'96 - Advent Laureates - $125 New
'97 - Vandersteen 2ci - $400 Used
'00 - BC Acoustique Seine - $1500 New
'02 - Audio Physic Virgo 3 - $5500 New
'04 - Joseph Audio Pearls - $16000 New
'07 - Gamut L3 - $4500 New
The Advents I got on a buy one get one free sale - they really weren't too bad - I was auditioning the Heritage also and with the bigger woofers
they were far too bass heavy and dark. The Laureates had far better balance top to bottom.
The Vandersteens came with Sound Anchor stands included for the $400, so were an absolute steal. Big improvement over the Laureates for next to nothing.
Had never heard of the BC Acoustique, but they had an interesting little horn tweeter (I normally HATE horns) but these had a nice smooth sound to them.
I had heard the original Virgo 2's some time before and had never forgotten them, so when the money came around I picked up a pair, but in reality I didn't
care for them as much as my memory of the originals.
Then came the Pearls - the first time I heard them was the first time I was ever stopped dead in my tracks by any piece of audio equipment. They were
absolutely spectacular! I walked into the shop and they were playing in the back room - I couldn't see them and had no idea which speakers were playing,
but I could hear them and had to ask the owner what was playing back there - they made that much of an impression on me. And the dealer gave me 20% off
and my full purchase price of the Virgo's in trade for them without my even asking!
Unfortunately, and to my great sorrow, then came the divorce - I needed the money and knew I was going to end up in a small apartment, so the Pearls had
to go. It broke my heart, but divorce is VERY expensive. My heart wasn't really in it, so i ended up buying a pair of 2-way standmounts. I had them for
about three years during which I rarely played any music - in fact I resented just looking at the damn things - they reminded me of what I used to have.
But after a while, I started playing music again,,,,and started to critically listen to them....and what do you know, these things weren't too bad. Actually,
not bad at all......wait a minute.....these things are pretty good! Damn good! Dare I say spectacular in their own rights? If I am being honest, with the
exception of the very lowest octave, I am not missing anything from the Pearls - they are truly that good - and this from a person that wanted to hate them!
I had planned for them to be the last pair of speakers I ever owned, but then Magico came out with the Q1's - although I probably won't ever be able to afford
those - but even if I don't ever get the Q1's, I am happy with the Gamuts.
