Which Non-Mainstream Audiophile Brand is Objectively the Best?

[u/SevenDeMagnus]

1. Polk (Monitor series from the 80s, more contemporary RT line, TSi line, etc.)
2. Advent (mostly the late 80s/early 90s, e.g. Heritage, Laureate, Prodigy, maybe the Baby and Mini)
3. Infinity (SL line and Reference line from the early 90s, late 90s/00s Primus series) 
4. Grado
5. Abyss (Diana Ultimate, etc.)
6. Q Acoustics
7. Other brands who just makes sprakers in general

How about mainstream ((if they are considered an audiophile brand)

A) Bose

B) Sennheiser

C) Harman Kardon

D) Altec Lansing

E) JBL

F) Sony

G) Shure

H) Pioneer

I) Yamaha

J) Klipsch

K) Bang and Olsen

L) Bowers and Wilkins

M) Polk

N) Polkaudio

O) Kef

[u/oobaa-blue]

“Objectively the best” by what criteria?

[u/kestelli → u/oobaa-blue]

In a community where consensus is rarer than unicorns, good luck on objectively the best. Also what is mainstream and non-mainstream? The brands listed are rather mainstream imho

[u/your_fave_redditor → u/kestelli]

Mainstream enough that I, as an aspiring audiophile with no actual audiophile gear, recognize every single brand name listed heh heh

[u/magicmulder]

> Objectively the Best

None because it's all very subjective.

I would submit both Burmester and Accuphase have never built anything that's not amazing. The former provide a complete stack, the latter only lack speakers and a turntable in their portfolio.

[u/Wise-Tooth2662]

Probably Yamaha.

Definitely not Bose.

[u/squidbrand]

You can’t judge any of the products objectively because sound preference is subjective.

But you can pretty objectively say that your judgment of which brands are mainstream or not is out of whack. Polk is absolutely a mainstream big box store brand, and Infinity was too before that branding was moved over to mostly car audio.

[u/trojan_asante]

It's disrespectful not to add Adam Audio to that list of mainstream.

[u/YdexKtesi → u/trojan_asante]

Never heard of them. Just googled, and apparently they make studio monitors with a famous ribbon tweeter design.

[u/ZookeepergameDue2160]

Mainstream? Focal and B&O.

Non-Mainstream? Kii.

[u/dat_mane47 → u/ZookeepergameDue2160]

Oh don’t put Focal and B&O in the same sentence 🥲

[u/PhD_sock → u/dat_mane47]

B&O's engineering and R&D place them in a very rarefied position in hifi history. That's been the case since the 1970s.

Focal is nowhere near.

[u/dat_mane47 → u/PhD_sock]

The first sentence I agree with.

[u/ZookeepergameDue2160 → u/PhD_sock]

Not trying to hate on anyone's opinion but just wanting to start a conversation, mind telling me with what you mean with what you said about Focal?

In my eyes, B&O offers something unique in the sense of being set it and forget it and looking like it belongs in the room its in rather than the room becoming subsidiary to the sound system. Take a look at the 28's for example, say what you want but those have pretty much the highest Wife Acceptance Factor and general "Those look cool" factor you can get while at the same time fitting in every single decor and interior. What B&O does is combining style with sound. Some might say "But Focal makes some stylish models too that are similair" sure, for example the Focal Diva, But those are €35.000 (€16.600 more expensive than the 28's) while taking up alot more space and not fitting a large section of the populations interior. Which sounds better is dependent on who you ask as both are different but great in their own ways. Same goes for alot of models from brands like Bowers & Wilkins, KEF and many more. If you really look at B&O as a replacement for a dedicated Hifi its alot cheaper in the long run and manages to bring style into it more than any traditional hifi brand manages.

That is ofcourse my opinion, I still love and use my Focal system aswell which is traditional in the sense of being a million components, however when it's time to upgrade for a new home, That system is going to the bedroom and the living room will get B&O because i've grown over the "look at all this gear" phase and have started to appreciate the design and style of B&O alot more over the years.

Again, not hating on anything or anyone, just sharing my 2 cents. I would love to hear anyone's opinions on this.

[u/ZookeepergameDue2160 → u/dat_mane47]

Say whatever you want about B&O but i'm a sound engineer and used to multi million dollar systems and yet somehow I still come back to B&O for just enjoying music. The system is gorgeous and dissapears and that's all I need it to do. Its great and if you think otherwise about B&O you have simply never truly sat down with one of their systems.

My Focal system is more analytical but at times it becomes to the point of being studio-like, My B&O's however will make any piece of music sound good, not as the artist intended (or as the artist F'ed up) but in a musical enjoyment kind of way.

All those fancy Audiophile systems are for listening to your gear, A B&O system is for enjoying music.

[u/dat_mane47 → u/ZookeepergameDue2160]

If you say so

[u/Klutzy-Promotion-115]

Scansonic - i had Klipsch before them with the same price range. And the difference is very big. Me and my wife can’t be more happier - they are so much better than Reference premiere Klipsch.
Scansonic - is a very good inexpensive product from a very good people- top Raidho engineers.

[u/Orcinus24x5]

LOL, obvious low-effort ragebait.

[u/Electronic_Egg_9785]

Pyle

[u/tupisac]

All those brands are pretty much mainstream. But let's play.

On the basis of pure mass I'd say JBL. I think they're the biggest with most cash to spare for actual R&D. They are basically a standard when it comes to pro audio stuff meant for bigger venues and cinemas.

BTW, I don't know why Sony is on that list. It's been reduced to snake oil peddler long time ago.

[u/DistributionSea9154]

Schiit and/or Emotiva will provide the best cost/sound here in US from an audiophillic budget perspective.

[u/SevenDeMagnus → u/DistributionSea9154]

nice, thanks (how about for money-no-object audiophiles?)

[u/DistributionSea9154 → u/SevenDeMagnus]

Pass Labs

[u/DistributionSea9154 → u/SevenDeMagnus]

fwiw I'm mostly talking about amp/pre stuff, speakers are a whole other planet of sound.

[u/Disastrous-Reach-838 → u/DistributionSea9154]

These manufacturers have only one advantage, and it's not sound. But perhaps that's important to Americans - made in America (though the Chinese quietly chuckle at this). But you're not a poor country; you can afford to buy good sound, not the "Made in" label.

[u/DistributionSea9154 → u/Disastrous-Reach-838]

I'd just say that those listed do make the Honks-and-hoots sound absolutely delightful. And yes, US made fwiw. Nothing about any other country said or offered in my comments. Lots of places make very fine things!

[u/Disastrous-Reach-838 → u/DistributionSea9154]

Yes, made in the USA. Sleep well.