The Most Significant Loudspeakers of All Time

[Gregadd]

ARTICLES​

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[Kingsrule]

Having owned the ESL, Tympani 1C, and CLS I can agree these were game changers and ear openers ....

Maybe add the DQ-10 to the list....

 

[Gregadd]

DQ-10 did not have any clones,did it?

 

[sbo6]

Kind of a short list...

Dahlquist, Acoustic Research.

 

[Robh3606]

Lansing Iconic, Altec VOT, Klipshhorn, Altec 604, Ohm Walsh driver, Heil Driver, Quad.

Rob

 

[Keith_W]

Your link takes you to the general landing page of that website. This is a link to the actual article. And the article is not about the most significant speakers of all time, it is "a look back at the most significant speakers in my journey". So anyone reading that article hoping to read about the most significant designs ever might be rather bewildered by the rather paltry selections offered.

The author obviously is biased towards panel speakers. He lists 6 - one horn, one conventional boxed speaker, and four panels.

 

[Gregadd]

I am biased toward panel speakers. That is why I chose this list. Keith I would love to see your list.

 

[Keith_W]

I am biased toward panel speakers. That is why I chose this list. Keith I would love to see your list.

I have only ever owned 4 speakers in 30 years in this hobby! I know people who own more speakers than that at any one time. I have owned my current speakers for 15 years, and I do not foresee me changing this speaker. It took me this long to get them sounding good and IMO it's damned near perfect so I don't think I will change.

As for my opinion on the "most significant designs" (that I have never owned) ... this is my list (in no particular order):

- Kyron Audio Kronos (Australian brand, probably not available internationally). Open baffle dipole speaker using conventional drivers and with DSP.
- Acapella High Violons (mine). Plasma tweeter, horns, custom manufactured woofers, custom subwoofer, and DSP.
- Kii Audio Three. Close to perfect engineering.
- ProAc Response 1/1S/1SC conventional 2 way bookshelf speaker but so nicely done. I actually prefer this to the more expensive models.
- MBL 101e I was completely smitten the first time I heard these omnidirectional speakers. It looks beautiful and nothing else sounds like it.
- Tannoy Westminister Royal when amplified properly (i.e. NOT flea powered SET's) the heavy thick coloration disappears and they sound natural.

You can see my own biases in my list. I don't like panel speakers so none made it to my list. I particularly dislike those Quad ESL-57's because they sound anaemic to me. Can't do dynamics, no bass or top end, and with orchestra you sound like you are in the cheapest seat in the house. Maybe not even that, you are outside the concert hall with the ushers.

 

[Gregadd]

I respect your choices and agree on Acapella and Proac. Just an observation. Your list reads more like a My Best list rather a most significant. That's ok. While you don't like panels, it looks like we both shy away from boxes.
P.S. I think horns are a great choice for classical music.

 

[Keith_W]

I respect your choices and agree on Acapella and Proac. Just an observation. Your list reads more like a My Best list rather a most significant. That's ok. While you don't like panels, it looks like we both shy away from boxes.
P.S. I think horns are a great choice for classical music.

It IS a "my best" list I never had any intention of writing a "most significant speakers of all time" list, given my inexperience with many speakers found on many lists. Here is a selection of lists:

The Absolute Sound: Quad ESL-57, Acoustic Research AR3a, Rogers LS3/5a, Wilson WATT, Magico Mini II, Dahlquist DQ-10, Magnepan 1-U/1-D, Infinity IRS V, KLH Model 9, Advent, MBL 101e, Klipschorn. From this list I have only heard the Quads, Rogers, Wilsons, Magico, and MBL. And the only speaker I rate from those I have heard on that list are the MBL's.

Audioholics: Acoustic Research AR1-7, Advents, Bose Acoustimass AM-5, Bose 901, KLH Six, Seventeen, and Five, Klipschorn, JBL L100, B&W 800 series, Magnepan Magneplanar, Thiel 3.6. I have heard the B&W's, both Bose systems and the Thiel. I rate the Thiel as a good speaker, but wouldn't say I was wowed by it.

CNET: Hansen Audio Prince V2, Naim Ovator S-600, Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.5, B&W 802D, Wilson MAXX, JBL Synthesis 1400, Magnepan 20.1, Vandersteen Model 7, Martin-Logan CLX, Focal Grande Utopia EM. I have heard the Gallo, 802D, and CLX. You have to wonder what the writer was smoking to mention the Gallo in the same article as the awesome Martin-Logan CLX.

Many of the speakers on these lists were never marketed in Australia, or if they were, never achieved enough commercial success for me to be lucky enough to be invited to someone's home for a listen. I have no idea if Klipschorns deserve to be on that list or not, given that I have only read about them, much less seen one in real life or heard one.

There are many ways to define "significant" ... you might mean commercially successful (in which case you should be including Sonos), or technologically innovative (then it would be fair to include the Quad ESL's, and we have to ask ourselves if we should include Google Home), or the best engineered, or the most expensive ... the list goes on. Perhaps we should start by what we mean by "most significant".

 

[Gregadd]

I am sorry you never heard the big Klipschorn. IMO is is ideal for large scall music like classical. I am still trying to warm up to MBL. Perhaps I am just not hat big a fan of its absolute neutrality.
By significant, I MEAN that it broke new ground or dominated the industry through sakes and emulation. The WATT/Puppy is a good example. Or the AR 3a that ushered in the era of the acoustic suspension speaker. The Martin Logan hybrids that made the electrostatic a real world product. Or maybe even the horn hybrids like Acapella. let's not frget the Alsyvox a full range ribbon or the field coil sparkers.
I think Gallo was good speaker for what it was trying to do. That is be a invisible speaker for a home theatre system that could be wall mounted or hung in space. It was best in class not best in show.