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What are the best speakers you have ever owned and why?

I just recently recieved my long awaited Shahinian Diapason 2’s from Vasken And they are absolutely spectacular! This got me thinking about my long journey to get here. Bless my wife for putting up with the many many many speakers that have passed through. The lifelong saga began with Magneoan MG 1’s back in college which were replaced by Dahlquist DQ 10’s. Then we traveled down a long road of speakers and systems. Magnepan Tympanis, Misson 770, Randall Rsch DQ10’s, Quad ESL single and stacked, Acoustat II, rogers LS3/5A’s, Linn Isobarik’s (2 pairs) B&W 801 Matrix, Hales Signature, Martin Logan Monolith2, Apogee Scintilla (1 ohm) Apogee Full Range, Theil SC 5A, Egglestonworks Andra, B&W Nautilius 801,Quad 63 and some I’m sure I forgot! Each speaker had its virtues and flaws but oh what a fun and a times frustrating trek! I think I have finally found my speaker to take me to retirement they do everything that I value wonderfully . They are detailed without sounding so, very dynamic, they have great low end reach, power and detail, are open sounding like a planner, their tonality and timbre seem spot on and they sound wonderful on any kind of music. Tell me about your journey!
hamr
steve59's avatar
steve59
1,640 posts
 
Thought I pissed thru a lot of speakers, that list is impressive. Sold the ushers to help fund a pair of persona 7f’s that my salesman wouldn’t sell me! I used that money to buy a pair of DSP8000’s and shortly after the se kit. Why? Bass. Many speakers could get most of the music right but these guys are the best I’ve ever heard in my room.
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jjss49
6,608 posts
 
@simao

To me the ProAcs give the best combination of wonderful imaging/layering, true transparency/speed, midrange/vocal realism AND yet they are not fatiguing for long listening sessions. Other Brit speakers I have tried, while very good, are either too slow, too polite or they can be edgy if they try to be fast and super transparent.

I listen to jazz, vocals, some pop/soul - often rhythmic stuff with bass, but no headbanging stuff. The ProAcs are not rock or party speakers, but for what I listen to, they and the Quad ESL’s (requiring different placement) remain unmatched.  Some ProAcs can be a little bass light in terms of quantity (not quality) but I have also learned to integrate in good Rel subs for a very solid bottom.

Other very important factor here is I discovered long ago to mate ProAcs with Audio Research tube amps. ProAc’s are developed using ARC tube amps (among others, I am sure) and the good ARC amps really control the speakers, give very good bass response AND give utter transparency with a good dose of tube magic.


mikem
260 posts
 
I owned a pair of Von Schweikert VR-7s for 17 years before I sold them.. They were simply wonderful once setup properly..  I now own the Daedalus Athena Speakers after downsizing and losing my dedicated audio room..  These are sounding pretty good too.. need more time with them..
twoboys
6 posts
 
There is no way to say how many pieces of gear have flowed through my system.  Literally dozens of speakers.  At times, like now, I have multiple pairs around.  But, here goes.  
Non-descript store brand speakers.
Magnepan 2.5R
JBL L-1
JBL XPL-90
Audiovector M1 Signature
Energy Veritas 2.2

Still have the Audiovectors and the Energy.  Been oddly happy with them
phillyb's avatar
phillyb
394 posts
 

During my years in this hobby, I’ve owned Boston Acoustics, Bose 901s, Dalquist DQ-10s, then Randall Research DQ10s with the crossover updated, and the Pizo tweeter, woofers redone, with a high power amp these were special. Open baffle from the midrange up with sealed woofers. Proac Response, Legacy Focus, Paragon Regent (just wonderful) with Dynaudio drivers and lead-lined cabinets, the Dynaudio Confidence 5’s, Bass could shake the room, fast and detailed to boot, one of my favorites of all time as long as you had an amp with the current. Then after hearing about Quad ESL 57s many years earlier, I purchased the Quad ESL67s totally rebuilt from top to bottom by Electrostatic Solutions, had those for many years, and once I learned how to setup them up they could be jaw-dropping good and they loved my 400-watt McIntosh Amp, then after 9 years with them I found the Spatial Audio Sapphire M3 speakers that were one of the only speakers I could live with after the Quads, then sound like panel speakers but with true bottom end and dynamics to spare when having no box sound, so best of both worlds. 2 years now with them and still shake my head at times how they sound so present like the performance is in your room. Electrostatic/Panels sound but with balls! Can finally let them rip when the music demands it, and they play from early jazz, big band, Blues, all eras of rock and roll, classical, and folk equally well. Are these my last speakers, could be, retired now and I’ve heard many others on top of what I’ve owned and I find I’m at peace with these speakers they make listening to music enjoyable and that is what this hobby comes down to in the end, and it has been 40 years now and I fully understand when good is good, then it becomes a change for change sake.

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