The 10 Best Audiophile Speakers List - 2009

xj4094dg
xj4094dg Posts: 1,158
edited August 2009 in The Clubhouse
This was in my inbox today.

http://hometheaterreview.com/the-10-best-audiophile-speakers-list---2009/
"The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it." Neil deGrasse Tyson.
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  • obieone
    obieone Posts: 5,077
    edited August 2009
    I'm glad I'm not the only one who is impressed w/ the Def Tech Mythos:rolleyes:

    I'm also glad to see Paradigm made the list. There's a place called Manifest records in Columbia, that has a bunch of older Paradigms, and they do sound GOOD!;)
    I refuse to argue with idiots, because people can't tell the DIFFERENCE!
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  • Ricardo
    Ricardo Posts: 10,636
    edited August 2009
    The 10 Best Audiophile Speakers List - 2009

    According to who?
    _________________________________________________
    ***\\\\\........................... My Audio Journey ............................./////***

    2008 & 2010 Football Pool WINNER
    SOPA
    Thank God for different opinions. Imagine the world if we all wanted the same woman
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  • thuffman03
    thuffman03 Posts: 1,325
    edited August 2009
    obieone wrote: »
    I'm glad I'm not the only one who is impressed w/ the Def Tech Mythos:rolleyes:

    Def Tech rocks! I am trying to find a set of BP 30's within driving distance.
    Sunfire TGP, Sunfire Cinema Grand, Sunfire 300~2 (2), Sunfire True Sub (2),Carver ALS Platinum, Carver AL III, TFM-55, C-19, C-9, TX-8, SDA-490t, SDA-390t
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited August 2009
    Ricardo wrote: »
    The 10 Best Audiophile Speakers List - 2009

    According to who?

    Advertising revenue....or expectation thereof.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • AudioGenics
    AudioGenics Posts: 2,567
    edited August 2009
    hmmmm...only mention of Polk Audio was an advertisement at the bottom of the page
    .....Polk SurroundBar 360 DVD Theater Reviewed.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited August 2009
    Far bottom right and the website often has little to do with the issue. Maybe they will, maybe they won't....but a good review either way. An equally nice review coming from Affordable Audio.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • BrettT1
    BrettT1 Posts: 560
    edited August 2009
    Top of my list are the Polk 1.2TLs.
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  • warren
    warren Posts: 756
    edited August 2009
    Paradigm Atom V5 ($250 per pair)
    Dollar for dollar you can't beat the Paradigm Atom bookshelf speakers from Canada. For barely any investment, you can have clear, dynamic and resolute sound that will trash the similarly priced "warehouse store" competition. In the world of entry-level sound, few can touch the Paradigm Atom speakers in terms of value. I've blind A-B tested them (behind speaker cloth) versus more expensive bookshelf speakers, with the Atoms being the clear winner.
    This has Polk book shelves beat? Can trash them? Geez....
    Some final words,
    "If you keep banging your head against the wall,
    you're going to have headaches."
    Warren
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited August 2009
    It's a solid list not to mention it has my new speakers on it so thats pretty cool. The Mythos ST speakers are shockingly good. The more you listen to them , the more you fall in love with them.

    You just don't expect what they can do when you look at them. And the price for what they do is very fair.

    The Atom V5 from Paradigm is a little gem. They are great cheap speakers. They sound much higher end then there price tag shows. Awesome Den or library speakers. There nice in a Kitchen on top of the cabinets.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • wutadumsn23
    wutadumsn23 Posts: 3,702
    edited August 2009
    Shows what a dumba$$ I am, I didn't even recognize most of the speakers on that list, lol. Then again, I am far from an expert on this matter, so I wouldn't know a good speaker if it came up and slapped me on the a$$, lol. What's with those Wilson Sasha WP's? they look like garbage cans, or a modified R2D2, lol. And the color? Anywhoot, like I said I wouldn't know an "audiophile" speaker if it was right in front of me. At those prices I guess it is more what it sounds like than what it looks like. :D

    -Jeff
    HT Rig
    Receiver- Onkyo TX-SR806
    Mains- Polk Audio Monitor 70
    Center- Polk Audio CS2
    Surrounds- Polk Audio TSi 500's :D
    Sub- Polk Audio PSW125
    Retired- Polk Audio Monitor 40's
    T.V.- 60" Sony SXRD KDS-60A2000 LCoS
    Blu-Ray- 80 GB PS3


    2 CH rig (in progress)
    Polk Audio Monitor 10A's :cool:

    It's not that I'm insensitive, I just don't care.. :D
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  • McLoki
    McLoki Posts: 5,231
    edited August 2009
    wutadumsn23 wrote: »
    Shows what a dumba$$ I am, I didn't even recognize most of the speakers on that list, lol. Then again, I am far from an expert on this matter, so I wouldn't know a good speaker if it came up and slapped me on the a$$, lol. What's with those Wilson Sasha WP's? they look like garbage cans, or a modified R2D2, lol. And the color? Anywhoot, like I said I wouldn't know an "audiophile" speaker if it was right in front of me. At those prices I guess it is more what it sounds like than what it looks like. :D

    -Jeff

    I have not heard the new Sasha, but the watt puppy version 8 is the best sounding speaker I have ever heard. (to my ears besting even the more expensive Wilson speakers up to and including the Maxx)

    They are butt ugly (imo) and look even worse with their grills off, but damn do they sound good.

    Michael

    BTW - I will own a set one day.....
    Mains.............Polk LSi15 (Cherry)
    Center............Polk LSiC (Crossover upgraded)
    Surrounds.......Polk LSi7 (Gloss Black - wood sides removed and crossovers upgraded)
    Subwoofers.....SVS 25-31 CS+ and PC+ (both 20hz tune)
    Pre\Pro...........NAD T163 (Modded with LM4562 opamps)
    Amplifier.........Cinepro 3k6 (6-channel, 500wpc@4ohms)
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,602
    edited August 2009
    It's a stab at it. Like stated, it's meant to start discussions.
    The Revels are a surprise. So are the Martin Logans.
    I'm all about mid-fi value.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited August 2009
    warren wrote: »
    Paradigm Atom V5 ($250 per pair)
    Dollar for dollar you can't beat the Paradigm Atom bookshelf speakers from Canada. For barely any investment, you can have clear, dynamic and resolute sound that will trash the similarly priced "warehouse store" competition. In the world of entry-level sound, few can touch the Paradigm Atom speakers in terms of value. I've blind A-B tested them (behind speaker cloth) versus more expensive bookshelf speakers, with the Atoms being the clear winner.
    This has Polk book shelves beat? Can trash them? Geez....

    You should listen to them.... ;)

    I would gladly pair my Titans against any Polk bookshelf speaker. It may not take out the LSi9s, but i bet it wouldn't be a terrible wash, either.
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

    Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999

    Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3

    HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited August 2009
    Hmmm... Bose didn't make the list? Must not have been an in depth review. :)
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • thuffman03
    thuffman03 Posts: 1,325
    edited August 2009
    madmax wrote: »
    Hmmm... Bose didn't make the list? Must not have been an in depth review. :)
    madmax

    Bose are on the other list. The list of 10 worst speakers of 2009.:D
    Sunfire TGP, Sunfire Cinema Grand, Sunfire 300~2 (2), Sunfire True Sub (2),Carver ALS Platinum, Carver AL III, TFM-55, C-19, C-9, TX-8, SDA-490t, SDA-390t
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  • obieone
    obieone Posts: 5,077
    edited August 2009
    thuffman03 wrote: »
    Bose are on the other list. The list of 10 worst speakers of 2009.:D

    And I know WHERE that list is located: LOCKED up in Framingham, MA:p
    I refuse to argue with idiots, because people can't tell the DIFFERENCE!
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  • obieone
    obieone Posts: 5,077
    edited August 2009
    concealer404 wrote: »
    You should listen to them.... ;)

    I would gladly pair my Titans against any Polk bookshelf speaker. It may not take out the LSi9s, but i bet it wouldn't be a terrible wash, either.

    +1! I heard the Titans paired with a PDR-10, fed from a Marantz avr, SWEEEEET!;)
    I refuse to argue with idiots, because people can't tell the DIFFERENCE!
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited August 2009
    obieone wrote: »
    +1! I heard the Titans paired with a PDR-10, fed from a Marantz avr, SWEEEEET!;)

    I think you should hear them on my setup. :) They do everything i would expect a good bookshelf to do, plus some. When placed properly, i almost have a hard time believe they aren't floorstanders with my eyes closed. They have no right to be as full as they are.


    Thanks for getting me going again, darn it.... i think i'm going to throw them on the Oinker with an S8 or two and see what it sounds like. I REALLY need to invest in banana clips!
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

    Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999

    Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3

    HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000
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  • concealer404
    concealer404 Posts: 7,440
    edited August 2009
    concealer404 wrote: »
    I think you should hear them on my setup. :) They do everything i would expect a good bookshelf to do, plus some. When placed properly, i almost have a hard time believe they aren't floorstanders with my eyes closed. They have no right to be as full as they are.


    Thanks for getting me going again, darn it.... i think i'm going to throw them on the Oinker with an S8 or two and see what it sounds like. I REALLY need to invest in banana clips!

    Uhmmm..... holy crap.

    Someone smarter than me has to tell me WHY these things are capable of so much low end...

    I've never had them on this oinker... the last separates i had them on was with my old GFA-5200. This is WORLDS better. I'm not even sure if i want to hook up the sub. Argument could be made that they're better than my Esprits. Not sure how i feel about that.

    Wish i had my camera, my rig looks pretty today. :)
    I don't read the newsssspaperssss because dey aaaallllllllll...... have ugly print.

    Living Room: B&K Reference 5 S2 / Parasound HCA-1000A / Emotiva XDA-2 / Pioneer BDP-51FD / Paradigm 11se MKiii

    Desk: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / ISK HD9999

    Office: Schiit Magni 2 Uber / Schiit Modi 2 Uber / Dynaco SCA-80Q / Paradigm Legend V.3

    HT: Denon AVR-X3400H / Sony UBP-X700 / RT16 / CS350LS / RT7 / SVS PB1000
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  • Hawkeye
    Hawkeye Posts: 1,313
    edited August 2009
    sucks2beme wrote: »
    It's a stab at it. Like stated, it's meant to start discussions.
    The Revels are a surprise. So are the Martin Logans.
    I'm all about mid-fi value.

    Just curious, but why did ML making the list surprise you? By no means am I trying to start a war but would be interested in your opinions.

    Gordon
    2 Channel -
    Martin Logan Spire, 2 JL Audio F112 subs
    McIntosh C1000 Controller with Tube pre amp, 2 MC501 amplifiers, MD1K Transport & DAC, MR-88 Tuner
    WireWorld Eclipse 6.0 speaker wire and jumpers, Eclipse 5^2 Squared Balanced IC's. Silver Eclipse PCs (5)
    Symposium Rollerblocks 2+ (16)Black Diamond Racing Mk 3 pits (8)
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  • DeusExa
    DeusExa Posts: 491
    edited August 2009
    Depends on your definition of best....
    - Speakers on the list must be currently made.
    - The speakers must have a modicum of mainstream distribution. Not much - just some.
    - Listed speakers must play Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane and Rob Zombie as well as/or better than they reproduce any audiophile test SACD or Jazz at the Pawnshop on 180 gram vinyl.
    - Despite overall price - a listed speaker needs to offer a unique value and/or value proposition.

    Not good parameters, IMO.
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  • megasat16
    megasat16 Posts: 3,521
    edited August 2009
    I am shocked to see the sub par speakers make it to the Top 10 Audiophiles speakers list. By all means, cost or price is not a measure of a good performing speakers but some of the speakers are just everyday HT speakers.
    Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited August 2009
    I do love that Meyer Sound is on there. I've heard that are some of the best made, but you'll pay for it of course. It's good to see something different and deserving on the list.
    Jake
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,602
    edited August 2009
    Hawkeye wrote: »
    Just curious, but why did ML making the list surprise you? By no means am I trying to start a war but would be interested in your opinions.

    Gordon

    ML and Revel make great speakers. The pricepoints for these speakers
    are the surprise. A lot of high end companies are now make lower priced
    speakers, but most of them aren't a good buy.

    Megasat16, There's nothing wrong with lower priced speakers. 99% of consumers
    are going to stop far short of what most of us here enjoy. There have been several
    bargain speakers along the way that have made me wonder if I was upgrading just
    to upgrade. Once again, it easy to give a thumbs up to $60k speakers. IT's a lot harder
    to listen and honestly review lower priced speakers.

    See, it's already started up a lot of conversations!
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
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  • megasat16
    megasat16 Posts: 3,521
    edited August 2009
    Yes! I quite agrees with you there about lower priced yet well performing speakers. They are regular everyday speakers that performs well and some in that list are more suited for HT or even bookshelf. There is probably nothing to write home about either.

    The shocking is how it's made up to top 10 Audiophile's Speaker list.
    Trying out Different Audio Cables is a Religious Affair. You don't discuss it with anyone. :redface::biggrin:
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  • jacob.simpson
    jacob.simpson Posts: 481
    edited August 2009
    why is there no Lsi25 and 15 in the list:rolleyes:
    Am sure it will give a great competition for all the high priced stuff in this list.
    One of the criteria being in production now.
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  • Hawkeye
    Hawkeye Posts: 1,313
    edited August 2009
    I believe the ML Source is aptly named. For 2K, it gives the taste of what is possible with an ESL no matter what manufacturer. It is the "source" of the affliction most of us ESL owners suffer from even if we never owned them, only heard 'em.

    I heard them and wondered what the big boys were like. For 2K, they are an excellent entry point in the ESL world!

    Gordon
    2 Channel -
    Martin Logan Spire, 2 JL Audio F112 subs
    McIntosh C1000 Controller with Tube pre amp, 2 MC501 amplifiers, MD1K Transport & DAC, MR-88 Tuner
    WireWorld Eclipse 6.0 speaker wire and jumpers, Eclipse 5^2 Squared Balanced IC's. Silver Eclipse PCs (5)
    Symposium Rollerblocks 2+ (16)Black Diamond Racing Mk 3 pits (8)
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