Name your Loudspeaker

[RedStep]

OK, for the hell of it....
If $$$ were no object 8O Name you dream set of speakers

Mine, the Sonus Faber Amanti Homage with the Wilson Audio Sophias comming in a close second.







RedStep
We are truly a product of the decisions we make

[David Meek]

Cost no object, eh?

Rockport Hyperions





David - HTGuide flunky
Our "Theater"
Our DVDs on DVD Tracker

[P-Dub]

I thought Rockport's only made shoes.

I recently heard the Mirage OM series and those really blew me away.



I've always had a soft spot for the Tag McLaren F1's



and the B&W 801's






Paul

There are three kinds of people in this world; those that can count, and those that can't.

[Bob]

Vandersteen 5's. The only speaker I have heard that I can listen too for hours and never get fatigued. The new Wilson 7's are a possibility though. The Wilson 6's, and the Wilson 5's had much to like but, a little to bright and I found I couldn't listen for very long. The 7's, at first listen, seem to have changed that. Could be I will be changing my mind about the Vandy 5's in the future and changing to Wilson Watt Puppy 7's.

[John Holmes]

Like Paul, I too was very impressed by the OM-5 ( haven't heard the OM-7, I'm sure they are very close) by Mirage. Great to look at and very, very nice sounding.




"I came here, to chew bubble gum and kickass. And I'm all out of bubble gum!!!" My DVD's

[Lex]

Hey folks. red, you have exquisite taste. I love the Amati's.

I'd be hard pressed to pick a more favorite speaker really. But in the realistic side of things, the Cremona might run a close second!

Lex

[JonMarsh]

Soundlab Millenium 1's, full range electrostatics, ~ $15,000.




While they superficially resemble Martin Logan's curve panels, the panels are implemented much differently, and I think better. For just under $15,000, they are a relative bargain. They use toroidal coupling transformers from Plitron with the unique winding technology developed by Memo Vanderveen, which maximizes magnetizing inductance (critical to LF performance) while minimizing series leakage inductance and parallel capacitance (critical to extended HF performance).

Couple them with the SALLIE rear wave damping system available from Soundlab, about $1K. Recommended for any tall dipole speaker.

Being able to afford a pair of these would probably take me out of the DIY speaker hobby, so I assiduously stay away from them....


-Jon




Earth First!
_______________________________
We'll screw up the other planets later....

[SteveG]

A second for the U-1s.

My friend Stan Klyne (Klyne Audio Arts) and I used to share a room at CES with Roger West of Soundlab. Stan has long used Soundlab speakers (A-3s and later A-1s) as his reference, and they are truly wonderous, providing a coherence that I've never heard from other speakers, combined with an almost scary transparency. It was difficult at shows to get the best out of the U-1, since the rooms were usually much too small.

Soundlab is a small company, and, as I recall, one of the women in West's household* was the only person who could properly stretch the mambranes. I think she got sick once, causing their production to suffer.

*Soundlabs is a Utah company.




Steve Goff

[LarryB]

I just took delivery on what is about the best speaker I have ever heard, the Lumen White White Flame



Larry

[Lex]

Interesting looking speakers Larry! European?

Lex

[LarryB]

Lex:

The Lumen Whites are manufactured in Austria (I think) and are unusual in a number of ways. First, all the drivers are ceramic. Ceramic drivers have the wonderful detail of metal drivers, without the harshness. Additionally, the designer of the Lumens has taken a radical approach to the cabinet. As you know, most high-end speaker manufacturers do everything possible to make the cabinet as rigid as possible, so as to avoid resonances. This entails using the densest, most inert substances for the cabinet walls, coupled with lots of internal bracing. In contrast, the Lumens have a maple cabinet (a wood known for its natural resonance properties) and virtuallY no internal bracing. Instead, the internal reflections are channeled out the back by a specially designed port. Interestingly, the designer used to design exhaust sytems for Formula 1 motorcycles, so it seems that he understands air flow quite well.

Like you, I used to be enamored of the Amati Homages. I considered getting a pair but was always bothered by their lack of both high and low ends. In effect, the Amatis have an over-emphasized midrange. While extremely seductive (a friend of mine described it as dripping honey) they have certain weaknesses that I find unacceptable at their price point.

In contrast, the Lumen Whites are the most natural sounding speakers I have ever heard and have better bass than I would have dreamed possible for 5 inch drivers, and superb detail as well.


They will be in a few rooms at CES if you want to give a listen.

Larry