Speakers That Changed My Life

maxward
maxward Posts: 1,490
This is the title of an article in the current issue of The Absolute Sound (#296). In it, many staffers describe theirs. For Robert Harley, it was the Polk Monitor 10. It’s an interesting article, in that it gets one thinking about which speakers, if any, quality on a personal level.
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Comments

  • teekay0007
    teekay0007 Posts: 2,289
    Like Mr. Harley, the Monitor 10s were the first to draw me in, back in ‘89! B)
  • Jimbo18
    Jimbo18 Posts: 2,309
    Mine were a pair KLH 5's. Not great speakers but after the Zenith system I first bought........
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    SDA 2B's were my first set of Polks. Been a fan ever since! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,305
    edited July 2019
    Infinity RS6b in the late 80’s - completely blew me away, especially for their size.

    *stock photo
    hdbrhct3zhvd.jpeg

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    edited July 2019
    I am surprised that Harley's hifi loudspeaker epiphany was the Monitor 10. That's cool, though.

    Polk Monitor Series Model 7A (and The David Grisman Quintet) for me. (edit) Early (?) 1977. Soundscape. Baltimore.

    Still got 'em; although I couldn't actually afford to buy a pair 'til 1978 -- and even then had to go with demonstrators in "rosewood" :p vinyl.

    ... and y'all know how that all turned out...

    B)

  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    edited July 2019
    Jimbo18 wrote: »
    Mine were a pair KLH 5's. Not great speakers but after the Zenith system I first bought........

    Oh, I dunno -- the KLH 5 was pretty darned decent IMO/IME.

    The Quad ESL-57s probably made the biggest incremental impression on me, FWIW.
    I have a flashbulb memory of the first time I heard them. I literally wanted a pair upon first hearing (playing Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here on Quad ss electronics) and did ultimately acquire a pair (albeit only decades later).

    Some of the least colored sounding loudspeakers extant, then and even still now. Just astonishing (within their limitations, which are admittedly rather significant). :)

    Everyone who is interested in hifi sound reproduction should, ideally, own a pair (with appropriate amplification available, of course) -- or at the least spend a good chunk of quality time listening to them, I'd opine.


    28967395507_9e11ba5b54_b.jpgquadsnvinyl0609 (1) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    Not sure if they changed my life, but my Pioneer CS-A700 speakers I bought in 73-74 established the sound I had to better with every subsequent purchase. Actually, I guess they did change my life when I think of all the dinero I have spent on speakers since then. :)

    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.
  • OleBoot
    OleBoot Posts: 2,064
    My revelation were Leak Sandwich speakers that were purchased for a song by my Dad from an audiophile friend of his (who upgraded to speakers embedded in concrete in the wall of his house - the ultimate in those days) and given to me for Christmas to be powered by my 20 wpc Teleton amp.
  • gyosa
    gyosa Posts: 675
    As good as my SDA 1c’s ave always been , my new Salks have blown me away ....
    That Raal ribbon tweeter is unbelievable - mids and highs are orgasmic.

    Bk
    Parasound A21 , Yamaha wxc-50 , Polk SDA 1c’s ( my first love .. ) , Kimber Kable 4TC, Sony 42” - BEDROOM

    B&K EX-442 ( it will go in my casket when I die ... ) , PS Audio 4.6 preamp ( old school , but it still jams on ... ) , Yamaha wxc-50 , Boston Acoustic voyager 7’s - POOL

    PS Audio Stellar S300 , Eversolo DMP-A8 , Yamaha wxc-50 , Kimber Kable 4vs , Salk Supercharged Song towers ( difficult choice between these and my family if I had to choose ... 😩 ) , Sony XBR-A8F 65” OLED - DEN , MAIN RIG

    Cambridge Audio 851n - sitting in the closet , for now

    Onkyo TX-nr609 , Polk atrium 7 , Boston acoustic sound ware (4) , Boston acoustic sub , B&W center , Sharp 65” TV - PATIO

    DAYENS AMPINO ( thanks Verb ! ) , KEiiD streamer ( this was only 60 bucks ?? ) , Polk atrium 8SDi’s - KID’s BEDROOM
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,033
    Magnepan Tympani mated with AR amplification and front end... I would go listen for my lunch breaks when I worked there in 1985 prior to leaving for boot camp.
    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
  • maxward
    maxward Posts: 1,490
    For me, two speakers qualify. The first was a pair of AR 2ax, in my freshman dorm (1968). Owned by a kid who built tube Dynaco kits to drive them. He had them facing each other on the tops of the built-in bookshelves in the corners of the room. Yeah, way too much bass, but when you’re 17, what else is there? This, and other like-minded residents of the dorm, is what started an interest in stereo. Then, in about 1975, on a trip up the California Coast, I stopped in a cafe in Mendocino and heard some jazz playing at relatively mild levels and couldn’t figure out where it was coming from. A waiter pointed out the Quad ESL-57 pair sitting up on a low room divider. I found a table nearby and was amazed at the natural sound of the music while I ate my lunch. I have ever since thought about getting a pair of Quads or other electrostatic speakers.
  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    I'm not sure "changed my life" would be my exact words, but, I remember several different phases of life where different speakers/setups wowed. I remember my first Klipsch Khorns with Mac tube mono's...the clarity and detail. I remember the first time I heard the SRS's, that was life changing...I knew there was a different level of sound stage and dimension available. I remember the first time I heard Maggies. That was a watershed moment.
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    KLH model 8's wowed me. I used them for years. I think I had a small Pioneer silver face powering them.

    Then the ESS AMT1B's. super wow!

    Then the Polk Monitor 10's had a sound that made my classic rock sound oh so good!

    You all know the rest. I'm still getting wowed by road side finds or free speakers from my local Craig's list ads.
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    gyosa wrote: »
    As good as my SDA 1c’s ave always been , my new Salks have blown me away ....
    That Raal ribbon tweeter is unbelievable - mids and highs are orgasmic.

    Bk

    Does that mean that the bass... is not?
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,922
    Magnepan Tympani mated with AR amplification and front end... I would go listen for my lunch breaks when I worked there in 1985 prior to leaving for boot camp.

    a classic combination (assuming by "AR" you mean Audio Research) -- I remember hearing the 1B morph of the Magneplanar Tympanis (which were marketed by Audio Research, not Magnepan, interestingly enough) with Audio Research amplification. Very, very nice.

    My only "issue" with them (and this only in retrospect) was an un-natural bigness to some recordings -- I vividly remember the impression of the 12 foot wide piano that they presented. It was impressive (and I was young and impressionable!) but not exactly realistic (although the tone and weight of the sound was good).

    Not much will beat the reproduction of 'real' sounding piano from the aforementioned ESL-57 or the Altec Duplexes IMO and IME. Indeed, I am not sure anything will. I certainly haven't heard any better (in terms of real sounding) piano reproduction than from those two units. They remain my reference for real (as opposed to realistic) midrange reproduction.

  • gyosa
    gyosa Posts: 675


    No the bass is there .... plenty.
    Doesn’t go as low as the 1c’s , but it it is way tighter , more defined.
    Transmission Line cabinet vs passive radiator.....
    Bass is “mushy” on the 1c’s compared to the Salks.
    The Salks are a very “accurate” speaker .
    Still love the 1c’s though .....

    Bk

    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    gyosa wrote: »
    As good as my SDA 1c’s ave always been , my new Salks have blown me away ....
    That Raal ribbon tweeter is unbelievable - mids and highs are orgasmic.

    Bk

    Does that mean that the bass... is not?

    Parasound A21 , Yamaha wxc-50 , Polk SDA 1c’s ( my first love .. ) , Kimber Kable 4TC, Sony 42” - BEDROOM

    B&K EX-442 ( it will go in my casket when I die ... ) , PS Audio 4.6 preamp ( old school , but it still jams on ... ) , Yamaha wxc-50 , Boston Acoustic voyager 7’s - POOL

    PS Audio Stellar S300 , Eversolo DMP-A8 , Yamaha wxc-50 , Kimber Kable 4vs , Salk Supercharged Song towers ( difficult choice between these and my family if I had to choose ... 😩 ) , Sony XBR-A8F 65” OLED - DEN , MAIN RIG

    Cambridge Audio 851n - sitting in the closet , for now

    Onkyo TX-nr609 , Polk atrium 7 , Boston acoustic sound ware (4) , Boston acoustic sub , B&W center , Sharp 65” TV - PATIO

    DAYENS AMPINO ( thanks Verb ! ) , KEiiD streamer ( this was only 60 bucks ?? ) , Polk atrium 8SDi’s - KID’s BEDROOM
  • Polkitup2
    Polkitup2 Posts: 1,619
    After a long Hiatus from audio, the Polk RTi150s sucked me back into audio. Not sure I'd be too impressed with them now, but at the time I thought they were the greatest thing my rookie ears had ever heard. They could rock! My listening tastes are completely different now (14 years later), but I must say that the first couple years of getting back into audio with the Polk's were the most fun.
  • motorstereo
    motorstereo Posts: 2,042
    Properly set up sda's would be mine. The next day after I heard what Polk 1.2tl's were capable of in December of 2011 I disassembled my entire rig in a quest that continues to this day to retrieve and refine that sda sound.
  • dromunds
    dromunds Posts: 9,969
    They didn't change my life, but they stopped me in my tracks. Acoustic Research AR-9's playing outside - Deep Purple Made in Japan had just come out - and I'd never heard it. A stereo shop was playing the AR-9's behind their shop hooked up to some good separates (maybe S.A.E.), and I was literally stopped in my tracks when I heard those speakers - I thought a live band was playing over there. I didn't even know there was a stereo shop there so I walked closer to see the band and I was flabbergasted to see only those AR-9's and a small group of people mulling about.
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    That's a fantastic experience and cool story. ;)B)
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    Reminds me of my brothers' story in a way.

    He went to an outdoor party and the people had huge Klipsch Cornwalls or La-Scala's or what ever model bigger BOX Klipsch speakers and he said it was like a live band was up on the platform they had made to put the speakers on with a DJ.

    He'll never forget them he said! :DB)
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • codycatalist
    codycatalist Posts: 2,662
    edited July 2019
    SDA SRS2

    First real speakers I ever listened to. Due to that experience I searched and now own an upgraded pair of 2Bs that would probably beat the snot out of those unmodded SRS.
    Just a dude doing dude-ly things

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  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    edited July 2019
    I saw Carl Sagan speak at a seminar

    Ding ding ding ding ding...we have a winner!
  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    Von Schweikert VR2's

    qkw0302yk9p0.jpg
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
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  • hochpt21
    hochpt21 Posts: 5,423
    About 10 years ago, I had recently joined the forum due to a pair of Monitor 70’s and as we do well around here...was quickly encouraged to buy a pair of LSi15’s.

    The LSi15’s blew me away. They were so clear and “real” sounding compared to anything I had heard previously. I honestly remember being at work and tweaking about getting home for a listening session. It was like an addict situation.

    I’ve enjoyed my brief journey so far, but to this point, that has been my “wow” moment.
    2 ChannelTurntable - VPI Classic 2/Ortofon 2M BlueAmplification - Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II, Parks Audio Budgie PhonoSpeakers - GoldenEar Triton 17.2 Home TheaterDenon AVR-X3300W; Rotel RMB-1066; Klipsch RP-280F's, Klipsch RP-450C, Polk FXi3's, Polk RC60i; Dual SVS PB 2000's; BenQ HT2050; Elite Screens 120"Man CaveTurntable - Pro-Ject 2.9 Wood/Grado GoldAmplification - Dared SL2000a, McCormack DNA 0.5 DeluxeCD: Cambridge AudioSpeakers - Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary; LSiM 703; SDA 2A
  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Klipsch C Horns, Pink Floyd's The Wall and possibly some acid involved....

    Great Karma! In with 69
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,557
    Snell Acoustics.