Personal speaker evolution

1967 Jensen? 12"+ cone tweeter around $200
1975 DCM Time Windows
1982 Celestion SL-6
2007 Vienna Acoustics Beethovan Baby Grands

First amp was a Scott intergrated tube amp, then Sansui, then Bryston 1B/2B combination that I'm still using.

Turntables, were Dual changer, Lux DD table and now Pro-Ject RM10 with Sumiko Blackbird.

Dave

The first I remember was a pair of 2 way Ampex circ 1968-70. Then AR 3a's for about 7 years. Then rectalinear III's. Then powered advents. Then stacked advents. Then McIntosh XR 5's (till 95). Then KEF Q 70's. Klipsch Chorus II's followed. Then Totem Staff's (maybe the best all around) Then Thiel 3.5's (mistake, too much high freq energy)
Then Magneplaner QR10's w/ B&W sub. And then Totem Model 1 sigs. Platinum Audio Solo's replaced the Model 1's. Then Energy 2.2's followed the Solo's. Then a return to the Solo's (realized they were the best!). Then took a flyer on PSB Stratus Gold's. Then Maggie MMC and then the 1.6's and currently Soliloquy 5.0i's. Oh, and a vintage system that has had JBL L100's for years.

Wow, what a sickness!

Would have to say that the Staafs and the Solo's were the best in my rig. Electronics were changed out a lot less.
Mostly these speakers were used with McIntosh, Conrad Johnson and Anthem gear.

Fisher -> Pioneer -> Sound Dynamics -> Apogee CenTaur Major -> Apogee Diva -> McIntosh -> Avalon Ascent -> Legacy Focus -> Apogee Scintilla -> Apogee Fullrange

cheap Akai speakers (can't remember model)
Bose cubes w/"subwoofer module" (model?)
Spendor S5e (nice)
Vandersteen 2Ce Signature (nicer)
Gallo Reference 3.1 (yeah, baby!)

I have been into audio since the early 70s. My first truly high end pair of speakers were my beloved Quad 63s. When they became available, I purchased the Gradient 63s for them. But alas, when I moved, my new listening area just didnt have room for the space taking quads. I couldnt part with them and they have been in storage. My present listening area therefore has a pair of Watt/Puppies, 4s on each end, driven by a pair of Jadis JA80s, a Nagra preamp and a VPI HRX turntable. I also have a Muse Universal Player tied in for what digital I play.

I finally talked the other half into allowing me to put some decent sound in the entertainment room. In addition to the surround system, I have a pair of the NuForce amps, an Aethetix Janus pre/phono stage and a pair of Vandersteen Quatros which appealed to the WAF. On top is an SME/20.

At my office I use an integrated Cayin tube amp, Project RM9 and a lovely pair of Stirling LS3/5a V2.

The HRX and SME both use the Red Koetsu. The Project the Shure M97.

But what to do with the wonderful Quads? I never could part with them but almost did a few times. Couldnt pull the trigger. Recently I purchased a vacation home a few hours from my house. It has the perfect area for the Quads. I needed some equipment for them and didnt want to spend lots of $. I wanted them to be tube driven. Solution? I had a VPI upgraded Scout not being used with a Grado cartridge and a Sutherland Phd phono stage. I purchased a pair of the PrimaLuna Sixs. For the preamp I went with the Cayin SC 5LC. I threw in a Creek cd player for the digital. In the master is a Sugden amp, a pair of Devore Gibbons and an IPOD.

So my evolutiion and current systems are Quad/Gradient 63, Watt/Puppies 4, Sterlin, Vandersteen Quatro and Devore Gibbons. Different speakers for different uses. It doesnt get any better.

Let me add that the PrimaLuna Sixs and the Cayin pre blen perfectly with the Quads. I have over the years paid much more for preamps and amps, some of which i still have (Jadis, Aexthetix, Nagra). Maybe its my age, too much loud rock in roll in the earlier days, etc., but I would put this combo against any.

Good topic and responses. Curtis