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Speakers which always sound good

This is brought up because I'm home shopping, but I'm not actually looking for speakers right now, so please don't take this as a request for advice so much as opinions.

As I shop for homes I've realized how few are really equipped for the audiophile.  Too many fireplaces and windows and damn kitchens and bathrooms placed completely inappropriately for us! :-)

And as you may know, I'm a big fan of appropriate room treatments.

So, wanted to step away from this world for a bit and ask, what are speaker brands that you feel always work?  Or at least, work really well without having to think about the room acoustics or placements?  Reminder that this is 99% of the buying public.  We who have laser line levelers, a closet full of measurement microphones and a chair which bolts our head into a fixed location may not believe it is true, but this is the majority of the buying public. 

What do we, the audiophile community recommend to them to actually be helpful in getting them as many positive music listening experiences as possible?

Best,

Erik
erik_squires
erik_squires OP
17,551 posts
 
I wonder about Avantgarde, just because their horns radiate so differently than most. It is my belief, based on the literature, they attempt a spherical wavefront, right?

Seems like they want to be in a more controlled environment.

I have only heard them at shows in hotel rooms, I can tell you that in those cases I was not impressed, so for this use case, of putting them anywhere, they seem to have missed for me.  What do others think??
fleschler
2,070 posts
 
Extensive auditioning of Harbeths-always sounded good with all types of music, equipment and easy to set up and pair up to equipment.   Von Schweikert for not making a less than musical speaker but requires more effort than a Harbeth to get them set up correctly.
fleschler
2,070 posts
 
Maggies do not always sound good. They require proper amplification (ample), otherwise they sound anemic. Placement is also critical. Hence, not universally good sounding unlike a Harbeth.  Great speaker potential though when set up and power are done correctly.
erik_squires OP
17,551 posts
 
One candidate I'd like to think about too is the Audio Note Snell derived speakers.  They thrive in corner placement, but then seem to sound very consistent. 
mapman's avatar
mapman
23,613 posts
 
I'm checking them out!
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I got it figured out!
There's good points and bad points.....
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Find myself a speaker that always sounds good......  
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