The best speaker you ever heard?

Ctsooner, I think we all wish we had access to dealers with speakers that interest us, but alas they are no more at least in most areas of the country. Even with Austin and Houston within a 100 mile radius of me, I don't have this.

Even when there were dealers, there were very few speaker manufacturers allowing me to even get to hear the Infinity ServoStatics in Tallahassee Florida.

Beveridge model X-1 with bass towers, and close the Infinity IRS in a very large room, which I preferred over the big Genesis. I also liked the early Magnaplaner speakers, the Tympani, then I was more impressed back in the early days.

Having worked in the A/V industry, I have definitely heard my share. Very interesting is that Klipschorns rank among the very best and absolute worst I have ever heard. Obviously, the two systems were using totally different electronics.

LadyC - fascinating!! You are one of the few who has heard the big Infinity IRS and the Genesis...I have only heard the Genesis. But 2 people (who bought the IRS V) have said they preferred the older IRS V...particularly in the treble. Something about the 12 EMIT tweeters per panel just effortless because they are being driven so far below their limits as part of the design.

Your comments on how they compare in your opinion are most appreciated!!!!!

My buddy years back has the Infinity with EMIT's etc...I forget the model, but they sounded great if run with tube gear, but he had a Yamaha receiver that he used and I couldn't listen to them. I never gave Infinity or Genesis a listen, even when I had chances as I always thought of them as 'just big speakers'. It's taken me a long time to be open eared and listen to anything to see what they are made of. Right now, I'm on the Vandy bandwagon as i have yet to hear anything close to them that has the emotion to go along with everything else I want a speaker to do. I'm in the 7k and under range for the most part. I have heard in passing many of the speakers talked about in this thread and most are very good, however they all seem to do a few things great and a few things not so great. Again, we all know it comes down to listening, but it's fun listening to see where the designers made their compromises. Even the over 20k speakers I'm listening to have plenty of compromises. Some just seem to be a big waste of money as they are just expensive and sound worse to my ears, than sub 20k speakers.

I have listened to the Thiels again as I have never liked them. I didn't like the electronics I heard them with, but I'm going to take my own Ayre gear with AQ cabling to see if they sound as great as everyone says they do. I also heard the Focal Electra line (1038 BE) and they sounded ok played on new Krell gear, but I still didn't think they were better than the Vandy Treo's I've been listening to let alone the Quattros that are in their price range. What is it that the Focals or Thiels do for you folks that the Vandy doesn't? Just curious to hear what I'm missing in all of this. thanks.