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
I have been into audio since the early 70s. My first truly high end pair of speakers were my beloved Quad 63s. When they became available, I purchased the Gradient 63s for them. But alas, when I moved, my new listening area just didnt have room for the space taking quads. I couldnt part with them and they have been in storage. My present listening area therefore has a pair of Watt/Puppies, 4s on each end, driven by a pair of Jadis JA80s, a Nagra preamp and a VPI HRX turntable. I also have a Muse Universal Player tied in for what digital I play.

I finally talked the other half into allowing me to put some decent sound in the entertainment room. In addition to the surround system, I have a pair of the NuForce amps, an Aethetix Janus pre/phono stage and a pair of Vandersteen Quatros which appealed to the WAF. On top is an SME/20.

At my office I use an integrated Cayin tube amp, Project RM9 and a lovely pair of Stirling LS3/5a V2.

The HRX and SME both use the Red Koetsu. The Project the Shure M97.

But what to do with the wonderful Quads? I never could part with them but almost did a few times. Couldnt pull the trigger. Recently I purchased a vacation home a few hours from my house. It has the perfect area for the Quads. I needed some equipment for them and didnt want to spend lots of $. I wanted them to be tube driven. Solution? I had a VPI upgraded Scout not being used with a Grado cartridge and a Sutherland Phd phono stage. I purchased a pair of the PrimaLuna Sixs. For the preamp I went with the Cayin SC 5LC. I threw in a Creek cd player for the digital. In the master is a Sugden amp, a pair of Devore Gibbons and an IPOD.

So my evolutiion and current systems are Quad/Gradient 63, Watt/Puppies 4, Sterlin, Vandersteen Quatro and Devore Gibbons. Different speakers for different uses. It doesnt get any better.

Let me add that the PrimaLuna Sixs and the Cayin pre blen perfectly with the Quads. I have over the years paid much more for preamps and amps, some of which i still have (Jadis, Aexthetix, Nagra). Maybe its my age, too much loud rock in roll in the earlier days, etc., but I would put this combo against any.

Good topic and responses. Curtis
PS, while I could make several corrections to misspellings on my post, the major correction is the Watt/Puupy should be "6" and not "4". curtis
LSA (Laboratoires des Sciences Acoustiques), don't remember the model anymore, but they served me well as a student
JBL something (VX, I think), anyway they were really bad and left within a few months
Arcus TL200 (the longest serving)
Infinity Kappa 8.2i
JBL Ti 250
Tidal Contriva
(second system: Chario Constellation Cygnus, may be replaced by LUA Con Fuoco 3.3)
Clbaudio:
"Watt-Puupy"? Sounds like a bass integration problem. Repositioning or revising room acoustics should make'm sound less Puupy.
(I realize that it is in dreadful form to jape on a typo. But I just couldn't resist. Punish me.)

:Magneplanar MG1cs (1986-2000)
:Do Grado HP-2s count? (1992-present)
:Audio Physic Virgo (2000-2007)
:Rockport Syzygy

Wilson Watch Dog (Rocks&Dog are in the house but not yet hooked up.)
~Thinking about: Duntech Sovereign
What I really want:
!Audio Physic Medea

cheers apo