Top Engineered Brands

[Kat3]

To narrow the field let's narrow this to what some people call higher end brands like wilson ect. feel free to bring up anyone regardless of how obscure.

Anyway which speaker companies engineering, design, materials impresses you the most and why.

I'll start, while I don't think these guys are on the cutting edge of everything the first order crossover design from Marten impressed me, I'm sure there are some others doing it. https://www.marten.se/technology/

 

[rdenney]

Revel. They have made use of the vast resources of Harman’s labs, plus the expertise of Toole and Voecker. Their speaker designs are properly blind tested, and also to provide the wide directivity needed to prevent early reflections from having markedly different timbre and screwing up the response of the speaker.

And the Salon2 models are expensive enough to please those who need “higher end”.

Rick “what I’d buy if I had $20K to spend on speakers” Denney

 

[oursmagenta]

If only there were not so ugly (all the Revel tower speakers are included in that comment). I wanted to go for a pair of f208 and I got a "naahhh" from my second half ... Ended up buying some KEF tower speaker.
That said, the moment I have a dedicated space for an actual listening/home office room, I think I'd go for a pair of Revel tower.

 

[Purité Audio]

In the ‘pride of ownership/keep dealers happy’ category, KEF, Revel, Magico all measure well, not as well as modern actives though.
Keith

 

[thewas]

In the ‘pride of ownership/keep dealers happy’ category, KEF, Revel, Magico all measure well, not as well as modern actives though.

Wouldn't generalise this as those passive measure better than many "modern actives" and even compared to the few TOTL actives in some categories worse, in some better, every loudspeaker is a compromise.

 

[Purité Audio]

Yes I should have said ’the best of contemporary actives’.
Keith

 

[Kat3]

Yes I should have said ’the best of contemporary actives’.
Keith

Which are those and why are they superior?

 

[richard12511]

To narrow the field let's narrow this to what some people call higher end brands like wilson ect. feel free to bring up anyone regardless of how obscure.

Anyway which speaker companies engineering, design, materials impresses you the most and why.

I'll start, while I don't think these guys are on the cutting edge of everything the first order crossover design from Marten impressed me, I'm sure there are some others doing it. https://www.marten.se/technology/

They seem to be focusing their efforts on all the least important aspects(time alignment and distortion), which leaves me skeptical.

 

[Purité Audio]

Well they are completely full range, constant directivity, cardioid response, adjustable bass, built on tone and PEQ, drivers used within their pass band, can be placed close to walls, etc.
Keith

 

[Kat3]

In the ‘pride of ownership/keep dealers happy’ category, KEF, Revel, Magico all measure well, not as well as modern actives though.
Keith

And outside of the keep dealers happy category?

 

[Kat3]

They seem to be focusing their efforts on all the least important aspects(time alignment and distortion), which leaves me skeptical.

Which aspects do you see as being more important and who is doing that?

 

[nerdoldnerdith]

I won't deny that Magico makes some incredibly well-engineered speakers, with their top stuff possibly being even better than Revel's, but damn is it expensive.

 

[Purité Audio]

Contemporary thinking suggests a flat on axis, a smooth off axis response which mirrors the on, constant directivity, check out any of Amir’s or Erins reviews/measurements.
Keith

 

[Vini darko]

MBL stuff is ghastly and vulger both in price and esthetic. But they are heavily engineered to the max. Would love to own some of thier gear.

 

[nerdoldnerdith]

MBL stuff is ghastly and vulger both in price and esthetic. But they are heavily engineered to the max. Would love to own some of thier gear.

I think they're beautiful and would love to own a pair of 101e's. Maybe someday.

They practically reinvented the loudspeaker to make their omnidirectional design work. That is worthy of respect. I don't even know how their drivers work.

 

[Vini darko]

I think they're beautiful and would love to own a pair of 101e's. Maybe someday.

They practically reinvented the loudspeaker to make their omnidirectional design work. That is worthy of respect. I don't even know how their drivers work.

Their drivers are fairly conventional in that thay use voice coil and magnet. The drive rugby ball is simple enough just crazy over engineered.

 

[CtheArgie]

Their drivers are fairly conventional in that thay use voice coil and magnet. The drive rugby ball is simple enough just crazy over engineered.

Anything that has "rugby" in it is good enough for me. As long as "swing low" is not singing....

 

[Ron Texas]

Revel, JBL, KEF, Genelec, D&D, Neuman, and ELAC come to mind. The list is not complete

 

[Spocko]

Many professional models are pretty solid. So you can add
Focal: constantly tinkering with novel driver materials and pushing the envelop
Dynaudio: legit anechoic chamber & testing environment
PSI Audio: speaker measurements are consistent with their claims and use case objectives
RME: solid electronics and sound engineering. I love their DACs and currently using their AIO HDSPE Pro on my PC (AES digital connection to Genelec 8350A/7370A)
Topping: best bang for the buck DAC engineering without a doubt

 

[Spocko]

Revel, JBL, KEF, Genelec, D&D, Neuman, and ELAC come to mind. The list is not complete

ELAC when it comes to @AndrewJ specifically - Andrew Jones is always ready to discuss publicly his speaker design objectives and explain the compromises and priorities when designing to a budget. Sometimes it's not the company, but specific individuals in the company that strive for engineering excellence. I also love that he occasionally stops by ASR to defend himself!