What Makes a Speaker "Great" ?

For me: I originally started with speakers I liked which had a sound of their own...mainly because I had not learned about system building. I got Celestion SL6sis...and then just bought whatever integrated I could buy...and my source was my boombox with a lineout. That was just out of college. Then I got to amps which I liked...CJ MV60 and bought the accompanying pre without really searching/auditioning seriously. Very happy...just not focused on true system integration/building. fortunately, i never had a system i did not like. I moved to Guarneris and then Strads...and it was at that level i really understood what a difference a system approach makes. That is when i moved away (for the first time) from speakers with their own fantastic sound...to speakers which are much more chameleon-like. I moved to a Wilson X1/Grand Slamm...and kept all my electronics (as below) with the precise voicing i really enjoy...allowing the some what scientific-instrument- like X1s to see their sound thru. And for me, that has proven to what i look for in my speaker at the moment, with perhaps just a designer-added bit of warmth of mid-forward something as a safety net from getting hard. The keys for me specifically are: effortless, effortless, effortless dynamic range (macro and micro) to give the sense of space, a decent facsimile of the scale of 'live' power, full range, pure speed to reflect nuances naturally (not etching/carving out differences which is rarely if ever how one hears it in real life), solidity of frame/lack of vibration and quiet noise floor to keep signal density and purity of tonality high. AT least, that is where i am today. My favourite SOTA speakers for me: XLF, Altair...though i suspect also Arrakis, Genesis 1 series.
 
HahaHahaHa, I was waiting all hell come down on me ....
No Steve, don't know any US Canton dealer.
I had the opportunity to hear many speakers on different venues and shows and I can happily say that CANTON
are the forbidden gold treasure. They are very good, can go as low as a subwoofer and with very good control on the bass.
The Ceramic oxide tweeter is also excellent.
:panic:
 
I don't know if somebody told you guys but SF made some increments on the prices of all the models
And the Cremona Center with the stand are not available any more.
So any SF owners, your speakers cost more now
:)


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I think that a great speaker provides:

- Liquidity
- A 20' wide X 20' deep (Depending on room size, in this case my room) HIGH resolution soundstage, allowing one to visualize a diagonal line through each voice or instrument that is 2' behind the speaker and another voice or instrument that is 4' further back in the soundstage and another further back in the soundstage.
- Emotional involvement and prescence
- Accurate timbre especially on stringed, including piano and woodwind instruments
- Total immersion in the music
- Transparency within the soundstage without loss of body to each instrument and the overall perfomance

There are so many other factors that enter into the equation which allows the above to happen, I can think of 20+ instantly. Assuming that each variable in the system equation, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE ROOM, and the interaction between the speaker and the room (which imho is by far the most important variable that exists - MUCH more important than electronics or cables, are all optimized, then a "great speaker" will move air in the room, which is all that a speaker really does, right???, and allow the magic to happen.

Give me a "well taken care of room" and a $20K system vs. a non addressed room and a $100K+ speaker or system anyday:happy:
 
Absolare said:
I think that a great speaker provides:

- Liquidity
- A 20' wide X 20' deep (Depending on room size, in this case my room) HIGH resolution soundstage, allowing one to visualize a diagonal line through each voice or instrument that is 2' behind the speaker and another voice or instrument that is 4' further back in the soundstage and another further back in the soundstage.
- Emotional involvement and prescence
- Accurate timbre especially on stringed, including piano and woodwind instruments
- Total immersion in the music
- Transparency within the soundstage without loss of body to each instrument and the overall perfomance

There are so many other factors that enter into the equation which allows the above to happen, I can think of 20+ instantly. Assuming that each variable in the system equation, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE ROOM, and the interaction between the speaker and the room (which imho is by far the most important variable that exists - MUCH more important than electronics or cables, are all optimized, then a "great speaker" will move air in the room, which is all that a speaker really does, right???, and allow the magic to happen.

Give me a "well taken care of room" and a $20K system vs. a non addressed room and a $100K+ speaker or system anyday:happy:
Click to expand...

I agree with your last statement !!
 
I agree. I've been researching a product called Kinetics Stretch TRAK. Does anyone have any experience with it?

Sample Room:

Screen Shot 2013-09-07 at 10.41.41 PM.png
 
Petro85 said:
That's where I'm at Joe. I've been around the block and heard some really nice setups in my day. Admittedly I havent done many stereo stores in the last few years.
I've heard the huge speakers and big watt ss amps. But to me the best sounding stuff has always been the small watt tube amps, way smaller than my snappers. With nice smooth efficient speakers. Which I think is along what Jock mentioned , it's all about being engaging and emotional. But those setups with a nice smooth acoustic record are the ones that give me goosebumps and keep me coming back for more. Just one mans opinion !! Lol!!
It's funny but with all the new gear and all the new technology out there today . I could get what I want with 5- 10 year old equipment . That's why I'll never get rid of my preamp.
Havent heard one yet that can match the smooth liquidy highs as the hovland at any price .
It's just what I like to hear.
As far as speakers I can live without deep bass, and super resolution, I'm looking for wide and deep and huge soundstage. The rest is a bonus beyond that.
So someone please tell me , what speakers am I looking for?? Cause I can't figure it out!
Click to expand...


That is, to me, the .7 series of Magnepan. If I had the ultimate room set-up it would be what I have now with the big TV behind drapes for serious listening, the room would be 6m wide & 14m long. Up the other end I would have a set of Magnepan 20.7's, with what ever flavoured amps etc of the year & smack bang in the middle, a swivel rocking Lay-z-boy chair in the middle
 
What about body/weight/heft. Some speakers like the MBLs are fast "transient" kings, but sound ghostly as they lack a certain heft/solidity. Ironically, the better speakers will have heft but still have an open airy quality to them, especially in the HF. This is where the open baffles have some advantage.

In terms of wide sweetspot, the controlled directivity speakers seem to have this covered.

So many tradeoffs to be optimised.

I like the tech writeup at the S+K site, even if self serving.
http://www.shelbykroll.com/Technology.aspx

The Gedlee discussions are also insightful, especially his focus on the industry measuring the WRONG things.
 
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