Personal speaker evolution

Sound Design from Spiegel catalog, total system including 8 track $99.99 circa 1970 when I was 16.
Bose 501 in a quad system $600
Pioneer HPM-200 $1000
Kef 103/3 $1500
Martin Logan Scenario $750
Martin Logan Aeon I $2300

Best Buy - JBL rectangular boxes with 12" woofers - $600
NHT 2.5i - $1400 a pair
Canton Vento - $3500 a pair
Krell Resolution 2 - $9500 a pair
Aerial Acoustics 20T - $29,000 a pair

I think I am done for a while. Maybe Wilson Grand Slams used one of these days...

Longines Symphonette plastic shoeboxes (part of a "record player" system) > Emerson Electronics plastic shoeboxes (part of my first "real" stereo system) > Panasonic (part of an all-in-one reveiver, turntable, 8-track player package) > Mission 717's > "better" Missions (model # long forgotten) > Miller & Kriesel Satellite/subwoofer system > B&W "600 something" stand mounted monitors > Vandersteen 1C's.

1964

Foldout phono - Family record player, speakers were detachable from main unit and could be 'positioned' to improve the 'sound'.

1973

Small Advents - Boston Tech Hifi, used

1983

B & W DM23* - Berkeley, new

1990s

Second System, JBL satellites & subwoofer from box store.

2000s

Second and Third Systems, Thriftstore Potpourri:

- Large Advents*,
- B & O S60*,
- PSB satellites*,
- Energy subwoofer*.
- Boston A100,
- Infinity RS-100 satellites,

(Total expense around $100)

2008

Interest in sound quality is revitalized.

Second System DCM-400* - Thiftshop
Primary System Usher CP-737** - Craigslist
Third System ADS L730* - Craigslist

* = Still own and use
** = Will "ALWAYS" own and use!

My primary system drives speakers through an Adcom speaker selector so I can trace progress over the highlights from the past. It is a guilty little pleasure to demonstrate, usually to myself, how much improved the quality of the sound has improved.

Chronology of speakers I’ve owned: The list is very accurate from 1979-1996. After that, things got crazy as the revolving door started spinning at warp speed…
1979 Sansui- SP-1200
1980 Bose 501
1982 Infinity RSb
1987 Thiel CS2
1991 Spica Angelus (with Velodyne ULD-15)
1994 Legacy Focus
The rest of these are not in correct order but arranged mostly by Make and model number. A lot were received in trades or just speakers I wanted to listen to before getting rid of and should not be considered speakers I was trying to move up to:
Klipsch Cornwalls X2 (owned two different times)
Klipsch LaScalas X2
Klipsch Chorus X2 (just sold a pair)
Klipsch Epic CF-4
Klipsch RF-7
Klipsch Heresy
Klipsch Fortes X2
Klipsch Quartet
Magnepan model 2167 (their first model number from the early 70s)
Magnepan MMG
Magnepan 1.6QR
Eminent Technology LFT-8B (one of the best planars out there)
Carver Amazing Silver
Carver Amazing Platinum (Series 3)
Carver AL-3
Sunfire CRM-2s
KEF Refereence 4
KEF Reference 105.2
KEF C-55
Bose 901 X2
Ohm Walsh 2
Ohm Walsh 4
KLH Model 6V (not the original 6, this was a high end version tower speaker)
Martin Loudspeakers (American company, still in business)
Vandersteen 1B
Vandersteen 1C
Vandersteen 2Ci
Martin Logan Sequel II
Martin Logan SL3
Energy Veritas 2.4i (great speaker!)
Atlantic Technology (towers, can’t remember the number)
Pioneer HPM-100
Pioneer HPM- 150s (just sold)
Pioneer HMP-1500 (similar to the 150s)
Norh- 4.0
Norh Prism 5.2
Acoustic Research AR-9
Polk Monitor 7s
Polk SDA-1B
Polk SDA-1C
Polk LSi-15
Polk LSi-25
Onix Rocket RS-850
Onix Mini-Strata
Mirage M-1si (great speaker)
Quad 12L2 (just sold)
Gallo Ref 3.1 (just sold)
Roksan Rok One

Now, this is what I currently own (as of 9/11/08 as who knows what I will own tomorrow. Looking at Acoustant 2+2 later today, for example)

Infinity IL-50s, IL-10s
Dunlavy SC-IV
Spica Angelus (two pairs, still the best imaging speakers ever made)
Digital Phase AP-4s (maybe the best I’ve ever owned)

What can I say. I enjoy trying different designs out for myself instead of just reading about them. I have pics of most if anyone wants more info about them.