Speakers to hang on to for LIFE

For the past 11 years, I have been listening to a pair of speakers I designed to be released as my statement loudspeaker product. They are a 5 driver, full range design using all VIFA products and standing 5 feet tall. I played with the prototype for 3 years before being 100% satisfied with the design.

I never did release the speaker but have had my prototype pair running in my home system since day one. I am an audio dealer with a ton of options to bring into my home but never found a reason to replace my speakers. They provide me and my family with outstanding music on a daily basis and are now also part of my families HT setup.

On a similar note, I have been driving these speakers with the same integrated amplifier for about 6 years now and once again, find no need to change.

If you truly enjoy what you have.............

MERLIN VSM..... boy do I wish I still had mine. If I ever have the money for a really nice system again I will buy these in a heartbeat. Then I'll get a Berning ZH-270 and be set for life.... at least for my taste.

I'm driving mine with Spectral and top line MIT . 'Extreme' ac power isolation/filtration(including EQ balanced power)was needed to really show what the sound could be like and provided OTL sweetness & nuance. The 250Ti's just got better & better.

Tidal Contriva (and if I won big in the lottery, the only speaker I could think of for replacement would be Tidal Contriva Diacera)

With the actual ambition to find myself speakers for life, I had spent over three years listening to a range of speakers, some of which were, well, almost there. Trying to convince myself each time that this was the best it could possibly get within the confines of my apartment, there always was a nagging sentiment that said "no" for reasons I mostly found hard to explain. When I heard the Tidals, everything just fell in place: music versus "a particular way of music rendition" such as I had heard it before.

ADS L810s get my vote. When I first heard them in about 1974, they blew my mind with their incredible clarity and definition. I finally bought a pair in 1979, and I absolutely loved them until my son blew them up listening to Magical Mystery Tour at ear-shattering volume (yes, I'm a proud dad!). Those speakers were simple, beautiful, and, when I eventually coupled them with a subwoofer, the system outperformed many "full range" speakers costing many thousands of dollars.

Great thread!