Beyond Boutique Speakers


The thread "boutique" speakers was apparently for makers who are famous enough to get regular reviews in Stereophile.

I thought it would be good to focus on makers who have not even gotten that far or you want to have a personal relationship with your speaker maker.

Selah Audio

https://www.selahaudio.com/

Lee Taylor, who made my cabinets and knows his stuff:

http://www.taylorspeakers.com/

And of course Fritz

http://fritzspeakers.com/


Of the three, I’m only familiar with Taylor’s cabinetry which is excellent, and Fritz’ finished products.

I can recommend both based on the reasons above. I really like the choices Selah makes, but I’ve never heard or seen them in person.  The floor is now open to recommend others.  I would like to ask that we stay with small makers who do not make it to the review pages on major magazines.
erik_squires
I guess I'll throw a vote in for John over at Van L Speakerworks in Chicago.  He's been slaving away for years making some great sounding speakers.  I've enjoyed sitting and listening many times over the last 20 years or so.  Although not since he moved his shop to Norridge, IL.  Nice guy too.  His Quartets stand out in my memory.  No major reviews that I know of. 
Hey Gang:

Please see if you can find links when you post! I'm sure everyone who is interested would be happy to click on one to learn more.

Best,


E
By all accounts Boenicke makes great speakers and has been reviewed by every major publication in the EU but since they have never had real distribution in the US no reviews. I don't think they qualify due to the sheer number of EU reviews plus an established EU dealer network.  Giant EU companies like Canton are the same way in the US.  They have a couple of US dealers and then Accessories4Less which is one of their outlets for discontinued products. 
I don't think they qualify due to the sheer number of EU reviews plus an established EU dealer network.
The criteria is if they’ve had a full review in Stereophile, which Boenicke has not.  That they may be well known in the EU is irrelevant to this thread. 


Well, Stereophile was a suggestion, in large part because their own criteria is that you have to have 3 dealers to be reviewed in their magazine, and it was based on the idea of Audiogon being a mostly US read site.

I’ll leave it to everyone else to help out here, and avoid bringing up the JBLs of another country here. No reason why you can't start a different thread for them.

I think so long as we bring exposure to these ultra low volume makers it’s a win.

Best,

E