PTAs Annual Speaker Buyers Guide

[MKR]

As always PTA has come out with their annual buyer’s guides. I usually take a look at these for entertainment and head slap moments, and the new listings are no different. The speaker listings are mostly the fully expected audiophoolery. I have heard several (not all) of the speakers on their list in my recent end game quest and very few impressed me, though there are a some that were very good (subjectively). And of course most on this list have no supporting measurements, and most that do are train wrecks in that aspect.

Of those on their list that I thought were quite good (subjectively) are the Acoras, Credos, JBL, Joseph, Stenheim, Borresen, and Magico (though not the M9s! Never heard them, rather referring to Magico in general). All the rest? Meh for the most part (and some were simply terrible). Of course these days I am 100% drinking the active kool aid and am only considering actives. And interestingly, unless I missed it, there are ZERO actives on the list. I know audiophiles like their gear and audio jewelry, and actives certainly reduce the amount of gear you need, but is this the only reason actives are not more popular with the standard HEA crowd? Given the performance advantages possible with actives, clearly it is not about pure performance for the standard audiophile clientel.

Anyway, again, entertaining nonetheless, but for all the wrong reasons for the most part …

2024's Best Floorstanding Speakers | Buyers Guide 2024

Hi-Fi news, gear reviews, and interviews

parttimeaudiophile.com

2024's Best Bookshelf Speakers | Buyers Guide 2024

Hi-Fi news, gear reviews, and interviews

parttimeaudiophile.com

 

[tw 2022]

Another ls3/5 a gets positive press, i guess they might not suck nearfield for am radio listening...

 

[MKR]

Another ls3/5 a gets positive press, i guess they might not suck nearfield for am radio listening...

LOL, indeed

 

[MarkS]

Phools gonna phool, not much point in gawking at 'em while they do it.

 

[MKR]

Phools gonna phool, not much point in gawking at 'em while they do it.

I enjoy the gawking, us humans quite drawn to train wrecks for some goofy reason

 

[Penelinfi]

To the standard audiophile clientele, "pure performance" cannot be gained by a plate amp stuck in the back of the speaker.
- It gets vibrations
- It doesn't have boutique caps or tubes
- there's no "synergy"
- it looks boring therefore it sounds boring
- a good system has a bank vault set up between the speakers

 

[restorer-john]

I enjoy the gawking, us humans quite drawn to train wrecks for some goofy reason

It is good for a laugh, that's for sure.

"You won’t find a more effective demonstration on the effects of cryogenic treatment on audio gear than with the Z1s. Compared to the unfrozen version ($12,000 pr USD), the Cryo simply adds more colors and textures to an already well-planned and executed sonic landscape."

And this??

 

[MKR]

It is good for a laugh, that's for sure.

"You won’t find a more effective demonstration on the effects of cryogenic treatment on audio gear than with the Z1s. Compared to the unfrozen version ($12,000 pr USD), the Cryo simply adds more colors and textures to an already well-planned and executed sonic landscape."

And this??
View attachment 331272

Yeah, this one is pure insanity. Do these guys actually hear the words coming out of their mouths?

 

[MKR]

To the standard audiophile clientele, "pure performance" cannot be gained by a plate amp stuck in the back of the speaker.
- It gets vibrations
- It doesn't have boutique caps or tubes
- there's no "synergy"
- it looks boring therefore it sounds boring
- a good system has a bank vault set up between the speakers

Didn’t think about that reasoning … that’s it, forget actives, no way they can sound decent

 

[Short38]

Don’t the cryogenic companies also preserve heads for future use? Wonder if there is a discount if you purchase the cryo tested speakers?

 

[moonlight rainbow dream]

"buyer's guide" - a list of everything some guy heard at a hifi show sorted by price, with a sentence or two consisting mainly of "room-filling bass" and "better than ever".

 

[Penelinfi]

I do want to hear those $100k borrensons though . They should be out of this world physics breaking right? Just add subs

 

[Soniclife]

I do want to hear those $100k borrensons though . They should be out of this world physics breaking right? Just add subs

For that price they better not need subs, or any other help. I kind of want to hear them as well, to find out just how crap they are, the much cheaper ones that look very similar were crap when I heard them.

 

[beeface]

I don't look at these sites anymore but I figured I'd skim through. It's a little depressing how stagnant this industry is. Same as decades past: a bunch of passive loudspeaker boxes, most of them probably not very good and/or overpriced.

 

[Chrispy]

For that price they better not need subs, or any other help. I kind of want to hear them as well, to find out just how crap they are, the much cheaper ones that look very similar were crap when I heard them.

You just need to consider a system price, not just the price of the satellite speakers

 

[quattro98]

Do those have ceiling mounts? Might make for a nice Atmos speaker.

It is good for a laugh, that's for sure.

"You won’t find a more effective demonstration on the effects of cryogenic treatment on audio gear than with the Z1s. Compared to the unfrozen version ($12,000 pr USD), the Cryo simply adds more colors and textures to an already well-planned and executed sonic landscape."

And this??
View attachment 331272