Ject RM1.3 Genie TT with Sumiko Pearl MM cart., Keces DAC, Cambridge Audio Azur 640c CD player
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,470
    edited October 2010
    Timothy Smith wrote: »
    That's like preferring Yoko Ono screaming in your ear to Kate Bush whispering in your ear.

    (IMHO)

    But what about Yoko Ono wispering in your ear?:p
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Timothy Smith
    Timothy Smith Posts: 764
    edited October 2010
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    But what about Yoko Ono wispering in your ear?:p

    That's better....but....it's still Yoko Ono.
    Norh ACA-2B tube pre, Sumo Andromeda SS amp. Magneplanar MMG speakers, M&K MX1250 Subwoofer, Pro-Ject RM1.3 Genie TT with Sumiko Pearl MM cart., Keces DAC, Cambridge Audio Azur 640c CD player
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited October 2010
    Timothy Smith wrote: »
    Prefer Bose 901's to Dahlquist DQ-10's???

    That's like preferring Yoko Ono screaming in your ear to Kate Bush whispering in your ear.

    (IMHO)

    Hold up everybody, I don't prefer either speaker, I just think the Bose may be more significant. I think they both are overrated.

    Personally I would rather have B&O Beolab 1's before the 901's or Dahlquist's.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter