If you have a large enough room, and sufficient money, the Soundlab Ultimate One is the best electrostatic made. I also think it is the finest speaker made of any type, and at any price, However, at over $27,000.00 for the Ultimates Ones, there are a lot of choices out there. There will be people who prefer other types of speakers, for more and less money, as there is NO perfect speaker. The Soundlab has the magic of ULTRA low distortion, combined with a phase and spatially correct wall of sound that delivers a perfect image. The musical performance appears at true life size, while maintaining the subtleties that define a live performance. Amazingly, they accomplish this on both Jazz and Classical music. Quite a feat, considering the differences in the style and type of performance, not to mention the vast differences in recording techniques. The Ultimates Ones also have the highest resolution of any speaker I have ever heard, their speed and transparency render both instruments and voice so real, that at times, you find yourself laughing with joy. If, however, you treasure extreme bass output (pressure) or very loud SPL, or perhaps the different type of coloration and contrast that a dynamic system delivers, then there are many others (like the Beethoven for instance) that fill that requirement. (In fact, the Beethoven is what I would own if I could not have the Soundlab Ultimates, which I already have.) One thing is certain, all of the pieces in a stereo system are a compromise, no matter what they cost. To help overcome this problem, a great deal of care has to be taken to match all the components so that they work together as perfectly as possible. In the end, this will require room treatment as well. Every listening room I have ever been in had problems that the equipment alone could not overcome, no matter how much was spent.
