# Peerless Speakers - Who uses them?



## JBL Fan (May 1, 2010)

Hi guys

Got a couple questions for somebody out there...

1)I was wondering if anybody knew what brands of speakers ( Polk, Paradigm eg) use Peerless. 

2) Is Peerless still overseen by the Dutch engineers since moving to Asia?

3) Do you think they are worth the price differential over other brands such as Dayton for example.

I've been toying with the idea of designing my own speakers and being a complete novice, I would love some input.

I've sold speakers for a living for years (that business is almost dead now) and I've seen and heard just about everything out there except the ultra exotics. I'd like to try my hand at the business of making my own set of speakers and again, would love some input.

The name of the game is building a very good speaker for a reasonable price (whatever reasonble means). If cost is no object then just go buy a pair of Utopias and be done with it 

Thanks in advance


----------



## dnaples (Aug 22, 2009)

Hello JBL Fan: I once built a pair of JBL S-8 Studio Monitors with plans I purchased from JBL since at the time this configuration was not commercially available. I later heard Magnapans and loved the open sound, so designed an active crossover and added a subwoofer to handle the lower bass of which Magies are more than a bit short. Due to a WAF issue and a new house I had to get smaller speakers, so bought Watt/Puppies (had even a lower WAF but were shorter). I then heard the Orion speakers (which use Peerless woofers) and now have what I loved about the Magnapans and more clean bass than I ever imagined. If you want a place to start in building your own speakers, the documentation is available from Linkwitz Labs. You also live near the person who makes the active crossovers used with these speakers and I know he offers auditions of his Orion speakers. He is also a recording engineer, so you may get more information than expected.
Don


----------



## JBL Fan (May 1, 2010)

_Hello JBL Fan: I once built a pair of JBL S-8 Studio Monitors with plans I purchased from JBL since at the time this configuration was not commercially available. I later heard Magnapans and loved the open sound, so designed an active crossover and added a subwoofer to handle the lower bass of which Magies are more than a bit short. Due to a WAF issue and a new house I had to get smaller speakers, so bought Watt/Puppies (had even a lower WAF but were shorter). I then heard the Orion speakers (which use Peerless woofers) and now have what I loved about the Magnapans and more clean bass than I ever imagined. If you want a place to start in building your own speakers, the documentation is available from Linkwitz Labs. You also live near the person who makes the active crossovers used with these speakers and I know he offers auditions of his Orion speakers. He is also a recording engineer, so you may get more information than expected.
Don _


Thanks for the input Don. I've heard Maggies and like them also. I use to sell ML and have owned several pairs thier speakers and subwoofers. People don't seem to talk about the ML subwoofers but they make very good subs and I prefer the subs to the speakers (just a personal taste thing not a swipe at ML electrostats - not trying to stir a bees nest). Currently I've scaled down the audio end of things and sold off almost all my gear except for some JBL bookshelves and a NAD amp because of space and yes WAF. Most people don't know that WAF is a T/S parameter 

I'll check out the Orions and once again, thanks for the input.


----------



## Chicagorep (May 2, 2010)

Peerless is still made in Europe. Totem Acoustic uses modified Peerless drivers.


----------



## lcaillo (May 2, 2006)

What is modified about them, specifically, and why?


----------



## Chicagorep (May 2, 2010)

Totem OEM's most of their drivers from the top manufacturers in the world, Peerless, Dynaudio, Seas and others. In an effort to get the drivers to perform at their required level they experiment with the drivers to make them sound better, larger voice coil, glues, etc. They then have the manufacturer build the drivers to their specs but these drivers can only be sold to Totem.


----------



## JBL Fan (May 1, 2010)

lcaillo

_What is modified about them, specifically, and why? _

Good way to put it Icaillo. Yes. Many timeS when corporations move over seas they lose touch with the qaulity assurance and the product begins to slip in quality. More importantly, the original R & D guys that made the product a stellar one - move on. Peerless has/had a quality product made by quality engineers and I was wondering if those guys with all their industry knowlege still design the product. I can think of more than one product that began to slip once they moved to asia to save money. 

Not the end of the world but was curious. Thanks Icaillo.

Chicagorep
_Totem OEM's most of their drivers from the top manufacturers in the world, Peerless, Dynaudio, Seas and others. In an effort to get the drivers to perform at their required level they experiment with the drivers to make them sound better, larger voice coil, glues, etc. They then have the manufacturer build the drivers to their specs but these drivers can only be sold to Totem_. 

I'd like to give Totem a listen some time. I also heard that M&K used Peerless. Not many smaller (and sometimes larger) speaker comapanies can afford to make their own drivers in house. Thanks for the input Chicagorep...


----------



## Chicagorep (May 2, 2010)

JBL Fan said:


> lcaillo
> 
> _What is modified about them, specifically, and why? _
> 
> ...


Your welcome.


----------

