Your ultimate 2 channel speakers?

Feel the same about my Harbeth HL5s ...

 

A used pair of Proac 3.8 would be mine if I had a room with enough space. Or maybe a used pair of Audio Physic Virgos. Haven't heard a pair of Revel models in this price range, but I'm sure I'd love them as I did love the M20s I had. Vandersteens mentioned above? Sure, I bet they rock. Maybe a pair of Thiel CS2.4s. I think I could go on and on.

 

Probably Vandersteen Model 5, though there's always something you've never heard of...

 

I really like my newest pair of speakers--Gallo Reference Strada 2's. I have them paired with a REL T5 sub. That combo is under $3k.

As for the speakers that I would want, money no object? I'd say the Wilson Sophia 3's. Not only are they amongst the least expensive Wilsons (although at around $20k, they are still ridiculously exoensive), they are also said to be amongst the best sounding from that esteemed company.

 

Just bought a pair of PMC twenty-24s to replace my Monitor Audio RS8s. So hopefully it will be these - I will know more when they arrive!

 

For classical music - Sonus Faber Stradivari Homage
For Jazz - Urei 813C (all JBL units)
For electronic music - JBL M9500
Planar - ESL 63
Horn - Western Electric

 

Oops, some of them are more than $5000...

 

The Jubilees sound incredible indeed, however I must point to my speakers, the Klipsch KPT-904's. At 1/3rd the price per speaker of the Jubilees, the 904's sound 9.5/10 as good, still besting anything else I've ever heard, K-horns included.

Only thing is they have ZERO design aesthetic, which is partly what I love about them. If they were a muscle car, they'd be a rusted out spray painted flat black 1965 Roadrunner.. with a supercharged 440 under the hood, looks like crap, but will smoke anything.

 

I never think of "ultimate" but just concentrate on what's best for my setup at any given time.

That's not to say that I don't recognise product excellence, but there really is no "ultimate" for me per se.

 

Theils from the 80s
BandW from the late 90s,2000
Dynaudio from 2005,2010
SonusFarber from early 2000s

In the 70s KLH,JBL,Hartley,Acustic research,and so much more

 

A mint pair of Tannoy 15 inch Monitor Golds, recapped and in pro built GRF Cabinets. Like 300 liter cabinets.

 

Whoa...like these no affiliation or anything. Just was looking for a pic and came across these. Gorgeous.

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?115545-Tannoy-monitor-gold-15in-GRF

 

Another vote for Harbeths. We went through everything from floor-standing towers to Klipschorns to vintage JBLs. Anything will have its pluses and minuses, but we settled on the 7ES-3s and they are perfect for our set-up (all-tube, all-vinyl, in a very large room).

 

For me I hope stacked Quad esl-63s, could be doable within $5k.

 

I guess "ultimate" is a transient thing - what speaker keeps coming back into my thoughts? I have low wattage amps so that narrows down the field and I have no interest in vintage speakers. The SETs rule out my favourite "show" speaker, the Andrew Jones designed TAD References.

I am a long time Coincident Speaker owner, so the Pure Reference Extreme keeps coming back into my head. I wish they were a tad prettier.

http://www.coincidentspeaker.com/Pure-Reference-Extreme.htm

 

The best I've heard so far are full-range planar speakers. But I really need to hear more models to make an informed opinion.

 

I have owned a pair of these for a little over a year and am quite happy. I have two Rega Exons and a Maia powering them. What do you think of yours so far?

 

As a classical guy, I take that as more of a warning than a recommendation.

Harbeth Compact 7ES-3. Vewy Bwitish.
-Bob

 

As a music guy I would as well.

The Compact 7, love mine.

 

Today right now compact sevens would do it.

 

So many possibilities! The Ohm Walsh 3000 ($4000) and Walsh 4000 ($5600) would be on my short list, for sure.

 

You don't know much about British speakers then...!!

 

For long listening sessions you want something that's well balanced. Nothing too edgy in the treble (it's interesting that Waxfreak mentions Klipsch as their recent RF62 was poorly reviewed as being just this - sorry mate!), no plodding bass. I would also consider active speakers too.

No suggestions from me specifically, but I do find dual concentric designs to be best suited to me. Detailed, musical and very listenable for hours.

 

The Audio Note J/Spe or J/LX - 11 years ago I felt they were the best in their class - ten years later I still feel they're the best in their class. Can be positioned near corners but not mandatory - can fill surprisingly big rooms or small rooms. Have in room bass flat to 25hz. And available in over 20 finishes and are upgradable at later dates should you desire.

 

Quad Electrostatics, or if you don't have the room for them, Harbeth.