"High End" Speakers you have owned

[spiritofmusic]

Roksan Ojans 3X/3S
Pro Ac Futures 2
Zu Audio Definitions 2
Zu Audio Definitions 4
These 4s modded w Duelund caps upgrades to high- and low-pass filters, and Lundahl transformer/Hypex sub-amps retrofits

(Considering Zu Audio Experiences flagships if they ever appear, or poss Sadurni Acoustics Miracollis or Staccatos horns)

 

[CGabriel]

Caelin when I heard this speaker at your house with IIRC Ayon tube amps I was simply floored at how good the sound was. One of the highlights of my visit

Thanks Steve. It was a great time having the three amigos visit us.

 

[CGabriel]

BTW, we are working on getting the new Vivid G1 Spirit. Happy times!

 

[Steve Williams]

BTW, we are working on getting the new Vivid G1 Spirit. Happy times!

The G3 sounded fabulous in the sound room at work but the timbre and resonance and midrange on those Soundkaos Wave 40 speakers was as lush and beautiful as anything I have ever heard. Did I recall correctly about the Ayon tube amps

 

[microstrip]

Only? There are people here who went through 18 or 20 speakers! (...)

18 or 20? Perhaps is the last ten years ...

 

[ack]

Wilson WITT ( overblown bass, never got it to work in my 25x30ft room)

Easily the worst speaker I have ever heard,and by a wide margin

 

[Al M.]

18 or 20? Perhaps is the last ten years ...

Hehe

 

[microstrip]

Easily the worst speaker I have ever heard,and by a wide margin

Curious. It got excellent reviews from well known experienced people such as Martin Colloms and John Atkinson. I listened to them playing great several times at a time I owned the Wilson Watt/Puppy V. As they say, in this hobby one man's meat is another man's poison!

 

[Al M.]

As they say, in this hobby one man's meat is another man's poison!

Or, apart from personal taste, it all depends on system/room context.

Which of course doesn't mean that any component is of such quality as to do justice to the music.

 

[ack]

Curious. It got excellent reviews from well known experienced people such as Martin Colloms and John Atkinson. I listened to them playing great several times at a time I owned the Wilson Watt/Puppy V. As they say, in this hobby one man's meat is another man's poison!

Don't care what the reviewers say. If I had to pick one word to describe it, it would be the one that starts with j. I not only walked out of that demo, I subsequently told the dealer that he must be deaf.

 

[Brucemck2]

In the approximate order since college, with their one word association descriptor:
JBL 4341 (rockin')
Klipsch Heresy (slammin')
B&W 802 with Northcreek crossovers (transparent)
Dunlavy SC IV (coffins)
Genesis 350 SE (liquid)
Krell LAT-1 (mechanical)
Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature Towers (lush)
Selah Audio Accuton line arrays with modded DEQX crossovers (precise)
Salk Soundscape 12s (dimensional)
Pro Audio Technology SCR 2115sm (powerful)

Subs have been Krell, Seaton, SVS (tubes, ported box and sealed box), Velodyne, and Pro Audio Technology

 

[treitz3]

I didn't realize until now how many of you have had or heard the Tyler's before. Interesting.

Tom

 

[CGabriel]

The G3 sounded fabulous in the sound room at work but the timbre and resonance and midrange on those Soundkaos Wave 40 speakers was as lush and beautiful as anything I have ever heard. Did I recall correctly about the Ayon tube amps

Yes, Ayon Crossfire amp. One single-ended tube per channel at 30 watts per. But honesty the speakers sound equally great with the big Constellation SS amp.

 

[CGabriel]

Easily the worst speaker I have ever heard,and by a wide margin

Well I did have a Cerwin Vega back in the day - but I can't really argue the point.

 

[treitz3]

Admittedly, me as well Caelin. I would have to say that from my memory, that one had to be the absolute worst. Great for party and boom but that's about it. Back in the day, it did fit the bill though.

*clears throat* Ehem, not that I ever partied though.... *rolls eyes with devilish smile*

Tom

 

[DaveyF]

Davey..I get to compare the G1's vs spirits for a month before deciding to take them .. I have already put the g1s on castors.
My plan is to wheel one set away and the other into the same position..same amp etc
im expecting a little more sparkle and midrange presence and much better bass...

Rodney, I really envy you! Not only will you have two of the best speakers around, but you can AB them for a month, wow! I think your expectations for the new Spirit will be borne out, but I suspect the older model won't be too embarrassed. Not sure about much more bass, the older model certainly never lacked in that department, at least on the few occasions I heard it. Keep us informed.

 

[kantx]

I join the conversation at a momenty when I'm musing about changing.

I only had two hi-end speakers :
Klipschorns from 2003 to 2013
Voxativ Ampeggio, that I own since 2014
The latter is more refined and truer to the original instruments (in my ears)

 

[Bodhi]

I certainly haven't owned as many high end speakers as the OP, but here is my list -

- Infinity Reference 3
- Infinity Reference 60
- Infinity Renaissance 90
- Marten Coltrane Alto
- Evolution Acoustics MMMicro One
- Magico S5 Mk1
- Magico S5 Mk2

I kept my Reference 60’s for 18 years, during which time the core components of my system (speakers, integrated amp, cdp & rack) remained unchanged. That allowed me to just focus on the music & buy cd’s. I wish I could have afforded the Ren 90’s (including the requisite amplification to drive them) back in 1991. The R90’s killed my Reference 60’s! Yet the Ref 60’s were still very enjoyable speakers and brought me a lot of joy. The S5 Mk2’s + SPods are the first speakers I feel like I could keep for 15 + years since I sold my Ref 60's.

 

[jackelsson]

Looking at the lists so far my own audio promiscuity suddenly doesn’t seem so bad anymore. So let’s see...

Arcus TM68
Écouton LQL 150
Dynaudio Special One
Outsider Jota
Quad ESL 63
Linn Kan
Audioplan Kontrapunkt III
Audioplan Kontrapunkt IV + REL Stadium sub
Geithain RL 904
Geithain RL 933K
Geithain RL 901K

On average the speaker size did reflect the available listening room size, so go figure... The question remains which of these would qualify as „high end“.

 

[steve59]

Kef R 105/3
R 107/2 still playing ht
VA beethoven almost hifi
Revel F52
Salon
Salon 2
?????????????
I've listed the Salon 2 as the struggles with proper placement in my room has the experts telling me I need 2 or ideally 2 subs per speaker to cancel the room null! I didn't dip into my retirement for full range speakers, speakers with a rep for excellent bass, just to fill my room with subwoofers. They're going and if I really need subs then some quality stand mounts will replace them.