What is the best speaker you have ever owned ?????

I have owned several different speakers but my current speakers are my best. They're the Sonus faber Luito Floor-Standers and Stand-Mounts. Also, my Sonus faber Smart Center Channel should be included. They're all simply incredible!

Enjoy the music!

Roger Modjeski said:

Nice to see the amp in its new home. I read all the discussion from the quoted post to date. No one has mentioned the greatest fault of the Acoustat transformer interfaces is in the design itself. While the internal crossover components separate the highs and lows going into their respective transformers they cannot do a great job on the output end where they have to re-combine. Basically the low frequencies cause saturation in the treble transformer. I have measured this distortion, it is not small. It is the major component of distortion in the system as the panels are very good.

I have studied the transformers and found there is no way to prevent this saturation other than have a single transformer that does the full range, which is rather difficult. We did that at Beveridge from 200 Hz up and it was difficult even over that range. Going down to 40 Hz is just impossible. That is why the interface has two transformers, one for the lows and one for the highs. Furthermore the speaker needs about 2000 watts to get to full level. Because my direct drive amp works at 5000 volts and produces close to 1/2 amp (2500 VA) there is no problem with power. These levels are only needed on transients but if not available the speaker will not sound dynamic. There is no inherent reason for a ESL to be any less dynamic than a cone speaker. The original servo amp produced about 1/10 amp so was rather stressed when asked to play things like symbol crashes and trumpets. Those have a lot of energy in the region where the speaker draws a great deal of current.

For those using the step up transformers keep in mind that you need an amp that provides about 30 amps of current into a capacitive load. This means no limiters as they will current clip because a capacitive load looks like a short to a load line limiter (max current at zero voltage=short) You also need about 60 volts, so we are back to a few thousand VA which ever way you go.

In my opinion Acoustat had to abandon the Servo amps due to reliability problems. They designed the transformers not because they were better but because they were necessary.

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Excellent post !!

Please post more here. I believe I owned back in the days an amplifer you either designed or modified. Can't remember ..Could have been a Dyna 70 ... Anyway a really OT question. Do you make headphones amplifier? take this to PM please

I'm new here, but not new to audio.
Back in 1985 I had the Acoustat 3 , later with the medallion mod,driven by Conrad Johnson Premier two pre and Conrad J MV75A-1, Oracle Delphi Mk11 table, FR arm and Cart and a Janus Sub.

Later I had a Moscode amp but ran the system as normal, no mods.

Then I went thru numerous cones and amps, tubed and solid state.

Went thru ML Sequel, two pair of CLS 11Z, Quad 63, and stacked Quad 57.

Then Tannoy Ardens, Ref Grand Veena, and now back again to Acoustat-but this time the 3 panel X with modified servo amps.

Many years ago many of my friends told me to go with the older Acoustats with the servo amps.
One friend has the same pair he bought back in 1974,but has had work done on the amps.

Having had a long history with stats and with Acoustats with the transformers driven by tubes and solid state,I have to be honest and agree that until you have heard them driven with an upgraded Servo amp,you really don't know how good those old panels really are.

And like most everything, you need to feed those speakers with good electricity,upgrade the fuses and use top end power cords.

I have 3 dedicated 20 amp lines, one for the speakers.

The servo amps have been modded and some parts like the IEC replaced with top Furutech products.

Power cords are Shunyata Annacondas,fuses are HiFi tuning Supremes.

So a few thousand dollars worth of upgrading,but worth every penny.

These speakers aren't like the mostly stock ones my friends have.

Much more open, dynamic and fast, with no bass bloat or blurr.

I'm not bragging that what I own are the best speakers,becuase I have a friend with the Sound Lab Ul-1 and another with Sonus Strad in a very elaborated set up,but for what I have invested in the Acoustats, I'm not disappointed with what I have.

I used to lust after the RAM el34 tube amp, but never bought one,back when a local dealer stocked the line.

I would love to try the OTL from RAM.

The old Acoustat panels are very good at showing the differences you make throughout the system.

Power cords are a no brainer, the better you use, the better the sound.

I would think that a nice project would be some Acoustat panels and that OTL RAM amp.


At the moment I run a SME 10 table, SME V arm, Clearaudio Talisman V2 gold, Nordost Frey V2 tonearm cable,Manley Steelhead,out thru DIY run of Furutech interconnect and the top Furutech RCA into Furutech RCA inputs at the amps.The analog gear is plugged into a Shunyata Hydra 8 on a dedicated 20 amp line.

Digital is a Esoteric E03 cd/sacd player , 1 mtr. DIY Furutech interconnect(same components as the analog long run), on the third dedicated 20 amp line ,volume is controlled by a Lightspeed Attenuator.

I should also note that I have been a musician for the last 50 years,1963 Fender bass,Mark 11 head, 1x 15 and 1 x12 cabinets.
My pursuit in audio has always been to try and get the same sound at home as I do on stage.

I know that's not possible, but it's been fun trying.

Back in the 70's I had Acoustat 1+1's, 2+2's and finally 6's which I biamped with Perraux amplifiers and the soundstage was exquisite

I loved them as they integrated well with home theater as the speakers were virtually invisible on either side of the screen

Steve Williams said:

Back in the 70's I had Acoustat 1+1's, 2+2's and finally 6's which I biamped with Perraux amplifiers and the soundstage was exquisite

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You mean the '80's . Only the X, 3 and 4 were available in the '70's.

rbbert said:

You mean the '80's . Only the X, 3 and 4 were available in the '70's.

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That is correct. I was the fifth largest dealer for Acoustat back in the 80's. Listening to the DD servo amps on these speakers will blow away any other amp driving the medallion transformers. Yes, it is that big of a difference. It was so sad to see Acoustat ditch these amps.