Which speaker has the biggest sound stage?

I heard a set of very large planar speakers, I think they were Magnepans but I am not sure at the CES in Chicago in 1989. That was one of my most fun days ever, seeing all the rooms in the hotel across the street set up with different stereo systems and people peddling their hifi wares. So these speakers were set up in the big Ball room. Four large panels powered by 4 large, separate ARC tube amps. A classical piece was playing and it was like a life size orchestra in the room. I could pinpoint every single instrument in the orchestra. A very memorable experience.

I myself had and enjoyed planar speakers for 14 years. It was the opposite for me. My wife liked how they looked and was upset with me when I sold them to try something new. I was always impressed with the speed and imaging of the Thiel speakers. I'm very happy with my Thiel speakers now and with analog especially, they can produce a large soundstage. The only downside was the expense to amplify them since they like lots of current. Planar speakers are much easier to drive being typically a resistive load.

Wow Larry, I've never seen anyone knock Elizabeth's soundstage off the floor like you've done. Quite remarkable ! I quess wisdom does come with age. I just wonder if the gray hairs have popped along with the daffodils.

Next question is:

What Goner' has the biggest soundstage ?

Lithojoe,

I was too harsh--but to say categorically, 'You will...' left no wiggle room.
I'm CERTAIN some have failed, I've personally never seen it--sevicing customers who owned them for YEARS.
I'll apologize again for being abrupt. Elizabeth seems to know her stuff, as best I can tell and I'd never want to cross swords with anyone on Audiogon...nothing on here is important enough to make anyone angry.

Good listening,
Larry

Just took delivery today of a pair of Eminent Technology LFT-8b -- thanks, Bruce -- and holy smokes! that's a soundstage. Big, palpable instruments. Not much past the speakers, but such height and depth inbetween, and the scale is undeniable. Everything has SIZE, instead of pinpoints in space.

As I told Mr. Thigpen on the phone, my previous experiences with planar speakers were not nearly as exciting. Granted, both were budget models (ML Aerius-i, Magnepan MMG), but for the money, I just don't see how you can top the LFT-8b. I've spent 3X as much and had much worse, that's for sure.

For dynamic cone driver coherant type speakers, Wilson W/P's put off the biggest stage I have heard. No experience with MP or MBL's. Just by design, I would expect the omni-directional Radialstrahler's to be king in this dept.