Thread: I'm still in love with my speakers

OK guys - I've owned and listened to dozens and dozens of speakers.

After all that I'm still in love with my Klipsch La Scala's.

Currently running Siltech speaker cables to them (yes I left the orange netting on them).

Some day I'm going to upgrade to the larger Jubilee's.

What speakers and cables are you running???

IMG_5481.JPG
IMG_5469.JPG

I'm still loving my Fyne 502SPs. Currently using an older set of Tara Labs Prism Bi-Wire in place of a vintage pair of Synergistic Reference #2s.
IMG_1496.JPG

I have what's in my sig, JBL 4367's and using Clarus Crimson cables.

I have heard speakers I like but none that has moved me to switch. Some due to cost. Something doable from Stenheim, Vinberg/Tidal might persuade me, smile Even those would need an audition, my speakers need to be able to Rock as well as other genres.

master artist signatures with espirit eureka cables

Originally Posted by Mr Peabody

I have what's in my sig, JBL 4367's and using Clarus Crimson cables.

I have heard speakers I like but none that has moved me to switch. Some due to cost. Something doable from Stenheim, Vinberg/Tidal might persuade me, smile Even those would need an audition, my speakers need to be able to Rock as well as other genres.

JBL makes some really nice sounding speakers. I've always lusted after they giant Everest speakers.

I stumbled across JansZen Audio loudspeakers about six or seven years ago while reading a magazine review and have been in love ever since I visited their Columbus, OH offices to audition them. Started with the Carmelita bookshelf speakers and eventually graduated to the Valentina P8 about two years ago. I'm always looking at what is currently on the market, but i suspect I would have to spend WAY more than what I spent on the Valentina P8 to achieve better sound. For now, I'm focusing my upgrade dollars on other areas of my system first.

As an added benefit, the owner, David Janszen, is just a stand-up guy, both technically and personally. I would be happy to do business with him again.

I've liked what I heard at shows and bet they sound great with the Pass

Originally Posted by tino27

I stumbled across JansZen Audio loudspeakers about six or seven years ago while reading a magazine review and have been in love ever since I visited their Columbus, OH offices to audition them. Started with the Carmelita bookshelf speakers and eventually graduated to the Valentina P8 about two years ago. I'm always looking at what is currently on the market, but i suspect I would have to spend WAY more than what I spent on the Valentina P8 to achieve better sound. For now, I'm focusing my upgrade dollars on other areas of my system first.

As an added benefit, the owner, David Janszen, is just a stand-up guy, both technically and personally. I would be happy to do business with him again.

Originally Posted by Mr Peabody

I've liked what I heard at shows and bet they sound great with the Pass

I think it sounds quite magical!

I remember seeing the Acoustic Zen Crescendo's in some fancy wood finish and thought they were the most beautiful speakers I'd ever seen, still haven't heard a pair.

I bought my Revel Ultima Studios nearly 20 years ago and still think they are a great set of speakers. These days, I drive them with a pair of McIntosh MC611s, the cables being Wireworld Silver Eclipses.

Zero complaints with my Magnepan 1.7i's, running old AudioQuest CV-8 cables with the 72 volt DBS system.

Still digging my Dutch & Dutch 8Cs! Meeting next week with their new USA support person who was kind enough to offer to help me optimize the settings with Room Equalization Wizard DSP and other tweaks.

Originally Posted by puroagave

Hey Rob, i'm curious how they stack up against your Quad 57s. I owned Kii Three's for a spell which debuted just before the D&D 8s came on the scene. The Kiis were superb (never heard them with the BXTs) but ultimately they lacked soul as I found out mos. later...its a cop out for lack of better descriptor, but you know it when you hear it.

I definitely agree that some of the active speakers lack soul. I couldn’t promise you that you wouldn’t miss your Quads if you had the 8Cs in your room. I could happily live with Quads or some other passives I’ve had instead of the 8Cs. I simply love the ease and simplicity of the 8Cs. If you’re in Denver feel free to take them for a test drive!

I am still waiting for my Legacy Audio Focus XD's to arrive, today marks 17 weeks since placed in the queue. Once they arrive I will be trading my existing speakers in for the Wavelet 2 crossover processor. That will probably take a while too.

I still love my KEF. I have tried many other speakers over the years, but I have been a KEF fans since I got my first pair many moons ago, the 104aB's.

Stereo (278).jpg

Originally Posted by Randy Myers

I still love my KEF. I have tried many other speakers over the years, but I have been a KEF fans since I got my first pair many moons ago, the 104aB's.

Stereo (278).jpg

I've never heard them but they seem to have a strong following. What do you like about them?

I had my R105/3's for 25 years and I played them at 104 db average all the time! A krell kav 300il on top and a B&K 4420 for the bass with the kube those speakers were DYNAMIC. Both amps went in for service nearly every year due to my heavy throttle hand(i'm guessing), and after having the foam woofer surrounds replaced by butyl the speakers never failed. The blades are about 10x what the R105/3's were but are clearly a few rungs up the ladder.

Originally Posted by MichaelsMinute

I've never heard them but they seem to have a strong following. What do you like about them?

It's difficult for me to describe the sound/performance factors that has always drawn me to KEF. We used to refer to it as the "British" sound. Smooth, inviting, sound stage, imaging. I have never grown "tired" of listening to KEF speakers. The LS50 Metas are everything I have always loved about KEF and when enhanced with two of the KC62 subs they just work so well in my smallish room!

Originally Posted by Randy Myers

It's difficult for me to describe the sound/performance factors that has always drawn me to KEF. We used to refer to it as the "British" sound. Smooth, inviting, sound stage, imaging. I have never grown "tired" of listening to KEF speakers. The LS50 Metas are everything I have always loved about KEF and when enhanced with two of the KC62 subs they just work so well in my smallish room!

My first review for Positive Feedback was the KEF LS50 50th Anniversary speakers in 2013. I tried to express what I thought was special about these speakers. You can read the review here:

KEF LS50 loudspeakers

Still happy with my Elac Adante AF-61 and Luna Cable Mauve cables.

That's what good horns can do.....palpability, density and dynamic life.......

Originally Posted by MattHooper

Nice!

My friend reviewed the La Scalas and I found every excuse I could to drop over and spin tunes when he had that system. I was really taken with the palpability, density and dynamic life of those speakers. More "live" sounding than most I've heard and I loved their tone. I preferred listening to them to plenty of far more expensive speakers.

Admittedly, ultimately I'd want more bass, but what the heck.

BTW I'm still in love with my speakers too: Joseph Audio Perspective 2 Graphene. Form-wise they fit my room, where I could never put in horns like the Klipsch. But the Josephs do a stellar disappearing act, incredible purity of tone and detail, while also providing fun, juicy, warm punchy bass.

That's what good horns can do......palpability, density and dynamic life.......

Originally Posted by MattHooper

Nice!

My friend reviewed the La Scalas and I found every excuse I could to drop over and spin tunes when he had that system. I was really taken with the palpability, density and dynamic life of those speakers. More "live" sounding than most I've heard and I loved their tone. I preferred listening to them to plenty of far more expensive speakers.

Admittedly, ultimately I'd want more bass, but what the heck.

BTW I'm still in love with my speakers too: Joseph Audio Perspective 2 Graphene. Form-wise they fit my room, where I could never put in horns like the Klipsch. But the Josephs do a stellar disappearing act, incredible purity of tone and detail, while also providing fun, juicy, warm punchy bass.

I heard and owned speaker over the years that are smaller and larger, less expensive and more expensive. And while these speakers aren't perfect, no speaker has ever put a smile on my face like these do.

Some older Tara Labs Prism Bi-Wire cables

IMG_0024.JPG

Well i have an older pair of Canadian loudspeaker manufacture Focus Audio FS788 and using YTER loudspeaker cables , the speakers and cables do well , but if money wasn't an issue then i would upgrade. Possibly upgrading Loudspeaker cables first to Nordost Frey 2 , as i am running the rest of my cabling from Nordost.

I´m still in love wit my Paradigm´s Signature S6. They are in mi Palace since 6 o 7 years.

Prior to them I had some Sonart (don´t remember model) Focal Chorus 836 and Paradigm (Monitor 9 V7)

Regretfully here in Buenos Aires it is very difficult to test the speaker in your own system and most of the time you only audition them at the seller´s place.

Mc Sun.jpg

S6 front.jpg

I also use Isoacoustics Gaia with very good results.


Gaia I.jpg

The speaker cable and jumpers are Chord.

chord A.jpg

Originally Posted by Barry

I still like my Magnepan 3.6s, but that's probably because I've modified the heck out of them (also owned 3.5s and T-1Ds).

I still love my bone stock 1.7i's. I thought they sounded darn good when I first got them a year and a half ago, then six months ago I upgraded my streamer, a month or two after that I upgraded my preamp, then a couple months ago I upgraded my amp to some monoblocks. Now these 1.7i's really sing! Zero complaints with them.

Even though I started this thread, as I've upgraded gear and specifically cables, the shortcomings of the the speakers have become too much for me to ignore. So I think it's going to be time for something new and different in the near future.

Originally Posted by HifiHandyman

Played around with the MoFi Pointsource8 today and they are great but I’m still in love with my KEF Blades!IMG_1151.jpeg

Yeah, but the real question is, where's the kitty cat(s)?

Originally Posted by MichaelsMinute

Even though I started this thread, as I've upgraded gear and specifically cables, the shortcomings of the the speakers have become too much for me to ignore. So I think it's going to be time for something new and different in the near future.

That doesn't surprise me. Klipsch are okay, but certainly do have some shortcomings to say the least.

I think it's time for some Clarisys Audio Minuets.

Originally Posted by chops

I think it's time for some Clarisys Audio Minuets.

Those would be amazing speakers for sure.

Depends on whether you want to keep with horns. There are good horn speakers that play lower and reveal more detail than Klipsch. The Palladium series could even be worth a listen, getting up there in price though.

There's magic with good tube gear and electrostats. Everyone should experience to hear if it's their cup of tea.

I have a friend that had a pair of LaScala's in the mid, late 80's he enjoyed the sound so much that he upgraded to the K horns thinking they would be the same only more, and was so disappointed by how different they sounded that he ended up keeping the lascalas for all the music he was used to.

Originally Posted by steve59

I have a friend that had a pair of LaScala's in the mid, late 80's he enjoyed the sound so much that he upgraded to the K horns thinking they would be the same only more, and was so disappointed by how different they sounded that he ended up keeping the lascalas for all the music he was used to.

To your point it's amazing how different each of their models sounds. There really is no "family sound" between any of them. I think in many ways the La Scala's (the latest version) are the ones to beat with all things considered within their model lineup. It's certainly noticeably more natural and open sounding in the mids and highs vs their other ones (Jubilee's are the exception).

Their other models can be nasally and closed in sounding relative to the LS's.

With the right music and level of gear the LS's can be an extremely involving and enjoyable listen. In my experience when you reach a point of gear and cables that are higher levels than the LS's it's then that their weaknesses shine through.

Aug 2, 2023:

Originally Posted by MichaelsMinute

OK guys - I've owned and listened to dozens and dozens of speakers.

After all that I'm still in love with my Klipsch La Scala's.

Currently running Siltech speaker cables to them (yes I left the orange netting on them).

Some day I'm going to upgrade to the larger Jubilee's.

What speakers and cables are you running???

Aug 18, 2023:

Originally Posted by MichaelsMinute

I heard and owned speaker over the years that are smaller and larger, less expensive and more expensive. And while these speakers aren't perfect, no speaker has ever put a smile on my face like these do.

Oct 20, 2023:

Originally Posted by MichaelsMinute

Even though I started this thread, as I've upgraded gear and specifically cables, the shortcomings of the the speakers have become too much for me to ignore. So I think it's going to be time for something new and different in the near future.

Oct 28, 2023:

Originally Posted by MichaelsMinute

With the right music and level of gear the LS's can be an extremely involving and enjoyable listen. In my experience when you reach a point of gear and cables that are higher levels than the LS's it's then that their weaknesses shine through.

So you went from being in love with your speakers and "no speaker has ever put a smile on your face like these do" and you change out the speaker cables and now you no longer love your speakers and it's your speakers fault and not the cables?? This was a very short lived love story that was broken up by a pair of speaker cables.

Originally Posted by mep

My first review for Positive Feedback was the KEF LS50 50th Anniversary speakers in 2013. I tried to express what I thought was special about these speakers. You can read the review here:

KEF LS50 loudspeakers

Mark - that’s a great review. I had to break out my Parlaphone Blue box after reading it.

This has been a fun thread. Everyone is so passionate about their speakers and there are so many different types here with radically different presentations.

Thanks Tom. I appreciate the kind words.

Originally Posted by W9TR

This has been a fun thread. Everyone is so passionate about their speakers and there are so many different types here with radically different presentations.

I agree!

It's fun to see what people love and why, and having the forum where it's also ok to show how our likes and dislikes change as our system changes.

It's great to have a forum of open minded people supporting fellow audiophiles vs miserable, lonely and angry people that clearly need more fiber in their diets.

I just had New Yorker series Siltech no matter where I used them they seemed to magnify the sound stage. No issue at the time just an observation.

I did have some Heresy III which sounded overly midrange to me unless I biamped them to where I could drive the woofer harder. My sweet spot was a set of Forte. A lot of fun and enjoyable to listen to but I knew from past speakers I wasn't getting all the detail etc. I should be so I moved on. This is during my time using CJ gear. So I think I get what you mean.

I was 3 paragraphs into my audiophile life story when I pressed the wrong button and erased a bunch of meaningless content. I don't know how much improvement there's been in speakers over the last decade. I love what Maggies do well, but what they reportedly don't do well (LOUD)has kept me from buying a pair. I've only had my Blades a couple-few years and was considering selling them b4 trying the Mc611's and I haven't stopped in at a hifi store or even show, and Axpona's only 20 minutes from me, since. I think it's safe to say in 10-15 years I'll be saying "I'm still in love with my speakers". I can't predict what's coming down the pike tho'.

Hi Michae,l I saw a sale pending on a pair of LaScala good luck.

Originally Posted by steve59

I was 3 paragraphs into my audiophile life story when I pressed the wrong button and erased a bunch of meaningless content..

That is SUPER frustrating when that happens!