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What's the speaker of your dreams?

sarumbear

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stevenswall

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An Elac Navis and a pair of Rythmik subwoofers was my first dream system.

When my HiVi DIY 3.1 sounded broken when I was too high or low, discovering coaxial drivers was a revelation. Went to my first audio convention that wasn't headfi in 2017 and got to listen to the Navis, and was shocked how full they sounded for their size, and squatted and stood next to them to hear how the sound changed. Totally smitten that things sounded more even tonally than my HiVi, and ended up putting in an order months after when they finally got released.

...But that's when I discovered bass chuffing, and how hard it was to integrate subwoofers properly when a friend gave me a cheap 8" to play with.

After that, I stumbled across the Genelec 8260 though it was very difficult to find reviews on... Thankfully Genelec has published more data than most.

That became my dream system though it was out of the budget at that time. After trying a Kali IN8 and Devialet Phantom, I found a pair used in a studio in Florida and contacted the owner and have been happily living with them ever since... Now I just dream of a room with better acoustics and with more space to put surround speakers, and something as easy as GLM to integrate multiple subwoofers from other brands.
 
OP
Thunder22

Thunder22

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Long time listener, first time caller,

Back in the early 2000's I demo'd a set of Paradigm Reference Active Studio 40's that completely melted my face, changed me, and I have been hooked ever since. Unfortunately I was unable to afford them so I ended up buying the passive Studio 40's V2. I think they have held their own over the years but I still dream of that active pair.

So anyway, I would like to know what speaker you dream of?
UPDATE,

I just happened to see a pair of Paradigm active studio 40's for sale on craigslist the other day. I bought them a few hours later. Unfortunately one of them would not play but I ended up getting a great deal. I ordered some new capacitors for the main power supply but as of now I can only listen to a single speaker. I will say that this bookshelf speaker has the ability to move some air. I can't wait until I can listen in stereo. When I get the other one up and running I will update again. Stay tuned...

Dreams can come true!
 

JRS

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I think I would want extended home demo first, tasting the finest from dynamic cone, horns, and planar varieties. Ultimately I suspect I would end up with Sander's (Sound Lab) 10e's: light enough to move around, reasonably priced at 20K, and with all that nuance and delicacy, able to slam at 120dB. Dipole radiation pattern, and finally so very ordinary looking--the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing.
1635801988828.png

Man is a class act and these the culmination of a lifetime's striving--bit like owning a Strad in that respect.
 

Jmsent

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I really hope it's these. Still a way to go though. Need to finish the subs, and build the bridges, but I had to at least try them.

Sometimes I dream about them, and sometimes I have nightmares about them .;)

View attachment 162639
Why would you have nightmares? They're fantastic speakers. How will you be driving them, and which crossover are you planning on using?
 

Doodski

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JBL Paragon as a dream
Have you ever heard a Paragon? I have not and I read that they sound brash. I'm curious what a first hand account is about them. I'm a horn aficionado so I can dig your liking for the Paragon too.
 

dualazmak

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Another my dream SP;
https://www.technicalaudiodevices.com/reference-one-tx/
WS002557.JPG


The CST Driver with vacuum deposited Beryllium high dome covers 250 Hz to 100 kHz, approx. 8.5 octaves.

WS002558.JPG

(moving simulation video demo can be seen at their site...)

I would like to drive this SP in active with three powerful amplifiers by bypassing its own LC network; digital XO/EQ will be done upstream in PC, and DAC processing will be performed in OKTO DAC8PRO...
 

Doodski

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Another my dream SP;
https://www.technicalaudiodevices.com/reference-one-tx/
View attachment 162662

The CST Driver with vacuum deposited Beryllium high dome covers 250 Hz to 100 kHz, approx. 8.5 octaves.

View attachment 162663
(moving simulation video demo can be seen at their site...)

I would like to drive this SP in active with three powerful amplifiers by bypassing its own LC network; digital XO/EQ will be done upstream in PC, and DAC processing will be performed in OKTO DAC8PRO...
With the qualitative manner which with you document your system I would love to see you take on this new endeavor. :D
 

dualazmak

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With the qualitative manner which with you document your system I would love to see you take on this new endeavor. :D

Still not an endeavor, but just far away dream...
 

Madjalapeno

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Why would you have nightmares? They're fantastic speakers. How will you be driving them, and which crossover are you planning on using?

At the moment I'm using a Rotel amp and an old Yamaha receiver that has a multi-channel input. Eventually I will be adding a bunch of Neurochrome amps, but I have enough going on right now so that can wait. I have the Hairball ASP built and am using that. Originally was going to use a NanoDigi, but I feel happier knowing that I'm not reliant on software not corrupting and frying my tweeters.

It's a (sometimes) nightmare as I have too many speakers and don't know where to put these, the cherrywood cracked as I was making the baffles so I had to remove most of the wood to embed some 1/2 BB plywood in there, there are a lot of wires running back and forth that needed sheathing, we have a wooden floor that has some bounce, I decided to french polish the baffles, the paint finish isn't as good as I wanted, I can't decide on the bridge design...

But then it's a learning process, and that's half the fun. The other half is listening to them, as they really do disappear and have a lovely phantom center.


IMG_4151.jpeg
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IMG_4211.jpeg
 

Newman

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My diy, no-compromise speakers are my dream, NOTHING ELSE.
No Sonus Faber Aida, no B&W Nautilus, no Tannoy Kingdom Royal, no MBL 101, no Gryphon KODO, no KEF Reference 5, no Dynaudio Evidence Platinum, no TAD Reference One.
Now I know a lot more about what they are NOT than what they ARE.
 

Newman

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I would like to know what speaker you dream of?
There have been a few over the years, listed from earliest to most recent. None of which I could own until I had awoken from the dream.
- Apogee full range ribbons that I demoed in a store in the early 80s.
- Full range stat panels by Quad, Acoustat, or Sanders.
- Giant Altec theatre horns (multicell and big-box 15") of the biggest size I could squeeze into my room.
- Linkwitz Orion full range dipole
- Duevel Bella Luna full range omni
- DB Keele's CBT speakers
- TAD Reference One, which put daylight between itself and second best at an audio show 10-12 years ago.
- Genelec 8361
- JBL M2

cheers
 

syn08

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Am I allowed to dream? Any Focal Grande Utopia. Don’t even dare to think about the price, it’s an absurd nightmare, but they sound darn good to me.
 

Jmsent

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At the moment I'm using a Rotel amp and an old Yamaha receiver that has a multi-channel input. Eventually I will be adding a bunch of Neurochrome amps, but I have enough going on right now so that can wait. I have the Hairball ASP built and am using that. Originally was going to use a NanoDigi, but I feel happier knowing that I'm not reliant on software not corrupting and frying my tweeters.

It's a (sometimes) nightmare as I have too many speakers and don't know where to put these, the cherrywood cracked as I was making the baffles so I had to remove most of the wood to embed some 1/2 BB plywood in there, there are a lot of wires running back and forth that needed sheathing, we have a wooden floor that has some bounce, I decided to french polish the baffles, the paint finish isn't as good as I wanted, I can't decide on the bridge design...

But then it's a learning process, and that's half the fun. The other half is listening to them, as they really do disappear and have a lovely phantom center.


View attachment 162671View attachment 162672View attachment 162673View attachment 162674
You're really doing those upper baffles in the hardest way possible. I admire your skills. Mine are simply cherry veneered ply with the wires neatly run on the back of the baffle. Nothing fancy. The Hairball xover works well, and I've used it for a few yrs. I just received and set up the new xover from MagicLX in Germany, along with the new magnesium lower midrange driver. Very happy with the upgrade. Matching the gain of all the power amp channels is aboslutely essential to getting these to sound correct. Can be problematic if different types of amplifiers are being used in the same system.
 
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