Hi, I own elac 209 jet speakers, that were produced in 2001 - 2003 and costet for pair about 2000 euro. Do You think, that modern budget speakers (for example jbl studio 580) would sound better? Would You recommend changing 20 years speakers for modern one, but from lower price range? Greetings
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Old speakers vs new speakers
- Thread starter elak
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restorer-john
Grand Contributor
If you've got the itch for something new, have a listen and comparsion first before plunking down your cash. Your Elacs owe you nothing and likely still perform as well as they ever did.
DVDdoug
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Different speakers will always sound different... Maybe better maybe worse...
Not much has changed since... maybe the 1950's... We still have 2 or 3 way speaker systems. Some of the materials have changed but the basic concepts are the same.
Around 1980 the Thiele-Small work was "completed" and then computers became more available/accessible. This made speaker performance easer to predict, making the design process less hit-or-miss, so there should be more good designs and fewer bad designs.
Home theater has moved the market toward smaller speakers with a separate subwoofer. Floor standing speakers with big woofers seem to he rare these days. And amplifiers have become more powerful and speakers can be made less efficient with "different" compromises.
Most studio monitors are now active and bi-amped or tri-amped, sometimes with built-in DSP and that allows for "tweaking" and "fine tuning' of the frequency response.
Not much has changed since... maybe the 1950's... We still have 2 or 3 way speaker systems. Some of the materials have changed but the basic concepts are the same.
Around 1980 the Thiele-Small work was "completed" and then computers became more available/accessible. This made speaker performance easer to predict, making the design process less hit-or-miss, so there should be more good designs and fewer bad designs.
Home theater has moved the market toward smaller speakers with a separate subwoofer. Floor standing speakers with big woofers seem to he rare these days. And amplifiers have become more powerful and speakers can be made less efficient with "different" compromises.
Most studio monitors are now active and bi-amped or tri-amped, sometimes with built-in DSP and that allows for "tweaking" and "fine tuning' of the frequency response.
posvibes
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I bought a pair of used 1985 AR Connoisseur AR19's in great nick back in 2004 and when I listen to them now I wonder why I bought any more speakers after them. Two way 6" woofer and silk dome tweeters in a sealed box. I am talking 65Hz at -3dB but just lovely sounding speakers with to my ears no need of EQ.
1985!
I have ordered an USB microphone to be used with REW to learn how to measure my room which will probably take months but measure I will.
1985!
I have ordered an USB microphone to be used with REW to learn how to measure my room which will probably take months but measure I will.
mhardy6647
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The OP has a rather different perspective on old speakers than do I.
I want to drop by for a visit... what a collection!
H-713
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I doubt it.
I'm fairly familiar with the Elac speakers from that era. The sandwich cone midwoofers and the JET ribbon tweeters perform pretty darn well, and the measurements I have taken show that these speakers are objectively pretty good.
The directivity control probably isn't up to Genelec / Revel standards - it's a 6" midwoofer crossed at 2000 - 3000 Hz (depends on the model) to a ribbon tweeter with a minimal waveguide. Most of what this means is that room reflections matter more. So, if your room is pretty good - you're all set! If it isn't, you can buy less room-dependant speakers ($$$), or fix the acoustic problems that you should be fixing anyway (less $).
And, as a final note, the build quality and fit and finish on the cabinets and drivers of those Elacs is second to none. You won't find much better in that regard. Any modern budget things will be a serious step backwards in this regard.
If you decide to upgrade these, wait until you're ready to spend $3,000. These were masterpieces in their day, and I wouldn't replace them until you're ready to buy a modern equivalent.
I'm fairly familiar with the Elac speakers from that era. The sandwich cone midwoofers and the JET ribbon tweeters perform pretty darn well, and the measurements I have taken show that these speakers are objectively pretty good.
The directivity control probably isn't up to Genelec / Revel standards - it's a 6" midwoofer crossed at 2000 - 3000 Hz (depends on the model) to a ribbon tweeter with a minimal waveguide. Most of what this means is that room reflections matter more. So, if your room is pretty good - you're all set! If it isn't, you can buy less room-dependant speakers ($$$), or fix the acoustic problems that you should be fixing anyway (less $).
And, as a final note, the build quality and fit and finish on the cabinets and drivers of those Elacs is second to none. You won't find much better in that regard. Any modern budget things will be a serious step backwards in this regard.
If you decide to upgrade these, wait until you're ready to spend $3,000. These were masterpieces in their day, and I wouldn't replace them until you're ready to buy a modern equivalent.
H-713
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Okay, compared to 3000-year-old speakers from the Roman Empire, the OP's speakers are spring chickens.The OP has a rather different perspective on old speakers than do I.
Waxx
Major Contributor
The only not diy speaker i still use is a set of Goodman Mezzo SL's from 1975. They sound better than most new speakers arround to my ears, and are very easy to drive by any amp as bonus.
Like said, there is not a night and day difference between speaker tech of 20 or even 40 years ago and now, it's just tuned more precise and tools to measure speakers became a lot cheaper, so it's more done on measurments in stead of a educated gamble trial and error like many used to work at that time. Those Goodmans (now 48 years old) are still good speakers to today's standards, not top of the line, but much better than most arround.
The biggest change is that quality became much cheaper, and that amps and especially dsp became much better. So if you like the Elac's, there is no use to change those. They are quiet modern in design, even if they are 20 years old.
Like said, there is not a night and day difference between speaker tech of 20 or even 40 years ago and now, it's just tuned more precise and tools to measure speakers became a lot cheaper, so it's more done on measurments in stead of a educated gamble trial and error like many used to work at that time. Those Goodmans (now 48 years old) are still good speakers to today's standards, not top of the line, but much better than most arround.
The biggest change is that quality became much cheaper, and that amps and especially dsp became much better. So if you like the Elac's, there is no use to change those. They are quiet modern in design, even if they are 20 years old.
Speaker driver designers have been working for lower and lower distortion. If you choose wisely, a contemporary speaker will have lower distortion than an old one. Whether you will like it better is impossible to tell without trying.
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