[wildmonkeysects]

Need I state the obvious that even for stationary listening, headphones provide a certain intimate involvement with the music that few speakers/rooms can deliver.

Also obvious, the headphone listening experience will not be exactly like the loudspeaker one. Given that...

What speaker systems in your experience come close to good cans in terms of what jazzes you about the musical experience, be it detail, involvement, resolution, smoothness, coherence, aroused folicles, low fatigue factor, whatever.

I'll start with what has worked for me: a modded Newform 645 ribbon system (www.newformresearch.com). When dialed in just right, going from Stax 3030/4040 to room listening is not a letdown...I'm hearing the same open relaxed finesse, clarity without edgyness, "fast" detail without pain, resolution of minute details and microdynamics, low fatigue factor...the ebb and flow of the musical emotional intent...all hanging in space instead of between my ears. Can you tell I'm having a good time?

Do tell, there have to be other parallel experiences.

 

[kelly]

wildmonkeysects
I am increasingly curious about ribbon speakers. The VMPS is described as something I think I'd like a lot and I intend to try those at some point as is the Merlin.

In my experience thus far the only real satisfaction I've had has come in the way of Martin Logan Statements. I still wonder today if I might be able to get "close enough" with cheaper Martin Logans and a pair of Velodynes. My priorities seem to rank accuracy of timbre, texture and detail higher than other people do with depth of soundstage another element I care about. The former items seem more easily achieved on headphones than speakers (on the cheap, anyway)--the latter I'm not quite satisfied with and likely won't be unless Dolby Headphone goes through a series of upgrades.

I'm also told I should give Hales a shot too, though they're no longer in production.

I currently have NHT VT-2s and have trouble finding anything remotely as inexpensive that I prefer to them by any margin at all.

 

[Audio-Me]

This is an interesting question...

When it comes down to pure music enjoyment at its best; for me, I will eventually be able to afford the speaker system I have in mind. I look for overall refinement, I guess you could call it a curing of resolution and smoothness with coherence being the heat. The things that score big points for me are depth of soundstage, texture, and simply ease of listening (effortlessness). Icing on the cake would be richness and killer decay.
To achieve this, it's no where near cheap, but I don't need to max out ten credit cards either, will just take some time. The one speaker that's nailed my desires in audio are the Vandersteen 3A Signatures. They deliver sound without distractions, quite modest. There's no showing off/flashiness, nor any hiccups.
There's another substantial factor that plays in that carlo noticed about me a long time ago, he said that "I need warmth". There's no way I could deny that. Some people gnarl and spit at this, but as the saying goes, one mans undesirable is another's desirable. Some of you are probably attributing this thinking "well, you are not as anal about accuracy and detail". That's true, but by no means does it mean I don't care about it, let alone look for. To sum up why these do it for me, they're the most relaxing to listen to.

Oh what the heck, I'll throw in some more adjectives: liquid, lush, full.

But what about headphones!?
I find that Sennheiser Orpheus comes damn close. Oh my god are they arousing.

But even these can't over come the very nature of them...

kelly - have you given the Revelation III a thought to audition (if you can find one, lol)?

 

[pigmode]

I like the Galante Rhapsody. 96dB, dual concentric.

 

[smokey]

The one set of speakers that I have owned that really did it for me was the original 15ohm Rogers LS3/5As. I know the frequency response curve wasn't as flat as folks would have liked, but did they ever image. Even if it was artificially done in the studio from multi-mono tracks, you could still tell exactly what the engineer wanted you to hear. You could tell that the drum kit was three steps behind the lead guitarist, the bassist was twelve steps to the left of that, etc, etc. Voices sounded like real voices, and acoustic guitars sounded real. What they didn't do was anything like low bass, but there were always experiments with woofers and sub-woofers for that.

Today, if I had the space and money I'd snatch a set of Avantgarde Duos in a hurry. From what I've heard, little else makes music come alive like these can, with the right equipment and recordings.

FWIW

 

[CRESCENDOPOWER]

There are a lot of speakers on the market today that I really enjoy, and I think it's great if someone finds the right speaker setup for them.
Knowing that no speaker can do it all, I think I'm gonna talk about speakers that have a similar character to the headphones I own now.

Legacy Focus/Beyer DT-770 pros
The speaker that I believe comes closest to the Beyer DT-770 pros is probably the Legacy Focus. Yes, the Focus has super-tweeters, but it is so soft, forgiving, and somewhat dark like the 770s. The Focus has a huge bass somewhat similar to the 770s that goes very deep; a musical bass that is controlled, but not super detailed. Other characteristics between the two that are somewhat alike are soundstaging, and imagining. The big Focus with its wide front baffle doesn't disappear, or have the pinpoint accurate imagining of other speakers in its price range. I think the 770s are similar in that respect, because other open headphones have a more realistic soundstage. But, the thing that impresses me the most about both the 770s, and the Focus are their ability to be so dynamic, and at the same time have such a refined midrange; even with solid-state amps. That's something you don't see every day.

Thiel 3.6s/Senn HD-600s
I know this might bring on some serious disagreements, because both of these products are so responsive. Not only do they change dramatically from component swapping, but even react similar to the same changes.
To my ears, the HD-600s sound very similar to the Thiel 3.6s. Both have very superior treble to many products I have heard before; with their ability to bring out all the details without blistering your ears. Their midrange is also comparable by not be as forward as the treble, or bass.
Neither the HD-600s, nor the 3.6s have the fastest bass on the planet, but both seem to have the plump in the right place for my liking anyway. The true strengths of these products are their ability to have a huge soundstage, and be detailed at the same time, which usually costs much more money.

 

[sacd lover]

I like jm lab speakers in my system. Mine are tantal 509s. MTM, 6.5X2, with a metal inverted dome tweeter and 92db sensitivity. These rock with 25 watts. They are very dynamic, clear, open and have a slightly bright but refined treble presentation. They are a lot like grados if you think about it.
I also like PSB 600i speakers. Another 6.5x2, but a floorstander with more bass, and using a soft dome tweeter. These are richer and smoother but also slower and less dynamic. I like to get them out for acoustic rock and edgy poorly recorded discs. They sound beautiful but lack that sense of liveness the jm labs have in spades.

 

[Old Pa]

 

[pigmode]

Quote:

Originally posted by smokey The one set of speakers that I have owned that really did it for me was the original 15ohm Rogers LS3/5As... Today, if I had the space and money I'd snatch a set of Avantgarde Duos in a hurry. From what I've heard, little else makes music come alive like these can, with the right equipment and recordings. FWIW

Yeah, my Rogers had a way with the human voice. Other than that, they were a little too forward and lacking in dynamics.

Had a brief listen to the Avantgarde; it's on my list for when I move to a bigger place. I'm also interested in the Galante Buckingham, Altec VOT, and Tannoy.

 

[elrod-tom]

Maggies...3.6...

The only speaker that I can ever recall hearing where I actually had chills.

Now I should mention that they're being driven by roughly $20 grand worth of AR tube amp...so I guess that they should sound that good.

Talk about soundstage...midrange just to die for.

Too bad that I don't have $5 grand laying around to replace my speakers and power amp.

 

[KingNothing]

sonus faber guaneri homage

 

[bifcake]

In no particular order:

Revel Salon Ultima
JM Lab Utopia
JM Lab Grande Utopia Berrylium
Top of the line Genesis (forget the model number)
Grado prototype
Kimber prototype

 

[wallijonn]

Hartley ConcertMAster V & VI (with the 24" woofer &10" midrange).

the speakers at my local movie theatre

 

[surge]

recently had the interest to try out tube amps for its warmth so bought a cheap preowned china yaqin 10W tube amp from a even older pair of speakers- Rogers Studio 5. oh and a pair of bi cables. all for under $500.

before getting the studio 5( which e shop owner told me they are very popular back then and very good for warmth human voice), i tried e amp w some other more expensive amps, mission, wharfadal etc.

somehow i like the rogers...not just for price...they sounded very personal and really make the music more enjoyable.

 

[ozz]

paradigm studio 100's