# Best speakers in the world!



## willis7469 (Jan 31, 2014)

http://www.audioholics.com/loudspeaker-design/best-loudspeakers-world
Found this in my email today. Fun read. Think I need a new job!


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I find it interesting that this statement is included "_Speakers have really evolved over the last 20-30 years_." In some ways they have but in many they have not. I can think of many older high quality speakers that today would still stand up to the best made today. You did not need to break the bank to get high quality sound even in the 70s and 80s.

"The best speakers in the world" opens up a huge can of worms in my opinion as its so subjective and fully depends on the listeners taste. I can think of many speakers that look amazing in a room but sound awful and the reverse is also true many speakers that look awful can sound superb.


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

tonyvdb said:


> "_Speakers have really evolved over the last 20-30 years_."


Speaker _marketing_ has really evolved over the last 20-30 years.


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## Blacklightning (Nov 22, 2011)

Peter Loeser said:


> Speaker _marketing_ has really evolved over the last 20-30 years.


100% True.

It all comes down to marketing and looks. One brand will say they have a Light weight cabinet because of this and that well another will talk about most brasing because of that and this. Anothers will add cool looking this to the driver.

At best I can say spaekers are getting better looking every day.









:clap:

I'll pick on Paradigm because I do like them.
They will add a Phase plug to a speakers midrange and tell you about all the pros and then years down the road they will make there speakers smaller, add more drivers and then go back to a dust cap and talk about all the pros for a dust cap. But they still make the Dust cap look like a Phase plugs :huh:

Version 4 vs Version 5


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

Blacklightning said:


> I'll pick on Paradigm because I do like them.
> They will add a Phase plug to a speakers midrange and tell you about all the pros and then years down the road they will make there speakers smaller, add more drivers and then go back to a dust cap and talk about all the pros for a dust cap. But they still make the Dust cap look like a Phase plugs :huh:


I'm a big Paradigm fan as well. I still own v.2 Studio 100s that were such an incredible value when I bought them and still are IMO. I have been a slight bit disappointed by the dramatic increase in price of the Studio line with the v5 now at a cost more than double the v2. I won't say they're not worth it, but maybe less of a bargain now. They do still sound incredible.


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## NBPk402 (Feb 21, 2012)

Peter Loeser said:


> I'm a big Paradigm fan as well. I still own v.2 Studio 100s that were such an incredible value when I bought them and still are IMO. I have been a slight bit disappointed by the dramatic increase in price of the Studio line with the v5 now at a cost more than double the v2. I won't say they're not worth it, but maybe less of a bargain now. They do still sound incredible.


I used to have the Studio 100v3s too... I think as a Company builds its name up it also raises the prices to what they think they can get for their product.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I wish Mission speakers were still what they were in the 80s and 90s. they had some really good stuff back then. Those 767 towers were some of the best sounding I have ever heard in that price range.


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## shkumar4963 (Nov 16, 2014)

Just bought LS50 and set them up next to my 30 years old Allison CD7. The sound with LS50 is more detailed but overall my Allisons are very close. So 30 years and 1500 dollars got me less than 5 percent improvement in overall sound quality.


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## 3dbinCanada (Sep 13, 2012)

There are two speakers in my past that really stick out as having remarkable performance were these;
Energy 22s









and 
Mirage SM-3


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## Blacklightning (Nov 22, 2011)

Large bookshelves seems to be popular back in the day. I wonder what kind of speaker design would be used by most speaker designers if they were making the ultimate Music speaker that did not have to be marketed to the public. 

I have read in the past that the bookshelves version of floor-stands image better so a large bookshelves mated with a couple subs might be the ticket.


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## willis7469 (Jan 31, 2014)

Lol, ask 10 builders how to build a house, you'll get 10 answers! An ultimate music speaker for me would probably have a powered 12-15" a couple of 8" midbass drivers. Maybe a 4" mid, and a great ribbon tweeter. (Short version) definitely coupled with a subwoofer. 
Or some golden ear tritons! Or some legacy towers! 
Ime, bookshelves can sound great, but their smaller drivers can't deliver the dynamics of towers. I used to prefer towers cause if their extension, but later came to appreciate the output capability while still being able to maintain control and linearity. I tried my side surrounds (jbl s-38) as mains once. They have 8's and are a horizontal monitor style speaker. Sound great, but can't compete with the towers in front. Smaller rooms allow a little more latitude but I still find this to be true. The reason I personally find this important is for achieving a realistic presentation. As a musician it's hard to be fooled when you know. Just my two bits.


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## willis7469 (Jan 31, 2014)

Found this in my mail. Lol. Just like the "best" speaker question, there is no real answer, but it's fun to read. What is the best sub in the world anyway? For most of us, it's the one we've got.


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## willis7469 (Jan 31, 2014)

willis7469 said:


> Found this in my mail. Lol. Just like the "best" speaker question, there is no real answer, but it's fun to read. What is the best sub in the world anyway? For most of us, it's the one we've got.


Duh...
http://www.audioholics.com/loudspeaker-design/best-subwoofers-world


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## WLDock (Dec 19, 2009)

I think the column was spot on in regards to:

"There are more excellent brands and products today than ever thanks to the wealth of knowledge available on loudspeaker design philosophy, modern developmental tools via computer software, and established measurement techniques and practices; all of which help govern good design practices."


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