The best speaker you ever heard?


In my opinion, the speaker is by far the most important part of the audio system. After all, it is the only part you hear. OK, the other stuff really matters a lot, but without a great speaker... No go.

I am a bit 'speaker-obsessed' I guess, and now I am wondering: What are the best speakers you have ever heard, and what made them the best?
njonker
Question is very subjective.

Best speaker to A might not be for B's ear.

To me, I think the marten design coltrane should be one of the best.
A toss up between Soundlabs the Ultimate one with CAT electronics, and the Sonus Faber Stradivari with Nagra tube equipment.The rooms of the owners were different as was all associated gear but both were systems with first rate sound.It would be hard to pick a winner,so I'll call it a draw.
The Joseph Audio Pearl. I heard these at CES and thought there was a real accoustic Bass player in the room, so I went in. It was just the Pearls in there.
The Fab Audio Model 1 driven by Tom Evans Audio Design electronics (Vibe/Pulse/Linear A) are doing things I've never heard another speaker do in 25 years of audiophilia nervosa. It's hard to put into words just how real this setup sounds. Much of it is due to the amp, but the Fabs are the most transparent speaker I've ever heard and let absolutely everything through. I've not heard a planar of any description, nor indeed any other speaker setup, come close to this. It's the whole enchilada.
Speaker:
Wilson Watt Puppy 7s

System:
Ayre V-5xe Amplifier
Ayre K-5xe Preamplifier
Ayre C-5xe Universal Stereo Disc Player

This combination of equipment has been the best combination I have heard to date. I don't have extensive experience with equipment way past its price range, but it is better than systems I have heard that were twice the price component wise, including one system I heard at Harvey Electronics that the salesman claimed was a $150,000+ (USD), which was in their Home Theatre showcase room. It was so real and 3 Dimensional sounding I knew I was screwed the minute I heard the first song start to play on it, and have started saving up to buy all the components in the next year starting with the Ayre C-5xe which I already purchased. It isn't even that bad a price considering how great it sounded and how much better it sounded compared to the stuff I heard around my area that costs twice the price and then some.

I do think component matching with speakers has to be crucial, because I have heard these speakers with other equipment, and while they still sounded incredible, they didn't sound as stunning as they did with the Ayre gear. I felt like I was sitting in the studio hanging out with the band I was listening to while they were playing.

I'm not sure what cables they were using.