The best speaker you ever heard?

Banner wrote "I doubt that most people could really hear the difference between a $2,000 cd player and one for $200."

I used to believe that until I purchased a used Cary 306/200. I had a Sony $300.00 cd player and the difference were huge. I didn't have to look hard for the difference they were obvious and not subtle.

Even my son who is not an audiophile said that the cd player made the biggest improvement in sound that he has heard in my system.

I totally disagree with your comment.

I have heard several brands high end speakers, but not all. I am not an expert on loudspeakers, but since the question is what are the best speakers I have heard, I have to say they are: McIntosh XR290. They have been in my system for 14 years now and I have never lost the love. Why fix what's not broken?

SP Technology Mini's are truley astonishing in every way!!

Magnepan MG 3.6R's (09 edition with new crossovers). If you truly know music, there is no other speaker for you. They will unleash your inner audiophile like no other and let the music flow over you like the Holy waters from the audio God's:O )

Hard to say since there is no one "ideal" speaker around.
Vivid "Giya' comes close. In addition I would list speakers I love for the "close to the real sound" quality they all have (in some cases it had to be together with the electronics used at the moment),starting with the more expensive and going down:
MBL 101, Original B&W Nautilus, Wilson Benesch "Chimera", Vandersteen 5A Sign. Some Sound Labs should be added as well.
For the "small" speakers it is Sonus Faber "Extrema", Wilson Benesch "Discovery", B&W Silver Sign.