The 12 Most Significant Loudspeakers of All Time (TAS 205)

September 28th, 2010 -- by The Absolute Sound Staff
Source: The Absolute Sound

1

Quad ESL-57

There was of course never any such moniker as “ESL-57,” except in retrospect, to distinguish it from its distinguished successor the ESL-63. Designed by the legendary Peter Walker and actually introduced in 1956, it was called simply the Quad ESL, but soon became known as “Walker’s little wonder.” Little wonder: For top-to-bottom clarity, coherence, transparency, resolution, openness, naturalness, and a disappearing act that still inspires awe, the ESL established and remains to this day (even though production ceased over a quarter century ago) a reference standard among countless designers and reviewers (including the undersigned) across the globe. Despite undeniable limitations—inability to play very loud, lack of deep bass, quite directional highs—it tops virtually every list of the best, the greatest, the most significant—supply your own category—audio products ever made. Why? Because at the dawn of the stereo era this “little” wonder demonstrated what was possible in most of the essential areas of speaker performance so validly that from a certain point of view the subsequent history of speaker design has been catch-up.
Paul Seydor

Comments

captainfantasydeluxe -- Sat, 10/02/2010 - 17:41

I like your analysis here. DQ-10's - awful. The 801's were the first 'properly sorted' speakers I ever heard. I was about 14, La Jolla CA, it was my friends' uncle's house (subsequently turned out to be a coke dealer!) and it was the best music system I'd ever experienced-old school: McIntosh/Nakamichi/B+W 801's. My friend and I listened to AC/DC 'Highway to Hell'. Glory days... It was a serious moment for me and led to my lifelong passion for the proper reproduction of music. So, clearly an influential loudspeaker for me. Anyhow, I appreciated your comments!

captainfantasydeluxe -- Sat, 10/02/2010 - 17:28

Hmmm... No Apogee Acoustics full range ribbon loudspeakers are mentioned,,, at all?!?!? Scintilla, Grand, Mini-Grand etc.? No? I'm not now entirely sure of the rules or remit at play in this 'best of'. Though I'm a solid fan/owner/enjoyer of these remarkable and ground-breaking instruments, I also wonder where any horn-based loudspeakers reside. I suspect this is not a serious effort but at least that allows someone else to do things 'properly'.

merccougar89 -- Mon, 10/04/2010 - 23:32

There are many other fine speakers,the apogee included but,they weren't the pioneers of what the speaker was.For instance,the apogee was made to compete with the magmepans and we know the mags were here much earlier than apogee. Quad was original in design concept.Khorns were original and the list goes on.

johnny p. -- Thu, 10/14/2010 - 02:40

As for the Mini II, I note that other companies were using alluminum enclosures before Magico inc. the Krell LAT which JV loved.

Also, I hardly think the Magico's were groundbreaking on CAD design. MANY speaker companies were using this before !! JM Lab Utopias, Wilson, etc.

As for the composite cones - it's possible they were among the first. But I find it hard to believe that these guys beat Scandinavia (Europe) - who were always first-in-line on drive-unit technology. There might be other breakthroughs that are just as significant.

Finally, I think the LS3/5a and WATT monitors had *much more* to do with influencing that segment of the speaker market. The Magicos are simply too new to know their full impact.

mark-ira@neo.rr.com -- Thu, 01/06/2011 - 14:53

Although my admiration for Henry Kloss' contributions to audio is unbounded, most of the credit for the design and development of the KLH Model Nine should go to Arthur A. Janszen, the man who invented the first practical electrostatic loudspeaker and was a vice president of KLH when this truly significant speaker was developed and ultimately marketed.

I owned a pair of these speakers. And it's true that they took midrange and high frequency accuracy to new heights. But they were very difficult to drive, had a limited dynamic range, tepid bass response, and introduced owners to issues of speaker placement that had never before been encountered.

Having said all that, if I was the person who assembled this list, I would certainly include the KLH Model Nine.

dl -- Fri, 01/07/2011 - 15:28

The story I heard was that Kloss had nothing to do with the Nines save for supplying a corner of his factory, where they were built by Janszen at the rate of about one pair per week. Kloss simply wanted to have the prestige of the Nines in his line. I was unaware of any other relationship between KLH and Janszen. He had his own companies making add-on ES tweeters (Janszen and, later, RTR). He also may have made the panels for the Infinity SS. My memory of some of this may be faulty.

dl -- Fri, 01/07/2011 - 15:45

The controversy over this top-twelve list is hardly surprising. My two cents: I would not have included the Advents, large, small or whichever tweeters. There was nothing earth-shattering about them, just another two (despite the picture) cones in a box design. They just happened to sound better than the AR-3a's at less than half the price--and I did own and love them at some point. They were evolutionary, not revolutionary. Due to their bargain price-point they became very popular so in that sense I guess they were iconic of their time. I would have included Acoustats, some model. They were the first ESL, as far as I know, that weren't out having a fried diaphragm replaced every other week.

BMWM5 -- Mon, 01/17/2011 - 18:28

IHMO the Klipshorn has never been beat. Owning a pair of these is like sitting front row center at Symphony Hall and listening to the Boston Symphony live. I've listened to many speakers in my day and these have never been beat. It's sad that today's generation in the digital age will never appreciate or understand a true symphonic sound with an MP3 player/IPad and earphones.

ANLGSD -- Sun, 09/04/2011 - 22:29

No mention of Peter Snell's Type A or Lincoln Walsh's Ohm Walsh 5? The story of Lincoln's untimely death just days before recieving his confirmation paperwork from the U.S Patent office, heart splitting as it was, surely merits reflection for us as devoted audio advocates in the historical context of our brilliant hobby.
For this alone, I feel the idea of a revision should be considered, thoughtfully and carefully. scott strother

music is the answer.

stewp -- Fri, 09/16/2011 - 17:37

I think one ought to look at the Wharfedale SFB/3 if considering a multi-way OB. Perhaps the DQ10s were the first with time aligned drivers, but the SFB/3 certainly was the first multi-way OB that I am aware of. Considered excellent when new (in comparison to the original Quad ESLs of 1957(?)). The Quads apparently did a few things better than the Wharfedales, whilst the Wharfedales did a few things better than the Quads. Both approximately the same size (the area of OB portion of the SFB/3 and the Quads). Now a great DIY thing to try, if using a respectable group of drivers (multi-way or single drivers). They do need a fair sized room so as to not "overcome" the room, and good amplification is a must.

In no way am I trying to take anything away from the DQ10s. I've never even seen a pair in the flesh, nor heard any.