The Best Sounding Speakers Ever MADE ?
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Bronze Member Username: HifisoundguyPost Number: 61 Registered: Aug-06 | Vintage JBL L150A, I got them for only $190 and they are the best sounding that I have ever heard in 40 years! We already compared the jbl's to a friends B&W 801's and the jbl's won in every way!!! Has anyone else heard these speakers? |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 606 Registered: Oct-04 | OK then, that's it then guys. Been nice knowing y'all. |
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Bronze Member Username: MarsdenCapital City Post Number: 16 Registered: Oct-06 | FORTY YEARS? ...ya know, people's hearing has been known to deteriorate ;) |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 11387 Registered: Dec-03 | uh-oh the vilalge idiot returneth!!! |
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Platinum Member Username: Project6Post Number: 11388 Registered: Dec-03 | dang...I misspelled village! |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 607 Registered: Oct-04 | Here's my vote for the BEST looking speaker ever (You might have seen this before if you've been around a while, please indulge me):  |
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Bronze Member Username: HifisoundguyPost Number: 62 Registered: Aug-06 | I'm in my late 60's but they were 7 in their 20's that were there too and they all liked the jbl's better! They were 20 people there that heard B&W's and JBL's and we all liked the JBL's better!! http://www.audioheritage.org/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=154&sort=1 http://www.randallareed.com/JBL_150L%20Speakers.htm |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1432 Registered: Jun-05 | Man thats probably the toughest question in the audio world! |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4432 Registered: Dec-04 | OMG he is back. A sure sign of the apocalypse. Oh, gee, who are those horsemen?And is that RW following on a burrow? |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4433 Registered: Dec-04 | Christopher M, are those Revel's? They look like Opus series. Hats off to the carpenter, exceptionally nice. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 608 Registered: Oct-04 | Now Nuck, that is a good question. I came across these beasts a few years ago on a DIY single-driver full-range website. I have no idea who built them other than his name is Steve http://www.basaudio.net/diyhosting/steve/index.html (I tried my best to contact him). I believe those drivers are Lowthers http://www.lowtherloudspeakers.co.uk/homeindex.html , but I really can't tell which. Tim, I can use your help identifying these. |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 1709 Registered: Sep-04 | Nuck Do I hear a trumpet? Frank. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4438 Registered: Dec-04 | Maybe, Frank. Some of those Revel's are mighty tempting(and just plain mighty). BTW, the Goertz are micro purl. The Revel line is quite complete, althoug I have not seen a bookshelf/stander that might compete with a ProAc, Dyn140, Totem, etc. Revel has a distinctive look, though. I happen to like the bigger ones. Speaking of distinctive, Gallo 3.1's are distinct. Mike Wodek STILL won't give up a full review of his. |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1439 Registered: Jun-05 | On the subject,of Revel,i have to admit,the Saloons are best sounding speaker I,ve heard,but that was 6 months ago,and the new ones are out and are considered better,so I will be going up to Columbus some time soon to check them out.You are very correct Nuck,the Revel line is very complete,um and your standmount question the F22s are awsome,i dont any of the other standmounts can match their power and finese,aside from the Mani-2s which are much more power hungry.The Gallos are great but,few people who have bought them have been able to draw out all of their magical abilities. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4444 Registered: Dec-04 | I was remiss without the F22's, T, my dealer doesn't carry them, and loves the Dyn 140's there. For 2400$CDN he well should. Should any 4 cylinder cost this much? On the other hand, he is clearing floor stock and will part with his floor F32's for a cut-rate 3200$CDN. These fly in the face of the Contour 1.4's at the same price. However, a pair of audience 82's can be had for 2900$.These are blem's, floor, 3 yrs old. When the hell did stuff starting to cost this much!? Oh yeah, when I got the Classe stuff. Oy! |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 3612 Registered: Feb-05 | There are still those stacked CV's Nuck. Lots of noise for little outlay...make Paul happy and proud (speaking of frightening halloween images). |
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Bronze Member Username: HifisoundguyPost Number: 63 Registered: Aug-06 | The gear that we used with the JBL's were a all new Onkyo A-9555 Integrated Amp.$699 Amazing amp.!! Very Very Tube-Like in Sound! And a Onkyo DK-7555 CD Player $599, you can compare it to $5000 CD Players!! |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4452 Registered: Dec-04 | In a 4 wheels and an engine kind of way. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4453 Registered: Dec-04 | Art, that is just cruel. Funny, but cruel. |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1440 Registered: Jun-05 | Nuck,I would stay away from the Contours,their colored performance and cabinet resonaces isnt worth the price or its supposed to be high-end reputation.Next to Martin Logan I think the Contour series is the worst speakers in that pricerange some of the most falsely glorified.And dont get F32 either they dont have latest tweater wavguide that the F52 has or even worst the Concerta line and the Infinity Beta lines have it and the F32 doesent,thats very frustrating to me that F32 doesent.The F52s and Saloons are the reason I bought the Beta 20s,different material for the drivers but,the same tweeter waveguide concept very similar sounds and nearly all of the characteristics of the F52 and Saloon and all of them sound more airy than the F32.I wouldnt mess with 82 either they are do for a serious makeover soon and they extremely bloated in the midbass,the 140s will treat you right,I absolutely love the 220s.Realistically,I would shop aound and do some more auditioning somewherelse. |
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Gold Member Username: John_aLondonU.K. Post Number: 4557 Registered: Dec-03 | There is no "best sounding" for everyone because it depends on what you want. But let me plug the Quad ESLs again. One of my so-far single-post threads, here:- Quad ESL-2905. "The finest speaker on the planet"... |
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Gold Member Username: T_bomb25Dayton, Ohio United States Post Number: 1443 Registered: Jun-05 | Your right John,but their is a design crteria that keeps moving foward in the speaker industry your Quads dont go by that code its one of the few that has a timeless sound,others are not as fortunate,the tweeter waveguide with Infinity and Revel makes a huge difference that anyone would like better.The Dynaudio as in the case with the Focus series parts and design criteria are based off the Evidence series,where is the Audiance and Contour series are not,and it is a very huge listening experiance even to the novice audiophile. |
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Gold Member Username: John_aLondonU.K. Post Number: 4558 Registered: Dec-03 | That's right, Tawaun. My ESL 63s are two generations back, now. The latest models are probably an improvement in construction, and the big ones have the extra bass panels, but it is still the same unique design concept. |
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Bronze Member Username: The13thgryphonSpokane, WA USA Post Number: 27 Registered: Jul-04 | Nuck, for what its worth, the four horsemen are most frequently named Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death. As to the best sounding speakers ever made... I can't say categorically as I've not listened to every speaker ever made... but the best I've personally every heard were the Wisdom Audio Adrenaline Rush. $95,000 (I believe, last time I looked) and worth every penny. Can't even begin to describe the experience. It was other-worldly. It was indeed a "rush"! The hair on the back of my neck stood upright and my heart was beating like the dickens. The experience was so invigorating that I was short of breath. Visceral. Incredible impact. Incredible delicacy. Incredibly lifelike. WOW! If I had that kind of money... to go along with the $70,000 worth of Jeff Rowland Design electronics and Wadia source, you can bet I'd buy them in an instant. Of course, I'd need a bigger house to put them in... oh well. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4681 Registered: Dec-04 | Thanks, John. If those 4 horsemen are awful, then Audio Idoltry must be Porky Pig on a burrow bringing up the rear. A pair of Wisdom speakers or a Corvette. Hmm... How does it go? If you have to ask the price... |
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Gold Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 1129 Registered: Dec-03 | Tim, I can use your help identifying these. Definitely Lowthers, "A" series, maybe PM6A in a rear loaded horn. No info other than Bas hosting Steve's pics. Both gentlemen are from the Netherlands AFAIK. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 744 Registered: Oct-04 | Thanks Tim. Any idea what these beast might sound like given their design? Ever use Lowthers? |
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Gold Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 1130 Registered: Dec-03 | I've heard horn-loaded Lowthers before, in cabinets larger than the one shown in that pic. Those are pretty compact by RLH standards. Lowthers have a huge, dedicated, nearly fanatical following. The world of SFR drivers and SET amplifiers is a unique one. In that world, Lowthers are quite good. In my world, I find they are better but still similar to others using a very lightweight cone material. They tend to have a clear, but forward mid-range complicated by cone resonances at certain frequencies. I was witness to an attempt to tame these anomolies using passive circuitry and adding a supertweeter. The owner paid hundreds of dollars for the modification and was pleased. The engineer on the project did his best but was dismayed with the results. Nelson Pass has done a lot of work with Lowthers, solid state current source amplifiers and passive filter circuits. He's probably gotten the best sound possible out of them with this setup.  |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4684 Registered: Dec-04 | Nice discreet little fellows. Nearly invisible. In a 'the rest of my loft is full of exposed ductwork, too' kind of way. Thanks, Tim. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 745 Registered: Oct-04 | You crack me up Nuck. Thanks Tim. Anybody know what happened to Edster922? He's been AWOL for a while. |
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Bronze Member Username: Rysa3Houston, Texas Post Number: 53 Registered: Nov-06 | He sold his business and moved to New Mexico to pursue a different path. I suspect he may pop in from time to time. |
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Silver Member Username: ExerciseguyBrooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 748 Registered: Oct-04 | I hope things turn out well for him. Was he in the audio biz? Has there ever been an eCoustics get-together of any sort? I'd like to invite any of "The Regulars" who visit NYC this Christmas season to go get a beer & talk shop. |
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Gold Member Username: John_aLondonU.K. Post Number: 4593 Registered: Dec-03 | Tim;- Nice picture. But what does he use for mains....? |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4691 Registered: Dec-04 | CM, next time I get to NYC I'll be letting you know. Thanks. |
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Bronze Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 22 Registered: Nov-06 | when TW made that comment about ML it made me realise that I would probably never buy another MartinLogan speaker if they are going along the X-Stat route. So far, the only stat that they prodouce that I think sounds any good is the clarity, and it is the least expensive (go figure)... The rest of the speakers have (what it seems) a sort of loudness curve to them. I still think the last series (the "i" panels with the clear spars) were some of the best speakers they ever made, but the new ones suck |
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Bronze Member Username: GavdawgPost Number: 23 Registered: Nov-06 | forgot about the montage and mosaic, I like those too and would own them, but I was referring to the ESLs it blows when I think the mosaic sounds better than the vista (vista is like twice the price) either that or something is wrong with my ears. well, I own and love magnepans, and the mosaic is based loosely on a similar technology. |
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