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What's your speaker IQ, and the best speaker?

Please forgive the fact that this is a direct overlap of the popular "The best speaker you ever heard?" thread. However as much as I love the original thread, far too many of the respondents do not list what other speakers they have auditioned, severely limiting the value of that particular answer. For example if you say, "The Dunlavy SC-V are the best speaker bar none" and all you ever heard before that are whatever was at Best Buy, it is hard to give that opinion a lot of weight. But if you say, "The Dunlavy SC-V are the best speaker bar none" and I've listened to Von Schwiekert VR-11s, Avalon Eidolon Diamonds, and the entire Wilson line .. well then NOW you're saying something.

So in my perfect world, the posts would go something like: "Krix Equinox, Rogers Studio 1a, Quad 12L, Quad ESL989, ATC SCM 20SL, Kef C40s, most of the Thiel line, but I have to say far and away the best speaker I've ever hear is ..."

Forgive me again, but I guess this also overlaps the popular "Personal speaker evolution" thread! However if this topic takes on any traction, I think it can be a perfect marriage of the other two threads and very valuable resource.

Try to answer by listing the speakers first, so that when the answers post they will be seen in the 1st line of the post and anyone browsing the thread can then click on those answers that mention speakers that he/she is interested in.

This could be fun, thanks!
studioray

Showing 3 responses by studioray

studioray OP
42 posts
 
Well I don't know about you guys, but I am LOVING these posts, although I am developing a bit of speaker envy... This is like hearing the "dirty little secrets" that the magazine reviewers wont talk about! I always wished that these reviewers who've had access to dozens or hundreds of the world's best speakers could just freely say which they found to be the best of the best, and compare them to other brands, but never could, out of fear of losing advertising dollars. Dlanselm you post was an especially great read, with your having heard so many top tier speakers and having them all compared. The same goes for so many of the other posts as well.

The responses that list intermediate priced speakers are also fascinating to me since this is where my pocketbook is at at the moment, and I am reading responses that compare many of the same speakers I would consider in the not too distant future.

Mdhoover, I read your review of the Summits when you first posted it, and have always noticed your effusive praise of them in the various speaker threads, but now seeing your speaker experience, it takes your praise of them to a whole new level for me.

And I appreciate the detail that so many have taken the time to go into in their posts, the answers have been a great resource to me thus far.

So thank you everyone, and I sincerely hope that many more A'goners respond, I love reading what the magazine reviewers wont tell us!

Ray
studioray OP
42 posts
 
Forgive me Jebsmith73, but you're post is missing the very information that makes this thread interesting: What other speakers have you had the experience of hearing that helped lead to your conclusion that the Rushmores are the best for the money??

Looking forward to your reply.
studioray OP
42 posts
 
Ok, well here I go showing you all what a low IQ I have...

Celestion DL10 - 1st speaker to show me what I was missing from consumer stereo crap.

Kef C40 - Purchased soon after hearing the DL10's - my first love, though maybe not as lovely as the DL-10s.

Yamaha NS10m - a staple in my business (recording), and great for obtaining mixes that translate well the speaker world over, but quite boxy and mid-fi sounding.

D.A.S. Monitor 8 - Some phenomenal voicing - great for cellos and a lot of other instruments, beating many other speakers, but a confused upper bass and not much depth.

Celestion DL4 - eh

Krix Equinox - Imaging, depth, quickness - a fun, fun bookshelf - will probably never sell.

Rogers Studio 1a - the first speaker to ever make my jaw drop to the floor. Taught me what "holographic imaging" meant. Some flaws with cabinet resonances and perfect bass definition, but a very special speaker with that Rogers magic.

Quad 12L - Doesn't have the weight and authority of the Rogers, but still has weight, and great imaging and depth. A wonderful speaker in it's class and price range. Compared to Krix, I would give the nod to the Quads for classical music and to the Krix for rock. The Quads are a tad more polite, the Krix a bit more forward.

Quad ESL989 - I'm sorry, I just don't get it. Though I heard a lot of great things in them at a dealer's showroom, there just wasn't enough detail or quickness or forwardness for me. Maybe I'm just not an electrostatic kinda guy, maybe they weren't set up well...

ATC SCM20SL - My current love, though I still own most of the previous listed speakers. Best defined bass of the lot, best midrange. Great imaging, great voicing (though the D.A.S. still has it beat on cello, and possibly the Rogers too). The SCM20's are great at defining instruments, their timbre, their placement, and overall tonal/harmonic balance. But they are not the master of depth or holographic imaging, though they hint at it. However, they are at present the best speaker I have heard. What they do well overcomes what they do not do perfectly.

All of these speakers have taught me what is possible, and I can pretty well extrapolate from them what can be achieved on the hi-hi end, like some of the previously mentioned speakers in the other posts. Like any self-respecting audio-phool, I of course have a healthy case of lust for most of them, and plan on working my way up the food chain and owning or auditioning most of them over the next bunch of years.

Thanks again all for your posts, please keep 'em coming.
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