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Poll

What is your favorite speaker brand?

JBL
[ 6 ] (8.1%)
Harmon Kardon
[ 1 ] (1.4%)
Bose
[ 5 ] (6.8%)
Pannasonic
[ 0 ] (0%)
Technics
[ 0 ] (0%)
Logitech
[ 5 ] (6.8%)
Altec Lansing
[ 4 ] (5.4%)
Others (Please post)
[ 53 ] (71.6%)

Total Members Voted: 143

Topic: Favorite Speaker Brand? (Read 13500 times) previous topic - next topic
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Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #25 –
Magnat currently - nice sound for little money.
TAPE LOADING ERROR

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #26 –
I'll keep my Magnepan Tympani Ic setup, thankyouverymuch.    Best "box" speakers I've ever bought would have to be my Infinity RS4000.

I owned a pair of Bose 901s many years ago.  They made very nice looking plant stands.

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #27 –
At home on my computer, Boston Acoustics Media Theater with Surround Addon
Very good, and worked constantly for over 8 years now...

As my entertainment, I use a pair of JBL Pro EON15 G2, this is my ultimate toy for now, until i buy the sub for it...


At work, I also have a Bose Companion 3, but too much highs and lows, and not enuff mids....
Do your ever wonder about your soul?
Can it be saved...

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #28 –
Polk Audio

My main music listening speakers are a pair of RT-800s with a Polk ported sub (10 inch I think).  I love the sound of them.

I have a pair of JBL bookshelf speakers that I love too.  Sadly JBL is not what it used to be IMHO.

I haven't shopped for speakers in 9 years or so.  I remember it being frustrating because nothing was really striking me, until I heard a set of Polks.  I remember being impressed by a set of Advent speakers that looked like they were from the early 80's.

I cringe at the thought of having to buy new speakers.

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #30 –
Sorry OP, but I've never seen a sorrier group of speaker brands in a poll ever.

I'm going to totally give you the benefit of the doubt and assume this is a joke.

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #31 –
I like Nubert very much. It's a German manufacturer whose loudspeakers strive for being very linear and honest. They try to not color the sound in any way. If your recording is bad it will sound bad but if the recording is great it will sound great. http://www.nubert.de

And their speakers can withstand very high loads (in terms of power) and are very sturdily built.

There are not so many customers outside Germany but it's growing. Their forums have a map, where you could possibly find someone close:
http://www.nubert-forum.de/nuforum/map.php?mode=applet

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #32 –
I like my Sony active speakers-a 1994 SRS-A20.

Has a amp built-in-which can be either on or turned off (for times when you don't want loud sound-eg. at night).
CD Players:D-EJ761,D-EJ011,D-EJ626CK,D-NE800

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #33 –
I must consider Valpar's statement. This poll does seem like a joke, unless the point is to poll the least crappy of low grade speakers.  I can't think of a serious hi-fidelity speaker produced by any of the brands listed, except maybe, some past efforts by JBL in the pro sector, that frankly, are still not good examples of true high-fidelity speaker systems, at least not among the models I am familiar with, but are great compared to the other brands listed in the poll. 

What happened to serious brands like(these are just for example and not intended to be a comprehensive list):

Revel
Bowers & Wilkins (B&W)
MBL
German-Physiks
Meridian
Quad
YG Acoustics

I'll add in my views among the commercial units.

As for pure accuracy, YG Acoustics is one of the top, if not top reference point. They produce speaker with less than a +/- 1dB tolerance, and use solid machined alloy cabinets that are completely inert. Their bookshelf Anat speaker weighs the better part of 200lbs(!). They are superb monopole reference monitors. Probably one of the best in the commercial world, if not the best. But cost is insane. A high precision E.Q. should be added, as the inherent neutrality makes this speaker ideal for manipulating the response to the listener's preferences.

As for really good monopole reference for value, the B&W 802D is the winner. It is a full range floor stander with a totally inert cabinet system(very rare), and reasonably linear response from the drivers. It is bar none, the best monopole in these regards anywhere near it's price range. Speakers from exotic brands costing 10x as much rarely equal it, overall. I know that many may consider even the price of the 802D as outlandish($14,000/pair), but seriously, if one wants a speaker nearing the top of SQ possible from a monopole speaker, this price is a bargain compared to most. A high precision E.Q. should be added, as the inherent neutrality makes this speaker ideal for manipulating the response to the listener's preferences.

As for top possible sound quality for music enjoyment(not necessarily dead on accuracy), MBL probably has the best options. They have a model 110b with ideal response in regards to what is known to be preferred by humans in regards to standing perceptual research. They have an off axis response that is a near mirror of the on axis response, even through the treble band. They have a very low resonance cabinet system superior to most, though not quite to the same level as the above mentioned units from YG Acoustics and B&W. Main problems with the MBL is that to get the potential SQ, very special room acoustics and layout wold be necessary, otherwise, the off axis response on this unit could actually make the SQ worse, if set up close to walls and with no proper acoustic control, such as many speakers are commonly installed. A high precision E.Q. should be added, as the inherent neutrality makes this speaker ideal for manipulating the response to the listener's preferences.

-Chris

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #34 –
For my computer i have Klipsch Pro Media 2.1 with Sennheiser PC150 headset, in my car i have Focal speakers and Kicker amp.

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #35 –
Quote from: WmAx on
As for really good monopole reference for value, the B&W 802D is the winner.

-Chris


I only have the 802 Nautilus.  I feel so inadequate now. 

I think the OP  was seeking data on the usage pattern of computer speakers but did not think to limit the scope of the survey via a suitably restrictive subject header.

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #36 –
I know this has been said already, but I really think DIY is the way to go.
My main/home theater system is a DIY 3-way (MLTL), and my computer setup is a 2-way (MLTL).  Both sound incredible (to my ears). 
If you don't feel super adventurous, check out http://www.zaphaudio.com/
He has a lot of designs that he has tested extensively that get rave reviews.  All of them are inexpensive compared to the price you would pay for comparable brand-name gear.  I think any DIY'fer out there will agree that a (well made) $200 DIY speaker is easily comparable to a $1000-ish system.

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #37 –
Quote from: random_id on
I think any DIY'fer out there will agree that a (well made) $200 DIY speaker is easily comparable to a $1000-ish system.


It really depends...

There are some commercial designs that a DIYer could not replicate cheaper as a finished product, and may even end up spending more. The Behringer B2030P is such an example. Granted, this is only a $130 speaker pair, but a DIYer would have a tough time equaling the unit. It does not use any low quality parts - amazingly. It uses, overall, higher quality parts than many $400-$500 commercial speaker pairs.

On the other end of the scale, some high end designs simply take into account factors that almost no DIYers do. Take the B&W 802D example I gave earlier. It uses a very low resonance cabinet system. The overwhelming majority of so-called 'well  braced' DIY designs are highly resonant. It's just a lot of work to make a true low resonance cabinet system, and this is one critical factor in reaching maximum fidelity. Otherwise, the speaker distorts timbre of the recordings.

In my view, the main thing most DIYers do that they like, is that they apply their own custom EQ curve in the crossover. But you can add a precision digital EQ to a high quality speaker like the 802D, and it's going to be hard for most DIYers to match this, considering a monopole speaker of traditional power response characteristics(this simply means a mean average off axis power distribution pattern through the full frequency spectrum). Substantially different power response characteristics, however, have the potential to exceed it's sound quality for listeners, though these are not often pursued.

Then there are designs like the MBL 111B. A system that has full range(even through the treble), even power response, with identical response off axis as compared to on axis. And it's a low resonance cabinet system. There are very few DIYers that would even attempt something of even the 802D's caliber, much less the 111B.

-Chris
 

Favorite Speaker Brand?

Reply #38 –
MBL make speakers that sound incredible, but a close second for me are Sonus Faber that look incredible but don't sound as great as the MBL's