Whats your speaker Journey??

a pair of goodmans stereo speakers off a mini system - not bad little speakers
a pair of old kenwoods - ok speakers but sounded flat and dull,
and quite boxy sound
wharfedale xarus 5000- incredibly bassy but very harsh and quite fatiuqing
mordaunt short aviano 6 - great bass, quite dull midrange and treble
monitor audio rx6- great bass, very clear midrange and treble but not very natural
mission 770 freedom- great midrange, very controlled overall sound, good treble, very good stereo imaging, punchy, alittle bass light, very clear natural sound
mission 780 argonaut - coming soon
 
infinity 1500 brilliant but fragile tweeters. infinity RSE pollycone bass ribbon tweeter 80stastic ear splitters.altec lansing model 14s 2"horn loaded tweeter/midrange 15" paper bass.fantastic sound amazing imaging domestic disaster! sd1 nothing to toutch these for the last 25years.monitoraudio gold gx300 ORGASMATRONS!
 
Not much of a journey for me.

1) Grundig bookshelf.
2) Tannoy Profile 633
3) Mission 774
4) Tannoy D700

Also have Tannoy SRM10B in the second system, which replaced a pair of Tannoy Mercury2.5.
 
1971: First term's university grant was to go on hifi which included Wharfedale Dentons. But Comet didn't have them so they sold me Thorp Grenville TG200s - "much better because they are so much bigger!

1975: Celef Mini - I didn't know at the time but these were designed by Stuart Tyler who went on to found ProAc.

1978: Heard the Quad Electrostatic at the Harrogate Hifi Show and after getting into the 6 month order queue became the proud owner of a pair and have been an electrostatic user just about ever since. Often listened to them in the dark and saw a few arcing flashes - fortunately Quad provided a cheap and fast (same day) repair service ... and then I heard

1981: Quad ESL63 , again at the Harrogate show and again took delivery after a 6 month order queue. Could still arc them but much more tolerant of higher power. Soon mounted them on G F Deane stands and then later on Arcici stands - and finally added an REL subwoofer. Then I moved house and decided the Quads were too big so ...

1985 or so: Celestion SL600 - the nearest thing I had heard to the Quads but not near enough ...

Later in 1985: Back to a second pair of Quad ESL63s later supplemented by the Gradient SDQ63 dedicated subwoofers ... and then the journey is predictable ...

2001: Quad ESL989 and ...

2006: Quad ESL2905 - very much the practical culmination of what PJW started on in 1963 and first released in 1981. Have used them with Townshend supertweeters and then found the Murata supertweeter which is a better match aesthetically. The best loudspeaker I have heard (or more correctly not heard).
 
1990ish (£cheap! small ads) - Technics (2-way model unknown)
1992 (£99 Ultimate Audio Visual, Hertford) - JPW Sonatas (18 birthday present)
1999 (£150 Richer Sounds, Leeds) - Eltax Symphony 6
2007 (£175 eBay, nr Manchester) - Epos M15 (massive upgrade! Got me into hifi again)
2008 (£250 eBay, Teeside) - Epos ES22 :)

The future??

Big boxes with big drivers! I heard some IMF TLS80s last year and would love to try them in my system. Also like to try some electrostatics at some point. Maybe some big active ATCs too but I don't think I'll ever be able to afford them :(
 
Acoustat_1_1_02.jpg


Wow my speaker journey, from 1970 to 1983 here are SOME of the box speakers that i have owned.

Celestion = UL-6 - UL-8 - UL-10 - Ditton 66 - Ditton 662
Altec = 14 - 18 - 19
Kef = 105.2
Snell = Type Q
Proac = Tablette - Super Tablette
Totem = Arro
Magnepan = 1.6QR

Then in 1984 i discovered Acoustat and NEVER looked back i have owned Spectra 22s - Spectra 33s - 2+2s - and my favorites 3 pairs of 1+1s my last pair is a rebuilt and modified pair of all steel frame and base covered with high density wood with all the latest parts available all mods are made by Jocelyn Jeanson from Quebec Canada you can see photos if you wish in my Flickr photo galery here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mracoustat/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
2012 - Update!

jonesi said:
1990ish (£cheap! small ads) - Technics (2-way model unknown)
1992 (£99 Ultimate Audio Visual, Hertford) - JPW Sonatas (18 birthday present)
1999 (£150 Richer Sounds, Leeds) - Eltax Symphony 6
2007 (£175 eBay, nr Manchester) - Epos M15 (massive upgrade! Got me into hifi again)
2008 (£250 eBay, Teeside) - Epos ES22 :)

The future??

Big boxes with big drivers! I heard some IMF TLS80s last year and would love to try them in my system. Also like to try some electrostatics at some point. Maybe some big active ATCs too but I don't think I'll ever be able to afford them :(
Click to expand...

Well I haven't yet owned a pair of IMFs or ATCs but I currently have a very nice pair of Tannoy Berkeleys so I've finally got some big drivers!
 
I built my first proper Hi Fi during my first year at uni with some budget Warfedale speakers which cost £50 new in the sale. They were a big improvement over my old portable but didn't last long and made way for.
Eltax Symphony 6 floorstanders. These had a really punchy sound and were great fun with dance music but were certainly not the last word in refinement and had cheap internals.
Next up came the Eltax LR 6.5's these were around £350 new. Similar to the Symphony 6's but noticeably better in terms of clarity. My mate still has these and they aren't bad for the money.
Ruark Prologue 1, my first really decent speakers. When I first heard these I couldn't believe how much music I had been missing. The treble quality was just sooo much better. Clarity an imaging were in a different league and the bass was now 'tight'.
B&W DM2 these were gifted to me at around the same time as I bought the Ruarks. They weren't bad but certainly had a more vintage sound. With hindsight they might have sounded better with a more powerful amp.
My current speakers are custom 3 way floorstanders made from a Wilmslow audio kit. They use very high spec drivers and crossover components and sound delightful to my ears. Every time I upgrade other components in my system the speakers give me more. I'd like to try a similar pair with some bigger bass drivers though such as Wilmslows ATC 50 or 100 or Prestige kits.
 
Nice to see some new posts and posters here :)


Me. I'm boring when it comes to speakers actually owned:
- Tangent XLR2 monitors while at Uni - classic 1cu ft 8" bass-mid (by Dalesman drivers) with a 1"tweeter (in this case, something horrible by Kef replcaed by a SEAS fabric dome to vast improvement).
- then a gap of nearly a decade based on headphones, punctuated with some DIY efforts
- Moved house, picked-up some Impulse H6s on an informed whim. Brilliant little floorstanders
- Quad ESL57s. A mint serviced pair, also wonderful.
-Impulse H2s. Still have them 8yrs later and they saw-off the H6s and the Quads ultimately. They just live and breathe and cope with anything I throw at them.

There are many, many more speakers I like and could live with - Quad 989s and 2905s very near the top of the list TBH - but what I have (still) really works for me.
 
hi guys, i had so manmy speakers thru my journey in the audio world, but some still remain in my soul, quad els 57's gale 401, celestion ditton 15, kef 104 ab, then ofcourse all the "well almost all" the tannoy dual cocentrics inc. the ILS sereies, etc,etc, not forgetting jim rogers, but since i refervished the ILS CHEVIOT MK2 i am in heaven, they are my human fulcrom, i respect that every one has one :)
 
'I am in heaven, they are my human fulcrom, i respect that every one has one'

That's a very nice way of putting it, Nando. It's all in the balance between the aesthetic, the objective and the subjective and limited by personal constraints or resources - so different for everyone. If it makes you enjoy the music, it is good enough.
 
1 Acoustic Research AR-6 1975-1977
2 Acoustic Research AR-16 1977-1993
3 Mission 751 1993 to present
4 Revel M22 2013 to present
5 Acoustic Research AR-16 2013 to present

As you may deduce the AR-16 speakers are my soul mates. I only got the Revel M22 in Oct 2013, but then realised in Nov 2013 that my AR-16 s could be restored. The Missions are still doing duties in a 5.0 AV surround system partnered by a second pair of Mission 751 and Mission 75C centre.
 
1965 Goodmans Axiom 10s in home made corner cabinets.
1975 KEF Concords
1988 Rogers Studio 1s - still got them and still love them.
 
My speaker journey is a lot shorter than the OP's but has taken a lot longer. Here's the last 30 years...

I left home at 18 with a Sanyo Ghetto blaster to play tapes while I was at University.
After 1 term I bought myself a SH turntable and amp and a friend sold me his Wharfedale speakers. Don't remember the model, I just remember turning my Yamaha amp up loud and the tweeters died. Cost me about £50 to get them fixed - a few weeks later I did it again!
One night while trying to hitch a lift home to York from my Girlfriend's flat in Hackney I walked past a hifi dealer in North London selling a pair of Mordaunt Short bookshelf speakers. As it was 3am they weren't open, so I went in the next day, demmed them and bought them - because they had a protection circuit to stop me blowing the driver!
A few years later I moved in with my GF and had to accept that her big, black Kef Coda Vs were better than my little oak finish Mordaunt Shorts - so I passed them onto my Mum (who still has them - they still look and sound pretty good).
One of my old University friends went to work for a Linn dealer for a few years (he's now a rep for Bose) so I upgraded all my kit through him - the Kefs are still in a cupboard waiting to get hooked to an amp for one of my teenage kids but they've long ago been replaced by Linn Keilidhs. The only upgrade left to make is to install Aktiv boards in my Linn power amps and that's probably me until my kids leave home!
 
Fulton FMI 80
Audionics TL150
Spendor BC1
Quad ESL63
Apogee Duettas
Apogee Mini Grand
Martin Logan CLS II
Wilson Watt Puppy 6
Oris 200 / Cabasse bass cabinets

Interesting thinking about my 45 year obsession.
 
My journey has not been very long, But I am very excited to make it a long journey. Started with high end Bluetooth portable speakers. UE BOOM XL UE BOOM and ETC.

Then I bought a couple of soundbars. But still craving more.

Now today im going to install Onkyo Receiver with audiosource Equalizer EQ-100
Add Klipsch Bookshelf Speakers and Still torn between getting a Klipsch Center speaker or Bowers and Wilkins, since it looks like Best buy has a great deal going on.
Adding into the mix will be a JBL Subwoofer that was handed down from my father. I will put in a Klipsch subwoofer in the future.
I am still a rookie but super excited to enjoy this new hobby :D
 
Ultrasonic said:
I had a littke think today about which pair of speakers i started on and what i have now and ive actually upgraded my main speakers a staggering 9times!! Considering im only 20 and have only been into hifi for about 5years thats quite a few boxes!

Kenwood Class A mini system with Kenwood speakers (very good fun at the time, nice coloured bouncy sound with boomy bass-loved it!)

Eltax Monitor V £180 rrp haggled at RS and got them for £90 :D Not bad apart from the low quality tweeter couldnt handle very high notes and crackled :newbie:

Mission 702e more controlled sound than the Eltax's...until the front baffle began to rattle-very flat and bland speakers overall...back then mission was a desirable brand to me, especially over Eltax!

Mission m73 although i eventually disliked these speakers, i was extremely happy with them to begin with. Bass appeared to go deep but it was just the boom and it really lacked mid bass thwack. Treble was also quite bright and midrange was recessed

Mission m71 I still rate these speakers highly now as 1 of the great small budget standmounts-fast, punchy and quite detailed- a snip at £60!

B&W 602 s3 My 1st serious speaker- Much Bigger in size and sound- treble did get harsh occasionally with rough recordings but for most it was extremely detailed and the bass was quite impressive. Plenty of headroom and well built. Did sound amazing with certain tracks. Must try some higher end B&W's in the future...

Mission m53 I was well impressed by these when i 1st got them and still am-bass does go extremely deep-not far off my Rel actually... Md range is smooth if slightly coloured but very listenable :) and treble is not as detailed as the B&W's but also less harsh. Great for rock and dance music and has a fair stab at subtler stuff, i reckon these will sing in a bigger room.

Tannoy Sensys DC1 I absolutely love these speakers and it was unfortunate that they got damaged- sounded bloody good with the right music, really miss them. Treble is the best that i have ever heard thanks to the quality super stweeter- the level of extension and airiness was truly unmatched by any speakers i have owned including the JM labs ive replaced them with... Bass wasnt the strongest around but it was agile and vocals were crisp and natural. Paired with the Rel it made some very nice sounds. I am too skint to get them fixed at the moment but once i get some spare cash i will fix that tweeter and do some A/B comparison with the JM labs. ( any1 want to sponser a poor student so he can fix his speakers :D £46.25

Focal JM lab Electra 905 Mixed bag these, as they retailed for £1200 i dont think my kit is good enough for them but i am still quite happy with the results im getting at the moment. But obviously my kit is good enough if it can sing and sound better(in some areas) with the Tannoys? The most impressive attribute has to be the bass-to begin with it was a tad boomy but with some sand filling and careful positining it has become the punchiest bass ive achieved yet! Digs to around 35hz too which isnt bad for a standmount. Vocals do sound pretty good and i have been stunned by certain tracks recenlty as i have played around with them properly the last few days. The treble isnt quite as airy as the Tannoys but is refined and clean enough. Gonna treat them 2 a better amp when i start earning full time but i may well keep the tannoys and sell them once i get them fixed and do a proper test :)

Ultra
Click to expand...
 
I've only had 3 pairs of speakers since 1977. The first were some type of Kenwood 4-way speakers with a 12 inch bass. The cabs were too small and they did not sound too marvellous. The second pair were JBL L65s which cost me a bit over £300 - massive discount and tax free because they came from a military shop. Fabulous sounding speakers - especially the tweeters! I had these for a few years and then got some L150s (from Frankfurt PX) - big floor-standers with built in passive sub-woofers. I still have these today after 36 years; one re-coning at Wembley Loudspeakers (this company not recommended by the way) when they were 27 years old. I'm considering some new speakers right now but it is a serious expenditure to move up to better performance. Perhaps Bowers & Wilkins 800 D3 or JBL 15" Studio Monitors (sadly a good model has been recently replaced with an inferior quality design)
 
1968 Wharfedale Super Lintons
1971 B&W DM3
1976 AR7
1977 AR18
1981 Rogers LS3/5a
2011 Rogers LS5/12
2012 Aerial 5B
Still looking for a Linn Isobarik in an LS3/5a box (and no, not a Kan!)
 
My first speakers, in 1971 or so, I made from a kit, but I can't remember what make, which is a bit useless.
Then, around 1975 Tannoy 12-inch dual concentric units, secondhand, in home-made cabinet.
1984 Tannoy SL25. They were also dual-concentric. Sounded good, kept them for years.
2009 Shahinian Arcs. Best upgrade ever.
2017 Shahinian Obelisks. Even better than Arcs, but I needed to upgrade my amplifier.
 

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