What is your speaker ownership history since 1995?
Used audio market is not the same again since on-line marketplace was born in 1995 (Fleabay). What is your speaker *ownership* history since then?
(showroom / friend's house / loaner don't count .. must be owner of them)
Let me start with mine's, from 1998 to current (*):
(oldest to current) Misc Wharfedale (thanks to uBid hype!!!) Newform Research R645 Magneplan MMG Magneplan 3.3R NHT ??? SOTA Panorama with Time Domain bass module Rogers LS3/5A Infinity ??? (first time I realize 'reference' in the model name means absolutely nothing) Klipsch Klipschorn Tyler Acoustics Taylo Reference Monitors Tyler Acoustics Reference 1 Wilson Watt Puppy 5.0 JMLab Chorus 7?? B&W Matrix 805 B&W Matrix 801 Series II Revel M20 Revel F30 Alon I Alon V Tangent R4 Loth X BS1 Odeon Double Six Silverline Sonata I Meridian DSP5000 Paragon Acoustics Regent ??? Some Audio Physics DIY clone Legacy Audio Classic Duntech Princess Sansui SP5000 Altec 604E w/ mastering lab (The Big Red) Tube ? Lab ??? (it is the sorry B&W Nautilus 805 clone) Epicure ??? (its the one with an eyeball kinda tweeter) Celestion SL600si Avalon Symbol Vienna Acoustics Mahler Quest for Sound SQ10 ??? White van speakers, can't remember the name, $80 a pair Talon Audio Peregrine X Fostex backloaded horns (DIY) Counterpoint Clearfield KR Audio (limited production specials, no model name) Avalon Eclipse Classic Apogee Centaur Major Ohm Model I Dynaco A25 Oris Horn 250 Egglestonworks Rosa Legend Audio Reference Monitors (now known as Von Gaylord ROTL Mk II) *Nearfield Acoustics Pipedreams 930 *Wilson Watt Puppy 3/2 *Kharma CRM 3.2 FE
Pretty purpose-less, focus-less timeline, I must confess.
I need to go back further than 1995, because I still have/use speakers I bought before then. Genesis Physics Model 7 - 1983 amazing for the price Boston Acoustics T-830, B speakers in main system - 1993 Bose Acoustimass 5 II - my wife made me get tiny speakers. - 2009. ---- Gave them away - 2015 KEF C30 - inherited 2010 RCA outdoor speakers - 2005 still in use PSB Imagine XB - 2015 (den) Canton Ergo 1002DC - 2016 main system Stax EAR SPEAKERS ;^) 1975, still in use
I’m almost afraid to write this list. Don’t remember exact years, but I started in the early 80’s. But here goes:
Vandersteen 1b Vandersteen 2ce Rega ELA transmission line speakers Virgo 3 Revel F30 Harbeth 7es2 Sonus Faber Signum Quad ESL 63 Magnepan 1.7 Sonus Faber Electa Amator II (loved these guys) Harbeth m30.1 (new)
Today I have KEF Q100’s in my small AV system and the Harbeth 30.1’s in my main system Now if I start listing amps, preamps, DAC’s, power conditioners, stands, computers that feed into DAC’s, etc., etc.........not sure there are enough electrons to list.
HAVE BEEN IN HOBBY SINCE 1968 WHILE A STUDENT 1.) SANSUI 1000 2.)ALLIED RADIO SHACK 3 WAY 3.) ALTEC LANSING VALENCIA 4.) JBL S8R Olympus 5.) JBL Paragon 6.) Fulton J modular installed by BobFulton 7.) Acoustat 3 with RH labs 8.) Magnepan tymphany 1-D 8.) Magnepan 2,a,b,and c - III-3A , 3.6 R with Janis subs powered 9.) Spendors - in multiple rooms mostly vintage SA-2 and BC-1 9.) original Quad 63, then Quad 63- usa monitors with Entec tower subs 3 -7 in. woofers 10.) definitive audio 18 in sub, rh labs subs large ones, Janis subs,rel1,2,and now have 2 rel 3 and have 2 jl-113 subs also, annd sunfire 12 in powered sub 11.) Current speakers I have in different room and 2-3 in each room 2017 hardly played Gershman Black Swan Harbeth SLH-5 + Quad 2905 Spendor BC-1 Spendor SA-1 Focus F-888 Cizek KA-1 with Koa wood Kef 3.2 monitors Spendor s 3/5 Quad 63 usa monitor 1 side sizzling need midrange panel Magnepan III, Paradigm signature prestige tower and rear Klisch KG 4-a 2 pairs for background parties and deck dancing with definitive 18 in sub (pair) shaked the deck (wellbraced) NOW NEEDING A HEARING AID WHICH I DON'T USE WATCH THE LOUDNESS AM NOW 72 1 1/2 STILL ENJOYING THE HOBBY!!!
jbcrespomn, Great history you have with speakers, and a great current collection. I also once owned the Focus Audio FS 888 speakers. They didn't work for me, but they were the most beautiful speakers that I ever owned with the light colored burl veneer, perfectly matched on both speakers. Next in line for good looks (and better sound ) were the Spendor 9/1.
I missed a couple including some open baffle Hawthorne Audio, Infinity Intermezzo monitors and others I simply can’t remember right now. Goodness. The ones I miss the most are the Dali Grand and Silverline Bolero speakers.
Kef 105.2 Merlin VSM Merlin TSM with REL Strata subs Merlin TSM again Silverline Sonata II Usher CP 6381 Talon Khorus II Silverline Sonata III or IV? Cain & Cain IM Double Ben with matching Cain & Cain sub Harbeth 40 Dali Grand Dali 800 Dali Grand again......great speakers! Silverline Bolero Soundlab M1 Nola Viper Reference II Coincident Total Victory II Lahave Audio Kara Harbeth 40.1 Acoustic Zen Crescendo
Boston Acoustics HD5 (high school graduation gift in 1991, got me through college and beyond and frankly I've not enjoyed anything since then more, just differently, but maybe that's just nostalgia) Krix bookshelves (forget model name, maybe Equinox) Meadowark Kestrel Hotrod Dynaco A25 (in a secondary system) Meadowlark Shearwater Adire HE10 (built from kit so I could mess with low power DHT amps) Proac Response 1SC GR Research bookshelves (amazing bargain, a friend has them now) Meadowlark Kestrel 2 Spendor S5e Spendor S6 (very briefly) JM Reynaud Trente Devore Gibbon 3 Focus Audio FS78SE JM Reynuad Offrande Supreme V2 (midlife crisis purchase, was planning on them being my last speakers, but of course I'm an audiophile, so . . .)
FORGOT MY MARTIN LOGAN MONOLITH II, B & w 801 MK2, SPICA TC 50 WITH JANIS POWERED SUBS, KEF 104, KEF 107, DCM TIME WINDOWS JBL L 100, JBL JUBAL, QLN SIGNATURE AND SUB, VANDERSTEEN 1B, 2C,
Technics 3 way tower (was in a rack system) Bose 501 Altec Lansing 3 way towers B&W CDM bookshelves B&W CDM7NT B&W 804 Matrix B&W 803 Matrix last series Aerial Acoustics 10T B&W 802 Nautilus Aerial Acoustics 5 (married and downsized) Aerial Acoustics 10T (divorced and happy again) Jl Audio F113 fathom - current Jl audio F113 fathom - current Egglstonworks Andra II - current
I still have my old B&W bookshelves in my garage system and my last pair of Aerial 10T's are at my Cabin still in use! My Aerial model 5's are boxed up in my storage room but I need to sale them soon along with a backup pair of 10T's! I've owned 3 Pairs of 10T's and currently have 2 pair as I was going to build a multichannel system and use them as front and rears but changed my mind on it! In my main system now I am running the Egglestonworks Andra II's with F113 fathom subs in stereo! I think I will keep the Eggs for a very long time as they are amazing! :)
@boisehomes I would think last thing the Andras need is bass reinforcement! Don't they each have TWO 12 inch woofers per speaker? What kind of amps are driving them?
Dweller the subs create an enormous sound stage! I know I probably don't need them but I just had to try a pair after reading all the reviews for them in 2 channel systems! Plus I use my setup for movies as well! I can't help but grin ear to ear sometimes! Lol! Im running the Andras off a Krell S-550i! They are amazing speakers! 😃
Sorry, not to judge, but guys that change speakers every year, I think should find an other hobby! Either your ears are shot, or you have more money than sense, or you are into gear more than music, which unfortunately is a thing I see more and more these days, please people, enjoy the music
...is almost always followed by judgement...and a lecture ;-)
We are audiophiles. The gear is part of the hobby. If it wasn’t, we wouldn’t be here (including you).
Men (it seems more than women) are often into "how things work," with a fascination for engineering, how things work, how to improve them etc.Guys fix cars, collect watches, and are in to the mechanics and theory in all manner of hobbies. Why would you think the technical aspect of sound reproduction wouldn’t be a source of fascination as well?
I’ve tried speakers representing many different engineering approaches to reproducing sound: planar, dynamic, time-coherent, non-time-coherent, narrow baffle, wide baffle, dead-braced cabinets, "live" cabinets, omni-directional, etc. (And I own many of those different designs right now). The engineering aspect is fascinating - that is after all why many speaker designers get into speaker design in the first place! (Or other aspects of audio engineering).
As it happens, I’m a music omnivore and want my music to be reproduced in the most compelling way I can find. But, the huge variety of approaches one can sample in reproduced sound is also fascinating in of itself. I have more than one speaker because my music sounds different through each of them and sometimes I feel like enjoying one type of presentation over another. If I didn't care about such differences, I'd just own a bose wave radio or whatever is convenient.
I don’t see any reason to begrudge someone who loves audio gear, and buys numerous different components, than I would begrudge a car, or watch lover who has the means to explore numerous options that may float their boat.
I have put together various types of systems over the years to fully experience all they have to offer.
- high sensitivity speakers with flea watt tube smps - low sensitivity speakers with monster SS amps - ESL speakers with both SS and tube amps
These and other combinations. If the negative poster above would understand this, then I suppose he would have never posted his attack. I assume he did it out of ignorance, not meanness.
I am just Wondering how anyone has the time to enjoy the music, when one is changing the most important component of a Hi-Fi that often? In my experience, it take at least for me a long time to get to know my speakers, with the different styles of music I listen too, after years I still hear new things from my setup that makes me smile and enjoy the music.
I enjoy the music and the hobby of trying different speaker and electronic presentations like prof. describes. He says it better than I can. I love different presentations and that is by different speakers. I have 13 pairs in different rooms and set ups. When I listen to vocal , acoustic music, chamber classical and smaller ensemble- The Quads , Spendors and Harbeths are the best for ME. Others have other preferences. I am lucky I have many rooms all set up to give me what I believe the specific speaker or speakers will present the music I want to hear. I have different electronics- tubes VTL and Jadis and Conrad Johnson and Vac amps and preamps in different combination of all tubes or tube and ss combination or all solid state combination. I have 3 great turntable setups and have both moving coli and moving magnet mono and stereo cartridges , have built in phono preamp or line stage hooked to tube EAR phone preamp and Cotter head amp. 5 different subs at different locations and used if needed. Have SACD audio aero prestige, AMR 77 CD , . I am lucky to be able to have all these and enjoy the different music I get from them. I love slam bang rock and jazz and rap and electronic music and I use my Klipsch and Paradigm signature towers and double Magnepan 3 A and double JL 113 subs. This weekend I am going to enjoy real music at Minnesota Sommerfest to see Andre Watts at Piano and with the Orchestra Friday and Saturday is Vienese waltzes and is chamber music afternoon. I have been going to Minnesota Orchestra subscription concerts with center seats at row 12 for 30 years. Have tickets for Coldplay at Target Center this Aug 11 and U2 this Septmeber at Excel in ST Paul. I love both classical, rock and Jazz and just saw Celtic Thunder at Rochester Civic Center 1 months ago. I love this hobby. I was in Axpona in Chicago this Spring and fell in love with Vivid Giya speakers run by Jadis electronics and vinyl front end You should go to the audio expos if you can. one is coming up in Denver and you can listen to all types of presentation like the " prof " described. Am glad you are enjoying the speakers and system you have. That is what this is all about. Sorry everyone for my yapping. I will be quiet now but am looking forward to my concerts coming up.
I'd rather have one near perfect system than thirteen but that's me. Ideally, I think I would have two or maybe three very different systems. When you buy used or even new unheard you might have to try many different speakers until you find the right ones. Still, changing speakers every year would be too much work for me, you also often have to change electronics and cables when you change speakers or at least make upgrades. So no, not every year, but every five years - yeah, why not? Especially if each time you actually move forward not sideways.
I have a lot of speakers on my list that were never in my main system. I've always had a few extra little systems that I kept around for fun and comparison. I tend to buy stuff when it's deeply discounted so the list price of what I've bought is frequently a multiple of what I actually spent. I bought the VA speakers when BB dropped them 5 years ago or so and paid <25% of retail. Almost everything I have was bought used or on sale. I had the B&W N802s in my main system for 6 years and then traded them in for 2,000 less than I paid for them. Not a lot of money at all when you look at it that way. They were replaced by the Thiels which I paid $3,500 for on top of the $3,500 trade credit. I don't think they've depreciated all that much since I bought them five years ago. I doubt they've lost more than 2k in value.
I went through a period where I bought the behringer measurement mic and real-time analyzer, made lots of bass traps and got everything equalized really flat. It was an interesting experience and I'm glad I did it. It gave me a good sense of proportion about how much difference the room makes compared to other things. I do like tinkering with stereo stuff and I have no problem admitting it. It's just a hobby.
Notice that quite a number of guitarists (when they have the means) like to collect different guitars. Why would they do that? After all, if they were only "into the music" then guitar music could be played on any single guitar.
Except, guitars sound different.
And guitarists enjoy those sonic differences, so they collect different guitars that produce different sounds.
Same for audio gear.
One could say "but the objective of hi end audio is different: the objective is to NOT sound different, but to get out of the way sonically so you hear the precise choices the artist made. Two different objectives."
Except there does not seem to be a perfect audio system of this sort. (At least yet). And so we are left with audio systems that seem to reproduce different aspects of sound with different sets of strengths. Given this variety, sampling different systems with different sonic attributes is enjoyable, just like collecting guitars that will sound different when playing the same song.
JBL L-100's college days Tannoy D-700 moving on up after graduation Wilson Audio Maxx 2' s used ...but next level Currently, and lastly... Wilson Audio Maxx 3's. Awesome.
Interesting thread with all manner of fascinating responses:
1980 Acoustat Monitor 4
1985 Apogee Full Range with AR D-250 Mk II amps - Saved on heating bill
1991 Goldmund Dialogues with Janis woofers - these actually are marvelous with SETs.
2001 Acoustat Monitor 4 to present updated some years ago by Joe Curcio. The amps actually are sneaky wonderful being OTLs and driving the panels full range. With all tube circuits, bass is excellent with completely flat frequency response. There is still only one sweet spot for imaging and depth. Office system since the 90's Quad 57's updated by QS&D with amplification by vintage LA Audio SETs running 2 300's per side.
Right. Many audiophiles are musicians not to have happened. If I were a guitar player I would need one acoustic, one electro-acoustic and one electric guitar. I would have no problem of choosing. Custom Conde Hermanos would do for acoustic - incredible instrument, I heard it live.
Technics ( not sure of model) Japan made in big rectangular boxes, i got them in about 1996
Then i made my own using a crossover 3way from jaycar and peerless drivers, was a great speaker system, boxes were old Technics about 90c high (3foot).
Jamo Magic8 JBL TLX8 JBL TLX14
i now have 4 speakers Technics SB-6 ESM Engery (kenwood trio woofer/ seas tweeter) bookshelf Coral CX-5 Celestion SL-6 (copper dome tweeter(
What I can't quite understand is how people have room to own several sets of speakers, even several systems. I suppose it is a consequence of your larger houses, storage spaces, than anyone has in the UK.
There are folks who are into the gear. Some are into the music. Some are into both. A thread like this shows all of us and how we approach things. I'm into both. I audition the heck out of gear continuously. IF I find something that is a game changing upgrade, then I'll bite. I know folks who are into the gear and yes, they change constantly. No need to judge as we all need to satisfy our fix.
Since 95...: Proac Supertowers heavily modified with internal MIT cabling and updated drivers from the newer Proac line. The crossovers were also upgraded with the highest end audio parts and also modified for the newer drivers (the old ones all rotted out as Proac speaker used to with the foam surrounds).
Paradigm Atoms I think they are in my bedroom for the TV. My daughter now has them.
Vandersteen Treo's for a year or so as I waited to save my money for my new Quatro's.
new Vandersteen Quatro's painted in Audi Havana Black (LOVE the color).
Oh, I also have a small Linn system in the bedroom now so Linn speakers, lol...not my cup of tea, but the price was right and it's easy to use and looks great, lol.
In 1987 I bought a used pair of Spica TC-50s (with stands). Still have them. Last year I bought a one owner pair of Magnepan 1.5 QRs, and use them exclusively with the Spica's as a back up should anything arise. Also have owned Grado SR 125s for most of that period so the kids (now grown) and wife could sleep while I've played...
Not as long a list as others but let’s see if I can remember them all:
12" Stevens Trusonics fullrange drivers Fried Beta Signatures with M&K sub The Fried Subwoofer Vandersteen 1B Martin Logan Aries Alon 1 (2x) Alon Lotus SE mkll Cabasse Ferella 401 HSU Research HRSW12V NHT 2.5i NHT Super Zero Nola Viper 1AX REL Stadium lll (2x) REL Strata lll Vandersteen Quatro Wood Genesis G500 REL G2
The Alon Lotus’, the Vandersteen Quatro Woods, the REL’s and the Genesis G500 speakers are all currently in use.
Sold or traded the Vandersteen 1B’s, one pair of Alon 1's, the M&K sub, the ML’s, one REL Stadium lll and the NHT Super Zeros. All others are in storage.
White Van Speakers Definitive Technology Towers I forget the model Soliloquy 5.3 Alon Lotus SE JMlabs Micro-Utopia original model (current) Audio Note AN/Jlx (on the way!)
At School as spotty teenager- Videoton Mini Max At College (still spotty) - Celestion Ditton 33's (lurking in the loft) First Job less spotty - Linn Isobarik DMS ( brother still uses) Impulse H1 * Magnepan MG1 Nagaoka Single cone speaker (Fostex 168 Sigma)* Oris 150 Horns* Klipschorn*
The Magnepan MG-2 was my first high-end speaker purchased circa 1978. Followed by: Magnepan MG-3A Magnepan MG-3.3 Magnepan MG-3.5 Magnepan MG-20.1 ( My current speaker, purchased around 2012)
I love the open non-boxy sound of the maggies. With the appropriate amplification and cables they can be very musical sounding.
Infinity Kappa 8.1 v1 which had a 1.7ohm impedance at lowest point Infinty SM 65 B&W M-1 Sunfire HRS SAT Revel Performa3 M105 Raidho X-1s Homemade monitors using Dayton Audio cabinets and Monacor Drivers
Since 1995 only two pairs of speakers plus one pair of subs. B&W N802 and ESP Bodhran se speakers plus Gallo TR1d subs. For me buying speakers is the least amount of fun. I do like to listen to other designs but I'm satisfied with what I have.
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