If you had to choose a NON planar speaker, what would it be?

[bonzo]

I have MBL reference and Avantgardes and others mentioned on this thread. The ones I haven't heard are YG acoustics and Black Swans. But my first preference speakers are clear, by a wide, wide margin - Cessaro CHopin or up http://www.puriteaudio.co.uk/manufacturer-carousel/Analogue and the Tune Audio Anima. Both Horn speakers at 30k. Cessaros go up to 250, never available in the used market, so yes, I will never end up buying them.

Both have a midrange that's impossible to beat. But if anything it shows the power of ML, because at 2500k I would buy it over Wilson Alexis any day

for those who haven't auditioned horns actively, please do so. Some have perceptions of how a horn would sound like, I have generally found that to be wrong. Horns are absolutely brilliiant, the energy in a room of the band playing is impossible to beat IMO

 

[amey01]

I have MBL reference and Avantgardes and others mentioned on this thread.

Are you just trying to brag?

 

[bonzo]

Lol no. Just trying to highlight how much better I think those horns are. By far the best speakers I have heard, worth traveling if you are into hifi. Just like after electrostats most box speakers sound the same, these speakers will be an epiphany

 

[amey01]

Lol no. Just trying to highlight how much better I think those horns are. By far the best speakers I have heard, worth traveling if you are into hifi. Just like after electrostats most box speakers sound the same, these speakers will be an epiphany

Sorry - I don't think you get my post (joke).

You said "I have MBL reference and Avantgardes and others mentioned on this thread."

I think what you meant was "I have heard MBL reference and Avantgardes and others mentioned on this thread."

 

[bonzo]

Haha, amazing wishful thinking typo

 

[User211]

for those who haven't auditioned horns actively, please do so. Some have perceptions of how a horn would sound like, I have generally found that to be wrong. Horns are absolutely brilliiant, the energy in a room of the band playing is impossible to beat IMO

I reckon there are very few really good ones around. And those that are really good are all really huge and cost a fortune. Trios/basshorns excepted, some of the really good musically satisfying ones (like below) are so obviously coloured. But that's part of their appeal to a lot of people I guess.

 

[bonzo]

The CLX, Animas, and Cessaro Chopin are at par cost, depending how well you bargain with the dealer. Then it comes down to taste. But anyone who is willing to spend on one of those, can afford the other, and should try all 3, IMO. Those horns are really not that big and will take much less out of your room. Btw, someone who had been to Munich mentioned that the Vox Olympian (cost half a million) aside, the Tune Audio Animas were the best speakers there. I will find out when I visit Munich this May

 

[User211]

The Animas are good but best speakers at Munich? I didn't think so in 2011. I thought quite a few were better for my tastes, cost no object.

It is all just personal taste, when it comes down to it.

I'll probably go this year too, Kedar. See you out there

 

[bonzo]

Have been reading your report, half way through it. The Audionecs, Purists, all look good. I think I will first try all stats and horns there, then go to YG Acoustics, heard a lot about them but never heard the speakers.

 

[User211]

There'll be a lot more horns than stats there. The YGs didn't do it for me, but at RMAF one year apparently they sounded good in one room but not in another as reported here.

 

[amey01]

There'll be a lot more horns than stats there. The YGs didn't do it for me, but at RMAF one year apparently they sounded good in one room but not in another as reported here.

I haven't heard the YGs, but they don't do it for me either.

1. The idea of a metal speaker doesn't compute.

2. Anyone who could possibly use the slogan "best speaker in the world" is showing at best arrogance and most likely is an abject idiot. Not the sort of person I want designing my speaker. And not the sort of person I believe would be capable of designing a halfway-decent speaker in the first place.

 

[bonzo]

I think I read it on Lukasz's blog (the creator of Lampizator) that he too did not like the slogan, and he made some funny comments about it, but then said he liked the speakers. Anyway, will be able to tell you by end of May

 

[Gordon Gray]

I haven't heard the YGs, but they don't do it for me either.

1. The idea of a metal speaker doesn't compute.

2. Anyone who could possibly use the slogan "best speaker in the world" is showing at best arrogance and most likely is an abject idiot. Not the sort of person I want designing my speaker. And not the sort of person I believe would be capable of designing a halfway-decent speaker in the first place.

Adam,

Do I detect a hint of bias?

Metal speakers. Used by Magico and a few others to best of my knowledge.

Arrogant? Yeah. Shares that problem with many hi end designers.

Rest assured Yoav is no idiot and his initial marketing campaign was designed to get attention. Whether you agree or not, he was very successful.

And having heard his product on numerous occasions including a demo at GTT Audio (YG's distributor) and as witnessed by the numerous positive reviews of his product line over the past two years, he apparently has succeeded in designing transducers that far exceeds less than halfway decent speakers.

If it is not your cup of tea, so be it but it is grossly unfair to disparage YG Acoustics based on an obvious personal bias. I almost purchased a pair of Kipod Signatures a couple months ago to replace my MBL's.

Maybe I like mediocre / less than halfway decent speakers.

Gordon

 

[amey01]

Adam,

Do I detect a hint of bias?

Metal speakers. Used by Magico and a few others to best of my knowledge.

Arrogant? Yeah. Shares that problem with many hi end designers.

Rest assured Yoav is no idiot and his initial marketing campaign was designed to get attention. Whether you agree or not, he was very successful.

And having heard his product on numerous occasions including a demo at GTT Audio (YG's distributor) and as witnessed by the numerous positive reviews of his product line over the past two years, he apparently has succeeded in designing transducers that far exceeds less than halfway decent speakers.

If it is not your cup of tea, so be it but it is grossly unfair to disparage YG Acoustics based on an obvious personal bias. I almost purchased a pair of Kipod Signatures a couple months ago to replace my MBL's.

Maybe I like mediocre / less than halfway decent speakers.

Gordon

Stress less! I did say I haven't heard them!!

But to use a factually incorrect statement in marketing like that - it does make a reasonable person wonder what other basic aspects of the design are also factually incorrect.

 

[Gordon Gray]

You say you haven't heard them but have an opinion. DUH!

Very uninformed and way biased but yet you make very judgmental statements.

I'm not stressed but when someone makes disparaging comments about a product they've never heard, what do you honestly expect.

I'm so tired of people spouting untruthful, indefensible BS with absolutely no basis for doing so.

By the way, YG uses a very high quality aluminum in their cabinet construction because they feel it's the best way to address cabinet resonance. Seems like many people feel they have succeeded.

They also custom make their drivers out of aluminum and custom design their crossover networks. To the best of my knowledge, nothing is outsourced.

How many speaker companies are you aware of that can say that?

Yes, their initial marketing campaign was over the top but how many other manufacturers of audio hardware have made the same claim.

Answer. Too many to count.

 

[beek]

I am gonna jump in here. I was introduced to a composer who is very fussy about correct sound that had the YG'S and got rid of them for a pair of Soundlabs 945'S. After setup and playing some of his material He quitely murmered I am very pleased. I feel that spending R&D on a new material to make a plain jane dynamic driver is not so much of a step forward.
Espicially at those glitzy prices.

 

[amey01]

You say you haven't heard them but have an opinion.

I had two opinions actually. One was the idea of a metal enclosure. The second was an opinion of the slogan, and the type of person whom would think it reasonable to use such a slogan for the purposes of selling high-end audio equipment to seasoned audiophiles.

Both opinions can be reasonably held without hearing the speaker. I think so anyway.

If you've heard it and think otherwise, great. I might hear it one day and think otherwise too. I might even think it is the "best loudspeaker" I've heard.

But until such time as I hear it, I'll continue to hold my opinion of the slogan.

 

[Gordon Gray]

Adam,

My sincere apologies for my aggressive posts. I violated my personal standard (treat others the way you would like to be treated) as well as the standards of this wonderful forum.

I'll be the first to admit that Yoav's design philosophy is, to me, somewhat unique. That being an approach that is purely measurement based with no "voicing" per se.

Some like it, others don't and so it goes in the world of high end audio.

The "initial" uber ego marketing campaign has been abandoned, which I think is a good thing. It caused much consternation and skepticism within the high end audio community, including me.

Best,

Gordon

 

[Brad225]

Many people claim to have the "best whatever in the world" or they are the "best athlete or whatever in the world". For me and I would guess most people it is taken with a big grain of salt.
Usually I tend to think people making those statment probably can't back up their claim though if I am interested I will check it or them out and see for myself. JMHO

 

[Gordon Gray]

Brad,

I would certainly encourage all to take the opportunity to have a listen to YG.

Properly set up with the usual qualifiers, they are, IMHO, pretty incredible in all categories typically used to judge a speakers performance.

GG