Since we've had so much talk about analog vs digital, and the usual cable talk, here's a question of philosophy! What kind of speakers do you think are best, and why?

When I say what kind, I'm not speaking about brand, too many brands to contemplate. I'm speaking of design, such as folded horns? Box speakers, both Floor Standers and Bookshelf. And Electrostatics? Are there any other design principles I've forgotten?

These differences in speaker choices make more difference in the way a system sounds than most any other choice. More than cables, more than CD or vinyl, the difference in Sound between a folded horn and an Electrostatic are major.

Personally, I own large floorstanding box type speakers, I like the visceral impact and slam they offer, and trueness of timber. But! Having said that, the most realistic, musicians in the same room with you, sound I've ever heard was from electrostatics. I could not believe how far I could hear into the music, the depth was so real. I could tell the singer was 5 feet in front of the drummer, I could see the bass player standing 6 feet to her left, and a guitar 4 feet to her right. The system driving it had everything to do with it, but still, Electrostatics produced the most lifelike playback I've ever heard.

But I've heard some very entertaining horns before too! Strings in particular were very real, and everything sounded very large, but they were also very telling of weaknesses upstream.

I feel this is a very personal thing. This choice controls the overall sound of our systems, this choice says a lot about our personal philosophies concerning hi-fi. And it has a major influence on the amplification we choose to power them with.

So? What's your preference and why?


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