Personal speaker evolution

Ok this has been an interesting road:

1987: Boston Acoustics A-40 Bookshelf speakers. Part of first ever component stereo system which were paired to an NAD 7220PE Receiver and Dual 505-2 turntable (grado cartridge). Paid $160 for the pair.

2001: Infinity Entra One bookshelf speakers. Had to replace the Bostons since they were destroyed at a holiday party (sad face!). But the Infinity's added depth and dimensionality to the sound--overall a pretty decent speaker given that they were purchased at a Circuit City! Went to stereo shops but didn't find anything I liked given my price point. Paid $298 for the pair.

2012: GoldenEar Aon-3 Bookshelf monitors. These bookshelf monitors sound like floor-standing towers! If you're looking for big, detailed clear sound from bookshelf size speakers then run, don't walk to your nearest GoldenEar dealer. But bring your checkbook since the Aon-3s are $998 per pair!

I started many years ago, 1966:

Radio Shack Optimus, 125.00 for the pair. Beginners speakers
Wharfedale W60, 190.00 for the pair. Wonderful base output!
Fisher XP7E, 250.00 for the pair. Wonderful open sound with bass.
Fisher XP9, 325.00 for the pair. Bigger better bass, better output.
McIntosh ML-1C 669.00 for the pair, 1971. Terrific bass needed power!
Infinity Quantum 3, $950 the pair, great sound and bass, 16 yrs owned
Legacy Focus, 6400 the pair, awsume sound nothing close 16 yrs
Last pair. Coincident Pure Reference. Only thing close is Wilson Alexandria , cost was 22K. Expensive? Yes, but worth it, go listen and walk away dumbfounded. I can say that after searching for 45 years.
All of the speakers were good in their day. But technology marches on improvements carry. Many speakers were the "trust me honey this the last one!!"

1. Cerwin Vega's 12" woofer
2. Bose Sat & woofer box system (the worst)
3. Vandersteen 2ce (first audiophile speaker, still have them)
4. Floorstanding speakers of some kind
5. Quad 22L2
6. Chario Academy 2 (best monitor speaker and still use them)
7. Focal Chorus 800
8. Acoustic Zen Adagio Jr. (still have these)
9. Von Scheiwert VR-2 with matching sub
10. Jaton Real A&V 803 (best full range I have ever owned)
I would love to get a pair of Revel Ultima Salons next.

I now have been living with JM Lab Alto Utopia Be for several years and while not quite the air mover the Irs-1b and maggie 3.6/dual sub systems, definitely one of the if not the best I have heard in a reasonable sized room. Adding a Paradigm servo-15b sub for below 20hz added the realistic sub-bass weight to orchestral as well as live recordings. I have no desire to change now or anytime soon.

I've had more homebuilt speakers than not, but I have two pairs of Klipsch Hereseys worth mentioning as they are quite different from each other considering. One pair are Heresy I's, in maybe butternut or some light-colored walnuty wood. Got them at an estate sale for maybe $40. I rebuilt the crossovers and they sound pretty decent, I think limited by what's being fed into them right now.

The other pair are from the pro audio side of Klipsch, sold as PA speakers, so they are black tolex or whatever with handles built into the top and metal grills. I usually use them with a solid state PA amp for musical instruments - keyboards, bass, whatever - but once I fed my little Mackie mixer into one of my ST70's and into these speakers and they sounded fantastic, very bold and alive, not to mention loud. Am going to have to revisit that when I get the right preamp going. These can be found very cheap by the way, worth looking at.

Other than that, some jbl studio monitors, some KEF vertical boxes with side-mounted woofers, some KROK studio monitors.

They all sound almost good enough but not quite, and I have come to think it's my ears that are not up to snuff anymore. Nothing sounds as fantastic as it did when I was younger. Sad but at least I can remember it:)