What's your speaker IQ, and the best speaker?


Please forgive the fact that this is a direct overlap of the popular "The best speaker you ever heard?" thread. However as much as I love the original thread, far too many of the respondents do not list what other speakers they have auditioned, severely limiting the value of that particular answer. For example if you say, "The Dunlavy SC-V are the best speaker bar none" and all you ever heard before that are whatever was at Best Buy, it is hard to give that opinion a lot of weight. But if you say, "The Dunlavy SC-V are the best speaker bar none" and I've listened to Von Schwiekert VR-11s, Avalon Eidolon Diamonds, and the entire Wilson line .. well then NOW you're saying something.

So in my perfect world, the posts would go something like: "Krix Equinox, Rogers Studio 1a, Quad 12L, Quad ESL989, ATC SCM 20SL, Kef C40s, most of the Thiel line, but I have to say far and away the best speaker I've ever hear is ..."

Forgive me again, but I guess this also overlaps the popular "Personal speaker evolution" thread! However if this topic takes on any traction, I think it can be a perfect marriage of the other two threads and very valuable resource.

Try to answer by listing the speakers first, so that when the answers post they will be seen in the 1st line of the post and anyone browsing the thread can then click on those answers that mention speakers that he/she is interested in.

This could be fun, thanks!
studioray
Yes I am enjoying this thread too and hope it grows steadily. When someone praises a speaker or announces it to be "one of the best" if not "the best", it is good to know the context, what else they have heard. I wish people would always provide that.
Acapella - wow!
Avantgarde Duo
B&W Silver Signature 30, Signature 800, Signature 805, 804S
Duevel
Fischer & Fischer
Harbeth Super HL5
McIntosh XRT
MBL
Prame - seductive, romantic, captivating
Sonus Faber Auditor, Grand Piano
Tannoy Yorkminster

3 years so far into this hobby, the most delightful sound i've heard came from the Acapella Fidelio - stunning details, imaging, and transparency. my dream speakers: Acapella Violon, B&W Model Nautilus, Tannoy Westminster Royal, and Avantgarde Trio.

scott
good thread, the following is what I have auditioned at length and owned. My budget is'nt as rich as some of the posts.
Owned: Quad 57
Monitor Audio MA8
Dynaudio Audience 50(great value and sound)
Living Voice Auditorium (not great)
Living Voice Avatar(very good indeed , but a tad
polite)
Acoustic Zen Adagio
The Quad 57 was really a great speaker the wife could'nt cope with them. The new Adagios are exceptional, dynamic, detailed, but not fatiguing music not HiFi as so many speakers are.
Heard at length
Avalon Eidolon (probably best I have heard, again
music not HiFi)
B and W 800 series most ( fatiguing HiFi sound)
Art Emotion (very nice indeed, but expensive)
zu Druid ( very quick but not fatiguing, I could l
could live with them)
Wilson Disvovery (Nice but expensive ugly)
Tannoy Kensington(wonderful but impractically
large0
Green Mountain Calypso ( intriguing and nice
balanced sound)
At the moment I would strongly recommend the Acoustic Zen Adagios, look great and a VERY nice sound
Studioray,
Thanks for the compliment. I had been looking for a speaker like this for years, literally. Duane feels the same way, and most definitely has a MUCH higher speaker IQ than I do. He's the person who sold them to me.
The Best speaker for the money in my book is the Rushmores by
Pass Labs. I should know, I have a pair sitting in my living room!