How long have you lived with your speakers / brand of speaker?
default -- Wed, 11/11/2009 - 13:50
Since no speaker is perfect, I am wondering how long folks live with their speakers before looking for another sound. For me, the last 3 speakers have lasted 2 years, 2 years, 2 months. All are from the same brand family. The last one is up the food chain and double the price of the previous speaker. However, I am ready for a change.
Anyone here live 10 or more years with a speaker/ brand? 15? 20+?
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Just killed my PSB 800's of 15 years.
Replaced w/ Paradigm Signature S8's. Hopefully these will last 20+ years.
Ten years plus with Avalon. About four years with my current Isis. Currently discovering that different is not necessarily better, just different. Analysis of specific aspects of their performance aside, they just sound like...they don't sound. Well, almost.
Genesis Technologies for 17 years, but now time to change as foam surrounds have given up the ghost on the midrange drivers. Considering Quad L2 vs. Monitor Audio Silver RX line. Any opinions on one or the other of these? Thanks for any input.
Maggies for nearly 30 years. Started with MG IICs, then MG IIIAs, then 1.6QRs as well as a 7.1 HT composed entirely of MMGs. Just ordered the 1.7s.
Also kept a mint pair of KEF 107.2 Raymond Cook Editions for almost 20 years. Can't bear to get rid of them due to their collectible nature as well as good sound (deep soundstage, massive clean bass, better than most of today's subwoofers).
I've been very satisfied with my Snell CVs since 1998 and have no desire to change.
Mirage M3 - originals (not -si), since 1992 - 18 years and going strong. Powered by Wyetech Labs preamp, Audio Aero amp, etc.
I've had my ADS L810 loudspeakers (3rd and final generation) in my system for 30 years. They still sound great
In the late 1970's I had the absolute pleasure of hanging out in a local Hi-Fi place called Stereo Studio here in Chicago. This was an absolutely magical place to me and I spent a vast majority of my life there listening to stuff I couldn't afford, hearing music I had never heard and buying solid choice gear that my budget could handle. But... The KEF 105/2 was the speaker that got me hooked forever. I have owned several pair of KEF Loudspeakers over the years... The Corelli, C40, 104/2, 101 Reference, 103/2 Reference... all very nice speakers for the purposes I wished to use them for. But the 105/2 was just a magical speaker to me. As I recall these sold for $2800/pair around 1980 and as a kid just graduating from high school I couldn't afford them..jpg)
I saved my dough over the next couple of years and bought a pair used but in Pristine condition. To this day I refuse to even consider replacing them with anything else. I've heard many fine sounding speakers... but never anything that made me SO happy as these. I'm just not interested in exploring other options... I will NEVER part with these. I have owned these for 27+ years now and they have been absolutely faithful to me. They sound great to my ears regardless of what type of music I throw at them... they sound superb, in fact.
I am an old school type listener... NO interest in surround sound. My system is rather modest these days... I power my system with Adcom GFA-555II amplifiers, TWO of them running in mono. I have an Adcom GTP-450 PreAmp/Tuner that serves me well, and a Marantz CD5003 CD Player. That's it! Nothing fancy... but to these ears it's a pretty amazing system and I won't be changing anything anytime soon
apogee divas think they still compete with the best
Well all I can say is no speakers are perfect each one has it's own signature in music.
For example: American speaker are good in Jazz, wide dynamics, British speaker are on the lay back good for small concertos. Japan more on the bright side dynamics.
So it goes to your taste of music which you enjoy.
I am not one who changes speakers in months. My history Pioneer book shelf (2years), Leak Sandwich(1YEAR), Mcintosh XR14(4YEARS), Bose 901(2 YEARS), Martin Logan Sequel II (3YEARS), Quad ESL63(1 YEAR), Mcintosh XRT18(3 YEARS), Klipshorn (Since 1999 to present day), JBL Paragon (2002 to present day), JBL Hartsfield (2009 to present day). I have found over the years the horn loaded speakers or those high efficent speakers are the way to go very open dynamics and not compress like so many of the low efficency speakers.
Any my explanation is if your software either records (Maxi 40 to 50db dynamics) CDs (Maxi 100db dynamics) sound very compress on low efficency speakers.Than most people will play them loud at high volume to hear the lows and highs. the High efficent speakers are dynamic at low listening volume. And you don't get listeners fatigue.On low efficent speakers after a time you get tired of the speaker and you start to change them.
That's my way on speakers period.
Joseph
From Sunny Singapore.
Dahlquist DQ10 since 1977 - rebuilt the woofs twice. Now the mains in my home theater sys.
Altec Lansing 604-8G from 1982 till 2009. Still have them but don't use anymore (due to space limitation). Initially was paired with Quad 405 Mk2 in hifi mode but from 2003-2009 were used in an HT setup.
Celestion SL6 - still within the family - brother has them in use now. Since 1985/6.
Mission 773e since 2002.
I bought my LaScalas in 1979 when I was 19 years old. Still have them today so that's 31 years with the same pair of speakers.
I'm a believer of saving for a while and then buying really good stuff to keep for a good while. My first serious hi end stereo I bought was way back in 1974 during my college years,,,, I had just join the Air Force and finally had some cash, went out and bought what was at that time the best in my financial reach, Crown pre-amp and amp separates with RTR speakers and good turntable, cannot remember which one at this time. This gear lasted me for a good 12 to 14 years during which time I had little by little saved money again and went out and bought me my dream electronics at that time (circa 1987), McIntosh separate pre-amp and amp, a new and better turntable, and this was enough to lower my budget dramatically so I bought JBL speakers instead of the Infinity speakers I wanted to go along with the McIntosh. This second set lasted me for a good 21 years!!! It gave me such good service and enjoyment for all those years. Now, I want electrostatics or magnetic planars with new McIntosh again but the problem is that I'm recovering financially from putting my daughter and son through their college careers and that left me dry! So, it is going to take me maybe two years to be able to get that new set up. But you can rest assure that whatever I get, which is going to be good stuff again, I will keep easily for another good 15 to 20 years. If you are careful, methodical and meticulous and choose well you should be able to get a good set up to last for two decades, at least.
I've run Maggies for the last 15 years, and will probably never switch to another company unless I suddenly wind up with lots of discretionary income. I just got my 1.7s yesterday, so my setup consists of the 1.7s as the mains, MG-IBs as the rears and a MG-IC as the center channel.
front view: http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/dawsonblah/?action=view¤t=front.jpg
rear view: http://s142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/dawsonblah/?action=view¤t=rear.jpg
Martin Logan since 1990;
After listening 6 years (1990-1996) to the Sequel II and almost 13 years to my very lovely SL3’s, I was in for a speaker-upgrade.
Like the Maggie-lovers (many of them here...), I didn't find a speaker better sounding in my(!) ears than a new Logan. Since one year I listen to the Summit X, and, I guess, they are with me for many more years...
I have had my Klipsch Forte IIs since 1992. They are wonderfully musical. Listening to Wagner with them is nearly a religous experience.
Hmm. I bought a set of those around that same time. I listened to them happily for around 7 years but I had a near religious experience involving Cassandra Wilson and a pair of Martin Logan ReQuests at a local audio salon. I bought the recording and my Klipsch's could not come close enough to duplicating the experience to keep me from shopping for speakers. I ultimately decided against electrostats but purchased the then flagship PSB speaker and have been listening to them ever since. I sold the Forte's to me neighbor and AFAIK he is still listening to them.
I've had B&W DM7 from 1980 until 1992, Thiel CS 2.2 from 1992 until replaced by Sonus Faber Guarneri in 1998
Since 2007 I am listening to Sonus Faber Amati's, my guess now is that I will stick to them for a long time...
I've had my Maggie MG-3s for well over 20 years.
Still love 'em, but I wouldn't mind a pair of MG-3.6s...
I broke the bank in 1976 and purchased a pair of ESS Fortuna (?) 12s. Had to have them "re-coned' in '91. Still my best speakers. People are blown away by them.
Have had my B&W 800 Matrix system (bi wired) since 1995 and still love to turn them up. Nothing like 4 12" woofers to blow out your candles!!
I have pair of Infinity QLS I bought in1978 and I am still running them I first powered them with McIntosh 2205 two pair biamped Then a conrad johnson P1b which is running KT90 tubes I am buying ayre mono blocks next I very well may take the QLS out of my system and buy the Martin logan clxs
Garth
Dunlavy SC-IV for past 16 years. Was surprised to see several other people with these same speakers that still have them, so I had to post.
My Dunlavy VIs continue to amaze me. But you've got to have the room for them...
Steven Stone
Contributor to The Absolute Sound, EnjoytheMusic.com, Vintage Guitar Magazine, and other fine publications
I have a decent room for them, but lost my imaging when I went from a large tube TV to a 60 inch projection TV that is in between them due to a lack of room elsewhere for a home theater setup. I now see this is a sin, and have found out the hard way evidently, but would like to know the reasoning behind it and what can be done to alleviate it?
Also, what affordable electronics have you found that mate to these well? Thanks.
Have you tried putting a couple of blankets or soft quilts on top of the TV so they hang down the front?
This is a good test to see how much the TV is effecting the imaging.
Steven Stone
Contributor to The Absolute Sound, EnjoytheMusic.com, Vintage Guitar Magazine, and other fine publications
I figured there must be some kind of bad reflections going on, but never thought of covering it while listening to Music only. Thanks! I'll give it a try soon.
My Dynaudio Confidence 5 speakers. I had one of the last pair made in 2002, and till this day I never feel the need to look for another, that is close to 30 years in this hobby and a first for me. Perhaps Quads someday. God knows what the 5's would cost today.
PJB