Reference

JA on Loudspeaker Measurements Table 1: Loudspeaker reviews

Table 1: Loudspeaker reviews October 1989–November 1991

Loudspeaker Review F-weighted Deviation (dB) Original Price/pair Stereophile Rating
JBL XPL-90 July 1991 0.82 $1300
Meridian D6000 September 1991 1.3 $15,000 A
Spendor S100 June 1990 1.39 $2500 B
Snell C/IV April 1991 1.42 $2190 B
Avalon Eclipse January 1991 1.46 $5800 B
Epos ES11 July 1991 1.52 $850 D
Phase Technology PC-80 January 1991 1.58 $695 D
Icon Lumen July 1991 1.65 $795 D
Wharfedale Diamond IV July 1991 1.67 $299 E
Icon Parsec December 1990 1.73 $1795 C
Rogers LS7t December 1989 1.77 $999 D
Camber 3.5Ti October 1990 1.86 $699 D
Snell A/III Improved March 1990 1.87 $4680 B
JBL XPL-160 February 1990 1.89 $2496
Dick Olsher Black Dahlia November 1990 1.94 $350
JMLab Micron (sample 2) September 1991 1.94 $554 C
Genesis IM-5200 October 1991 1.99 $1000 C
Focal Aria (sample 2) October 1990 2.09 $600
Monitor Audio Studio 10 November 1990 2.12 $3000 B
KEF R107/2 May 1991 2.13 $5900 B
Signet SL-280 October 1990 2.14 $900 D
TARA Timekeeper 0.5 Mk.2 September 1990 2.14 $1495
Hales Signature July 1990 2.17 $5600 B
B&W DM310 July 1991 2.2 $499
Mission Cyrus 782 October 1990 2.24 $900 D
Nestorovic 5AS Mk.IV September 1991 2.25 $4200 B
Infinity Modulus November 1990 2.29 $1000 B
Ensemble PA1 June 1990 2.36 $3000 B
Dalquist DQ12 (sample 2) October 1990 2.37 $1200 D
Triad System Seven October 1990 2.49 $1050 D
MB Quart 490 MCS July 1991 2.52 $849
Ensemble PA1 Reference June 1990 2.55 $4700 B
PSB 40 Mk.II July 1991 2.56 $440 D
TDL Reference Standard December 1989 2.59 $6995
Paradigm Control Monitor December 1989 2.63 $680 D
Snell E/II October 1991 2.75 $990
Hales System 2 April 1991 2.77 $3000 B
PSB Stratus Gold February 1991 2.78 $2000 B
NHT 1.3 September 1990 2.82 $480 E
AR Spirit 152 July 1991 2.84 $1000
Celestion SL700 September 1988 2.97 $3299 B
Spica TC-50 October 1989 3.01 $550 C
Mordaunt-Short MS 3.30 July 1991 3.02 $459 E
Mirage M-3 November 1990 3.03 $2500 B
B&W Matrix 800 June 1991 3.07 $15000 A
Celestion 3 October 1989 3.08 $280 E
Meridian D600 November 1989 3.1 $5490 B
TARA Timekeeper 0.5 Mk.I September 1990 3.1 $1495
Fried Q4 October 1990 3.13 $498 E
Rogers LS3/5a (1978) February 1989 3.15 $799 D
Vieta Pro-5 (sample 2) November 1991 3.25 $600
Snell K/II January 1991 3.3 $465 E
Acoustat Spectra 1100 August 1991 3.33 $1599 C
Wilson WATT 3 June 1991 3.34 $6650 B
TDL Studio One February 1990 3.37 $1445 D
Tannoy E11 September 1990 3.44 $369 E
Waveform November 1989 3.56 $9800
SOTA Panorama (sample 2) August 1990 3.67 $1595
Thiel CS5 June 1990 3.69 $9200 A
Acoustic Energy AE2 February 1990 3.7 $2500
Amrita AMRIT-Minimonitor December 1989 3.72 $875
JMLab Micron (sample 1) September 1991 3.77 $554
Acoustat Spectra 11 January 1990 3.8 $1099 D
SOTA Panorama (sample 1) July 1990 3.97 $1595
Dahlquist DQ12 (sample 1) April 1990 3.97 $1200
Focal Aria (sample 1) October 1990 3.98 $700
RSL Speedscreen II February 1990 4.17 $898
DANA Audio Model 1 September 1990 4.25 $179 E
Apogee Stage August 1990 4.62 $2195 B
Monitor Audio Monitor 7 January 1990 4.63 $449 E
Celestion 3000 May 1990 4.71 $1799
Polk RTA 11t March 1990 5.38 $950
Cambridge Ambiance March 1990 5.66 $360 E
Vieta Pro-5 (sample 1) November 1991 6.01 $600

COMMENTS
Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on February 11, 2020 - 10:33am

Interesting ...... Only 3 loudspeakers in that list made it to Class-A rating :-) .......

jeffhenning's picture
Submitted by jeffhenning on February 11, 2020 - 10:47am

A few thoughts along what you've already written:

• The two biggest areas where subjectivist reviewers and their advocates go wrong is in making the proclamation that measurements give no information on how the product sounds. I think you have shown that to be wrong over the years.

• While everything you can measure can be heard (given the criterion and the method used), everything you can hear still can't be measured. That being said, the measurements and the systems used to make them offer a lot of insight into the item being put under scrutiny.

• The human senses are not perfect and neither are our memories of our sensorial experiences. While the test equipment John uses is not perfect, as long as it operates correctly it has no problem with flared up sinuses, migraines, tinnitus or any other factor that can effect human hearing on a daily basis.

• The sound of your room is just as important as the sound from your speakers. It's also easier & cheaper to improve your room sound and it can be done in stages to great effect rather than wholesale.

• Test equipment is a lot like a car: the most important part is the nut behind the wheel

Keep up the good work, you crazy guy!

tonykaz's picture
Submitted by tonykaz on February 12, 2020 - 12:24am

Careful design is the most important aspect of product.

The "nut behind the wheel" might be a worst case scenario.

Every product is carefully scrutinized & measured, built with tolerances +/-, evaluated in laboratory settings, durability tested, production qualified, priced, packaged, weighed and compared with all known competitors.

Some folks might be "nuts behind the keyboard" but our JA isn't one of them.

Tony in Nevada

Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on February 11, 2020 - 11:44am

... listening to and, more importantly, enjoying music - rather than focusing on equipment - one could have done so much worse than to have chosen the Spendor S100.

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on February 11, 2020 - 12:58pm

There is a current version of Spendor Classic 100 :-) ..........

John Gabriel Otvos's picture
Submitted by John Gabriel Otvos on February 13, 2020 - 4:17am

[[Redacted.]] :-)

Jim Austin's picture
Submitted by Jim Austin on February 13, 2020 - 6:55am

John,

I don't know what your motivations were in posting this here, but it doesn't matter: I'm not going to allow Aczel's libels to be reposted on Stereophile's own website.

If anyone doubts JA's seriousness or significance to audio, I'll refer them to the Audio Engineering Society, which honored him with their Heyser award, which is a big deal.

Jim Austin, Editor
Stereophile

X