whats the best sounding "small" speaker you've ever heard

jaymayisback

New Member

• Sep 27, 2009

• #1

recently got a pair of newer jbl's, hsl610, very nice highs, bass is good for such small speakers. so whats the best sounding speaker you've heard with a woofer thats 8" or less?

 

325bmw

Active Member

• Sep 27, 2009

• #2

I have a pair of Bose 601's Series I with 8" Velodyne woofers........not really small....but two 8" woofers (Good ones) in each speaker really sounds nice. I only like a few older Bose models. The rest are useless. I know, I know all you Bose haters......flame away. Ha.

 

Tom Brennan

AK Member

Subscriber

• Sep 27, 2009

• #3

jaymayisback said:

so whats the best sounding speaker you've heard with a woofer thats 8" or less?

Click to expand...

Martin Logan Vistas.

 

Last edited: Oct 8, 2010

westend

Audiopile

• Sep 27, 2009

• #4

Tom Brennan said:

Martin Logan Vistas.

Click to expand...

You think those compare favorably with the others, Tom?

I've played aound with the small Axiom's and was a little impressed.

 

mhardy6647

Lunatic Member

• Sep 27, 2009

• #5

Not a very esoteric response, but the best for me remains the venerable nearfield monitors built to the BBC LS-3/5A specification with KEF drivers (maunfactured by Rogers, Chartwell, Spendor, etc.). Yeah, I know all about the flaws and inaccuracies; but to my taste they are durned satisfying. Love to own a pair someday.

 

jdurbin1

Tandberg enthusiast

Subscriber

• Sep 27, 2009

• #6

Any of the aDs/ADS or a/d/s/ 200 variants, 200C, L210 etc. if you want to talk about truly small but spectacularly good speaker systems.

John

 

tmad40blue

"I can hear forever!"

• Sep 27, 2009

• #7

AVID 60ab. I know it's a weird one but boy, they are impressive for jazz listening.

 

Tom Brennan

AK Member

Subscriber

• Sep 27, 2009

• #8

westend said:

You think those compare favorably with the others, Tom?

Click to expand...

Other MLs? They sound better (and look MUCH better) than the Source and Purity. The only other current ML I heard was the big CLX (the dealer didn't carry anything in between the Vista and CLX) and the Vista was very much like it in sound though I suppose the CLX would have better dynamics.

But then if I wanted a speaker as big as a CLX and with better dynamics than the Vistas I would've kept my Altec Model 19s.

 

Tapehead47

Addicted Member

• Sep 27, 2009

• #9

I like my Allisons!

 

jn229

AK Subscriber

Subscriber

• Sep 27, 2009

• #10

jaymayisback said:

recently got a pair of newer jbl's, hsl610, very nice highs, bass is good for such small speakers. so whats the best sounding speaker you've heard with a woofer thats 8" or less?

Click to expand...

I would not class the Hsl-610 an audiophile speaker, but used with matching center and sub, formed the best surround for the money I've heard.

 

BrocLuno

Lunatic Member

• Sep 27, 2009

• #11

I'll vote for A/D/S or Avid too

 

karlo

Super Member

• Sep 27, 2009

• #12

sonus-faber concertino.

 

dew042

Honky Tonk Hero

Subscriber

• Sep 27, 2009

• #13

The B&W DM302 is a very sweet speaker.

dew.

 

Sir.Byrd

Lunatic Member

• Sep 27, 2009

• #14

Dahlquist DQ-8 or JBL L19

 

KingBubba

"Too Much Stuff"

• Sep 27, 2009

• #15

I haven't heard a lot of small speakers, but for me it is the DCM CX-17s.

 

automojo

OurBandCouldBeYourLife

Subscriber

• Sep 27, 2009

• #16

Dlk 1 1/2.

 

thevic24

deep in sound thought

• Sep 27, 2009

• #17

i had a pair of optimus lx-5's with the lenimum(spelling?) designed tweaters.
they were small and sounded/imaged very good imo-and yes i just put my flame suit on.


-vic

 

theebadone

Super Member

• Sep 27, 2009

• #18

Im not into small speakers either, but the little JBL 18-TI is hard to beat

 

Last edited: Feb 26, 2010

A

atrac

Active Member

• Sep 27, 2009

• #19

Definitely the Rogers LS-3/5A for me.

The first time I heard them, I wept.

(OK, just kidding on the weeping part. But they ARE incredible).

 

mhardy6647

Lunatic Member

• Sep 27, 2009

• #20

I did tear up a little the first time I heard a decent vacuum tube amplifier (Decware Zen SE-84B) on my erstwhile Cornwalls (Sarah McLachlan's Angel, which is a bit weepy anyway and a beautiful song).

Not exactly small speakers, though, so not exactly on topic...