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Own many mid-game speakers or a few end-game speakers.

After I got hooked into this hobby I started to have a small collection of speakers each in the $5k-$10k ranges that have various tonal quality and unique characters from each other. It doesn’t feel one speaker is absolutely better than another and they all have their own personalities, and I quite enjoy these diversity for different type of music I listen to (or hearing the same music expressed very differently which is always fun) and I’m always tempted to add more, for example, I recently get excited about Klipsch and want to try their horns which I do not have had any experience of.

But, these things quickly add up and could become endless pursuit, especially consider speakers differ not just in response curves but also in dynamic, decay, sound stage and details that are all hard to emulate with software. I’m trying to limit the max spending I have on speakers. I’m wondering what’s the perspective of upgrading v.s. buying into more diversity in this game. A few questions I have for you is, say you have $60k in budget on speakers new/used and you have infinite rooms (no amp/source), how would you allocate it (from buying 5000 Homepod Minis to one B&W nautilus) and why?
bwang29
dducat's avatar
dducat
40 posts
 
I'm in @dweller 's camp.  I would rather go for sound quality and efficiency first, then work backwards from there.  I'm also a person who loves the best stuff in the industry made by those that have been doing this a long time, but would equally learn how to make it myself and, if possible do just that and get close. 

Obviously, there are things and elements that may be unattainable to make myself (I'm probably not going to make a CD player or a DAC, but I would a turntable....), but there is an added element of satisfaction, I guess, when I know that I've not only put money into it, but time and effort.  

Hearing Miles Davis, Live at the Plugged Nickel through that 45-based tube amp I built (and refined the design of) playing 1.8W through super-efficient open baffle speakers that I also built (and designed the cross-overs for, and built) adds something to the 'enjoyment' for me.  I get that it doesn't for others.  And, clearly, if those elements measure well and sound good then that's really what it's all about, isn't it?
jeffvegas
372 posts
 
TEKTON!!!! BELIEVE THE HYPE!!!!
cat_doorman
237 posts
 
I’m not anywhere as far along the journey as most of you, but I can’t fathom an end-game-be-all-I’ve-already-tried-everything approach to this hobby. As I build up and out and better my system I’m already planning for variety to come. I’ll want at least two wildly different types of reference speakers to switch between and enough different amp choices that I’ll know I can properly drive any other speakers I bring in to try out.  I hope I’m never ready to give up on finding something new.
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Peter Walker of Quad fame said: "We don't think our speakers are the best. Just that all the rest are worse". Get yourself a pair or two of the 57's and throw away all the rest! 
worldwidewholesales
134 posts
 
Hi,

 I have had over 450 sets of speakers through my listening room. I once had a gentleman that lived not too far from me trade-in over 50 sets of small speakers that he had accumulated from going to many audio shows and purchasing a set of speakers at the end of each show. Great person but at the end of the day he decided he just wanted to have one great set of speakers and trade-in all his sets of speakers that he had purchased over the years for 1 set of high efficient horn speakers.

For myself I think speakers are personal preference and need to be carefully matched to your favorite amplifier based on the following criteria. Size of your room, type of music you prefer and volume you play your music at in your home. There are many other factors to take into account but I have seen many people purchase a very large set of speakers that will never work in their smaller rooms and this can be a very big mistake. I also prefer high efficient speakers with quality tube gear. The fun thing with high efficient speakers is that just changing a tube or even a power cord can be immediately heard.

One of my favorite speakers is made by a company called hORNS. These speakers are built in Poland and they are called Symphonies.

Here is a recent review;

http://v2.stereotimes.com/post/horns-symphony-loudspeakers-by-mike-wright/ 

This is a wonderful sounding, highly efficient, super will built speaker that we have been importing from Poland for 3 years.

Cheers,

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