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Your loudspeaker holy grail

The Superwax "Mini" (a bit misleading as they have a 15" bass driver) seems to be around $10k USD, so yes, I imagine the full-fat Superwax price would water the eyes. I didn't know I wanted them until you brought it up, so THANKS.
Hi Kasper, yeah the mini bit made me laugh. Not what I’d call mini.
 
I used to love Keltiks. Happy memories of playing Siamese Dream by Smashing Pumpkins at stupid volumes through them. Still one of my favourite Hifi memories.

The older Smashing Pumpkins albums are always on my list when testing speakers. I have heard them sounding terrible on some 'reference' systems. Being able to play easy jazz or classical does not mean you can rock!
 
Naim DBLs. And I actually owned my holy grail, for about 20 years...
I've heard quite a few pairs of DBLs, in both active and passive configurations. They sound effortless, but unremarkable. Maybe they are like the NS-1000Ms to me from a different era, where I didn't get them, but now do.
 
Likewise, and likewise not a fan. I’d personally take SBLs over them, though they are a lot better than NBLs!
 
Tannoy Westminster Royals. I even have a living room big enough for them. Don't think it'll ever get approval from the rest of the family, so I slum it with Tannoy Mansfields, which are not exactly small, it must be said.
 
Setting a low bar/Damning with faint praise there....

FWIW I do actually like SBLs. They are exceptionally easy to set up badly, but if you have a suitable room and a lot of care they can sound good.

In fairness I just don’t like ‘far field’ listening, so DBLs or NBLs were never going to be for me. Listened to in the mid-field or closer they just sound like three random drivers thrown at a wardrobe, they have none of the coherence of a Tannoy point source, let alone an ESL or BBC box.
 
Cure for coveting massive "hi-end" speakers: go to the Munich show!!;)

Big Quad electostatics and big Maggies can be wonderful, the smaller Quads just don't sound right to me. Heard enough for them not be on my "must do" list.
Yet to hear a Harbeth, Proac or Tannoy that really does the business. So they are not on my list, even though I have not heard them all.
Omnis - generalising... amazing with classical, poor with rock music. So not on the list.
ATC - excellent mids, just wish they would sort the bass (not heard the sealed box actives).
Yam NS1000 & Gale 401 - close but no E-cigar
BBC style mini monitors - even closer (when converted to 3-way)

So that's most of the forum darlings done (and now everyone hates me :D). Although I do agree that Snell Type As are superb.


That just leaves improvements on what I've got:
I would like to try a version of my bass extenders (prototype KC62 technology done in analogue) with big radiating area, say 3 X 12" per side. It would be interesting to see how this drives the room compared to the 3 X 7" drivers per side I currently have.
I would like to find something better for the mids and treble than my Murphy CAOW1s, but after looking and trying for about 10 years I have not succeeded. LS50 Meta might just be the answer.
 
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I have had so many pairs, including B&W 801, Kef Reference 104.2, Beauhorn, 3 pairs of studio JBL, and my current NS1000, and many more.

The latter is it, for me. They are suited to my room and that is the biggest factor in how a loudspeaker performs.
 
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FWIW I do actually like SBLs. They are exceptionally easy to set up badly, but if you have a suitable room and a lot of care they can sound good.

In fairness I just don’t like ‘far field’ listening, so DBLs or NBLs were never going to be for me. Listened to in the mid-field or closer they just sound like three random drivers thrown at a wardrobe, they have none of the coherence of a Tannoy point source, let alone an ESL or BBC box.

I wasn't having a pop Tony. NBLs are possibly the least impressive loudspeakers I've heard regularly. I had active SBLs and SL2s in the past. Once set up properly they can be quite decent, but the SL2s seemed to benefit from an nSub to a worrying extent. All were trounced by the ART Alnico 8s I've had for the last seven years.
 
I have my dream speakers.

But for fun I'd love to hear the biggest Maggies there and some mahoosive Kenrick Sound JBLs.
 
Look, I’m listening to Midnight Train right now on my OTA ESL57 speakers, Quad CD66, 34, 306.
Why bother with anything else ? :)
Yes, the bass even make my boards rattle, would you believe it?
 
Look, I’m listening to Midnight Train right now on my OTA ESL57 speakers, Quad CD66, 34, 306.
Why bother with anything else ? :)

I was feeling the same way listening to some ECM CDs (Jarrett, Motain etc) via the TL12 Plus and LS3/5As last night. An improbably good system! I just don’t need anything more than that to be honest.
 
DBLs are not about refinement, imaging, or transparency. They are about visceral, dynamic, in your face impact, kinda like a live performance. I happen to think they are very coherent indeed but you do need some distance between you and them.

But I agree they are very much an acquired taste. I'd expect not that many will like them. I've owned IBLs, SBLs and DBLs. I've liked the SBLs the least...
 


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