In search for speakers of "natural" sound

Hi quanghuy147

I came across your post about how you’re looking for “natural” sound speakers, and I just had to share this with you and any other forum participants sharing the same concerns. I believe I’ve just found the closest “natural” sound you can get to coming from a pair of speakers in a small local shop in Northern Spain, in the form of a pair of legendary speakers which where only sold locally in the seventies, in very limited numbers. They were the result of years of research and experimenting from a local engineer, who explored the application of tubes (as in organ tubes) technology to reproduce musical frequencies in a natural sounding way. He passed away in the eighties, and his heirs kept the family business running. In their shop there is one pair of each of these strange speakers (three or four different models were produced altogether) in display.

These speakers are nothing like the conventional floor standing speakers I was used to. They have a medium sized boxed lower base, from which up to 30 vertical tubes rise up. The tubes vary in length, and are disposed in a very particular way. The longest tubes from the largest model can measure up to two meters. The other two models are significantly smaller, and suitable for medium sized rooms, looking slightly larger than a good high quality floor standing speaker.

 I do not have any technological details about these speakers, but I heard about their existence and their amazing sound. Well, this week I visited this shop, looking for a stylus for an old turntable, and I mentioned my curiosity about these legendary speakers to the owner, who was very friendly and offered to give me a demonstration on the spot of two of their models.

We tried a very eclectic mix of tracks, from Pink Floyd to jazz and classical instrumental and choral works. To tell you the truth, I simply could not believe my ears! Every little musical detail and every single instrument and vocals became alive – literally - has if the music was being performed in front of me.

 I walked around the room, and the staging of the sound was perfect from any angle. Piano tracks sounded so natural you could close your eyes and feel the presence of the instrument. I can only say I never heard anything like it. There was no distortion and no loss of details at very low and very high volumes. The sound of bass and drums flowed freely and uncompressed (hard to get used to, if you’re accustomed to the somewhat restrained sound of conventional speakers). When I approached the speakers, it seemed the sound was being produced in the room itself, and not coming from the actual speakers, as it does with conventional floor standing models!

I was also told they perform well with any kind of source and amplifier. The heirs of the inventor are now restoring some old speakers pairs they managed to recover, and are considering producing them in limited numbers. After this amazing listening experience, music will never sound the same again for me coming from any standard speakers, regardless of their size, or price! This was truly a revelation, and I just wanted to share it with you and all the other participants with the same concerns!

Hope you end up finding the sound you’re looking for. As for me, I truly believe my search is over. Now all I have to do is to find a way of becoming the proud owner of one of these rare and exclusive beauties.

There is no such thing as natural sound.  I'm a pro musician...every venue sounds different with the same instruments. 

@mafra...Now, that seems interesting, a box with pipes....that, in itself, likely doomed it from the start.  Regards of how well it performed, a 'not normal' appearance would make WAF likely nil....even in the pre-EU era...pity, that....
It would be interesting if you ever remember the name of those units; please PM me if you do....*S*

@stringreen , agreed...and holds true for speakers as well.  It's music Reproduction at the end of the day...
Even if the tech extends itself to a VR version of 'audio only', it'll still get sieved through instrumentation.  Nothing will replace a pair of organic ears affixed to the sides of one's head...despite the clutter betwixt them.  It's that wetware in there that has to determine if it's Real...or 'Real Enough'.

'Ambiance', 'air', 'dimension', 'depth', and all the other descriptive terms we apply to our listening environments and the devices we employ to recreate the music we enjoy...are still artificial.  They depend on the 'suspension of disbelief', the same as a 3D movie, a VR program, or any other means to the desired end.

Spend 1K$ or 1M$...

You're still 'not there'.

@audiokinesis  is right...Even with 'ancient ears', used/abused over my lifespan....even I can discern a 'live instrument'....or voice....over reproduction.

Nirvana is still a mental construct....that we take to our graves....*shrug*

(Yes, I know that you know all of the above 'MHO'....preaching to the choir, that's already shuffling out the door, those who haven't died of boredom or worse (put that gun Down).....all we can do is play 'musical equipment' (literally) in search of the artifacts that resolve the illusion to our satisfaction....)

So I'm reading a review on stereophile and the writer begins by stating that his neighbor told him he probably wouldn't like the speakers because they were music lovers speakers not 'audiophile' speakers! they were the Vienna acoustics Beethovens. 
The model has gone through a few iterations, but VA speakers do have a really musical presentation to them. I just went thru several well regarded speakers because after a few months of being amazed with all the detail and 3d presentation I noticed i wasn't really enjoying the music as much as analyzing it. 

I don't know what your budget is but there's several dsp8000's selling for peanuts right now that are musical, have no cabinet resonances whatsoever and an open soundstage.

Salksound at axpona blew me away with the natural sound in the little hotel room, not sure what model, and being mail order you probably get a pretty good value per dollar.

I like Vandersteen speakers. I will say though I have not heard as many speakers others here on AG have heard. But so far, these speakers sound the most organic and natural to me. It does take some effort to set them up correctly and they need space around them. I used a tube integrated amp and keep the stereo setup very simple.