Personal speaker evolution


OK, so here is a thread I haven't ever seen here: What speakers have you owned? starting with the earliest, price paid, new/used, and perhaps the models that really impressed you (for the price) in CAPS.

Rat Shack Something or others, $120, new
Fisher Something or others, $280, new
ADS L710's, $550, new
Snell A2i's, $1100, used
BEVERIDGE SYSTEM 3'S, $1000, used
Martin Logan CLS, $1400, used
MARTIN LOGAN SL3'S, $2300, used
pmwoodward
Went from:

Polk RTA-11TLs ($750 new in 1990)

to:

THIEL CS3.6s ($2,000 used in 2000)
Klipsch Klipschorns (free/my parents)
Sansui 3 ways (in college)(free)
Traynor P.A. Speakers (15 inch woofer, horn tweeter)("borrowed" from fraternity)
Genesis Genre 1's ($700.00)
NHT VT2.4 ($1200.00)
In 74 I bought a pair of all-in-one (1)Utah 12" drivers and built plywood boxes for them. What can I say; I was a freshman in high school.
When I graduated I bought a demo pair of (2) Marantz Imperial 8's. My brother still has them.
Then I bought a pair of (3)Speakerlab 30's . . . still have them.
(4) Boston A70's with a JBL B380 sub. Still have
(5) Another pair of Speakerlab 30's. Still have
(6) Wharfedale W70D II's. Still have
(7) Nestorovic Type V's. Still have and love
(8) ADS L1590's with the PA1 amps. Still have

Still searching for audio nirvana, but can't seem to shed the ones I obtain in getting there.
I looooooooove speakers!!
Polk (dont remember the model)
Klipsch RF-3
Sonus Faber Concerto
Sonus Faber Signum, and the only speaker that wold make me trade my signums : Quad esl-988
Wow what a great question... You have just
reminded me what i love so much about music.

My list is not very glorified.. but I can guarantee
i had as much fun as anyone!

8 years old

1.) A really bad set of full range's that came with
an 8 track player that i also used to run my first
electric guitar thru. It was so bad i used to get
that Black sabbath grind (some serious amp clipping)
without a distortion box. AWESOME! Oh and anyone
remember just how bad 8 tracks were? You could actually
hear other tracks playing in background.

The other day my son told me his walkman has better bass
than my new SUV's stereo. I havent had a chance to upgrade
yet. All i could do was laugh. And tell him he's right.
Poor kid is seven and already gettin bit by the bug.
Brought back memories.

11 years old

2.) A set of Bose 301's the ones with the reflector
for the tweeter. At the time they were the sh***t
to have. I used to turn them up to eleven every day and
just flogged the hell out of them. There were times i
thought the wolfers were going to jump out of box.
HOLLY SH***T!

13 years old

3.) A set of Sonic's they had two 12 wolfers two 5 mids
and two 1 or 2 inch tweeters in each. I had to replace
the tweeters many times. I used the Rat Shack super tweeters
a couple of times. Absolutely drove the neighbors nuts.
If they or I have any hearing problems its might be from those.
Crank em!

16 years old

4.) A full Marshall stack (guitar amp) which includes 2
cabinets with 4 12's in each driven by an 100 watt tube
amp. The same one's Ted nugent used to get 150db at his
shows from.
YEAH hair on fire!

20 years old

5.) A set of kenwoods. One of their many three way's. Dont
remember model. Probably cause they really didnt do anything
well. Still loved em though. Dont know what i abused more my
first car or those poor speakers.

26 years old

6.) Still running Kenwoods upgrade to monster wires and cables. pretty amazing they held up as long as the did.

33 years old

7.) My first real step... Four Infinity RS series i think
they were RS3's with a 8 inch Infinity sub and a 15 Cerwin
Vega sub. Ok.. getting better!

36 years old

8.) First really good sound... four bi wired (analysis plus)
Infinty IL30's two IL10 centers and a Velodyne 15 SUB. I think
most of you would be pretty surprised. Ok.. much better!!

37 years old (really ready for good stuff now)

9.) Im on the verge of upgrading to Revel studio's, voice center and gems for surround or comparable Infinity MTS series or possibly Martin Logan's I am hurting for room so that might cancel the Logans. I have a six channel system thats been assembled to do everything well (yes two channel also) so everything i do is a big step. As if i needed another expensive hobby. I live on water and recently got
the offshore powerboat bug also (if you think hi-fi gear is expensive go buy a 35 foot Fountain offshore powerboat) Hi-fi is a wonderful bargain and great investment compared and there's no matinence.

So as you can see my equipment has been limited until last couple of years. I am the owner (also the lead engineer) of a succsesful company now that specialzes in High density, Highly complex circuit boards www.risingedgedesign.com. I have personally designed 48 layer PCB's with approx 10,000 connections. So i understand the electronics very well. I am also a musician also so i know what the music is supposed
to sound like and what the recording proccess can do.

The one thing that hasent changed over time is my love for music and equipment. It is and has always been a huge part of my life. I didnt know what i didnt have... And was just happy with what i had. And i wouldent trade the experience for anything! Well maybe new Revels..hmmm? Nah..

Hope i didnt go too far off track here... Just got caught up in last 37 years.

Best regards to all and dont forget to have fun!