Anyone agree with the What Hi-Fi best speakers list? :D

[Westsounds]

This is a UK based magazine which was perhaps one of the biggest main stream media outlets, and popular for budding audiophiles here in the UK.

I'm not sure what the demographic actually is on here, I wouldn't have said UK members was the biggest on here. However the UK has been known to produce a few icons in the speaker domain, or would you say different?

A list of the best stereo speakers we've reviewed that have left a lasting impression in What Hi-Fi?'s near-50-years history.

We reminisce about the very best stereo speakers we have reviewed since 1976

www.whathifi.com

 

[wwenze]

Probably no one

 

[Purité Audio]

Only a handful of non-UK speakers in that list , rule Britannia.
Keith

 

[Arindal]

Probably no one

Would say the little Epos is okay. Don´t know all the vintage models from own experience, but from what I have seen from the more recent recommendations, I saw several pretty flawed and disappointing units.

 

[Westsounds]

Only a handful of non-UK speakers in that list , rule Britannia.
Keith

Industry leaders

 

[Purité Audio]

In 1953.
Keith

 

[DanielT]

A UK list.
A Swedish ditto,compiled by a commercial hifi magazine had contained various Sonab/Carlsson, Audio Pro, Rauna for example.Just pointing out, ...well okay something that's pretty obvious but still.

What Hifi only says the best, but what do they mean? Best selling in the UK and or most popular? Or the best in relation to what they cost, most bang for the bucks?

There were quite a few classic speakers I recognized anyway.

I have one on their list I see:

The larger-than-average M2 generated a performance that struck an expert sonic balance, with consistently superb bass and treble performance.

A list of the best stereo speakers we've reviewed that have left a lasting impression in What Hi-Fi?'s near-50-years history.

We reminisce about the very best stereo speakers we have reviewed since 1976

www.whathifi.com

For the box size, woffer size (with that kind of stroke) being ported the bass response is what you would expect, no more no less. Fairly balanced, if I remember correctly the last time I measured (in my room with WiiM RoomFit so take that with a grain of salt). Balanced compared to some of my other speakers. An ok speaker (after RoomFit in my room)
(in some strange way a bit boring speaker)

 

[Westsounds]

In 1953.
Keith

The Brits knew how to build speakers then. And lovely looking cars which broke down all the time

 

[Westsounds]

A UK list.

What Hifi only says the best, but what do they mean? Best selling in the UK and or most popular? Or the best in relation to what they cost, most bang for the bucks?

There were quite a few classic speakers I recognized anyway.

I have one on their list I see:
View attachment 518359View attachment 518360
The larger-than-average M2 generated a performance that struck an expert sonic balance, with consistently superb bass and treble performance.

A list of the best stereo speakers we've reviewed that have left a lasting impression in What Hi-Fi?'s near-50-years history.

We reminisce about the very best stereo speakers we have reviewed since 1976

www.whathifi.com

For the box size, woffer size (with that kind of stroke), ported the bass response is what you would expect, no more no less. Fairly balanced, if I remember correctly the last time I measured (in my room with WiiM RoomFit so take that with a grain of salt). Balanced compared to some of my other speakers. An ok speaker (after RoomFit in my room)

Yeah, those were heavily promoted at the time, I remember them well! Promoted or marketed by the magazine might have been a more appropriate description. Some say some of these companies were in this medias pockets. And sales is what makes things legendary after all.

That said they weren't a bad budget speaker, if a little on the safe side sounding. So they went well with a lot of equipment and the styling at the time was a bit better than a lot that came before it. The light wood front panel was also a bit of a fashion change welcomed in some enthusiasts homes.

They made a better version of that too. The R version, which improved on it actually and looked less cheap. The R floorstanders were dare I say handsome columns as well, and played with some nice scale. Not bad speakers in the right circumstances.

 

[ZolaIII]

Cuple of good one's, bunch of crap and exotic which even good had serious drawbacks and anyway have no place on any list. Looks like a advertisement compilation. Lot of more popular for better and worse (as there is no way I can look at that list other than that) even British one's missing.

 

[JSmith]

No, not at all... a cash for comment publication, with feelings not measurements.


JSmith

 

[VintageFlanker]

This is a UK based magazine which was perhaps one of the biggest main stream media outlets, and popular for budding audiophiles here in the UK.

I'm not sure what the demographic actually is on here, I wouldn't have said UK members was the biggest on here. However the UK has been known to produce a few icons in the speaker domain, or would you say different?

A list of the best stereo speakers we've reviewed that have left a lasting impression in What Hi-Fi?'s near-50-years history.

We reminisce about the very best stereo speakers we have reviewed since 1976

www.whathifi.com

My three cents:

1) Their traffic is 70 to 80% from outside UK (source : Similarweb). Not to mention their paper magazine is sold in different countries in several languages.
2) That's just an advertising wall. I always wondered of they even unbox the products before writing a review at all.
3) Per my own stats, 70 to 75% of awarded products are from a British brand.

 

[DanielT]

Yeah, those were heavily promoted at the time, I remember them well! Promoted or marketed by the magazine might have been a more appropriate description. Some say some of these companies were in this medias pockets. And sales is what makes things legendary after all.

That said they weren't a bad budget speaker, if a little on the safe side sounding. So they went well with a lot of equipment and the styling at the time was a bit better than a lot that came before it. The light wood front panel was also a bit of a fashion change welcomed in some enthusiasts homes.

They made a better version of that too. The R version, which improved on it actually and looked less cheap. The R floorstanders were dare I say handsome columns as well, and played with some nice scale. Not bad speakers in the right circumstances.

That was a diplomatic description of the Tannoy M2.

Then the Tannoy T225 Mayfair are much more fun.
Not the best FR but with a little EQ it got better. Vintage speakers with 10 inch coax (the driver weighs 13.6 kg) and passive radiator. Recap of the crossover in them, changed by the previous owner:

No SPL monsters but pretty good sensitivity.

However, this Swedish model is on the second-hand market both cheaper and better than both the 225 Maiyfair, to be honest. And it's just a pretty good "standard" floorstanding speaker:

Or in pairs with 225 Maiyfar. It's a bit tricky to compare them. Coax vs traditional two-way speakers. Different dispersion patterns and so on. Taste and all that.
Audio Pro has smoother FR though, as far as I can tell.

 

[Purité Audio]

They unbox!
Keith

 

[VintageFlanker]

They unbox!
Keith

Good to know.

 

[Mnyb]

Its a marketing brochure ? not a magazine

 

[Mnyb]

They unbox!
Keith

Your sure i sometimes wonder if they actually need to faff about with real products what a hassle ? Just modify that mfg sale blurb with AI and download some stock pictures , add some review floral descriptions and technobabble with AI , done advertiser happy jobb complete .

 

[voodooless]

This is the only list:

A collection of loudspeakers measurements

www.spinorama.org

 

[DanielT]

But the most iconic of British speakers is the Quad ESL-57, right? Why wasn't it on What Hifi's list? Quad ELS 2805 is included and I suspect that it is better than ELS 57 but hardly as well-known and ionic.

Quad Electrostatic Loudspeaker - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Westsounds]

probably the most iconic and maybe best British monitor ever made didn't even make the short list the LS3/5A. I guess it wasn't profitable for WHF