What speakers have you owned?

Keilidhs sounded ok, but then I did an A/B comparison with Elas which made them sound dull and boomy. I listed them 5 mins later! They aren't an offensive speaker but not that detailed either. Well made though.

ES14 may be a long answer, so sorry in advance!

My ES14 experiences are 20+ years apart. First time was largely with a Rock and Tma3. Sound on good recordings was breathtaking and they produced believe images well beyond the speakers. But they were also fussy and spat out lesser recordings. Bass too was hard to get right and I was forever moving them. I tried a few recommended amps from dealers inc Exposure X and MF Preamp 2 and P170. Neither drove the Epos well and both were outclassed by the Myst. I did like and keep Exposure speaker cable though. I also bougth Origin Live tripod stands which looked ridiculous but were even better than the Epos stands. Massive footprint though.

The other pairs were all owned between 2012 and 2014. They never reached the heights of my first (early) pair but they were also no bother to accommodate and use. Two of these were later ones with the clown hat bass cone, but the other pair were earlier ones. I don't know if they had mellowed with age or by design tweaks. All the pairs were enjoyable but not even close to the Spicas on any level. And that was with big Exposure and Naim amps, which should favour them.

My only other thougt about the earlier pair's fussiness and erratic bass is that it could've been the Rock turntable. My later exploits were with a Xerxes. I just don't rate the Rock at all now that I have had a chance to own other decks. I could never live with one again.

Single IMF ALS40 (other one had blown)
Bespoke Floorstander (sounded pants)
Wharfedale Diamond II
Rega Kye (Just Yuk!)
Linn Nexus
Epos ES14
Focal Electra 1028 Be

With the benefit of experience, I'd say not really. They just like an amp that drives them in a certain way. Anything with thinness or weak bass will be poor. Although I have never tried it, I would expect a Creek 4040 or 4140 to drive them ok. Onix OA21 drives them just fine.

I thought you had a crap memory! 

That's madness. They're a tool ffs, not a badge of honour

But WHY the constant chopping and changing? I've had this kind of chat with 'Jerry' on AOS and never the twain we'll meet on this.

I've had a few in my time at home, but each was a considered choice. I made some bad mistakes along the way, most due to partnering gear choices at the time or the speakers not suiting the room (Snell E II', Kans and Elas), but the ones I've loved I kept for quite long periods.

It's because I don't just buy to listen. I love the looks, feel and build in the same way a collector of fine things does. If I had the space I'd be a collector, but I don't like loads of bits sat around so my solution has been to buy, play and sell. I never lose money because I buy used stuff at good prices. I also enjoy tarting up and refurbing lots of the stuff that passes through my hands. Sending somethig on its way with a new lease of life is reward in itself.

There's also a bit of a "Grail quest" regarding Linn Kans amongst this, which accounts for almost 50 pairs. Basically I am still trying to find a pair as magical as the first ones I sold and regretted losing. I've kinda given up on that for now.

Oh, and it's also the cheapest, easiest amd most reliable way of demoing kit. It's in your own home and system, you can take as long as you like, you can keep if you fall in love and you can sell without loss at any time if you want. Without this I wouldn't have discovered Spica, Sonneteer and many other things. Sure beats travelling to a dealers for me.

You're right about the B110. I have never heard any two pairs sound the same. AVI is somethig I have never looked at and I didn't expect their speakers to have that sort of balance. I'm sure I will stumble across a pair now. I was sort of put off Kelvin Labs because of previous Kelvin Labs dislike. I had thieir Absolute Zero pre and M30 monos. Max Townshend recommended them to use witn Glastonburys so I bought blind. Or should that be "bland". I sold them to another guy who had heard them being raved over in the mags. He hated them too.

Wharedale diamond
JPW mini monitors
B&W P4
B&W CM1
MS 902S
Diy isobaric 3 way semi omni

I have not disliked any of these speakers. Still have both b&w pairs, the MS and of course the semi omni's. I used the P4's very happily for 20 years. I did fiddle about with them of course. I reworked the crossovers with polyprop caps and mills resistors all laid out on much larger tufnol boards with much greater distances between components. All hardwired of course. Later the crossover was externalised and then sat right behind the amps. I cant bring myself to part with these. The good thing is they use kevlar mid bass which may be ideal for doc modding.

CM1 are used in my kitchen diner along with a lowly CA CD5 and a lovely little AP20 that dave probably put together. No issues with that little system.

Diy jobbies are not finished, still a bit of experimenting to do with them before finalising a design and building the end product.

B&W are ok, but just like most other mass produced speakers they are built down to a price and covered with bling and bullshit marketing. Some say that many of the b&w models are all boom and tizz. I am sure some are but not all. My P4's are a 2 way transmission line with 6.5" kevlar mid bass and 1" metal dome tweeter. I loved them for 20 years but they are clearly inferior to my isobaric semi omni jobbies with 12" bass.

The final version will be made of baltic birch ply (as thick as i can find) and may include a bit of steel lining inside. It will have to be a largish cab to accomodate the 12 inchers in isobaric configuration. Current bass cubes are a smidge over 80L and the little cabs on top about 4.5 L. I will go for a single cab but have not finalised the exact shape of the thing. I really like the idea of using the metronome shape where the sides are angles to create a flat topped pyramid when viewed from the front. Not sure yet. Mid will get its own part of the cab right at the top. Bit of bracing here and there too.

I forgot to add Wharfedale Diamond IV which I use in my second (office) system with an Amptastic Mini 1 and Logitech Squeezebox Classic.

Some variety there...!

Favourite?
Least favourite?
Best value?

Mission 780SE
Dynaudio Audience 62
Dynaudio Audience 82
NVA Cube 1
Goodmans Goodwoods
Goodmans Magister
DIY (Goodmans 18P)
Goodmans RB20
Wharfdale Shelton
Wharfdale Glendale 3XP
JPW mini monitors
JPW mini monitor gold
JPW P1
Spirit Absolute Zero

Some tinkered with.

A little variety there.

You do have a bad memory, you forgot those Akais I got from you


I'll see if I can do a list, will need to be chronological, it's the only way I remember.


Fisher ST75 - from Richer Sounds back when it was bin-end heaven. I was a poxy student. Not very good but better than my previous Aiwa midi-system speakers where the tweeter was just painted on.

Studio Power MC2000 - designed by Colin Wonfer. My first big speakers, 4 way with twin 8'' bass. Sold them to a builder who liked Van Halen.

Wharfedale CRS3 - top small speaker, but no-one has ever heard of them.

Lowther Acoustas - nooooooo… not for me but flogged them for loads. Which paid for...

My own design, infinite baffle 2 way with 55 litre cabs and Audax drivers (not the cheap ones). Tweaked them a bit too much and ruined them, then they got damaged in a house move.

JPW Mini-Monitor plus Yamaha sub (this was a low point)

Mission 731LE - good but too small

BMW 601 Mk1 - just too small

Celestion A2 - had for 10 years, pretty good speakers. Should have kept them really. Advertised them for £200 got my arm bitten off. Mint as the day I bought them, original boxes, the lot.

Akai SW175 - 5 way 6 driver config with 3 supertweeters per side and 15'' bass. Use them on the telly these days.

KEF Calinda - sold them to a mate with a huge living room, along with an Acoustic research amp.They sound amazing in his place, not so great at mine.

IMF TLS50 - big bangers, bass power like you won't believe.

Bang & Olufson MC1202- tasty 3 way with mid range dome

JM Lab Electra 926 - best speakers I've had to date, wasn't sure I would like them before I got them.

And some Tannoy 15'' HPD drivers and crossovers waiting for some Arden cabs to be built.


Not that many really for 30 years, especially not compared to Andrew. Although I was poor for a big chunk of that time which held me back a bit, in fairness.

Also have some JBL Control Ones and some Studio Power NS10 copies that used to be on the telly but are now just adding to the surplus.