Which brand makes the best quality loudspeakers?

Who makes the best speakers

  • Aperion Audio

    Votes: 22 3.1%
  • Axiom Audio

    Votes: 18 2.6%
  • B&W

    Votes: 154 22.0%
  • Harman (JBL, Infinity, Revel)

    Votes: 155 22.2%
  • Klipsch

    Votes: 106 15.2%
  • Martin Logan

    Votes: 59 8.4%
  • Paradigm

    Votes: 79 11.3%
  • Polk

    Votes: 40 5.7%
  • PSB

    Votes: 24 3.4%
  • RBH Sound

    Votes: 42 6.0%

  • Total voters
    699
speakerman39

speakerman39

Audioholic Overlord
Just got 2 Revel M22s and like them a lot.

Great sound stage.
Very nice. How do the revels compare to your B&W speakers? Care to snap a few pics? Have always wanted to hear a set of Revels myself. Just curious is all. Congrats!

Cheers,

Phil
 
Good4it

Good4it

Audioholic Chief
Revels are better sound stage. Tweeter seems clearer.

Don't know how to post pics here but they are not fancy any way. Google for generic photo.
 
sunPin

sunPin

Audioholic Intern
Out of all those brands I would want to see an audioholics review of some Revel speakers. The Ultima2 series would be the pinnacle of speakers to review however the Performa or Concerta lines will do just fine:D The Concerta line would probably reach the most audience as they are their most affordable speakers and closer to the price ranges you typically review.
+1 for Concerta and Performa.
 
C

Critofur

Enthusiast
I know a lot of people like B&W speakers, and their factory video is a treat to watch! But, every time I've tried to audition them I get a headache and want to turn them off within minutes! Hot treble, almost to the point of being harsh/shrill I just couldn't take them.

I spent a couple days auditioning all the top brands and models of speakers available in the various Manhattan boutiques with my good friend, who is a 30+ year veteran in the speaker industry, and the only pair of speakers I could not find a (serious) fault with were the Revel Salon Ultimas (1st generation). Their superiority was in fact, so remarkable that it pushed me to look into the company and the methods behind their speaker production. I'm sure most of you have watched the videos regarding Harmon Audio Group's speaker evaluation and testing methods and their most excellent facility where they do their testing? Quite impressive. I think I need to say at this point that I have no affiliation with Harmon Audio or any subsidiary whatsoever, I'm not even in the business of selling speakers.

I like to build my own speakers and I didn't think I would purchase any commercial speakers in the future, but, I'm itching to buy a pair of Infinity P363, because, at that price, how can I pass up evaluating them at home?

Sorry guys, our forum only allows 10 options in a poll so I went with...
I bet it wouldn't be that hard to ask someone to increase the # higher than 10 - probably would actually just take a minute or two and changing one value in the code (or in a few different places is actually more likely)!
 
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Morgan Audio

Morgan Audio

Audioholic
in fully understanding that everyone does say a dealer of a product can't be subjective, I do feel we still have the right to offer or thoughts and such.

I've owned everything from Swan f1's at10k a pair to, Paradigm studio100s, Klipsch heresy, Monitor Audio, D&S Soundlabs, B&W, ect and I will admit the swans have held tall thus far and at 10k, they should lol.

but as I crawled into the RBH world I definitely started to see a speaker for me. I have tinnitus from a youth filled decibel war on my ears so ear fatigue plays a major factor in what I love now.

I was first Impressed with my SV6500 towers and then even more so, with the SV61 bookshelfs as I wrote to Brian Tracy at RBH. Saying if these sound this wonderful, I can't even imagine the SV61/R reference< His response was ( Exactly ) - I bought a pair of the SX61/Rs, same sound & I have to wonder no more. I'm no poet so no way I can do them justice but I almost can't imagine a better bookshelf. Now I can see and imagine better on paper but in real, your ears only world, you'd really have to step way, way up to out-perform these and then you have that question if you did find a better sound, is the % of difference in sound worth the price.

Bottom line - being able to listen at much higher levels for as long as I like with that wonderful articulation of sound is just a blessing.
So RBH All the way
 

Attachments

speakerman39

speakerman39

Audioholic Overlord
in fully understanding that everyone does say a dealer of a product can't be subjective, I do feel we still have the right to offer or thoughts and such.

I've owned everything from Swan f1's at10k a pair to, Paradigm studio100s, Klipsch heresy, Monitor Audio, D&S Soundlabs, B&W, ect and I will admit the swans have held tall thus far and at 10k, they should lol.

but as I crawled into the RBH world I definitely started to see a speaker for me. I have tinnitus from a youth filled decibel war on my ears so ear fatigue plays a major factor in what I love now.

I was first Impressed with my SV6500 towers and then even more so, with the SV61 bookshelfs as I wrote to Brian Tracy at RBH. Saying if these sound this wonderful, I can't even imagine the SV61/R reference< His response was ( Exactly ) - I bought a pair of the SX61/Rs, same sound & I have to wonder no more. I'm no poet so no way I can do them justice but I almost can't imagine a better bookshelf. Now I can see and imagine better on paper but in real, your ears only world, you'd really have to step way, way up to out-perform these and then you have that question if you did find a better sound, is the % of difference in sound worth the price.

Bottom line - being able to listen at much higher levels for as long as I like with that wonderful articulation of sound is just a blessing.
So RBH All the way
Very nice! So, what does a set of the RBH SV61's got for? How much for a set of the SV61R's? Care to post more pics of them? Got to hear them one day. Certainly are on my bucket list. YOU have piqued my interest.

Cheers,

Phil
 
speakerman39

speakerman39

Audioholic Overlord
in fully understanding that everyone does say a dealer of a product can't be subjective, I do feel we still have the right to offer or thoughts and such.

I've owned everything from Swan f1's at10k a pair to, Paradigm studio100s, Klipsch heresy, Monitor Audio, D&S Soundlabs, B&W, ect and I will admit the swans have held tall thus far and at 10k, they should lol.

but as I crawled into the RBH world I definitely started to see a speaker for me. I have tinnitus from a youth filled decibel war on my ears so ear fatigue plays a major factor in what I love now.

I was first Impressed with my SV6500 towers and then even more so, with the SV61 bookshelfs as I wrote to Brian Tracy at RBH. Saying if these sound this wonderful, I can't even imagine the SV61/R reference< His response was ( Exactly ) - I bought a pair of the SX61/Rs, same sound & I have to wonder no more. I'm no poet so no way I can do them justice but I almost can't imagine a better bookshelf. Now I can see and imagine better on paper but in real, your ears only world, you'd really have to step way, way up to out-perform these and then you have that question if you did find a better sound, is the % of difference in sound worth the price.

Bottom line - being able to listen at much higher levels for as long as I like with that wonderful articulation of sound is just a blessing.
So RBH All the way
I take it these are your RBH's up for sale, no?

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/monitors-rbh-sound-signature-sv61-bookshelfs-in-gloss-rosewood-5-hours-use-2016-06-15-speakers-30253-mc-donough-ga

Wow! Those are beautiful looking speakers. Noticed them the other day. Just curious is all. Want to learn more about the SV61/R's myself. What does a set on them go for?

Cheers,

Phil
 
Morgan Audio

Morgan Audio

Audioholic
Thank you sir for taking the time to read my thought and for sharing yours.
Exact MSRP for the new RBH SV61/R Speakers ( Pair ) is $1899.95

If you are to read, here are some thoughts I just couldn't stop working on tonight. Sort of my RBH journey. I know I missed some things but it's where my heart and ears are about the people and the speakers.

I will get more picture as I am able - God Bless and have a perfect sounding day

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Throughout my youth I listened to rock & roll music at the most extreme levels that I was able to achieve at all times, meaning whatever was the best my money would allow me to attain in audio equipment would be tested and pushed to it's limits of bending the undistorted sound line as far as possible. This carried on until around age 35 or so and I eventually began to enjoy the *sound* as much as, if not more than the music. Of course by then it took its toll and I ended up with tinnitus, I have a ringing in my ears 24 hours a day 7 days a week.


I have gone through a ton of speaker styles and more speaker manufacturers that I can count. There have been many speakers that I loved and thought sounded wonderful but all of them after a very short time of any type of excessive volume, my ears would begin to hurt and I would become fatigued from listening, very disheartening - BUT as lovers of sound and music ( Audioholics ) we must carry on, just no choice.


After literally months and months of research, looking into answers of best sound, best price, best build, least fatiguing, and many other character traits I was seeking to find the best of, I started buying rbh products. I will admit, my first purchase leaned a tiny bit more towards beauty and style than all the rest of my speaker needs. I started my RBH journey with EMP, of course owned and all designed by RBH but some of this starter equipment was built outside the US. I started with the EMP E55Ti Towers because of the beauty, cost and reviews, I began to notice that I was able to listen to music longer at higher levels without my ear ringing being exacerbated. I quickly became very attached to rbh.


Brian Tracy, RBH's regional sales manager, a completely amazing representative and who turned out to be an all around wonderful and caring human being, suggested I started moving up the ladder as money would allow and said that the things I was loving so much about RBH was only going to get better and better with each step.


I first moved to the SV6500 Towers and just let me say ( Damn! ) I know I am no poet and no professional writer so I could never *write* them the justice they deserve but I can say with a powerful degree of certainty, that while taking all of the usual factors of choosing a great speaker into the equation, I believe you just would be hard pressed to find better.


Next to bookshelf, now I knew as with most bookshelf speakers , we get that * More Spacious * soundstage, so, I stepped next to the SV61 bookshelfs and it was love right out of the box situation.


I wrote Brian, telling him of my kid-like excitement to the magic speakers and added that if the standard signature SV sound was this amazing, that I couldn't even imagine what the reference series would sound like. His response was a very clear, your gonna love them.


Money was a bit tight and I'm not one to wait much, so I got a deal on last years SX61/Rs being almost identical in sound, just very slight change in cabinet design and of course that SV Gorgeous Gallery Quality Gloss Rosewood embrace. I have literally been in Audio Nirvana from the first second they began to present to me, my private live concert of Norah Jones. Pinpoint accuracy, 3D Depth, round, beautiful, detailed soundstage and no fatigue at all. Heaven.


Points worth mention or repeating:

1 - Tweeters used are the insanely popular Scan-Speak9500
2 - Midrange - designed & built by RBH & Exclusive to RBH, their own RBH-165-FPN Cast Aluminum
3 - Woofers - Also designed & built by RBH & Exclusive to RBH is their own RBH ALU200-IDCN Cast Aluminum

3 - True, Active Bi-Amping Capability

4 - Intuitive and attractive Inverted dust-caps on regular Signature SV & SX series

5 - RBH Phase plugs on Reference Models

6 - Curved cabinets to reduce resonance

7 - Coming Standard - Gallery Quality Hi-Gloss South African Rosewood or Hi Gloss Black

8 - Both modular and single cabinet designs

9 - Company started and still owned by it's original founder - some love never dies, only grows

10 - RBH was born in 1978, originally designing and building the OEM speakers that companies such as Mcintosh, Fosgate, Parasound and JBL used in their units, so you've most likely feel in love with RBH before you ever knew their name


To me, Jay Morgan of Morgan Audio who now is an authorized dealer for RBH and RBH Only, this company, all it represents, all it designs, builds and allows us the public to share is one of the best examples of A High End Speaker Company with Integrity that stays above all in every aspect of it's business.
 

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O

Oskar Gustavsson

Enthusiast
I'd love to add Dali and XTZ but in this regard i have to say XTZ flagship beats dali's and B&W flagship as i've listened to them all, XTZ is the only one who made me feel relaxed and satisfied after hearing them.

http://www.xtz.se/product/divine-alpha

a pair of these Alpha Speakers sounded better then Dali's old and new reference speakers that had a $59.917 worth of amps etc.

Dali and B&W don't get me wrong they have lovely speakers i just did not get that nirvana feeling with em, but they do sound lovely!

If u get a chance to listen to the XTZ range of speakers then please do and enjoy!


The following speaker models i have listened to on several occasions and different rooms aswell.

Dali
http://www.dali-speakers.com/

Epicon 8 and 2
Rubicon 6 and 2
Opticon 8,6,5 and 2
Ikon 5 MK2
Fazon mikro
Lektor 8,3,2,1 and LCR
Zensor 5 and 1
Phantom H80


B&W
http://www.bowers-wilkins.eu/

802 D3
803 D3
804 D3
802 D2
CM10 S2
683 S2
CM1 S2

XTZ
Xtz.se

95 Series of speakers
99 Series of speakers
Cinema Series
Master Series
Divine Series
 
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haraldo

haraldo

Audioholic Spartan
I'd love to add Dali and XTZ but in this regard i have to say XTZ flagship beats dali's and B&W flagship as i've listened to them all, XTZ is the only one who made me feel relaxed and satisfied after hearing them.

http://www.xtz.se/product/divine-alpha

a pair of these Alpha Speakers sounded better then Dali's old and new reference speakers that had a $59.917 worth of amps etc.

Dali and B&W don't get me wrong they have lovely speakers i just did not get that nirvana feeling with em, but they do sound lovely!

If u get a chance to listen to the XTZ range of speakers then please do and enjoy!
Which of the Dali's you were listening to?
 
rojo

rojo

Audioholic Samurai
It's actually: Salvador Dalí
Yeah, thought that looked wrong. While typing that, I was on the phone and had people in the room asking me questions while trying to bring everything to a sufficient stopping point that I could leave for a bathroom break. My multitasking skills could use some refinement, it seems.
 
haraldo

haraldo

Audioholic Spartan
Yeah, thought that looked wrong. While typing that, I was on the phone and had people in the room asking me questions while trying to bring everything to a sufficient stopping point that I could leave for a bathroom break. My multitasking skills could use some refinement, it seems.
Man can only do one thing at a time :p
 
J

Jeffrey S. Albaugh

Audioholic
We'd like to get your opinion on who you feel makes the best built and best sounding loudspeakers in consumer audio. Your opinion should be based primarily on sound quality followed by build quality and durability. This choice should be based on the overall product line of a particular company and not just one or two products that may excel.

If you find a particular brand on this list lacking, please indicate why.

Give us reasons why you chose a particular brand or why you feel that particular brand shines above the others on this list. If your brand isn't listed here (sorry only 10 polling options allowed), please post the brand name in the thread along with your experiences.
I would like to suggest GoldenEars; Superb. Being in Baltimore, originally we had Polk Audio. Three owners: Matthew Polk, Sandy Gross, George Kloffer. Sandy Gross left to form Def Tech. Then a few years later, he left & formed GoldenEars. He has set the Speaker World upside down. His Triton 1's (Flagship model) has about the best reviews around, period. $5,000./ pair. Compared to speakers in excess of $10K - 20K. Off the charts; include built in Subs.Matthew Polk lives here in my area; also Sandy Gross. I assume you are not looking at In Wall; and In Ceiling speakers?
 
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