Speakers to hang on to for LIFE

I have had the same speakers since 1983. A pair of Dick Sequerra's Met7's with a Met8W. I paid $450 bucks for the set used. I know the Met7s have been improved on several times and I always consider upgrading or trying something new. But I am really satisfied with the imaging and neutral qualities (especially midrange) of these. With decent amplification, the Met8W really fills out the bottom nicely. Sure, the Met7s are inefficient (87db) and drop off a bit off axis, but from my favorite listening chair, they always put a smile on my face. If I really looked, I could probalby find something I like better, but I doubt it would be as good a bargain. And if I did get something else, I don't think I would let go of these.

I have had my Mirage M3 speakers for 14 years now and can't find anything better in my room for staging, depth, and fullness. The rest of the speakers sound like I am taking a shower, while the Mirages submerge me entirely in a liquidy abyss. I have Classe power that seems to compliment them the best. I have added the i tweeters and re-ran the wires with Kimber PBJ soldered directly to the drivers and boards with pure silver solder. If they ever come out with anything better, I will surely try. Z

My Dynaudio 1.3se's.
They are going in to the Bird's eye maple casket that I am purchasing.

I just got my dream speakers.A modified set of NEAR M50's.They have newly made Metal drivers with outboard XO's that allows me to upgrade the components without having to take the speakers apart.

The Wiring is 47Labs OTA Cryo'd.I also have a set of Modified M15's that are being reworkes and I need to get the XO's to the M50's finalized as far as what values might work best then get the Caps for the M15's which I shall use for my rear speakers in my HT system.

The last touch is to get a modified set of NEAR M10's which I shall be using as my CC speaker to round out the system.

These shall be the only speakers in the world.No others that I am aware of anyways.

This will be the last system I will ever own I think.Really is great to have a one of a kind type of speaker system.Now if I can get the right amps that I do not need to sell a house to drive them.

I can't agree with SteveAllen and some other posters that newer = better technology = more accurate reproduction.

Speaker technology has not changed that much since the 1920s. Manufacturing processes and materials may have, but even then it doesn't mean that a given manufacturer applies these new techniques.

My case may not be representative, but it may be instructive. I was heavily into audio in the early and mid- 1970s. Ended up with Tannoy Monitor Golds in big plywood boxes, Crown and SAE amplification and unremarkable turntable and cartridge.

Then spent many years moving around and travelling a lot and made do with nothing more than a clock radio. In the late 1990s, my finances started to improve and I decided to put together a decent system once again. Spent a lot of hours visiting various high end shops and found that the cost of good audio equipment had increased astronomically. Anyway, listened to a lot of $10-30K systems.

Eventually spent about $10K on 10 to 25 year old used equipment: Altecs from 1982 (604-8K), Tannoys from 1993 (System 15 DMT II), turntable from late 1970s (SP-10 MK II),
amplifiers from 1989 (Meitner PA-6i, MTR-101), etc.

Since then, I've heard a lot of systems in shops, at friends' houses, etc., but haven't heard anything remotely close to what I paid that, for me anyway, comes close to the musical enjoyment I get with my "old" technology. Plus I've converted several friends to high sensitivity coaxial horn-loaded speakers. Can you imagine dumping $25K Wilsons in favour of old coaxes that cost $2K including new cabinets?

It's a weird business. Main thing, though, is to enjoy the hobby and, especially, the music!