Little Know Speaker Builders


I recently came across a local speaker builder and had a listen to his designs. The guy has been building speakers for 30 years and for the price, they sounded really good. I may take a pair home to comapre to my B&Ws. The speakers sell for $1800 versus $5000 for the B&W 803s.

I wanted to know if you know of any other speaker builders where you have had a listen to their designs and what your thoughts are. Did you end up comparing them and buying them? An can you provide me with information on them.

Thanks and Happy Listening.
bigkidz
I always wanted to hear Kinetic Audio speakers. They always had such good specs in the old Audio Annual Buyers Guides. Never had the opportunity.
KINETIC AUDIO !!! I have the STAT (satellite) & TRAPEZOID (double 12" subs) since 1981 !!! Refinished the cabinets to black myself...will never give them up.
How about Royd Loudspeakers from England? They are handbuilt and sound fantastic for the money.

They do retail in shops but there are not that many dealers in the States.

Dave
I don't know if this counts as "little known" but... I would seriously consider North Creek speakers.

www.northcreekmusic.com

Lee Taylor will build any of the cabinets and installing the crossovers and drivers is not rocket science. The quality of the designs and the amazing crossovers really make these speakers unique. I have enjoyed the Rhythm Signatures for over a year now. Just email me if you want to know more.
A local guy here in Portland builds a fine speaker called the Shamrock Eire. His name is Mike McCall and his website is www.shamrockaudio.com.

Basically he only sells direct and passes the 50% cost savings on to the consumer. Mike's a real straight shooter with a quality first product.
check out ellisaudio.com

I've read some nice things about these, but never heard them.

Also has anybody heard or heard of Toby speakers out of Ft Worth TX ?
Check out Reimer speakers (www.reimerspeakers.com). He is a one-man shop. Great speakers. He doesn't make his own drivers (as few people do, except large companies), but his designs are great. I've got a pair of his McCulloughs, and I'm extremely happy with them. I'm driving them with a pair of 2A3 monoblocks.

JD
Try Don Morrison at Morrison audio. He's famous for making the E.L.A.D. (line-stage preamp) but you have to hear his speakers, glorious and the response is as flat as flat could be with the 3D imaging that is out of this world.
If you're in the Chicago area check out Kinetic Audio
(www.kinetic-audio.com). Used to be a fairly large operation
in the mid-70s but has slowly reduced to his current one-man
company run by Ted Karson. Specializes in transmission line
designs. He builds his own 12" woofers, 6.5" mids, and 1"
soft dome tweeters to extremely high standards. The only
drivers he outsources are his 1" metal dome tweeters and
his 2" metal and soft dome mids. I've had a pair of his
Labyrinths since '96 and I'm still thrilled by them every
time I sit down to listen.