Top Three Speakers you have owned.

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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,563
    BW800d3
    BW802d3
    Rockport Avior
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • jayu969
    jayu969 Posts: 112
    1) B&W 801's

    2) Revel F52's

    3) Polk 3.1TL's
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  • RTA12C
    RTA12C Posts: 7
    RTA11TL
    RTA12C
    KLIPSCH CORNWALL II
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited January 2022
    Hmmmmm.....interesting read.....this is a tough one because it really depends on the criteria....

    1. Quad 988's/63's - I've owned both and were my daily drivers for over a decade. The transparency and immediacy of these speakers is simply astounding. They communicate music like no other speaker I've had or heard. I've heard the 57's briefly a few times. My issues with the 57's....the midrange is even better, if that's possible but the bass is inferior and the treble is fantastic so long as you don't move your head. And they have reliability issues...which to be fair, so do the 988's/63's which is the #1 reason I moved on from them.

    2. Carver Amazing Platinum MkIV's - This is largely a sentimental pick. I've got RT1's MKIV's and my first REAL hifi experience was listening to George Grands. Now, that said, these are great speakers under certain conditions. Setup is a PITA and the bass never REALLY integrates with the ribbon all that well (although setup and room characteristics play a big factor)......but the ribbon is, well, amazing and the bass is prodigious and it can recreate scale and depth like few other speakers can. I've owned the original CAL's....and they were absolute PIGS to drive. You couldn't buy enough amp to get them to REALLY open up and the original Plats had issues with ribbon sibilance.....but the MKIV's solved most of those issues. Build quality though always an issue with the Amazings.

    3. Thiel 3.6's - the only issue with these speakers is that they are demanding on amplifiers. Other than that, they do nothing that isn't first rate and is THE most coherent full range speaker I've ever heard. There are no sins of commission with these speakers and could EASILY be the only speakers you'd ever need to own.

    Honorable mentions:

    Bozak - at some point, everyone needs to hear a pair. These are so musical it's frightening and you find yourself just drawn into listening. There are things to nitpick....they don't image great, for example....but they recreate music like nothing you've heard.

    Dynaco A-25 - If I could only spend a few bucks on a speaker.....this is THE greatest bang/buck speaker ever. Period.

    LEAST favorite speaker: B&W Matrix 802 - I REALLY wanted to like these....and I see why many do...but I just could NEVER love these. Appreciate, yes. Love, no. They just are revealing, image great, etc etc etc.....but are just, for lack of a better term...unemotional.

    No Polks, I know, I know......I love SDA. I really do.....and Iistening to F1's 2.3tl's rig is something EVERYONE should get a chance to do and they do and I've got the L800's coming so I'm not ever going to throw shade on them but I've just always had them and moved on from them....come back to them etc etc.....that being said, put a gun to my head, I think the CRS+'s was the sweet spot of the entire SDA line. Fight me.
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,524
    The floorstanders I still have not necessarily in order of overall best because they're so different from each other:

    Polk Legend L800
    Magnepan 1.7i
    JM Lab Electra 920.1

    Honorable mention to my closet speakers that only emerge once in a while: Spendor S6 in maple veneer I bought for $400 almost 20 years ago.
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,157
    Interesting there has been no mention (just scanning, at least) of the venerable JBL L100.
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    jdjohn wrote: »
    Interesting there has been no mention (just scanning, at least) of the venerable JBL L100.

    I don't know that anyone around here has ever owned a pair.......

    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,732
    The speaker that really started everything for me was the Tyler acoustics 7u and super towers. I would roll those together. Huge love hate, extremely amazing but would obliterate poor recordings.

    Second would have to be the jm lab mezzo and grande, has been a blast these 5 or so years playing with these. Detailed enough to give you what is there but relaxed enough to play anything. My musical enjoyment is the best it has ever been... I add atleast 50 songs and artist to my play list every month.

    Third would have to be the power monitor series from definitive. Something about a powered subwoofer in a monitor that speaks to my inner teenager
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    You keep talking about those Mezzo Utopias and my interest keeps growing.... :wink:
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,732
    Bring a u haul on the 22nd! I'll even throw in a pair of monitor Audio gold 60s ❤️❤️❤️❤️
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    BlueFox wrote: »
    My three are my first 'good' speaker, and my still current last two speakers. From last to best.

    1. Pioneer CS-A700, I had so much fun during the 70s and into the early 80s with those speakers, plus they sounded pretty good.
    2. Aerial Acoustics 7T, currently used as the fronts in my HT/surround sound system. My first, to me, high end speaker.
    3. Magico S5, most likely the last speaker I will ever buy. These things are phenomenal. They are so accurate, whether playing low with a string quartet, or blasting at an obscene level with rock, they sound great. I am just amazed at how effortlessly they play loud. Tonight they will help me evaluate the new remastered Led Zeppelin 96/24 downloads.

    Seven years later, let me update this post. After breaking both S5 speakers by playing them way too loud by trying to find out how loud they could play before distorting, I upgraded to the Magico S5 MK 2. The new Magicos are even better, and will never be played at ridiculous levels.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,949
    You blew the tweeters on your Magico S5 speakers by playing them too loudly? This is the first time I've ever heard you mention that!
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,300
    Clipdat wrote: »
    You blew the tweeters on your Magico S5 speakers by playing them too loudly? This is the first time I've ever heard you mention that!

    What do you think started "A BLUEFOX KINDA FRIDAY NIGHT" thread ??
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,949
    Excessive alcohol consumption followed by drunk posting?
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,300
    Partially correct
    that's what lead up to when the speakers blew
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,732
    That has to be a club with few members, someone who has blew a magico tweeter 😜
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,949
    edited January 2022
    BlueFox wrote:
    LOL. I blew up both my S5 mids, one tweeter, and the cross-over. The drivers are $800 each, and the cross-over fixed for free. Unfortunately, I bought them used, so I had no warranty.

    I will say that before they broke I was sitting there amazed that they could play so loud, and still sound fantastic. I swear I was literally being pounded by the music. Lesson learned, and now I never get out of the 90 db range.
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  • jdjohn
    jdjohn Posts: 3,157
    TroyD wrote: »
    You keep talking about those Mezzo Utopias and my interest keeps growing.... :wink:
    If you have the space for them, you should go for it. These are speakers you build the rest of your system 'around'... although they can accommodate a wide range of other components quite comfortably. For the record, I have Trey's other pair, which are modded just like his pair. You get free lifetime support with them :D
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter