The best speaker you ever heard?

With respect to the above, I think many good points are made. Source components are very important. I lack the expertise to appropriately prioritize the links in the signal chain (that's what people like Duane are for, and why I didn't just blindly assemble my system from the internet). However, my opinion is that it's necessary to have a system containing no glaringly weak parts if one seeks the best possible sound for the money. So as a practical matter, component matching and system synergy become the key ingredients. For example, in my system, the Summits sound their very best only when they have the Dodson 217 Mark II D (with its upgraded 218-like software) in the chain. Even though they are a rather efficient speaker at something like 89, 90 or 91 dB, they STILL sound way, way better when driven by an outstanding amplifier, such as the Odyssey Extreme monoblocks which have a lot of power (I reviewed them under "Amplifiers). The amplification power and current are PARTICULARLY important in extracting the best bass response from a loudspeaker. That was true for the Paradigms (also very efficient but still loving the Odyssey power and current) and it is also true for the Summits.

As a practical matter, it becomes almost irrelevant anyway which piece in the system matters "most". They all need to be good.

As a follow-up to my prior post to this thread on 11/12/05, I have now posted the review of the Intuitive Design Summit PSL 624 loudspeakers I'd mentioned, and it is under "Product Reviews" in the "Speakers" category.

The best I've heard were the Maggie 3.6's. I know they have a 20.1 which is better, but I've never heard it. They were set up in a dedicated room with high end solid state AR equipment. The room was about 30' X 25'. They had the rear wall and all corners treated with sound absorbers. The speakers were set about 10' into the room, about 6' apart facing straight ahead with no toe-in, allot of room to the sides. The listening poition was half way from the front of the speakers to the rear wall, approximately 10' from the speakers. I've been into this hobby for almost 30 years and have listened to many set-up's through the years, but nothing compared to this. A huge deep soundstage, detail galore, imaging like I had never heard before. I went to this store to audtion some Dynaudio's and brought along several disk I was familiar with. Couldn't believe how good every disk sounded. Just incredible.

Mapleleafs3 said:

" I've heard $10,000 speakers fed by a lousy source sound like crap"

Won't a $10,000 source make lousy speakers sound like crap also? You don't have those "White Van" speakers do ya?

Just kidding...I know what your saying, although...IMO, any weak link is a weak link... in the BIG picture.

Dave

I remember hearing a pair of £150 speakers being driven by a very high end system at a show (old Penta Heathrow I think) in a very big room. They sounded fantastic!

Sonus Faber Extrema speakers.