Your Loudspeaker history...
- Thread starter Jonathan Ribee
- Start date
Nik
pfm Member
One of those legendary speakers that I never heard.
Was that the Fried in the IMF story or another?
Interesting history, going from US to UK speakers.
Sorry, just realised I misread the date!
DevillEars
Dedicated ignorer of fashion
Main System Speakers - 1969-current
1969: Kef Cantors
1971: Kef Cadenzas
1993: Tannoy 613s
1995: Tannoy D700s
Initially, D700s were driven by Audiolab 8000A + 8000P (using 8000A as pre-amp). Burglars intervened and insurance payout enabled upgrade to Classe' pre/power combo (CP50+CA100).
Once again burglars paid a visit and current pre/power combo is Classe' CP-500 plus a pair of Jeff Rowland Model 201 monoblocks.
Have had lots of debates about the apparent overkill aspect of driving 93dB speakers (6ohm) with 250/500 watt (8/4ohm) monoblocks, but have found that the current combo blows away both previous setups. System sounds effortless, has great transient handling and plenty of dynamics/slam.
Next? Nothing I've heard since 1995 has made we want to part with the D700s - particularly since the arrival of the CP-500 / JR Model 201s.
1969: Kef Cantors
1971: Kef Cadenzas
1993: Tannoy 613s
1995: Tannoy D700s
Initially, D700s were driven by Audiolab 8000A + 8000P (using 8000A as pre-amp). Burglars intervened and insurance payout enabled upgrade to Classe' pre/power combo (CP50+CA100).
Once again burglars paid a visit and current pre/power combo is Classe' CP-500 plus a pair of Jeff Rowland Model 201 monoblocks.
Have had lots of debates about the apparent overkill aspect of driving 93dB speakers (6ohm) with 250/500 watt (8/4ohm) monoblocks, but have found that the current combo blows away both previous setups. System sounds effortless, has great transient handling and plenty of dynamics/slam.
Next? Nothing I've heard since 1995 has made we want to part with the D700s - particularly since the arrival of the CP-500 / JR Model 201s.
Speakers '97 (when I left school!) to date...
1)Whatever came with my Sony minisystem, upgraded with...
2)Richer Sounds Gale minimonitors (still have 'em somewhere), plus some old...
3)Goodmans Minsters (I think) when I got my first separates (Richer's + oxfam) then aquired...(the Goodmans are now with my sister)
4)2 huge pairs of Wharfedale e-series things, that were going in the skip at my student union! Big, fun speakers, could be a bit ragged sounding, but I was happy till I was working and had some money to spend, so I gave them to a workmate and bought...
5)Spendor Preludes off ebay, nice, warm, bbc sounding, powered by Quad 34/306...zzzz. Until a dodgy ic between pre and power = blown tweeters. So whilst trying to find new tweets, I bought some...
6)Linn Saras "ooh, they look interesting" then found tweets for the Spendors, fixed them, tried them and thought "hmm, sound a bit boring compared to the linns". Passed them to my father, flogged the quad combo, bought Nap160/Nac32.5. Enjoyed...til I started thinking "I fancy some Isobariks" so from another pfm'er I bought...
7)Linn Isobarik PMS's (early '80s, but with late panelled stands and external passive x-overs) Great! Gradually added 2 more 160's, to tri-amp, then a Naxo for active. Lovely!
Recently added a Linn Centrik and put the Saras in as rears for AV, and that's me sorted for the foreseeable future...
1)Whatever came with my Sony minisystem, upgraded with...
2)Richer Sounds Gale minimonitors (still have 'em somewhere), plus some old...
3)Goodmans Minsters (I think) when I got my first separates (Richer's + oxfam) then aquired...(the Goodmans are now with my sister)
4)2 huge pairs of Wharfedale e-series things, that were going in the skip at my student union! Big, fun speakers, could be a bit ragged sounding, but I was happy till I was working and had some money to spend, so I gave them to a workmate and bought...
5)Spendor Preludes off ebay, nice, warm, bbc sounding, powered by Quad 34/306...zzzz. Until a dodgy ic between pre and power = blown tweeters. So whilst trying to find new tweets, I bought some...
6)Linn Saras "ooh, they look interesting" then found tweets for the Spendors, fixed them, tried them and thought "hmm, sound a bit boring compared to the linns". Passed them to my father, flogged the quad combo, bought Nap160/Nac32.5. Enjoyed...til I started thinking "I fancy some Isobariks" so from another pfm'er I bought...
7)Linn Isobarik PMS's (early '80s, but with late panelled stands and external passive x-overs) Great! Gradually added 2 more 160's, to tri-amp, then a Naxo for active. Lovely!
Recently added a Linn Centrik and put the Saras in as rears for AV, and that's me sorted for the foreseeable future...
Hi Jonathan,
For me:
Little Panasonic cubes - part of an all-in-one
AR-3a
Dynaco A35
Dahlquist DA-10
Dahlquist DQ-20
Magnepan 1.5
Magnepan 3.6
Future: ? Perhaps a "live" Heavenly choir? ;-}
Best regard,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com
For me:
Little Panasonic cubes - part of an all-in-one
AR-3a
Dynaco A35
Dahlquist DA-10
Dahlquist DQ-20
Magnepan 1.5
Magnepan 3.6
Future: ? Perhaps a "live" Heavenly choir? ;-}
Best regard,
Barry
www.soundkeeperrecordings.com
www.barrydiamentaudio.com
jimdgoulding
Registered User
Bang & Olufsen three way standmounts (can't recall model)
Rogers LS3/5A's (purchased in West London and hand carried to Texas)
Dahlquist DQ 10's with DQ(?) sub
Acoustat Three stats
Meridian M20 actives, replaced the neoprene tracts around the tweeter with diffractionbegone pads aka signature
Rogers LS3/5A's (purchased in West London and hand carried to Texas)
Dahlquist DQ 10's with DQ(?) sub
Acoustat Three stats
Meridian M20 actives, replaced the neoprene tracts around the tweeter with diffractionbegone pads aka signature
Joe P
Memory Alpha incarnate | mod; Shatner number = 2
Time for an update...
PSB Summit 11s -- Bought when I was 16 after my first summer job; the rest of the system was to follow the next year. Ultimate embodiment of a mullet system -- all speakers, no source or electronics.
Szabo somethings -- Reluctantly realized that speakers need an amp and source, so I traded the Summit 11s for an entry-level system with these largely forgettable bookshelf speakers.
Cervin-Vega fuzzy DJ speakers with piezo tweeter -- Bought after my second summer job. Discovered high-efficiency/low fidelity; fell for the salesman's pitch: "These babies will blow the fuzz off your ass with half a watt of power!" Turned out to be true -- was arse-fuzzless for a year.
PSB Passif II -- Longed for arse fuzz, so I traded the C-Ws for crappy, boomy/bloomy floor standers.
Castle somethings -- Brought Passif IIs into a hi-fi shop for comparison; saw them demolished by cheap bookshelf speakers from England.
Linn Index (original) -- First foray into flatness; an OK speaker if all you've had is crap before.
Linn Kans (original) -- Discovered that funky, fast bass is cool... if only Kans had some bass.
Quad ESL 57s -- Oh my. Life changed. So this is what hi-fi is about.
Linn Saras (original) -- Tried on a whim; realized I missed phat bass; stupidly sold the 57s.
Linn Sara 9s -- Slightly less nasal version of above; in hindsight a pointless move.
Royd Sorcerers -- Fast and fun like Kans but with fuller bass and nicer mids; if only they better filled my current oddball-shaped listening room with music. I've had them since 1997, so they've lasted longer than anything else, but I long for big woofers in a big box.
Tannoy GRF rectangulars -- Big woofer longing satisfied. Nice speakers; somewhat larger and more room-filling than Sorcerers.
PSB Summit 11s -- Bought when I was 16 after my first summer job; the rest of the system was to follow the next year. Ultimate embodiment of a mullet system -- all speakers, no source or electronics.
Szabo somethings -- Reluctantly realized that speakers need an amp and source, so I traded the Summit 11s for an entry-level system with these largely forgettable bookshelf speakers.
Cervin-Vega fuzzy DJ speakers with piezo tweeter -- Bought after my second summer job. Discovered high-efficiency/low fidelity; fell for the salesman's pitch: "These babies will blow the fuzz off your ass with half a watt of power!" Turned out to be true -- was arse-fuzzless for a year.
PSB Passif II -- Longed for arse fuzz, so I traded the C-Ws for crappy, boomy/bloomy floor standers.
Castle somethings -- Brought Passif IIs into a hi-fi shop for comparison; saw them demolished by cheap bookshelf speakers from England.
Linn Index (original) -- First foray into flatness; an OK speaker if all you've had is crap before.
Linn Kans (original) -- Discovered that funky, fast bass is cool... if only Kans had some bass.
Quad ESL 57s -- Oh my. Life changed. So this is what hi-fi is about.
Linn Saras (original) -- Tried on a whim; realized I missed phat bass; stupidly sold the 57s.
Linn Sara 9s -- Slightly less nasal version of above; in hindsight a pointless move.
Royd Sorcerers -- Fast and fun like Kans but with fuller bass and nicer mids; if only they better filled my current oddball-shaped listening room with music. I've had them since 1997, so they've lasted longer than anything else, but I long for big woofers in a big box.
Tannoy GRF rectangulars -- Big woofer longing satisfied. Nice speakers; somewhat larger and more room-filling than Sorcerers.
Solavox something (from Comet, early 80's)
Rogers LS2 in 1986 (now in second system)
Small Rega floorstanders (1991), swapped after a couple of weeks for...
Kans MkII (1991), now waiting to have a dud tweeter repaired
Sonus faber electa (~1993) traded in for...
Sonus faber extrema (~1994) main system, still fabulous, wish I could afford amps to do them more justice, currently 72/821a/hicap/250
Linn Keilidh (1995 for second system, now sitting unused in a corner, should sell)
(Second post I think!)
David.
Rogers LS2 in 1986 (now in second system)
Small Rega floorstanders (1991), swapped after a couple of weeks for...
Kans MkII (1991), now waiting to have a dud tweeter repaired
Sonus faber electa (~1993) traded in for...
Sonus faber extrema (~1994) main system, still fabulous, wish I could afford amps to do them more justice, currently 72/821a/hicap/250
Linn Keilidh (1995 for second system, now sitting unused in a corner, should sell)
(Second post I think!)
David.
if memory serves:
computer speakers
to
Blueroom minipods
to
Linn Nexus
to
Rogers LS35a
to
Rogers Studio3 (now used in my 3rd system)
to
JR149
to
Epos ES12
to
Vienna Acoustics Haydn (used to be in my 2nd system)
to
Focal 1007Be (main system)
to
Vienna Acoustics Bach Grand (my current 2nd system)
computer speakers
to
Blueroom minipods
to
Linn Nexus
to
Rogers LS35a
to
Rogers Studio3 (now used in my 3rd system)
to
JR149
to
Epos ES12
to
Vienna Acoustics Haydn (used to be in my 2nd system)
to
Focal 1007Be (main system)
to
Vienna Acoustics Bach Grand (my current 2nd system)
AndrewM
pfm Member
1975 AR-6 (hitched up to my pride and joy - an Armstrong 626 receiver - if anyone remembers them (well I was very young!) The AR-6's were actually pretty good, anyway.
1980's Monitor Audio MA something or other (was living in NZ for several years and decent stuff out there was an arm and a leg).
1992 EPOS ES-14 - on epos stands - still going strong - listening to them as I type this.
1980's Monitor Audio MA something or other (was living in NZ for several years and decent stuff out there was an arm and a leg).
1992 EPOS ES-14 - on epos stands - still going strong - listening to them as I type this.
1980 - Grahams modified AR 17's in "gap year" - lasted until . . .
1988 - ES 14's from Tonbridge HiFi Consultants on moving to Kent.
1993 - Rel Stadium added. Woof Woof; or should that be (sub)Woof (sub)Woof . . . . .
2007 - Bowers & Wilkins D5's fished out of a skip; I can blow the Epos' tweeters but not the B&W's because they can take 200W continuous i.e. more than my ears can.
Ouch.
1988 - ES 14's from Tonbridge HiFi Consultants on moving to Kent.
1993 - Rel Stadium added. Woof Woof; or should that be (sub)Woof (sub)Woof . . . . .
2007 - Bowers & Wilkins D5's fished out of a skip; I can blow the Epos' tweeters but not the B&W's because they can take 200W continuous i.e. more than my ears can.
Ouch.
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
ok here goes
1997 sony ss86 (hmmm i was only 13)
1998 mordaunt short vms 100 (by far the worst dual concentric in the world, horrid)
1999 royd a7 (i loved these but my old rotel gave up and took them with it)
1999 (again) royd minstrels (loved these even more)
2000 started full time work and got silly, brought rega kytes (too bass light) so then i got tannoy mx2 (more bass less music, want the minstrels back now) so i got some kef q15s (bit better but still missing something) finally october 2000 got some rega ela mk1s (still using these to this day in another setup)
2002 got all linny and brough linn keosas (still got these but my brother uses them, awesome bang for buck with linn)
2003 linn kan mk1 (used with naim nait 2 in the bedroom i swap between these and the elas, lots of fun)
2004 linn keilidh aktiv (sounded great but now just kept for back up)
2005 i had a big house so i brought keltiks (i will be in love with these for the rest of my life, simply awesome)
2006 due to the landlord selling the house i had done up and made a home of i had to downsize and brought a pair of ninkas to use aktiv (these do sound very good but not like the keltiks) .
In the future i plan to buy a bigger house and fetch the keltiks out again (i still have them in storage and will never let them go)
1997 sony ss86 (hmmm i was only 13)
1998 mordaunt short vms 100 (by far the worst dual concentric in the world, horrid)
1999 royd a7 (i loved these but my old rotel gave up and took them with it)
1999 (again) royd minstrels (loved these even more)
2000 started full time work and got silly, brought rega kytes (too bass light) so then i got tannoy mx2 (more bass less music, want the minstrels back now) so i got some kef q15s (bit better but still missing something) finally october 2000 got some rega ela mk1s (still using these to this day in another setup)
2002 got all linny and brough linn keosas (still got these but my brother uses them, awesome bang for buck with linn)
2003 linn kan mk1 (used with naim nait 2 in the bedroom i swap between these and the elas, lots of fun)
2004 linn keilidh aktiv (sounded great but now just kept for back up)
2005 i had a big house so i brought keltiks (i will be in love with these for the rest of my life, simply awesome)
2006 due to the landlord selling the house i had done up and made a home of i had to downsize and brought a pair of ninkas to use aktiv (these do sound very good but not like the keltiks) .
In the future i plan to buy a bigger house and fetch the keltiks out again (i still have them in storage and will never let them go)
radiant_veteran
pfm Member
1. Celestion 3 mk 2, 18th birthday present to myself 1993
2. Acoustic Energy AE1 mk 2, random present to myself in 2001
3. Tannoy Berkeley, HDP385's, mid-life-crisis present to myself in 2009
Very very happy.
2. Acoustic Energy AE1 mk 2, random present to myself in 2001
3. Tannoy Berkeley, HDP385's, mid-life-crisis present to myself in 2009
Very very happy.