What's the best speaker you have heard?

135

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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited January 2010
    Dan, Jaxwired and Dagame,

    Thanks for the input. That's exactly what I needed to hear lol. I LOVE listening to female jazz vocals.

    Ok, one more question... There is no way in hell I can afford the new model 801's. I've seen some of the older models (the boxy looking ones) show up used locally for $2-3k. Are these older ones just as good?

    I spoke to my dealer today and he's gonna let me know if any cutomer drops off a pair of old 801's to sell.
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  • 98Badger
    98Badger Posts: 317
    edited January 2010
    I have a very limited selection of high end audio shops around here, so I've probably missed out an a lot of great choices. For imaging, the best I've heard are the B&W 802D's. Not sure I like the diamond tweeter though. Sounds a bit "dry" to me.

    The best overall sounding speakers I've heard are the Paradigm Signature S8's.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,033
    edited January 2010
    Hello and welcome to Club Polk 98Badger! Glad to have you here.
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • jmwest1970
    jmwest1970 Posts: 846
    edited January 2010
    Being the mid-fi guy that I am I've not heard most of the speakers mentioned in this thread. Also, being an Arkansan my exposure to other folks rigs is extremely limited. That said, the best I've heard are Totem Winds on Arcam gear at a dealer in Dallas. I also heard a pair of LSI9 sourced with an Arcam CDP, an amp that I don't remember, and a Dodd Audio Battery Preamp owned by Russman at the Lone Star Audio Show that same weekend. The Totems were great, and I bought a pair of Rainmakers because that's what I can afford, but the thing that stays with me is that I WANT one of those Dodd Battery Preamps!
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  • jax3822
    jax3822 Posts: 88
    edited January 2010
    My two current sets are totally different and both totally incredible.
    Sony SS-M7's, acoustic suspension 8" 3ways, and a Pair of Lineaum LT-1000's 8", 2-way transmission line speakers, bipolar design. Freakin totally awesome.
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  • Zitro
    Zitro Posts: 864
    edited January 2010
    The best affordable speaker I've heard is the B&W 684, but the best speaker I think I've heard is my girlfriend's dad's pair of Audio Physic Virgo towers. The sound that comes out of those narrow cabinet's and little cones is so rich, open and detailed it's unbelievable. Crazy Germans and their engineering lol.
    - Jeremy

    Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
    Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
    Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
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  • janmike
    janmike Posts: 6,146
    edited January 2010
    Proac D100's. I can only wish.
    Michael ;)
    In the beginning, all knowledge was new!
    NORTH of 60°
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  • Dawgfish
    Dawgfish Posts: 2,554
    edited February 2010
    PolkClyde wrote: »
    That's a great system,I heard it with my own ears.......I wish I had those speaker cables and interconnect cables,,,,all MIT BABY,"Shot gunnnnnnn",shoot him before he run now... That was a song guys,remember Junior walker and the all stars?.........

    Clyde,

    How's it going? Hows that 2900 treating you? We got to get together and do some listening soon. Unfortunately I don't remember the "shot gun" song, but you're going to have to intruduce me to it.

    Steve
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  • jm1
    jm1 Posts: 618
    edited February 2010
    DarqueKnight wrote: »
    Have you heard the Dynaudio Evidence Temptations? If so, what did you think of them?

    New speakers? They would be a nice addition to your system.
    All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed and third, it is accepted as self evident.
    Arthur Schopenhauer
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited February 2010
    jm1 wrote: »
    New speakers? They would be a nice addition to your system.

    :eek: and put a black stain on the SDA shrine of shrines.:D
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited February 2010
    jm1 wrote: »
    New speakers? They would be a nice addition to your system.

    That would be going from big speakers to BIG SPEAKERS.
    Jake
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  • jm1
    jm1 Posts: 618
    edited February 2010
    zingo wrote: »
    That would be going from big speakers to BIG SPEAKERS.

    I believe there would also be sonic characteristic improvements as well.
    All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed and third, it is accepted as self evident.
    Arthur Schopenhauer
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited February 2010
    Dawgfish wrote: »
    For me it would have to be Reeltrouble1s current rabbit hole rig; Sound Lab Millienium ELSs powered by Wolcott Prescence Monoblocks. You wanna talk about soundstage........

    well thanks Dawg, yea, there is a sort of time warp thing that happens in the listening room, perhaps its because everthing in there is connected soley to or for music so the vibe sets things in a much more circular spiral than linear motion, anyway, the room is just a sort of sallyport to the actual hole, but that is much more of physical journey through all the senses. Last night during an extended Deep Purple session what seemed like a few seconds was acutal two hours and I came out totally spent, not fatigued, just spent.

    RT1
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  • john22614
    john22614 Posts: 214
    edited February 2010
    B&W 800 D's
    B&W 804s mains
    B&W HTM4 center
    Polk PSW 1000 sub
    Outlaw 990 Pre Amp
    Anthem MCA 30 Amp
    Monitor Radius 180 surrounds
    Audiosource Stereo Amp for surrounds
    Denon 2910 Universal DVD/SACD Player
    Comcast DVR
    Pioneer Elite 42" Plasma 940 HD
    Harmony Universal Remote
    Blue Jeans interconnects and biwires
    Itunes Air Express
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  • thsmith
    thsmith Posts: 6,082
    edited February 2010
    Gadabout's Audes Souls
    Speakers: SDA-1C (most all the goodies)
    Preamp: Joule Electra LA-150 MKII SE
    Amp: Wright WPA 50-50 EAT KT88s
    Analog: Marantz TT-15S1 MBS Glider SL| Wright WPP100C Amperex BB 6er5 and 7316 & WPM-100 SUT
    Digital: Mac mini 2.3GHz dual-core i5 8g RAM 1.5 TB HDD Music Server Amarra (memory play) - USB - W4S DAC 2
    Cables: Mits S3 IC and Spk cables| PS Audio PCs
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  • debussyj
    debussyj Posts: 198
    edited February 2010
    I love my Acoustat 2 + 2 electrostatics. Every time I say to myself, geez I've got to be nuts with these 8' foot tall speakers, that dominate my dedicated listening room, I hear something new in the music. They are very articulate, revealing and sound so pretty. At that point I vow to take these speakers to the grave with me! I have no doubt I probably will! LOL!
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  • Dawgfish
    Dawgfish Posts: 2,554
    edited February 2010
    reeltrouble1 wrote: »
    well thanks Dawg, yea, there is a sort of time warp thing that happens in the listening room, perhaps its because everthing in there is connected soley to or for music so the vibe sets things in a much more circular spiral than linear motion, anyway, the room is just a sort of sallyport to the actual hole, but that is much more of physical journey through all the senses. Last night during an extended Deep Purple session what seemed like a few seconds was acutal two hours and I came out totally spent, not fatigued, just spent.

    RT1

    Ahhhhh! Two hours of Deep Purple in the Rabbithole. Now that sounds like one heluva journey! I can here Ian Paice's hi-hat, snare, and kickdrum now imagining it on the rabbithole rig and it sounds like pure bliss. I think I need a shower!
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  • Ranger0912
    Ranger0912 Posts: 50
    edited February 2010
    In my experience, the Joseph Audio Pearl 2 is the most sonically pure speaker I have ever heard. I think they were driven by a pair of Cary Audio 805s at the time. Tough question to answer since speakers are so subjective.
    McIntosh MA-7000 Integrated
    Cambridge Audio Azur 840C CD
    B&W 805s
    Logitech Transporter Wireless Link
    Mac Mini Music Server
    Furman Elite Power Conditioning
    Signal Cable, Magic Power Cables
    Signal Cable, Silver Resolution Balanced Interconnects
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  • Matt34
    Matt34 Posts: 318
    edited February 2010
    Linkwitz Lab's Orion, nothing has best it thus far:

    http://www.linkwitzlab.com/orion_us.htm


    Speakers I most want to get my ears on:

    Salk Sound HT4

    http://www.cybertheater.com/salk-sound-ht4-speakers/

    salk-ht4-300x285.jpg
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  • Serendipity
    Serendipity Posts: 6,975
    edited February 2010
    My Definitive Technology BP10B.
    polkaudio RT35 Bookshelves
    polkaudio 255c-RT Inwalls
    polkaudio DSWPro550WI
    polkaudio XRT12 XM Tuner
    polkaudio RM6750 5.1

    Front projection, 2 channel, car audio... life is good!
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  • Zitro
    Zitro Posts: 864
    edited February 2010
    Bose Wave radio :p
    - Jeremy

    Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
    Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
    Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited February 2010
    Zitro wrote: »
    Bose Wave radio :p

    I'm guessing you haven't heard the cubes together with the acoutimass? Time to upgrade. :p;)
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  • iskandam
    iskandam Posts: 704
    edited February 2010
    B&W 802D. My intro to hi-fi. It was supposed to be a quick pick up of a used Velodyne subwoofer but the seller insisted on demoing his HT which consisted of a pair of B&W 802D, HTM2D and the matching bookshelf rears. It turned into a 4 hour music/movies listening session. I will own them at some point in my life.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited February 2010
    Infinity Reference Standards, circa 1984; at the time, $50,000/pr. Best sounding speaker I have owned was my 1985'ish Acoustic Research AR9Lsi's, with the Infinity RS-IIIb's coming in 2nd.
    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
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  • Zitro
    Zitro Posts: 864
    edited February 2010
    steveinaz wrote: »
    Infinity Reference Standards, circa 1984; at the time, $50,000/pr. Best sounding speaker I have owned was my 1985'ish Acoustic Research AR9Lsi's, with the Infinity RS-IIIb's coming in 2nd.

    Those were going to be my first speakers! My girlfriends Dad wanted me to have them (he's been through 9 pairs of speakers already before he settled on his Audio Physics) but it turns out his ex wife left them sitting outside for the trash man to pick them up when they got divorced. Some guy stopped and picked them up; I bet he was happy!
    - Jeremy

    Amps: Jolida FX-10, NAD 3045, NAD C320BEE, Sansui G-9700
    Speakers: Polk Monitor 7A's, KEF Reference 104aB
    Sources: ProJect Debut Carbon, Sonos streaming FLAC
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  • cstmar01
    cstmar01 Posts: 4,424
    edited February 2010
    I would have to say the very very expensive McIntosh set up with line source speakers with the 1.2K's for amps, all Mac, all very very good. Wish I could have heard more but damn. I don't have 190K but if I did, hmmmm...
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  • dougy
    dougy Posts: 182
    edited February 2010
    I live in the sticks so my exposure to quality audio is limited; especially in these days of the decline of same. But...

    ...The best speakers I've heard (in a huge room bigger than any I have in my house) were a pair of klipschorns. But having said that, I must confess: I've heard k-horns sound horrible more than once in smaller, over-damped or poorly proportioned rooms.

    I am very happy with my RBH MC-6CT's for all around listening. And for when I want to blow the cobwebs out of my mind and take a walk on the wild side, I like to crank up my 901's!
    THE MAN-CAVE 5.1 CHANNEL A/V RIG
    Sony KDS-60A3000
    a/d/s/ HT-400LCR (3)
    a/d/s/ HT-300 (2)
    Velodyne DLS-4000R (2)
    Pioneer Elite VSX-55TXi
    Pioneer Elite DV-47Ai
    Sony BDP-S300
    Sony SLV-779HF
    DirecTV HD sat. receiver

    MAN-CAVE 2-CHANNEL RIG (shares sources with a/v system)
    Adcom GFA-5500
    Bose 901 Series VI
    NAD C-165BEE
    Slim Devices Squeezebox Classic
    TEAC CD-RW890
    Technics SL-BD20D w/ Audio-Technica P34
    Akai HX-A3X
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  • dc55110
    dc55110 Posts: 128
    edited February 2010
    Supergenerous' version of 'Home on the range' (Cassandra Wilson on vocals) on a pair of Wilson Alexandria's, feed with Ayre gear. The rumble at the begining of that song, just before Ms Wilson's vocals, I swore was real thunder even though there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Here voice was as real as it was seeing her in concert.

    The opening notes on 'Riders on the Storm' through a pair of Magnepan 20.1's (feed by an all ARC Reference system) sent a shiver down my spine, that to this day happens anytime I think about the experience.
    (((STEREO)))
    Sony DVP-N9000es
    Squeezebox Duet
    Theta ProBasic IIIA
    Audio Research SP14
    White Audio Labs B1
    Transparent SoundWave Super
    Paradigm Studio Monitor
    B&W 802 s3

    HT
    Sony Bravia KDL-40Z4100
    Sony BDP-S350
    Yamaha HTR-5790
    NHT SB3 (Fronts)
    NHT SC2 (center)
    NHT SB2 (surround)
    Velodyne FSR12
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  • dpowell
    dpowell Posts: 3,068
    edited February 2010
    My SDA 1C's are the best to date that I've personally heard. Never really got the chance to hang out in a 'high-end' boutique and listen to other gear/speakers.
    ____________________________________________________________

    polkaudio Fully Modded SDA SRS 1.2TLs + Dreadnaught, LSiM706c, 4 X Polk Surrounds + 4 X ATMOS, SVS PB13 Ultra X 2, Pass Labs X1, Marantz 7704, Bob Carver Crimson Beauty 350 Tube Mono Blocks, Carver Sunfire Signature Cinema Grande 400x5, ADCOM GFA 7807, Panasonic UB420, Moon 380D DAC, EPSON Pro Cinema 6050
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  • DeusExa
    DeusExa Posts: 491
    edited February 2010
    McIntosh XRT28.

    http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/1038.asp
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