Which speakers gave you the *wow* factor?

[Scrappy]

Big speakers: Clair Bros R4’s via Crown 3600. 350lb and older than me. Talk about horn done right. Mid has some waveguide, can’t remember the physics idea. Now this was at 40’ in a field, with extra double-18” cabs for no boundaries.

Small speakers: Focal Shape 4” a coworker brought in the other week. Niiice Hi’s

 

[sdrichard]

- 35 years ago: Spica TC50, was wow'd by the space they conveyed
- A couple of times in the last 15 years: Legacy Whisper, the tonality just sounded right. They can also do scale...
- My current system: KEF Blade 2, especially after RoomPerfect room correction (driven by Lyngdorf TDAI-3400)

Incidentally, I have heard some crazy systems that did not wow, including some top-end Marten speakers. Probably due to bad setup.

 

[MattHooper]

Sure, but the question remains open: Why is the wow the meh of today? Is there really some development, or are you just hopping from one sensation to the next?

Well, again, time has not diminished what I think of those speakers. I've owned the Hales Transcendence monitors and centre channel and they continue to impress me with the same characteristics I mentioned. Same with Thiels.

Yes I've also enjoyed and owned other speakers. But, speakers don't sound alike and I enjoy the differences, so I enjoy trying different things. That doesn't mean
I'm not really impressed by more than one speaker design. It's not either-or.

Ja, after some trial of tiny little home hifi systems for shelf usage, but true three way, I came back to that horn centered speakers. There is no perfect stereo. I still argue with the over-precise and thus demanding stereo picture. All this is under investigation. Apart from just enjoying music I'm into anecdotal research. I'm an audiophile, and I hope in a better sense.

Know what, the horn loaded speakers are easily 10 times the size, and there is only so little to gain. Once the music is understood, of course. 'Animals As Leaders' for instance, and then I learned that audiophilistines take 'Avicii' as reference. It breaks my trust in reason ...

But never mind, I'm o/k.

Good.

 

[fineMen]

Well, again, time has not diminished what I think of those speakers. I've owned the Hales Transcendence monitors and centre channel and they continue to impress me with the same characteristics I mentioned. Same with Thiels.

As a DIYer I trot from one 'wow' to the other. I'm not so much in building a conclusive result, though. As you said, all speakers still show some compromise, and if it was with an acceptable size alone.

So: my latest wow was about a small box. So small that bass reflex was useless; it was of sealed type using a regular el cheapo 7" woofer in 9 liters internally. My own shoes would not fit into such a small box. The bass left nothing to be desired, went as deep as 30Hz after equalization with enough authority to call my then quite hostile neighbour in ... sweet clear, yet soft sound revealing details even with tumultuous music, no burping distortion whatsoever.

From my experimentation I would say that the unexpected result originated in using a real midrange between 350Hz and 1,9kHz. It removes the common intermodulation distortion, regardless of the bass' excursion. The three way speaker fell out of favour once the BBC popularized the plastic cone (late 1960s) and with it the cheaper two way as a new norm. My little box allowed to (digitally) switch back and forth between two and three way. Night and day.

The wow was about the fallacy on the side of the well renowned, puplicly funded BBC. It is still in effect, some 50ys later. I discovered something specific.

 

[fpitas]

- JBL K2 S9900
- Revel Salon2
- My own behemoths at times

 

[gnarly]

Acoustat-X, was definitely my first WOW speaker...

for about 25 years after purchasing them, i heard a lot of great speakers and headphones.
Mostly other electrostats, ribbons, and planars...best Stax phones, etc.......that all sounded great, but all seemed to present a mainly lateral move...not really any new WOW.

Also auditioned a number of highly regarded conventional speakers, looking for more bass, SPL, and dynamics than electrostats/similar offered.
They just couldn't convince though.

One day, feeling a bit bass starved, decided to try some prosound boxes.

Meyer-UPA-1p's with a 650-P sub. Bought them unheard, based on the large list of finer theatres and live-music halls they were installed in.
Totally loved them the moment I set them up in my room..
But the wow was still to come...

Set them up outside for a party...and my second major WOW was heard.
I expected bass, SPL, and dynamics.......but I had never heard such clarity and definition from any speaker before...period.
(outdoor listening with high quality speakers strong enough to pull it off, is something to behold imho..)

Anyway, since then, I have developed a DIY hobby of building speakers robust enough for outdoor use, knowing that they will provide extraordinarily clean indoor use.

My current LCR setup using three identical synergy horns, each on top its own double 18" sub....is definitely WOW the third.

Over and over again, past a half year's use now all indoors....i keep saying WOW....makes me laugh how good it can sound... (had a few folks tear up
Now I just gotta figure out a way to take this whole LCR setup outside lol

 

[Axo1989]

I should clarify my earlier post somewhat: I didn't literally think "wow" when I heard those Audio Physic Virgo, it was more "interesting" (that those relatively diminutive floor standers pulled off such sound, imaging, disappearing act, yada, yada).

The only speakers I recall that elicited a literal "wow" were those giant Focal Grand Utopia: first, just seeing them in real life (there's some sighted bias for you) then listening to one of my test tracks (from BMTH Suicide Season) at realistic volume. That music finally sounded in real life as it did in my imagination. I've listened to three versions of that speaker now. Haven't bought a pair though (might need a bigger house first, and a bigger client base).

 

[alto]

Ino Audio piP, unbelievably competent speaker for it's size.

 

[MattHooper]

I should clarify my earlier post somewhat: I didn't literally think "wow" when I heard those Audio Physic Virgo, it was more "interesting" (that those relatively diminutive floor standers pulled off such sound, imaging, disappearing act, yada, yada).

The only speakers I recall that elicited a literal "wow" were those giant Focal Grand Utopia: first, just seeing them in real life (there's some sighted bias for you) then listening to one of my test tracks (from BMTH Suicide Season) at realistic volume. That music finally sounded in real life as it did in my imagination. I've listened to three versions of that speaker now. Haven't bought a pair though (might need a bigger house first, and a bigger client base).

I mentioned earlier in the thread 2 speakers that wow'd me:

Waveform Mach 17
MBL 101D

Those were two instances were it wasn't just "Boy do I ever like this sound!" but really a sort of breathtaking experience, a level of shock value.

The first was hearing the MBL omnis in a reviewer's home (a TAS reviewer) where he had them in a very small room, with lots of room treatment.
He played a selection of tracks and, until that point, I never knew that such sound was even possible - some of it more real than I'd ever encountered, some of it just sheer neato pyrotechnics.

I heard the Waveform Mach 17 at John Otvos' home (he ran the company - it eventually folded). It was at a time where I had literally travelled far and wide hearing most of the hyped up speakers of the time (including big Wilsons, Genesis, you name it). Otvos was an early devotee of "prove it with measurements" and developed his speakers using the Canadian NRC facilities. He sought neutral on-axis sound with smooth even wide dispersion. The Waveform speakers were immediatly identifiable at those times by their egg-shaped midrange/tweeter module, made of super dense material. He demonstrated his tri-amplified speakers to a friend and me, using cheap solid state amps and off the shelf cables (he thought the cable market was a scam, same with expensive amplifiers, as well as tube amps). It was shocking. The Mach 17 in that demo seemed to combine practically all the impressive qualities of other speakers in one speaker: an electrostatic like "disappearing" act, yet dynamic and propulsive like no electrostatic I've heard, capable of enormous dynamics for church organ, orchestral spectaculars or dynamic pop music, while also being tonally even and neutral sounding. It's like they did what most other speakers were trying to achieve without sweating.

I don't mean to say they were actually perfect speakers. Only that, at the time (1999 IIRC) they blew me away.

 

[sarumbear]

This one

 

[Axo1989]

I mentioned earlier in the thread 2 speakers that wow'd me:

Waveform Mach 17
MBL 101D

Those were two instances were it wasn't just "Boy do I ever like this sound!" but really a sort of breathtaking experience, a level of shock value.

The first was hearing the MBL -) in a reviewer's home (a TAS reviewer) where he had them in a very small room, with lots of room treatment.
He played a selection of tracks and, until that point, I never knew that such sound was even possible - some of it more real than I'd ever encountered, some of it just sheer neato pyrotechnics.

I heard the Waveform Mach 17 at John Otvos' home (he ran the company - it eventually folded). It was at a time where I had literally travelled far and wide hearing most of the hyped up speakers of the time (including big Wilsons, Genesis, you name it). Otvos was an early devotee of "prove it with measurements" and developed his speakers using the Canadian NRC facilities. He sought neutral on-axis sound with smooth even wide dispersion. The Waveform speakers were immediatly identifiable at those times by their egg-shaped midrange/tweeter module, made of super dense material. He demonstrated his tri-amplified speakers to a friend and me, using cheap solid state amps and off the shelf cables (he thought the cable market was a scam, same with expensive amplifiers, as well as tube amps). It was shocking. The Mach 17 in that demo seemed to combine practically all the impressive qualities of other speakers in one speaker: an electrostatic like "disappearing" act, yet dynamic and propulsive like no electrostatic I've heard, capable of enormous dynamics for church organ, orchestral spectaculars or dynamic pop music, while also being tonally even and neutral sounding. It's like they did what most other speakers were trying to achieve without sweating.

I don't mean to say they were actually perfect speakers. Only that, at the time (1999 IIRC) they blew me away.

I've not heard really good omnis (HomePods in an Apple store don't really count, even though they were pretty good for the price). The MBL would be a treat. The Waveforms look very cool. I guess more access to cool stuff is why Darko (for example) moved from Oz to Europe. Sigh.

Edit: so much detail on that Waveform in the Stereophile review, I almost feel like DIY-ing a pair.

 

[Axo1989]

View attachment 254849 This one

Haha. In the unlikely event I pick up a pair of Grande Utopia, I'd still want one of those.

 

[MadMaxx]

For me, it was going from years of passive speakers like Energy, PSB, Polk, and, most recently, my KEF LS50 Metas to the Adam Audio A7V active monitors. I'm hearing details in my music and games I never heard before.

ADAM Audio - A7V Active Studio Monitor (Nearfield)

The A7V from the A Series is a contemporary 2-way monitor that represents the evolution of ADAM Audio’s award winning A7X.

www.adam-audio.com

 

[MattHooper]

I've not heard really good omnis (HomePods in an Apple store don't really count, even though they were pretty good for the price). The MBL would be a treat. The Waveforms look very cool. I guess more access to cool stuff is why Darko (for example) moved from Oz to Europe. Sigh.

Edit: so much detail on that Waveform in the Stereophile review, I almost feel like DIY-ing a pair.

Wow. It's amazing to re-visit that old Stereophile review. It describes really well just the characteristics I heard from those speakers!

I actually reviewed the Waveform Mach Solo, a smaller passive version of the Mach 17. I was quite amazed at how Otvos managed to maintain
similar qualities in the passive version:

Waveform Mach Solo Loudspeakers

Honestly, that was sort of a "one that got away." I have somewhat regretted over the years not buying those Mach Solos. They went in to production just before Otvos shut down the company and not many were sold - the few owners won't part with them, making them insanely rare on the used market.

 

[Tom Schneider]

For me it was hearing the NHT 3.3s setup in a good dealer room. I ended up buying the smaller version but I was really impressed.

 

[Angsty]

Well, to answer from my own experience: At a CES show (back when it was really big) I'd heard most of the rooms but was "pulled down the hallway" by the sound of a big band that sounded particularly realistic. In that room I encountered the flagship Hales T8 speakers. I listened to various selections and was utterly blown away by the timbral realism of the sound - more-so than pretty much anything else at the show of any price. Later I sought the brand out, found a local dealer, heard the T8s with some of my own music and again was blown away - just massive soundstaging and imaging with a more 'pure' and realistic tone than I heard from most other speakers. I ended up owning the slightly smaller T5 version which had the same characteristics in a smaller package. The designer, Paul Hales, eventually moved on to doing professional audio gear, so he closed down that company. But it was highly regarded. I still have Hales L/C/R speakers for my home theater and I wouldn't swap anything I've heard for them.

I basically had that repeat experience at a later CES show with the Thiel CS6 speakers - it's possible to be impressed with more than one piece of audio gear
When I had the CS6 in my home they were easily one of the best speakers I've owned (and still among my favorite I've ever heard). Super precise, clear, with incredible precision and density of imaging. I have owned various Thiel speakers ever since, including now (Thiel 2.7). Thiel is hardly a fly-by-night success. They were one of the most successful and highly regarded high end speaker companies for about 30 years until their founder/designer, Jim Thiel died and the company eventually closed down.

So my "wow" is based entirely on my experience with those speakers (and comparing them to many others). It doesn't mean you would necessarily share my opinion of those speakers. Hope that answers your question somewhat.



Didn't you say at one point on the forum that you had some horn-based speakers? I've always wanted to try horns, but my room doesn't really accomodate most horn speaker designs. Cheers.

My local record store has a pair of Hales set up that it got as a part of a record buy. But, the listening conditions and accompanying equipment are far from optimal to really show off the speakers.

 

[Mrpinortiner]

B&W DM7 MKII.
The imaging I heard sent me on a lifelong path that has ended with a pair of Focal Sopra 3's in a treated room.

 

[Axo1989]

For me it was hearing the NHT 3.3s setup in a good dealer room. I ended up buying the smaller version but I was really impressed.

That NHT had some interesting design thinking: the way it made its own corner to reinforce bass output, and the somewhat novel approach to the stereo triangle and sweet spot (via time-intensity trading). Stereophile has a good description.

 

[MattHooper]

That NHT had some interesting design thinking: the way it made its own corner to reinforce bass output, and the somewhat novel approach to the stereo triangle and sweet spot (via time-intensity trading). Stereophile has a good description.

I auditioned the 3.3s back when they were getting lots of press/word of mouth. I still have a pretty vivid memory that sitting in front of them listening was a bit like stairing down a canyon (due to their great depth, they formed two "walls" on each side of the listening position). They could slam, but I didn't care for their overall tone/frequency response.

 

[mastachio]

Focal Trio6 Be! I bought the solo 6 Be after reading @amirm review so I decided to roll the dice on the bigger Trio6’s without listening to them first, turns out they’re my end game speaker. I am completely blown away with them, especially with the midrange. The clarity, separation, and projected image of the Trio6’s made the focal solo’s feel smaller and congested in comparison. It was like the solos were trying to do too much and the Trio6’s had much larger lungs and did everything effortlessly. I should note that I use a HPF @80hz on all my speakers and use multiple subs in my listening room. The takeaway here is if you like the solos you’ll LOVE the Trio6’s