[barleyguy]

Quote:

Quote:

Its funny people always think there is such a thing. What is the best car? What is the best piano? What is the best wife? What is the best job? I could go on forever.
 
What is the best question?

and your point is

 
I think his point is obvious, and the same one that Uncle Erik is making (and one I agree with).
 
There is not one "best" speaker under $2000.  There are a (fairly short IMO) list of contenders in that price range, all of which have their pros and cons.  If you have a chance, go to a dealer or an audio show and listen to some things.  It will give you a better idea of what your preferences are.  Take a couple of favorite CDs along if you can.
 
Brands I would consider are: Magnepan, Zu Audio, Martin Logan, Dynaudio, Thiel, Klipsch, Gallo Acoustics, and Quad because Erik says so.  I'm probably missing some.  You might also consider powered studio monitors.
 
BTW, I went the Zu Audio route after pondering the same questions and listening to lots of things at RMAF.  Zu's speakers are excellent IMO.  They are super efficient which gives them an effortless sound.  They manage to be super detailed without being "sizzly" or bright.  And extremely musical, which is hard thing to accomplish while still maintaining detail.
 
My two cents,
 
Harley.
 

 

[edstrelow]

Originally posted by Frank I
 
and your point is 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Something about there being no real best, I guess.  Certainly your reply indicates there is no such thing as a best reply.

 

[barleyguy]

Quote:

Something about there being no real best, I guess.  Certainly your reply indicates there is no such thing as a best reply.

Probably true.  So I just chose one that fits my preferences.

 

[vvanrij]

I read on multiple reviews people actually preferring the 1.6's and modded MMG's to the 1.7 
 
I am going to audition the 1.5 QR SE's today, and hopefully buy them real cheap.

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

I read on multiple reviews people actually preferring the 1.6's and modded MMG's to the 1.7 
 
I am going to audition the 1.5 QR SE's today, and hopefully buy them real cheap.

Bring a flashlight so you can see if there is any delamanation through the socks. On many this is an issue as the wires can come loose. Many have prefereed the 1.6 but there are also many who like the 1.7. As for the MMG mods that guy is charging 1800.00 to build stands and new crossover and can not be changed back. I am leaving mine stock

 

[Anaxilus]

.

 

[9pintube]

I'd Have to ask as Uncle Erik said, What is your listening Rm like...How will you be able to place your speakers in your Rm... Many speakers sound their best away from the front and side walls as far as you can...Will your seating be "Sweet Spot" only???  The Maggies and even U.E. "Quads" have all sounded better to me when the wall behind these panel spkrs.. can be open (with out furniture etc.etc) so you can (if needed) add some sound Panels or ASC Tube Traps, Rm. treatments. One Important requirement with the Maggies would be the need for Higher Clean Watts from your amp, just the opposite with the Quads, hence the original Quad Tube Mono blocks.(Clean watts, just not as many needed)....Please someone correct me if this is wrong!      Next some of the guys asked "your" music preference, This should also play into your speakers choice..... The Quads, Can't be played LOUD, But shy in the "play loud" for you,   probably is just PERFECT for Uncle Erik...They have the all time BEST Mid Range, still to this day..+..Detail, truth of the instruments sound....But finding  a rebuilt pr. of 57's or even the 63's will cost more, probably than the Maggies.. My choice for that panel speaker would be the new 1.7's...unreal, but to be fair I heard them with about 80 grand worth of associated equipment.......So after this Long ass rant, I'd ask Have you listened to any (good to better) stand mounted 2-ways???? One more note on monitors...You place them out into your Rm just right and sit in your sweet spot chair and you'd swear they disappeared......on the right recordings... PS Just got my copy of the absolute sound and their Entry Level Speaker of the yr are the "Nola Boxer" and next to that comes your Magnepan 1.7 at $1995 a pr.........Try to go hear as many as you can, and read, read then read some more....Good luck!  (remember the Rags we read choose speakers/components as "The Best" based on Advert $$$$....IMO) 

 

[melomaniac]

so, what's the best ice cream flavor under five bucks then?
 
well, IMHO the Maggies are all very good and worth auditioning. they are demanding, but for damping rather than wattage, so care must be taken, as always, in matching equipment.
 
I hooked up a few friends with very low-watt tube gear and highly sensitive speakers for about the same money, and the sound character you get is obviously different.
 
another nearby audiophile had an utterly sublime Quad set-up, but eventually surrendered them (too many repairs) in favor of some equally fine Harbeths. different sound again.
 
but in the end, even after factoring in what else you can find used of these three (among a myriad other) excellent flavors or directions, yes: you should consider Maggies if they fit into your budget (and into your decor - don't let me start on how many silly questions I get, not mention the jokes about sculptures and wall-of-sound and whatever) - and yes, placement away from the walls into the room is crucial, and smaller magneplanars have a smaller sweet spot for you to sit and listen from.
 
Originally Posted by 9pintube /img/forum/go_quote.gif
"How will you be able to place your speakers in your Rm... Many speakers sound their best away from the front and side walls as far as you can...Will your seating be "Sweet Spot" only?"

 

[golgi]

Magnepan makes great speakers.  But they're not to everyone's preference.  As others have said, best will be for you to hear them before buying. Take along several albums you know well and listen to them on different speakers and then buy the ones you like best.

 

[vvanrij]

I love them, but they need ALOT of power. Also they are HUGE, so I will probably only keep them while I'm single .

 

[sennheiserhd485]

I am really just thinking about going with the "Under $2000" recommended system that I saw in a Absolute Sound magazine. It had Magnepan MMG, Pro-Ject Debut III Turntable, NAD Amp, and some kind of phono stage and cables. If I had no way of hearing this system would it be fine to buy it anyway? All I want in my system is a lively, tonal rich, super detailed sound. I listen to chill out music, country, r&b, Christian, and alternative. Can I trust the Absolute Sound magazine?? Also, Uncle Erik, what other headphone could I have bought under $100 that would sound better than the Senn 485? I saw this quote on another forum:
 
"I did not like the Beats or those Senns. (485s)

What's your budget? There are a lot of other headphones you ought to consider."  
 
I really thought that I had bought the best possible headphone under $100...
 
Also, what does a phono stage do?
 
Thank you!

 

[Cavan]

A phono stage converts a phono signal to line level.
 
I've owned the 1.7s and they were really open and airy.  Very different from the B&W 705s I had, more clarity and ease.  They were also underdriven by my Bryston B60, so I probably didn't hear them at their best.
 
Don't trust reviews, trust your ears. 

 

[Don Quichotte]

Quote:

Its funny people always think there is such a thing. What is the best car? What is the best piano? What is the best wife? What is the best job? I could go on forever.
 
What is the best question?

There is a funny (but not just funny, as is always the case with zen stories) story about a zen master who had a very inquiring disciple. Tired of his abundant questions, the master said:
- You ask way to many questions and this is against the spirit of zen buddhism. I will only answer one question and that's final, so think well before you ask.
The disciple thought, and thought, and in the end realized this is a very difficult problem in itself. What is the best question to be asked? Wait, this is a question, so...
- Master, I've chosen my question.
- ...And that would be...?
- What is the best possible question I could ask you? This is my question.
- This one, replied the master. And I've just answered it.

 

[open_air]

"Grainy?"  Something was terribly wrong then.  What were the ancillary equipment and room setup?   Properly set up Maggies should be anything but "grainy"-sounding.  Maggies need to have plenty of room around them to sound their best.  I have a pair of MMGs driven by a McCormack DNA-0.5, which is 200 watts into four ohms.  More power makes a huge difference with Maggies, don't let anyone tell you otherwise, and more important, hear for yourself.  I've run the Maggies with lower-powered amps and they didn't "come alive" until they got the juice they needed.  You'll see and hear this repeated ad nauseum, and for a good reason, too.
 
And for those who wonder why anyone would bother with the bottom-of-the-line MMG's, if you don't have a large room, larger Maggies just won't sound that great in them.  MMG's can sound fantastic if they're given quality signals and room to breathe.

 

[eggburt]

I bought my first Maggies in the late 70s and have owned 4 pair.  The secret to getting good sound from them is amplifier power and plenty of it.