The best speakers I ever heard!

[@rogerlorenmulligan8822]

My first high end speakers were bought last year. My wife and I adore our Klipsch La Scalas. We’ve shared the experience of them with friends, family, repairmen, and even a couple of nurses who were checking on my wife. Everyone is blown away. So thank you Steve. Your review of the La Scala, along with a couple of others, motivated me to find a dealer close by. Gratitude

[@ThePgkessler]

Steve, you are such an asset to the audiophiliac community! Thanks for your expressive, articulate reviews with soul!

[@christophermiller1844]

It was so cool to see this video because, the speakers you list first - the Ohm Walsh 2000, are speakers that I co-designed w/John at Ohm Acoustics. They were the first speakers that we ever fully simulated the crossover in software, and actually listened to the speakers playing first w/the simulated computer crossover which allowed rapid instant changes to be A/B to our heart's content without building up various prototype boards and swapping out parts! It was an amazing experience to get to spend a few years working with John Strohbeen of Ohm Acoustics on the 2000 and the "Micro" Walsh line up! That was from 1999 - 2003 - it's very fun to see them coming up in videos all these years later still.

[@torreslarry6837]

so it"s roughly1987-88 and i am sick of"multiple"drivers phase X-overs coloration & bullshit" as i pass the hi-fi room {American of Oak Creek Wisconsin}i hear the very !st satellite system from "Henry Kloss" -- i did"Not" fall for th"hype" & as i turn "There They Were

[@torreslarry6837]

@@hardknock1278 the F "15-inch Metal "Full-range" is the Crazy stuff 1960"s tech 200 lbs !?! each

[@torreslarry6837]

original design Lincoln Walsh 1926 tech

[@hardknock1278]

I owned them. Bought them new. 2 XO. Now I have 4 pairs of them and a pair of OHM 4 . They are incredible speakers.. anybody who hears them is amazed.

[@michaellatta]

Walsh 2 for a long time. Loved them.

[@jeffsloane8628]

These "list" videos from Steve are gold! The combination of recommendations from someone who knows good sound along with the stories from his history is highly valuable to me and I imagine the audio community as a whole. Thank you Steve!

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

Your enthusiasm for this hobby is infectious! When you describe the Wilson Audio Puppy and recall going into work early with a bunch of records so you could listen to the Puppy's that says it all. You have been living your dream and it is a fine way to live.

[@pauldow1648]

What's not to like about a puppy.

[@bennardvandiermen4523]

@@pauldow1648 Mainly it's size.

[@markmiddaugh9359]

Steve...I'm retired now but as a teenager I fell in love with horn speakers. I've tried others but horns and tubes do it. As a teenager I had two outstanding sets of North American speakers. Simply amazing...15 inch woofers and large horns. Currently I use Cornwalls from '82 and Heresys from '85...both sets of speakers have Bob Crites updates...and I use tubes.

[@francescas6026]

The Ohm Walsh speaker when it first came out was one I loved listening to when I sold audio in the late 70's. My roommate own a pair so I got to enjoy them at home. I was happy to hear you also enjoyed them. Glad to see that they are still making in Brooklyn today.

[@cuddlymike]

Your audiophile journal is very interesting to me. I respect your opinions and your honest down to earth style. It's obvious to anyone your genuine enthusiasm for music and sound. You have a musician's sensibility, which makes your perspective relatable to me .

[@tonyhill9366]

I bought Two sets of Klipsch in 1982. One set are Lascala's and a set of Heresy's. They are still the best speakers I ever heard. Thank you Steve, very much for this very interesting video.

[@chantzsch3916]

Just got my Ohm 2000’s. Thanks for the review Steve. Your earlier comments started me on the path to getting them. They look fantastic and sound so much more open and clear. (Had Yamaha ns-777 which were good but more restricted sounding vs. Ohms). The way the voices seem to float in the center of the room breathes new life into familiar recordings. It was a 4 month wait but well worth it. Evan at Ohm was great to work with too.

[@narmale]

great upgrade from those yamaha's... horribly muddy but boy did they look great in that Steinway black ;)

[@brunorivademar5356]

You should make this series with every component in the chain! I'm loving it!

[@bluesfish55m51]

Still listening to my Polk Audio SDA 2b’s after some 30 years . Their soundstage is unreal and still have great clarity with true bottom end. Upright bass with vibes on the side and a couple horns is like being there....to me.

[@Jps3bs]

Great choice Steve for speakers over $1000. I've had my ADS L 1290"s since the early 80's and they not only sound great but they still thrill me with their clarity, wide soundstage and dynamics. Always love your reviews and perspectives. Keep up the good work!

[@soonapa]

I forgot about ADS home stuff. My car was packed with their amps and speakers in the 80’s

[@mitchellsigler3057]

I've had the 1290"s since about 1985, they are amazing, over 35 years of joy. Think of getting other speakers, then, I realize, I already got the ones I love.

[@sahrabuable]

Wow! My speakers are on your list. Gallo Acoustics Nucleus Reference 2. I’ve had them for 5yrs. Phenomenal speakers. Best investment I’ve made in audio. They go very well with my McIntosh gear. Great video Steve. You have a wonderful channel.

[@JamesPhilip313]

One of the few channels that I’ll watch the videos from start to end. So much reminiscing on this one. I had my hands on some Altec 19’s way back in the day, those left an impression.

[@dlee49210jazz]

I owned a pair of Martin Logan Aeons for 5 years and loved them. They did everything very well in my opinion.

[@heymibahar5982]

I’ve owned B&W 704 for 15 years. The company produced them for a while then discontinued now they are back at it. I just love the detail.

[@johnmarshall6100]

This is one of the great audiophiliac videos, the years of experience shining through, I salute the sensei!

[@bryanharpel2612]

In high school I was introduced to mirage M-3 speakers/blew me away. So instead of buying first car I bought speakers/very unhappy step father. They lasted with me for 20 yrs, moved them (125lbs each) from Kc, to Ny, to Sf. They opened up a whole new world of sound that I beleive made me more opened minded and a lover of all genres of music...

[@dellewis7887]

What a wonderful experience to hear your remembrances and reviews! When I was much younger I had the joy of working in a new audiophile store selling such then esoteric speakers like the first electrostatic Dayton Wright’s which had many problems (arcing , crashing amplifiers and other problems) and new Polk and Magnepan speakers. I have had the privilege of owning many including MBL ( a Canadian brand) JBL, Jensen, ARs , Revel, Rel, Meridian etc but still live long term with Magneplanars, despite their sometimes difficult room placement and amplifier requirements. I really appreciate you never really criticize but mainly point out the virtues of different gear. There is no one “right” just as live performances are always different. Your channel is truly enjoyable! Please keep up the good work.

[@JoãoCarlos-72]

Absolutely one of my favourite episodes so far 👍 Regards from Sweden

[@clasvirhodes4969]

Love Sweden and Jonna Jinton

[@robertpresser8969]

I was a box speaker owner for 37 years, though a series of bookshelf speakers (Marantz HD440s and Frieds) to floorstanding B&W DM220s that I still have today in my office. The Frieds were very transparent and handled all sorts of music well, I still have them as well. I gave my son the HD440s and mated them to a Marantz 4300 for a great vintage combo. Five years ago I removed a pair of Monitor Audio Golds from my living room and installed Magnepan .7s, and I fully agree with your comments on the requirement to live with a pair of Maggies at some point in one's audiophile journey! They are fabulous, throw a holographic soundstage and play well with all different types of music as long as you give them POWER. I have a McIntosh 200WPC solid-state amp feeding them. I recall hearing Ohm speakers years ago and wanted a pair, but as a teenager I had neither the money nor the floorspace.

[@hbmike47]

The first Electrostatics, the Quad ESL57 Black with the Quad 303 amplifier. This was in the 60's. THey were my dad's. As a musician and singer I never heard a speaker that made the sound of the human voice sound so real and transparent. Large choral/orchestral works. Magical. That started me on the audiophile kick. You are right, they are not dynamic boxes and are not for rock. But jazz.. oh yeah. The speakers went to my sister, Dad has a set of ESL 63's with another quad amp. Not that many years ago my sister moved and no longer had room for the 57's. I couldn't let her sell them. I traded her a pair of Kefs that I owned that fit her home and was happy to drive home with the 57's and 303 in the back. I still have them. They still sound ok, never having been played hard and only with the 303 amp. I plan to refresh the amp, and the input network in the speakers at some point. I think most of the wear and tear reported failures of bass panels, etc are due to being driven with amps that can't handle the dynamic impedance load these speakers present. Distortion results, and the harmonics cause the damage to the panel. The other speakers I bought on the spot when I heard them and live with every day are the Ascend Acoustic CMT-340SE They are plain black boxes with a matching boxed speaker stand (I filled with recommended sand). Designed for music listening. Capable HT when you add a third for center channel and smaller matching bookshelf speakers, the CBM-170 along with a subwoofer for LFE. Hand built in Southern California. The more upscale and newer Sierra and Sierra II have ribbon tweeters and beautiful finishes, however the CMT-340's are still in production and wow to they provide sound way above their price point. Excellent soundstage and clarity. Surprisingly transparent for a box speaker. It's kind of a no frills audiophile speaker for the common man that immediately catches and holds your attention on the sound, not the speakers. Thanks for your videos. I love that you love those big Klipsch Cornwall IVs There is something about the horns that you either love or hate and I think a lot of it depends on the type of music and whether you want the speakers to be totally neutral, or have their own character about them. The high end Klipsch fall into the latter. I think my love of the Quad ESLs probably does too in what most people think of in the conventional sense of speakers. I've only heard big Klipsch speakers like the Cornwall once in a home environment. They were amazing. Lower end and smaller examples.. not so interesting. Keep putting these videos out there. I'd like to hear your take on studio monitors.

[@worcestermark]

A second vote for the ELS 57s, but made more magical, perhaps dynamic enough for rock as well by running as a stacked pair in a curved frame. I will admit I listen to more classical jazz and acoustic music, but the rock in my collection never seemed to be missing much in that system. I got rid of them when the kids were little (potentially dangerous voltage to rears) and swapped in a set of early 70s Kef concertos, which are effectively LS3/5a's with a lovely tuneful bass panel built in. I liked a pair of Dahlquists I heard in a shop, but didn't have the room for them at the time.

[@rogersharpe2490]

Steve, I loved this piece. Like you, I’ve been an audio nut for decades. I live in the UK, and I’d like to list the various loudspeakers that I have owned since the early sixties. First up a pair of Whitley Stentorian bass reflex speakers that I kept for a few years when still at College and living at home with my parents. Second up ; a pair of Harold J Leak Sandwich speakers. These were beautiful cabinets of an infinite baffle design. The main driver was an interesting design with thin metallic skins over a composite infill, giving great rigidity to the driver to give a pistonic action. ( I remember an ad with the old man himself , HJR, standing on top of a drive unit; I don’t know what that was meant to prove! ) Third up ; a pair of Epos ES14’s just the same as you. I agree these were really cool and gave great results. Fourth up ; I then delved into active speakers for the first time and bought a pair of Meridian M2’s, that had enclosed amplification and were on stands that gave the speaker the appearance of leaning backwards away from the listener. These speakers made by Boothroyd Stuart were very fast and focused, but lacking a bit in the bass area, and so I only kept them for a couple of years. Fifth up ; and by now I was well into the Naim / Linn sound that was very big over here in Britain for audiophiles for years. I bought a pair of Naim SBL floor standing speakers which were of an interesting two compartment design for the bass/ midrange, and tweeter separated above. This was also an active design, but I ended up with so many boxes of amplifiers and active crossovers, that the whole ownership thing became too much. I kept these guys for about five years though even though management at home was underwhelmed. Sixth up ; Everything went , and I had a craving for simplicity of use and functionality. I bought a one box integrated amp and streamer and then bought a pair of PMC Twenty5 23’s. Lovely smallish floor standers with a transmission line design. Nice speakers, but unable to perform as well as I would like in my largish listening area. Seventh up ; More PMC’s , this time the next size up the rank in the Twenty series, the PMC Twenty 24 model. Same design and a very listenable experience, a good product. Eighth up ; My current speakers !! ATC SCM40A ‘s. Again active design with amplifier within the a cabinet of an infinite baffle, three way speaker. I just love these speaker’s and have no plans for any more ventures ! Keep up the good work with the channel Steve, I like to visit your videos quite often and really enjoy your approach to the subject of our mutual interest.

[@lattiboy99]

Ha! That picture of the Wilson Audios is of my pair and a picture I took. I watched your video in that same room, which we have since remodeled. I screamed at my TV!

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Wow that’s cool!

[@MikeLindup42]

Hi Steve. 20 years ago I bought a pair of Shahinian Obelisks, and I have stuck with them through 5 different house moves in rooms of all sizes. Poly/omnidirectional, the players and amps have changed over the years, save for my Linn LP12, and as I listen to a wide variety of music they work really well for me. And I have to say, your video about free upgrades and pulling speakers further out, listening position further in, has just made them sound even better, thank you! I know there are other speakers that would do certain types of music “better” or have a “better” soundstage or accuracy, but the beauty of living with something for so long, I know that even more is possible from them so I am looking forward to future trials with different front end gear.

[@epi2045]

Ohm Walsh speakers were my gateway speakers when I was kid. Got me interested in speaker design where I built my first speaker which was a Ohm Walsh replica when I was 13 years old.

[@clasvirhodes4969]

Ohm were my first good speakers too . I forgot the model. They were great. Lost them in divorce. I have PSB T6 towers now. They are soft , clear and transparent but not dynamic enough for bands like ZZ Top and Foreigner

[@epi2045]

@@clasvirhodes4969 Been there too my brother. Lost quite a bit of gear when I went through my divorce as well.

[@jdanderson0261]

I have had a pair of Dahlquist DQ 20i for 25 years. About 20 years ago, Regnar rebuilt the woofers and I purchased and installed their transistor upgrade kit. An already amazing speaker was instantly more amazing. I had also purchased the wiring upgrade kit at the time but never installed it. Next week I am turning 60 and treating myself to a pair of Rotel RB-1091 mono blocks. This is motivating me to install the wiring upgrade kit and rekindle a great marriage with these speakers. Regnar claimed that to rival the sound of the DQ 20i after the upgrades you would need to spend $10k. I believe them.

[@badbanano]

We had the old sears console stereo with no mids or tweeters, just 14” powered coil woofers and the scary crackly knobs , but man the amplitude of the sound that old unit threw out is unmatched.

[@paulthetubew]

Steve - Interesting review! I spent many years as a speaker designer and manufacturer in Canada. Yes some manufacturers build their speakers in house like Dynaudio. However very few build all the components in house. As far as tweaking designs, you can do that when you farm out various parts and portions of the manufacture. I designed every part of the loudspeakers, cones, coils, etc etc - but had these parts manufactured at specialty houses and contracted the final assembly. It is less a situation of what you can do as far as customizing/designing/tweaking and more about economies of scale. We were making high end studio monitors (the equivalent in today's prices of approx $4000 EACH), aimed at audiophile and studio markets thus never having huge production numbers. When you start costing out the machinery required for making many of the parts you are into a huge capital cost that only makes sense with large production numbers. Dynaudio ( a fine firm ) most likely has enough production to rationalize bringing everything in house. It's all about economy of scale and not technical superiority. Most of the most expensive speakers are made in fairly low numbers for a rather exclusive market segment. Additionally it is hard to ignore that if you are dealing with some of the component manufactures for things like suspensions, cone, coils, you are dealing with companies that have 80 or 90 years experience, it's hard to recreate that expertise. Great KZbins! Keep up the good work. - Paul

[@jonathansturm4163]

Adding to that I’d say that it’s fairly typical for the speaker builders to have the drivers they use modified by the driver manufacturer. My VAF DC-Xs for instance use drivers made by SEAS, but I can’t purchase them from SEAS. While they are _based_ on SEAS standard drivers, they have been modified for Phil Vafiadis to suit his minimalist crossover design (a series cap to the tweeter).

[@DismasM]

One year ago I moved up from B&W Nautilus 803s that I loved for 18 years into a pair of Devore O93s. Never looked back.

[@essbee2316]

Loved the review Steve. For me, I have lived with Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor speakers for 15+ years and hope to be living with them for another 15+ years. Super sound... super design.

[@robadob50]

Ive had the pleasure of listening to my Klipschorns daily for the last 45 years. Wouldnt change for anything else

[@garysmith8455]

Rob, what year were your Klipschorns made? Mine were 1968, rare WHITE grills and NO spacer between the horn and bass cabinet.... They were also signed by the builder with a black wax pencil on the inside by the driver.

[@rongoodman8874]

Totally agree. I own a pair of Belles with recently replaced cross overs..... I have done this for decades and Paul Klipsh nailed it.

[@robadob50]

@@garysmith8455 Nice! I know of those. I bought mine new in 1976, the year I graduated HS

[@johnlepkowski3831]

Mine were built in 1978. I plan on going to my grave with them. you got to replace the capacitors every now and then on the crossover. Keep them sounding nice

[@Chris.from.1950]

I got to hear K-Horns 50 years ago. A friend had bought a pair and invited me over to listen. Even at this distance, it’s a stunning and cherished memory!

[@ptbfrch]

I'm a modest guy, and I live with the speakers with which I've been most satisfied, of any speaker, the Dynaudio EMIT M-10. My house is small, they are perfect for my small living room, have enough punch to boogie and do reggae and rock well, enough finesse to make jazz really come alive, and enough refinement to make an orchestra sound BIG and with great imaging. For my budget, they perform so well, and I constantly find myself just tapping my foot, enjoying the music, and it's the first speaker I've ever lived with that I don't think about what I could replace it with. In addition to those little gems, I also very fondly remember the old Snell E3s I used to own - those things were magical for the money. The best I heard them was with Atmasphere OTL amps, the 60W ones - that was an awesome combination.

[@neilgaydon5430]

Great walk through of some legendary speakers. I’ve owned and listened to all sorts of great speakers and the best I’ve heard and own are the incredible Kef Blade 2’s. Totally immersive, emotional, dynamic, transparent, with awe inspiring room filling sound. A modern day classic.

[@getreal3336]

Great Vid. I watched and enjoyed every minute of it. For me...My Klipsch Forté speakers I bought brand new in 1990. I still have them and love them. They are so easy to drive and absolutely pound! Back then, I paid $1,000 for them. A total steal. I will never part with them.

[@michellonergan8517]

Me is Totem Model 1 signature 2600$ Canadian money in 1998. It sound like a Dynaudio but not has monitor cold if I can say. Warmer and precise and imaging.

[@daveknits]

I bought a pair of Bose 601 series 1 in 1978 and am still enjoying them. The only other survivor is my Yamaha YP D6 turntable. Love them both.

[@dave-1446]

I've owned: SoundLab A-1 MBL 101E Audio Note AN-E I now have Odeon Audio No. 33. They make all of my previous systems sound like toys.

[@TakoNekko]

I still have a pair of Ohm Walsh 3xO speakers I bought back in like 90-91. People are always blown away but the sound and staging they produce. Absolutely love them! When I heard them the first time, I knew immediately I could not come close to the sound for the price.

[@johnnyboy114]

Two stand out for me. I don’t know the model but I went to a strangers house to collect some speaker stands I bought on eBay. Turns out he used to work for Mission and then Cyrus and was quite senior in the company. Got talking to him and he showed me his Cyrus stack playing through some Quad electrostatics, modern ones but have no idea of the model name. Wish I did because although older electrostatics rightly get criticised for lack of dynamics, these ones blew my socks off! He played (on my request) Prince’s “Seven” and the bass drop after the initial a Capella section was jaw dropping. They were special special speakers. Back down to Earth, the speakers that for me punch WAY above their weight are Royd Minstrels. Tiny odd looking things but kick out a surprising amount of bass for such a small and narrow floor stander and because of the design (lean back) the sound stage is HUGE. The music sounds like it’s floating above the speakers somewhere and as a consequence the detail and depth they go is frankly brilliant. Only £250 back in 1994, but still now.....the best speakers I have in my house and have ever owned. I wouldn’t part with them for anything.

[@aaronmccullagh5495]

Thanks Steve, as usual an enjoyable and informative video. I bought my first system when I was 17 in 1988, Kenwood separates and Paradigm 3SE's. By my late 20's I had stopped enjoying music as much as I had and talking about that with a slightly older friend he said that he had just gone through the same thing. He sat me down with his new stereo, Sony ES equipment if I remember correctly, and it just wowed me. My search was on. Before long I had Cambridge Audio equipment with Vandersteen 2SE's, I kept my Vandy's for almost 20 years. I almost just replaced them with a new set but after doing a ton of research I pulled the trigger on a pair of Zu Omen Def's. Wow!!! Not fair comparing them to some quite old and well used speakers but the upgrade was stunning. I am pretty sure that the Zu's will live with me for quite some time, they're special.

[@vinnytube1001]

Love my Magnepan 1.7s, which I've had for a few years now. That dispersion pattern, being enveloped by sound, is so wonderful. And on top of that, the reproduction of things (especially acoustic instruments) just feels so true to life. But I'm growing a little restless, on a few fronts: I'm also impressed by the high-end KEF concentric drivers like those in the LS50. They seem to solve phase alignment issues in a similar way to the planars, if not better. From my past one of my favorites was an early model of the B&W 801s with the angular head on top. Oh man, those were SO MUCH FUN. Never should have sold them. But they are HUGE. Speaking of big, a friend of mine has the JBL 4367s and I honestly think they may be the best I've ever heard, but they are completely unforgiving to poorly produced music. As a result, I'm highly curious about the Tannoy legacy/classic series. It's a stark contrast from my Maggies: large woofers, dynamic speakers that are high efficiency. The Klipsch Forte/Cornwall is also a contender but I've been so impressed by well-engineered concentric tweeters that I'm holding out to audition a Tannoy Cheviot or Arden first. Would love it if you can ever get a pair to review yourself. And the other one I'm super keen to hear is the Ohm Super Sound Cylinder.

[@viggozing598]

I've heard the Magnepan 1.7 in the same room as the KEF LS50 with a bunch of people and everybody agreed that the Magnepan 1.7 sounded so much better.

[@bradpetersen92126]

As a teenager, back in the 70’s, my EPI towers got me hooked into stereo systems. Went through many systems and speakers, most if which I can’t remember, but my hard rocking Cerwin Vegas kicked butt! Fast forward a few years, traveled the globe while in the Navy, and landed a set of very power-hungry Dahlquist DQ-10s. Thought i was king of the hill. Family time came along, high end audio was a luxury and away everything went. A little of this and that over the years, never picking up the ball again, until lately. A friend gave me a Yamaha RX-V757 receiver, 100W/ch X7 channels, a Sonance a800 90W/ch subwoofer amplifier, added on a Yamaha CD player, Denon turntable, a Dayton Audio passive subwoofer and a pair of Dayton Audio tower speakers. Wow! the clarity, soundstage, and pure cleanliness of the music now blows me away, where 20, 30 years ago, I wasn’t wowed until the buttons were blown off my shirt. Can’t wait to continue my upgrade path, and enjoy the fine wine aging effect my ears took.

[@martyhill8342]

I have lived with my Klipsch Heresy speakers for 40 years. Love 'em still.

[@madmex6526]

I also love my Heresy's because they're short and stumpy, low profile. All I see these days are tall and skinny, high profile. My KG4s are 30 y/o this year.

[@nickscapellato8248]

I purchased the Heresy IVs this past spring, I imagine there are speakers that do some things better but they are so fun and have ridiculous imagining. The design is beautiful too, I am also sick of tall skinny boring black towers.

[@stevenorris283]

Marty Hill bought mine in 1976. Still love them.

[@stevenorris283]

Bought mine in 76. Still jam everyday

[@taloniilm]

After many years of dreaming, I finally got my Klipschorns in 1994. Yamaha amplifier, DBX signal processing and a B&O turntable makes for a nice system... I like my music clean. I tend to listen to Frank Zappa the majority of the time...

[@ptr3671]

My first speaker was a Rectilinear III in 1970 and my first foray into hifi. I lived with them a long time. Heard a lot that I like but I couldn’t afford. Almost purchased some Dahlquist speakers when I upgraded my electronics to Meridian 102., balked at the last minute. Next came the original Mission 770. There were a couple of speakers that made it into my house but ended up being too much of a compromise. This brings me to my final speaker, the Esoteric mg 20. I got them used but the sounded marvellous driven by a Krell i300. They had a precise and open image. Then the Krell went on the fritz and I purchased Belles Aria integrated and the speakers just disappeared. I close my eyes sometimes and sound stage seems to emanate beyond the speakers . Thank you 🙏

[@loujetlag]

Rect III’s...had two pairs...once as a young single guy living w/ my parents...Thorens TD 160Mk IIb TT, SAE Integrated...and again as a young broke married college student..I actually still miss them...great memories...Cheers!

[@ptr3671]

@@loujetlag I have fond memories of my Rectilinear III. What I remember were the upper midrange and up. They seemed focused like my ears needed the audio equivalent of glasses and these speakers were the glasses. It was my first exposure to hifi. Before that it was my parents Zenith all-in-one “semi -portable” record player. Thank you for the reply. It’s appreciated.

[@Paulsimonchristy]

My first speakers were Mordant Short MS-10’s. Very simple, small speakers that on the end of a good amp really sang and got me into music. I am a big fan of the large ATC active designs but love their more affordable passive, sealed SCM-19 bookshelf with a decent sub. The lastest version is exceptional if you have a high current/output amp or digital amp. Also A big fan of large active PWC studio monitors, and their massive dynamics. Many passive speakers seem to have limited dynamics and sound strained on peak output.

[@beforever]

The SCM 10 passives are without question the best speakers I have ever heard, the current 7s are good, better than the 11s which are good but unremarkable

[@Satch_4_Hogs]

I grew up listening to a set of humble Realistic Mach One's on a Pioneer SX-780. They are my life long reference set. I still have them after my father passed. I may replace them at some point, but I will never get rid of them.

[@anonymousdonor8084]

Wow, I remember that gear! SX-780 is a classic . Sad how Radio Shack died...Tandy made speakers and computers

[@weeooh1]

Main reason I consider Steves opinion on speakers so valuable is his vast experience over decades of sampling the best of the best. I believe he is the one who brought the attention of so many to the Klipsch RP-600m (in under $1000 category) and when I heard that I knew I had to pay attention to anything he gets enthusiastic about.

[@siler7]

Steves? I only see one Steve.

[@eclypse1259]

I’m glad I could join you on your journey of favorite speakers from over the years! Of all the different speakers that have come and gone from my house, the JBL CF150 which still resides in our great room now for over 20 years, has earned its right as a permanent fixture. It has a fairly large footprint (like a dorm refrigerator), but the sonic quality of this speaker still blows me away even today. The 3 way speaker uses a rather small 1.4mm Mylar dome tweeter followed by a rather large 16mm midrange that looks like a miniature version of the poly laminate 15” woofer just below it. This is truly a full range speaker, and with a 98db efficiency, it doesn’t need a boatload of power to sound great. The soundstage that this pair creates is absolutely massive, and easily fills the 20x24 room they are in. The tweeters recreate notes that you can almost catch right out of the air, and the mids with their large cone are gentle, but precise with just a touch of dryness, which sound beautiful for realistic reproduction of instruments, and vocals. And the Star of the show is the massive 15” driver that effortlessly creates sounds into the low 30hz range, but seamlessly mates to the mid driver, leaving no usable frequency unfilled. All in all, this speaker sounds great, and never beats you up in the process, and for what seemed very expensive at the time (just over 1k a pair in the late ‘90’s), would be a fantastic bargain for what’s offered today.

[@glmaughan]

I had some Magneplaner MGIIs back in the 70s. I also had some Klipsch Herseys. So the MGIIs had the musical naturalness but realized they lacked the dynamics. Well I modified them by adding Flor-stone concrete resign to the side panels. Then on the front perforated steel panel that supported the bar magnets, I created a tool to add peaked ridges of silicon between the vent holes to give more of a wave guide for sound transmission. Finally I changed the HF circuit capacitor that was a mylar film cap to a better polypropylene film cap. Holy smokes, the best MGIIs I've ever heard.

[@jayherres486]

Love you videos. Years ago I was on a mission to find the best speakers I could afford. Long story short, I found KLH to be the best for the money. One day I bought a pair of Sansui 5000 speakers from my friend. I owned them for years and loved them! I would never have sold them but about thirty years ago I needed the money . I still regret it!...in fact every now and then I dream I get them back. I have never heard any speaker as good especially for voice and wonderful realistic base. An active 15" 2- 8''s 2-6''s 2-horns a large port and about 90pounds of warm wonderful sound. Oh boy, hope I don't dream about them tonight! Happy New Year!

[@colanitower]

28 years ago I went out listening to a number of speakers and tried: "At half the budget, is the difference small enough?" Surprisingly it was with a pair of Infinity RS4001s. They're great and I use them to this day.

[@vaejoviscarolinanus]

I worked in the industry for 25 years and lived with many speakers in your list . I had a few that were in my house as well as my shop. I had watt / puppies that I had bought on trade and they were nice but in those days I sold them to get a pair of 3.6 Maggies. I remember the Spica TC50 as a excellent value as well as the Fried C3L transmission line speakers. Of course Acoustic energy and Totem were prominent speakers in several systems. I have to mention Paradigm because it put my child through private school with many happy customers. Excellent product and I will say I have never heard a bad sounding paradigm. The Canada product is probably the best value in the market in my opinion. I retired in 2005 and now I piddle around with my streamer and listen to the class d stuff with amazement. I will always have a set of Maggies and a few tube pieces for the vinyl to be played on. I still have the first piece of equipment that I purchased. Nad3020

[@HowardSokoloff]

i had watt 3 and puppy 2's. It was back when they first came out. I would have many a night where i would be listening to a piece of music and the tears would be rolling down my face. They were incredible. The whole system was, but i moved from my house to a condo years later and i sold my system. :( I'm just now getting back into it but headphones keep the peace in my life now.

[@theoriginalcraig]

Howard Sokoloff My reference point for how good a speaker and piece of music are...is when tears are shed. That's when it all becomes real and transcendent. It's a spiritual thing. Only sorrow and beauty pierce the heart all the way through, and those moments of beauty are worth ten times every penny spent on a sound system. Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm right there with you, sir.

[@scottengh1175]

Still have my first speakers, JBL L65. Freshly refurbished, along with my Pioneer 9500IIs and Technics SL-1950 turntable. Wish I would have kept my tape deck. All from 1970s in the Navy. Love listening about others. Roommate had those huge panel speakers from Minnesota or Wisconsin. I has a duplex in Milwaukee built in 1927 with 10 foot ceilings and lots of wood.

[@laustinspeiss]

I remember a rule of thumb from the 70s and early 80s. Allocate 50% of your budget on the speakers, and the rest divided between your amplification and primary source device.

[@cbungaro]

Love what you do! In recent years I’ve become an ELAC fanatic. I am blown away by the Uni-Fi UB5s, especially considering they were just $500/pair. I originally bought them as an upgrade to a living room secondary system for background music. Today, after adding a REL T7i, I listen to this system more than a separate system with Vandersteen 5As, which are incredible speakers, and I don’t want to suggest that the UB5s are just as good. But the bang for the buck, IMO, is exceptional. Add the REL, and you may be at least considering whether $500 speakers were turned into $5000 speakers. Now considering upgrading to ELAC Carina floor standing speakers.

[@boballard6040]

Great review Steve! Love the history factor which is a breath of fresh sound compared to today's latest/greatest!

[@dougcline4007]

As a mature (68 yr old) audiophile/music fan, I do a fair bit of walking. I bought a dragonfly red dac a couple of years ago that I use with my computer setup. More recently I bought an adapter to allow my iPhone to use the Dragonfly along with HD-600 headphones for my walks. I have had more pleasure listening to music this way than I have had in years. There is no comparison to ear buds, period. The extra content that I heard challenged me to try and hear the same on my home system. This in turn led to a spate of cartridge alignments and swapping between the various pickups I have accumulated over the years and even resurrecting my Revox A77 to see how the commercial tapes stacked up to the LP's and to the various cd editions. In COVID times it is nice to have this kind of hobby! I have not succumbed to new equipment, yet, but I did send out my Supex SD-900 super to Soundsmith for revamping.

[@kurtlyons136]

ESS AMT-1 which I've owned for 45 years. woofers and xover caps have been replaced, but the original big Heils still sparkle

[@preiter20]

I bought an original pair of Vandersteen 2c speakers this summer. I have been amazed at the amount of music I have been missing all of these years.

[@pointersrule]

Hi Steve, have you ever reviewed any Paradigm speakers, I've got an old pair of Reference Studio 100s, probably over 20 years old, got them from the original owner who had the in storage for about 15 years, great price so Iouldn't pass them up, and I kinda like their sound. what are your thoughts on Paradigm in general??

[@mybrandnewfunk]

I joined the B&W family and bought the 706 S2 bookshelf speakers and B&W HTM71 S2 center speakers to help make life during COVID-19 lockdown (April 2020) a bit less depressing. Pairing the B&Ws with Klipsch SW12II subwoofers which belonged to my dad from the 90s. I know I can get a better sub, but having that sub as part of my system is both nostalgic and brings joy to me. I'd like to think whenever I am listening and enjoying my music or watching a movie, my dad is smiling from heaven with a proud dad moment.

[@donaldchisholm9931]

Hi Steve, Great episode today. I am an audiophile with some "milage on the odometer". Have owned and enjoyed many box speakers in my life including Ohm , Kef Reference107 , Axiom, Energy, Paradigm, Klipsch and many more. After watching this episode you conviced me to try panel speakers. Maybe the Maggie LRS. I am a bit worried about room placement though. Thanks for your opinions and enthusiasm!

[@swimbait1]

In the late 70s I was looking to buy some loudspeakers and walked into a shop that had Klipsch Heresy?, Dahlquist DQ10, and Bose 901. I was blown away by the realistic sound of the Dahlquist. I had never heard a speaker that good before. I ended up owning a pair with a subwoofer for many years. Power hungry but astonishingly clear and realistic. I’m very surprised they weren’t mentioned in the list.

[@TOM-C.]

One of the best speakers ever made was the PSB Stratus Gold i. They can be had on the used market for $600-$800, and I defy you to get a better sounding, more dynamic speaker for that kind of money. No idea what these would sound like with a low power amp as the only amp I used with them was a McIntosh MC2205 which is a beast from back in the day. Seems PSB is now more into the home theatre arena, and not so much aimed at the audiophile, but the older Gold i's will not disappoint. If one is on a budget, these speakers will delight, and compare to speakers costing $1000's more. They were originally $2800 a pair back in 2000. Read the reviews on Stereophile who nick named the Gold i's as the 10,000 watt speaker. If you desire live sounding speakers, and want that goose bump feeling of having the singer, band, orchestra in the room with you, these are the ticket! I would love to hear what the Audiophiliac has to say about these speakers, because it was one of those once in a lifetime designs that made the Gold's so musical, and they deserve a mention in any audiophiles repertoire. P.S. I seem to recall that PSB designed these speakers with a grant from the Canadian government. A lot of time, and money went into the design in any case, and it certainly paid off.

[@Ididntaskforahandleyoutube]

Thanks for the tip. In looking for new speakers for my new turntable. Cheers!

[@richardwestmoreland4796]

I have owned PSB speakers, albeit they weren't the high end models of which you speak but they were nonetheless great sounding speakers that I had for a long time before moving over to some Wharfedales that I am also really enjoying. You are correct that PSB's designer Paul Barton was helped by the Canadian Research Council and the results speak for themselves.

[@mhart9279]

Miller& Kreisel Satellite-1 and a Volkswoofer vintage 1974, bought them with all the internals loose and rattling around in the cabinet. I emailed M&K and entered into an email exchange with Ken Kreisel - Ken sent me a wiring diagram and guided me through rebuilding these speakers. Amongst other things, I learned about solder suckers. The cabinets are teak, with two silk tweeters and two mid-range drivers, on the back are 6 connection options ie: 'British' sound, 'American' 'German' . Ken suggested a Marantz amp so I tracked down a 1974 Marantz1120 and... WOW. He was like an old pal, wanted photos, told me stories about his early days, stories about their part in Star Wars . Great guy. These speakers perform best for jazz, Blues, any Vocals, acoustic performances. Love them, cabinets are like fine furniture will never part with them. I also have KEF LS50-METAs, Klipsch Towers. The M&K's are my reference for excellence.

[@sthr2110]

I can attest to how good the LS50 Meta's are. Wonderful given their size and at their price point. Pair them with a quality sub and the result is remarkable.

[@jeffmpvd7689]

Where did you get yours? I want to try these.

[@ZioVelvet]

Do you know if they make KEF LS50 meta as active speakers?

[@jeffmpvd7689]

@@ZioVelvet They do, watch the KZbin video from "just audio".

[@ZioVelvet]

@@jeffmpvd7689 thanks, which one?

[@dailyfrenchie9047]

I just posted some videos of the LS50 Meta’s. I paired them with a pair of REL T5i’s and they produce a huge lively sound from such a small box.

[@nickcarter5672]

Tannoy Dual Concentric - I used to design and sell home theaters, home systems, automation and lighting back in the 90s. Had a system featured in Home Theater Magazine and numerous other publications. I used to use Tannoy Dual Concentric drivers in custom architecturally hidden cabinets powered by Bryston amps for a nice balance of performance and bullet proof reliability. I was always amazed how well they performed even when crammed into weird architectural locations by designers and architects. In my showroom I had 15" Tannoys all around powered by Bryston mono blocks, no subwoofers required I tell you. What I loved about them is they were essentially studio monitors, so they were true and well balanced, however they had dynamic range for days. You could play anything on them and they always impressed. Perfect for home theater with all the dynamics required to handle quiet dialog as well as explosions, but for me it as a lifelong music lover and former radio DJ it was how versatile they were for any style of music. For me, dynamic range is critical. For a speaker to have studio monitor fidelity, while ripping your face off during a drum kick or a bass riff, to me this is the ideal speakers to live with every day.

[@HAL9007]

Agree. I tried so many 3-way tower speakers that just never made the grade. I was "coerced" into trying Tannoy Cheviots and it was a whole different ballgame. Close to the wall is fine. Room size large or small. Tune-able high frequencies. No more forced, non-integrated 3-way towers for me. Cheviots play anything, great dynamics, musicality. High or low volume. You might sacrifice a bit of resolution, but chasing resolution is a fool's game. Go with dynamics and realism that only a dual concentric can do at a reasonable price. (And check out Tannoy Gold 5's for your desktop -- incredible bang for the buck.)

[@rick4electric]

ESS-1 still blows my mind! When I first heard it I knew I had to get it!

[@monochromios]

I'm more an headphone kind of listener but Totem Mite bookshelf speakers are living with me since 2010 and I really love them. Affordable and very good sounding.

[@Theupgradeguy]

I picked up a pair of Infinity Kappa 7.1 II's on Craig's List for $175! I believe they originally sold for around $2000 a pair. They were filthy, full of cat hair, reeked of cigarette smoke and the Poly Dome Mid's were yellowed from years of exposure to cigarette smoke. I thought that for that money, I could part them out and make some money on the deal. But when I gave them a listen, they actually sounded pretty damn good. So I cleaned them up, refinished the cabinets, got the Mid's rebuilt by Bill LeGall at Miller Sound (AMAZING work) and glued the loose port tube that was vibrating on certain bass notes because it had separated from the inside mount. I just LOVE these speakers. They can really play loud and thump the room! But they also have great detail and the bass digs deep. Then about 2 yrs. ago, a guy I worked with was moving and had a pair of Dahlquist DQ-10's (about $1600/pr. back in 1976) that had been in a storage locker for 20 yrs.. They were so dirty and dusty that they looked like they were covered with snow! He didn't have the skills to refurbish them nor did he want to throw them out. He knew that I worked on old amplifiers so he figured that he would ask me if I wanted them. I reluctantly said 'yes'. The woofers needed surrounds, the grill cloths were loose, the wood side panels had scratches and white paint splashed on them and the stands were ruined in a flood. I figured that I would clean/refinish/fix them up and then sell them since there seemed to be a huge following of the DQ-10's (that I didn't understand). Once I finished them, built new stands and finally hooked them up, my jaw dropped! The soundstage was huge and open, detail amazing and the bass was much better than other users had indicated(my upgraded Hafler DH-500 amp had something to do with that). Last year I rebuilt/upgraded the crossovers and they now are my new favorites. I don't think I will ever part with them. I do have my eyes on the Spatial M3's, but they are just a bit out of my budget for now.

[@Hare_deLune]

Great story! Thanks for sharing. : )

[@Aswaguespack]

Excellent story and there’s an interesting lesson here. Many old speakers regardless of design, have histories of abuse, unintentional or otherwise, and neglect and if a person has the time they can without a great deal of expense and with some TLC can resurrect fine classics to their former glory, giving them a proper home for the respect they should receive as true classics and maybe even with a few tweaks improve their response to a level that some modern speakers can’t match plus there’s great satisfaction in doing so. Great story.

[@davidlambert3892]

Hiya Steve! The best speakers I have ever heard are the Legacy Audio Focus SE. I owned a pair of the first version. They were powered by a Modwright KWI 200 integrated. Absolutely incredible! Clear and articulate with serious low end. They sounded clear at higher volumes. Bass that vibrated the walls. I lost my mind and sold them. I never should have done that. I regret that decision to this day. If I had the money to buy a nice system like that again I would do it in a second even though I now live in an apartment. I wouldn’t think twice about it!

[@adammasc8259]

Forte 3s here. They aren't in an ideal space, but there's nothing I can do for that right now...they still sound great so I can only imagine when they have a proper space to live they'll just get better.

[@lepidoptera9337]

They may sound crap in a better space. What you are hearing is the combination of both, speakers and room. There is no guarantee that you will still like the speakers in a "better" acoustic environment.

[@johnmarchington3146]

I've had a pair of Acoustat SPECTRA 6600s for many years and still love them

[@edthefirst2859]

I had the 8-foot tall Acoustat 2+2s in the 1980's! Wish I still had them.

[@johnmarchington3146]

Hi Ed, nice to hear from you. I've been a real electrostatic speaker fan from the time I first heard the old QUAD 'fire-screens' (ESL57s) in the 1960s. My first Acoustats were a pair of second hand 4s but they had problems with low frequency rattling, even though I liked them in all other respects. (I had previously owned a pair of QUAD ESL63s but didn't like them at all and traded them in on the 4s). The New Zealand Acoustat agent in (I think) 1990 sent me a brochure about the SPECTRA 4400 and 6600 models and I decided to buy the latter - he took my 4s as part payment - and I've never regretted it, even though they were hellishly expensive at the time. I watch a lot of KZbin videos about high-end audio and I'm amazed at how 'negative' many of the contributors are about electrostatic speakers. If any are mentioned positively, they tend to be predominantly Martin Logans. Acoustats hardly get a mention. I just don't understand it! They all seem to love Magnepans.

[@TheLassenman]

Many speaker manufacturing companys use a Norwegian brand called Seas in their speakers. Or am i wrong on that?

[@edwardbalboa5528]

So?

[@ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣΦΙΛΙΑΓΚΟΣ-υ8ψ]

the reason is that they sound and test way above other choices.

[@kmf2153]

Just purchased a pair of Zu Soul speakers. Yes....the best speakers I have ever owned. Paired with Pass ACA Class A amps, mono blocked, so 15 watts a channel...wonderful, fun, and dynamic. Love these things. Beautiful bass tone as a bonus.

[@jarms40]

I've heard many of Steve's picks, and to the extent I've heard them I'm in complete agreement. My addition would be the Spicas. Angelus/TC-50/TC-60. I owned some version of Spica for over 30 years, and the Angelus was my main speaker for 20+. They were "spacial" champs, throwing the most convincing soundstage I've ever heard from a box speaker. They didn't play particularly loud or particularly low, but where they excelled was the heart of the music with a "being there" quality to the midrange that only planars (Maggies; Quads; Sanders, etc.) can rival in my experience. They loved tube amps, although they needed power. Quicksilver Silver 88s worked particularly well. Back in the day the Spicas were made in New Mexico and the Quicksilvers in Nevada for an all-SouthWest pairing.

[@louisxiiii]

Spicas were fabulous speakers! When I bought my first system I listenede to everytign I couldand found nothign I liked until I heard the TC50s. I had Angeluses for a while, but the woofers seemed a bit fragile. I lost a couple to a temperamental ground on my turntable, sending a loud 60HZ hum into them.

[@fido0825]

I've had two sets of Spica TC-50's and "spacial champs" they certainly were! with a set of Hsu Research 10" subs they were remarkable. Passed down to my brother now and as far as I know they're still playing today.

[@jarms40]

I did, in fact, partner the TC 50s with a Hsu Research sub for a while. Small world.

[@gregcleveland3498]

Great salesman, makes us all feel inadequately equipped. Depth and breadth of knowledge is awesome.

[@shunpillay]

Lived with a pair of Behringer Truth monitors that were sonically terrible, and constructed even worse. But for some reason I cannot get over them - they "just did wrong so right".

[@3lueant347]

Dynaco A35s, with PAT 4 Dynaco preamp and Stereo 120 Dynaco power amp. (which I built from kits) (later built stereo 70) I loved the sound of that gear so much. Fun episode Steve. Thanks

[@AGS1000]

What I get from this blog is that the best way to experience all that an audiophile can experience is to open a high-end audio store.

[@nealsal]

Great to see; your walk through your speaker life was a blast from the past (of my entire audio life)! I am currently loving Ohm's European offspring, the German Physiks Unlimited- maybe my last speaker although I've said that before. I started with KEF but then went to Magnaplanar 3.6s in a tiny co-op. Got a house and got Snell Type B. Listened to Apogee and Martin-Logan a lot at The Listening Room in Scarsdale on Thursday evenings when they were open late. Moved on to B&W Matrix 803s. Moved again and went with three generations of Goldenear Tritons (love those pleated tweeters!), and for my 60th birthday increased my budget cap and got the magical G-Ps. Fun to hear your speaker journey!

[@julianayala03]

When he said Magnepan I looked over at my SMGb that I bought used from a single owner (375 USD), Steve is right I was blown away by how they do not sound like speakers. I looked up their original price they would be 1,200 USD adjusted for inflation today. I have listened to Andrew Jones designed speakers, Definitive Dipoles, and high efficiency Energy speakers. I got lucky with these panel speakers, I will buy other speakers but I don't see myself letting go of these. Oh go get your hands on some maggies thats the point, cheers :-)

[@dmptcb]

Yes I have the magnepan 2.7 I purchased new back in 1994 and they still sound as open as they did when I got them but now I have a Peachtree amp and wow! Nothing better and with my SVS sub they sound amazing and I’ll still play my cds

[@valentinodominus7078]

Still own & use 4 Genesis 2,s from 1976 on some occasions. Rebuilt once & after all these years still my fav. Just don’t run them hard anymore. Thanks for the info & Best Wishes from Nashville USA!

[@AlainCliche]

I've had the Spendor BC3 and I still have the BC1... they're both pretty good in my opinion...

[@motospark3493]

HI Steve, I'm one of the people who ended up purchasing the Vandersteen 2Cis from SBSinger, I still have them though my Roommate blew them up 15 years ago so he paid to replace all the Drivers :). I visited SBSinger must have been the late 80's. I listened to several speakers but was pointed in the direction of the Monitor Audio 3s I think thats what they were call or It could and Most likely the Mirage's Piano Black, they where Large Bi-Directional, my memory sucks at 62 :). They were delivered to my apartment in Brooklyn. They were way to Big for my Room, I immediately Called Mr. Singer to come take them back. At the same time I had him ship the Vandersteens. I have now them for almost 30 years and they still Rock, I consider them only 15 years old because of the driver Replacement. Oh I used the difference in price to pick up an Esoteric R-9000, which is still in service. I am at the point of considering purchasing a new Pair or speakers, I was thinking of picking up the latest 2Cs. Thoughts and suggestions? Love your Show, especially the latest AMP Camp coverage, I'm on my 2nd kit and plan on running them as Mono Blocks. Keep up the great work and Happy Listening. Oh my main component is the Parasound Hint original. Peace to you and your Family :).

[@OHMAudioChannel]

Absolute best sounding speaker I've heard on multiple occasions was a pair of bookshelves built by a good friend of mine. He used 6" Morel Titanium series carbon fiber woofers with Morel Supreme soft dome tweeters. The size of the sound that came form these modest 2 way bookshelves defined logic, the sounded 20' tall and had depth that went so far beyond the front wall it was incredible and infectious. He paired them up with a Morel 9" sub woofer using a BASH 300 plate amp and it was just audio bliss, I alwasy called it my Hi-Fi therapy session.

[@jrberg327]

I have been running a pair of JBL L 300’s for 40 years now. With the exception of the woofers re-coned a few times they have been flawless. You listed some great speakers here and there were many I never had the pleasure to physically listen to. How fun would that be to know someone like yourself who could provide me with that opportunity. I not sure I’m completely right in saying the 60’s and 70’s seemed to be the two biggest decades for HiFi. It seemed when the 80’s hit everyone wanted to go smaller and compact in there home stereos. That’s not to say there hasn’t been a lot of good stuff built over these last three decades.

[@monkey401]

The ohm Walsh 2000s is a great speaker. Sounds wonderful, versatile, and blends in with most home furnishing. A keeper and it won’t go out of style.

[@WDXash]

Bought my Kef Reference 203s in 2002. It took quite a few years for them to sound as good as they do today. Unfortunately I got burgled a couple of years later and luckily the knuckleheads who broke in decided to take an old tv rather than my Kefs. Sadly, one of the kefs got knocked over during their struggle to get the tv and received a scuff to the cherry wood veneer. I was then fortunate enough to get a tour of the Kef factory in Kent, England (I only lived about 7 miles away) after they had kindly refinished my speaker cabinet for me and gave it a full test - they took both speakers to ensure they were properly matched, as they are manufactured as an identically matched pair. Even the veneers are consecutive layers from the same tree to ensure as close a visible grain match as possible. I’ve still got them and they get used every single day. They are so easy to listen to. Love em 🙂

[@scarabeo500gt]

No list is complete without the Bob Carver Amazing Speakers Platinum edition - could stand with the best of them!

[@islanddog32963]

your addition of electrostatic speaker technology was interesting I loved the mid and high range function ..

[@fableslayer]

i'm pretty happy with my older acoustic research three ways with ten inch woofers. i also loved the sound of the tall "cabasse" cabinets! from the late nineties.

[@edthefirst2859]

AR-3as are still some of the best "bookshelf" speakers ever made. I owned them, the 2ax, the 9LS and the 4x.

[@bobgoldesberry7740]

I have had a set of KEF 103.2 that I have owned for about 6 years. I have them paired with a pair of KEF C40. Both I believe are 100 watt and i have them in my listening room hooked to my Marantz 2270 for audiophile stuff, Very modest older restored system along with a Marantz 6300 table. For pure listening pleasure this is my go to setup. I have another high watt system that I use Heresy I with tower subs if I want to Rock! I am satisfied with these setups. I tinker with some others but both these systems keep me entertained. Good video. Thanks

[@MrDeaweber]

After a year of spending some time bouncing around the big shot audio reviewers channels i put steve at top because no rambles in a more entertaining and useful way.

[@davehood1514]

Yamaha ns1000 I heard these in my local dealer years ago on the end of a Linn LP 12 and Cambridge pe/power amp was blown away be how good they sounded for at the time A bargain £550 wish I had bought a pair 🙄

[@francisfrench4345]

I grew up with my father's Quad 22 system and the Quad 57 speaker, just one, better signal to noise ratio so my father told me. Many speakers along the way, I built a Pro 9TL which was a magzine's transmission line speakers. Had them for decades, and then moved to some others. Finally ended up with Celestion SL6 and then my pair of Quad 63s.. they're still my main speakers. I have a set of JR-149's, which funnily enough one review said they were spearks to have if one loved the sounds of Quads. Maybe so.. but they rotate in and out of the secondary system.. along with the SL6s. The adventure continues.

[@humanitech]

Nice...Some friends had the SL6's and SL600's..and both sounded fab for their size. Back then I got hooked on tannoy dual concentric's but always wanted some quad electrostatics.

[@paulsonoda1282]

I lived a long time with Apogee Stages. Sold them and still miss them.

[@edwardbalboa5528]

Idiot

[@zhemzhem1819]

@@edwardbalboa5528 dont be rude

[@maxnielsen9783]

I have gone thrugh a couple of sets. My first speakers I build my self. With 8 inch fullrange element. Then a Fostex dual 8 inch exponential horn. They were amazing. I then bought Jamo Power 250. After that system with own design with active crossover and one amplifier for each register. They lasted until I got a pair of B&W801 serie 80. With 1200Watt amplifiers they sounded great for 8 years until I could afford the B&W 800D that will remain here for a looong time. I had to upgrade the amplifiers for they are demanding. I found a couple of Marantz Ma-9s2 monoblock that is a great match with the speakers. So after 44 years of quest for the ultimate sound I am HAPPY and just enjoy the music every day.