Most agreed upon best speaker?

Lrsky, I know what you mean about the Sound Labs- I've heard them many times as I have lots of customers and friends who have them or had them. The detail and cohesive quality that ESLs are capable of on a day to day basis is something that usually leave magnetic loudspeakers in the dust.

Until field coils re-emerged. Field coils were common in the old days until sometime in the 1950s- permanent magnets are cheaper to produce. It seems to be the curse of audio that there is a movement always to the bottom, but in high end we are concerned more with performance, so it is only natural that field coils would show up again.

I think the Classic Audio Loudspeakers, fully equipped with field coils top to bottom, are in the +$50K range. The field coils seem to have the property of doubling the cost of the speakers, which are also available with alnico magnets.

Atmasphere,
Just read about field coil technology. Everything old is new again.
This makes incredible sense to me.
Since loudspeakers are the greatest producers of distortion, essentially due to a lack of control over the moving mass--(over simplification but the basic idea is there), the field coil acts to virtually eliminate it with greater flux density, aka, magnetic strength. I know you know this, I only mention it to help others understand the basic principal. I know I was not aware of these beauties.
Wow, I'd love to hear these things. I'm not in the market at this moment, but, who knows.

Field coils drivers are very tasty indeed.

They have an "ease" that you simply do not find with - anything else, probably.

I had a Supravox field coil setup. The 8", augmented with the giant bass drivers on an OB. Could not really get them to gel in my room.

My favorite setup with them was actually the 8" alone on the JE Labs-type baffle. Heavenly sound, bass to 50 Hz.

The Cogent and Classic horns are pretty special also, of course. Big $$$, of course.

If you are a {MUSIC LOVER}, vintage speakers are the only way to go....{"they just sound more like live music"!} I think the Sansui sp-5500's are one of the best ever made!

Hifisoundguy, you can't get good sound with any modern speakers in your opinion?