Speakers to hang on to for LIFE


After 9 years with my Proac Response 3s, I recently decided to change speakers. As you can tell, I'm not an upgrade fever patient. I want something I can live with for years & I think the best advice I'm gonna get will be from those who have & are still living with their speakers for an extended period of time. Please tell me why too. Thanks.Bob.
ryllau
I just recently upgraded my speakers after 15 years. Actually there was a terrific article in absolute sound and types of listeners and they described thevtype that wasvme. Mainly I was very comfortable with my speakers. They did everything I ever wanted and did it well. All thevusual thins like slam. Sound stage, detail micro and macro. Bottom to all this is we and become very comfortable.... Like an old pair of shoes that fit well and are a pleasurecto wear. I read that article and it made me realize i was stuck in rut! I'm retiring and for that last time wanted to upgrade with new technology. I'm glad I did, I've never been happier to realize that audio people should upgrade every 10 years minimum. You won't believe the difference! I sold my Legacy Focus, which I dearly loved, and moved up to Coincident Pure Reference. What huge difference, unbelievable sound, everything, just everything I ever wanted. Honestly the right move at the right time. Fantastic!
I bought a pair of Advents in 1978, and just "retired" them in January of 2010. They certainly cannot compare to today's speakers, but I was very comfortable with, and happy with the music from them.

I replaced them with PSB' Imagines, which are fine, beautiful, and wonderful sounding speakers. But- to tell the truth, I still miss the Advents.
I've had (and still have) many speaker systems over the last 30+ years, and only my KEF 107s, and Quad ESL63s have stayed consistently in service. Actually, the KEFs replaced my old AR9s, the 9s are now being used by my brother... I couldn't let them "out of the family". I've found that I need two systems (at least)in order to play all the types of music I enjoy. One truly "full range" (20hz-20khz, relatively flat)with great dynamics, and a second system for maximum detail & stage depth. The KEF 107s have fit the first for over 15years now, and the Quads have fit the second for over 20!
It's not that I haven't tried others (I currently have ML CLS Is, Ohm Walsh2s, DCM Timewindows, KLH9s,Allison Twos, and several others I won't bother to mention, sitting in a spare room, but although I'm often tempted by another speaker, I always seem to ball back on these two.
So, without a doubt, Quad ESL63 & KEF 107 are MY speakers for life!
I think many Apogee owners have voted already, keeping their speakers running for the past 20 years with no need to buy anything else. The only issue with Apogees is the need to fix the ribbons as the foam surrounds degrade over time. So in that sense they may need servicing, but from a sound perspective I still believe they compete with most anything out there. And the availability of appropriate amps to drive them is better now than it has ever been.