The best speaker you ever heard?


In my opinion, the speaker is by far the most important part of the audio system. After all, it is the only part you hear. OK, the other stuff really matters a lot, but without a great speaker... No go.

I am a bit 'speaker-obsessed' I guess, and now I am wondering: What are the best speakers you have ever heard, and what made them the best?
njonker
EASY IT has to be the one that brings you closest to the heart of the music. Forget hifi, but just as long as you are able to listen to any album in any mood at any time from start to finish because it brings your senses into close contact with that something special -emotion

Include Neat and KUdos
Wow, people have listed some amazing speakers here and I've simply not got anything to compare. My father's Quad ESLs are awesome and I love my Maggie 1.6QRs, but to be frank I really want some Maggie 3s (I actually wouldn't want the 20s, too much money IMO.... unless they're free, in which case scratch my previous statement.)

As for keepers, while it really isn't in the same league, I simply love my Allison Fours. They were my first speakers. I sold my first pair to a good friend and recently acquired a new pair that I plan to keep forever. Love those speakers, yet indeedy.

-Aaron
The Big Corner Klipschorns. I listened to a pair at a local salon here in Detroit that was driving them with an Ampeg reel to reel playing a very large tape with "Dark Side of the Moon" on it. I will never forget the visceral effect that listening had on me and most especially the intro heartbeat... Nothing since has had that same effect on me and I've listened to a lot of systems.

It would be wonderful to run into something new that could go beyond that time and that's why I keep listening every possible chance...
I have owned some different speakers but the ones that for me are really much better are the Dionisio speakers by Yamamura Churchill.
Pietro
Having heard and owned horns, electrostatics (many), electromagnetics, ribbons and many other dynamic speakers for me the Coincident Pure Reference has a presence, tangibility and transparency that is unbeatable except perhaps by their PR Extreme.