Top 5 BEST Speaker Companies

[Todd Anderson]

Curious to see what everyone has to say about this... try ranking your Top 5 speaker companies!

 

[Mark C Flick]

Okay, my list would be;
RBH Sound
Snell Acoustics
Triad
Advent
Acoustic Research

 

[Todd Anderson]

Interesting list... you have great tastes!

 

[Leonard Caillouet]

I can't really answer that. There are many great speaker companies, and many great speakers. But not every speaker from a great company is equally great. And what makes a great company might not make ones choice in speakers, as there are many reasons for a particular preference.

There are also companies that made a great impact with a few speakers but maybe don't have recent speakers that are particularly great.

A few that have been great and had importance to me over the years are Acoustat, Thiel, Martin Logan, Snell, AR, Advent, JBL, Klipsch, Rogers, B&W, and I could go on and on.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I assume this includes subwoofers... and the thread originator did not list any...

MartinLogan - two-channel and theater (never heard subs) (I would put Rogers in the same category)
Chane (Arx) - two-channel (have not heard theater)
SVSound - subwoofers and theater
JTR - theater (have not heard raw subs)
Focal - two-channel (have not heard theater)

Of course they have to be setup properly. I don't know that these are the best, but they are the best I have heard setup correctly... either in my room or at one or more of the shows. And there are several that could fit right up there on the edge of number 5. If I'd heard more setup correctly... it would probably be impossible to pick only 5.

 

[NBPK402]

Martin Logan
Paradigm
Wilson
Danley
Apogee

My favorites

 

[Todd Anderson]

You can always make a top 5... think more broadly... Top 5 companies that have had the biggest over all impact (not necessarily the very best of the best speakers).

Here's my list:

KEF - huge world wide presence. Massive in Europe. High performance!
Polk Audio - Polk has contributed quite a few innovations over the decades, and offers lines to meet low to high budgets
Klipsch - Close to 60 years in the business... lots of great speaker models. Super popular, and much like Polk offerings at a range of price points.
MartinLogan -Innovation. Quality.
B&W- Incredible sound from this British brand - and long time in the market.


I think my list of personal favorite companies (PSA, GoldenEar, SVS, Seaton, HSU Research... to name a few) might look a tad different... but I think that list might be the best overall companies IMO.

 

[chrapladm]

Best regarding industry impact or my favorite or best customer service?

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Yeah... there are a lot of variables there. Todd... your picks seem to be based on industry impact, not necessarily based on what you have heard. I thought this was for speakers we have experienced for ourselves. While Klipsch is a widely very well liked brand... it's not anywhere close to the best speakers I have heard for two-channel... in any setting or at any show. They are good, but not in the top 5.

Clarification please!

 

[Todd Anderson]

Yes, perhaps too many variables. I'm thinking less along the lines of best sounding speakers (although the company could have the best sounding speakers) and more along the lines of impact.

 

[JBrax]

Wow, talk about endless possibilities! This is hard to answer because I haven't heard many speakers that are probably better than my list. I'll throw five out there that I've personally heard.
Klipsch
JBL
Paradigm
B&W
JTR

 

[Sonnie Parker]

MartinLogan and Paradigm are owned by the same company... although I liked the Paradigm sound fairly well, I would not put it in my top 5 of "best sounding" ... same as Klipsch, but I agree that they have had a huge impact on the market and would likely be in the top 5.

MartinLogan
Klipsch
Wilson
JBL
Paradigm

 

[JBrax]

MartinLogan and Paradigm are owned by the same company... although I liked the Paradigm sound fairly well, I would not put it in my top 5 of "best sounding" ... same as Klipsch, but I agree that they have had a huge impact on the market and would likely be in the top 5.

MartinLogan
Klipsch
Wilson
JBL
Paradigm

True, but you also have to consider just how high or low within the lineup we're talking. The Paradigm's I heard were the Signature 8's I believe and were some of the best I've ever heard. The B&W's were 803 Diamonds and again amongst the best I've heard. So my point being we're not talking Best Buy speakers. Maybe I need to go to something like Axpona and experience a little speaker diversity?

 

[chrapladm]

Well for just impact I would go with these:
Danley
JBL
Klipsch
B&W
Wilson

 

[1_sufferin_mind]

Not too tough a call for me since I haven't heard a wide variety. And while I have no direct experience with customer service and warranty, which are two factors that should be considered when choosing a best company.

Magico
Martin Logan
Quad
Revel
Wilson

 

[Mark C Flick]

It seems the question has been clarified so;
RCA
Altec Lansing
Acoustic Research
Vifa
Klipsch

 

[Tony V.]

Oh man! Im not even sure i could do a top 5.
Of ones I owned or heard My llist would be
Mission (old ones made before 2000)
B&W
EV
Monitor Audio
MartinLogan
JBL
(yes I know thats 6 but those are the ones I would list)

 

[JBrax]

Oh man! Im not even sure i could do a top 5.
Of ones I owned or heard My llist would be
Mission (old ones made before 2000)
B&W
EV
Monitor Audio
MartinLogan
JBL
(yes I know thats 6 but those are the ones I would list)

A Canadian not listing Paradigm?

 

[Tony V.]

Ive never owned any nor did I ever really consider them. I cant really add them as I dont know.

 

[JBrax]

Ive never owned any nor did I ever really consider them. I cant really add them as I dont know.

Understand, I just figured PSB, Axiom, or Paradigm would make at least one spot on your top five.

 

[Tony V.]

Thats why I said 5 is to hard, there are so many great manufacturers of speakers. SVS is another I wanted to add.

 

[JBrax]

Yes, a top 5 is hard to narrow down.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Maybe I need to go to something like Axpona and experience a little speaker diversity?

If you haven't been to one... you should indeed go. RMAF is not too far away and one of the best. I'll be there, Lord willing! You'll hear some really nice speakers, but not necessarily at their best. Some of these companies just don't send the right guys to setup their system, so they don't sound that good, although they probably would if setup correctly. For example... if I relied on hearing MartinLogan speakers at Axpona... I would never buy them. The rooms that were showing them just plain out did not have a clue what they were doing with the setup. I somewhat give them the benefit of the doubt with the smaller rooms, but in those large rooms they have no excuse.

However, there will be quite a few there that will sound excellent and give you some good listening experience with a variety of brands, that is for sure.

Ive never owned any nor did I ever really consider them. I cant really add them as I dont know.

You don't necessarily have to have heard them to know they have had a major impact in the industry. It's not the best you've heard, but rather the ones with the most impact on the market.

 

[NBPK402]

Very true... when I listened to Martin Logan Sequels years ago after hearing the reviews, I was disappointed by every dealer, and Audio show I went to...until I heard them at Keith Yates Audio, and I then realized what I had read was true.

 

[Leonard Caillouet]

If we are talking impact on the industry, I would have to include KLH, JBL, and Klipsch for sure. Many of the later brands had a big market impact but really did not push the technology that much. Magnepan would have to be included as well.