Speakers from last century that you love

[Iainohyeah]

I can't resist buying vintage speakers for the looks but often, the sound quality surprises me.
It's possibly just the bass as they do tend to mask shortcomings with woofer over endowment.
My average ownership is probably 3-6 months or whenever I get around to comparing them directly to my Dynaudios!

I have, however, a pair of Goodmans RB65 that I feel could be improved to match medium-high end modern day options.
Anyone have tweeter suggestions or other thoughts?
Or am I dreaming?

 

[Waxx]

The tweeter is the Goodman H30 (an Philips OEM variation of the AD160) like used in many of the Goodman speakers of that era. Goodman replaced it as standard tweeter for their speakers with the Seas H087 themselves a few years later, and the modern equivalent is the Seas TC35C002 or the X3-06 T35 (both are expensive). But a good softdome tweeter should be a good alternative if you want to stay close, it does not have to be that expensive.

 

[Iainohyeah]

The tweeter is the Goodman H30 (an Philips OEM variation of the AD160) like used in many of the Goodman speakers of that era. Goodman replaced it as standard tweeter for their speakers with the Seas H087 themselves a few years later, and the modern equivalent is the Seas TC35C002 or the X3-06 T35 (both are expensive). But a good softdome tweeter should be a good alternative if you want to stay close, it does not have to be that expensive.

Thank you. I wouldn't spend too much as the speakers aren't worth very much.
They sound good though-just missing that high level detail but I'm realistic in what new tweeters will achieve.

 

[Anton S]

I can't resist buying vintage speakers for the looks but often, the sound quality surprises me.
It's possibly just the bass as they do tend to mask shortcomings with woofer over endowment.
My average ownership is probably 3-6 months or whenever I get around to comparing them directly to my Dynaudios!

I have, however, a pair of Goodmans RB65 that I feel could be improved to match medium-high end modern day options.
Anyone have tweeter suggestions or other thoughts?
Or am I dreaming?

Madisound offers a wide selection of tweeters. You're certain to find something suitable there in your price range.

I picked up a pair of Morel MDT29-4 tweeters from Madisound as highly recommended upgrades for the old KEF 104/2 speakers running in my bedroom system and couldn't be happier.

 

[Iainohyeah]

Madisound offers a wide selection of tweeters. You're certain to find something suitable there in your price range.

I'm in the UK but there are similar resources. A few things have caught my eye but I'm wondering if it's possibly the crossovers I'm bothered by.
The tweeters output is there and sounds fine, just not as forward as it could be.

Sitting here admiring that big, vintage sound and I'm glad this thread has made me appreciate them again.

 

[Iainohyeah]

Just for fun. This is what I'm trying to compare-not exactly apples for apples!

 

[Anton S]

Just for fun. This is what I'm trying to compare-not exactly apples for apples!

Don't over-think it. If you want them a little brighter, a pair of Audax tweeters for less than $100 will likely do the trick for you. It will definitely bring the treble forward.

What are the impedance and efficiency of the existing tweeters?

 

[goryu]

Just about finished rebuilding my Acoustat Spectra 6600's and I do in fact love them!

 

[Iainohyeah]

Don't over-think it. If you want them a little brighter, a pair of Audax tweeters for less than $100 will likely do the trick for you. It will definitely bring the treble forward.

What are the impedance and efficiency of the existing tweeters?

They're 8 ohm 26mm domes. Don't know about the efficiency.

 

[Anton S]

They're 8 ohm 26mm domes. Don't know about the efficiency.

It's unfortunate that you don't have more detailed technical data on your tweeter, but the Audax TW025a0-1 is an inexpensive 8-ohm soft dome with a sensitivity of 90 dB @ 1 meter with a 2.83V input, which is reasonably efficient, and produces low levels of distortion above about 1500 Hz (full specs listed on THIS PAGE). In any event, it's cheap enough to give it a try, looks like it will drop right in with no cabinet modification, and no great financial loss if it doesn't work well for you.

 

[Iainohyeah]

It's unfortunate that you don't have more detailed technical data on your tweeter, but the Audax TW025a0-1 is an inexpensive 8-ohm soft dome with a sensitivity of 90 dB @ 1 meter with a 2.83V input, which is reasonably efficient, and produces low levels of distortion above about 1500 Hz (full specs listed on THIS PAGE). In any event, it's cheap enough to give it a try, looks like it will drop right in with no cabinet modification, and no great financial loss if it doesn't work well for you.

That looks ideal, thank you

 

[Audionaut]

What are the speaker from the past (pre 2000) that you still love?

KEF Cantata

B139 (SP1044)
B110 (SP1057)
T52 (SP1049)

I would probably still think they're great today, but I haven't heard them for a long time.

PS
Together with this Kenwood KA1000 amplifier and a Dual 714Q turntable, this was my dream team at the time.

After that came a few other things, but it wasn't always better. Sometimes you can just stay where you are - and it's good.

 

[Almatti]

Had a Pair of JBL 100s, Mid tower with the Blue speaker covers. Purchased circa 1975 (I got married Nov 1974 at 23 yo) at J & R Music world on Chambers Street NYC, downtown area, with a Pioneer Receiver (yes, THE Pioneer Receiver with 20 Watts per channel) and a Thorens TT . Notwithstanding that after we moved form our apartment in Whitestone Queens, NY to our House in Whitestone in 1976 and the Pioneer Receiver was robbed from the house in 1977, those JBLs were passed on to my BIL & SIL who used them in a mini DJ business for about 20 years thereafter.

The other Speaker pair purchased in The Last Century was a pair of KEF 104/2s Towers, in 1987 for our new Stereo System in our next house. Still in use today part of the "new" stereo system : NAD 1300 Preamp, NAD 2600 Amp, Dual CS5000 TT and a Onkyo 6 Disc CD player. All of which plays great today, with no SWs, or EQs. FWIW, when I purchased the system at a High End Stereo HiFi store in 1987 I knew Nothing about KEF Speakers. After I purchased the system (after auditioning at least 6 different speakers that were recommended by the shop), a Sunday NY Times article appeared in their Stereo/Music Section. The article had the KEFs rated as Number 3 in the World at the time - giving me great satisfaction that I knew what I was hearing: great Clarity & separation, w well balanced sound, without Boomy or mushy Bass, great Mids and Treble. The KEF 104/2s are 4 Ohm Speakers matched perfectly to the NAD equipment.

 

[SSS]

KEF Cantata

B139 (SP1044)
B110 (SP1057)
T52 (SP1049)

I would probably still think they're great today, but I haven't heard them for a long time.

View attachment 453421

PS
Together with this Kenwood KA1000 amplifier and a Dual 714Q turntable, this was my dream team at the time.

View attachment 453424

After that came a few other things, but it wasn't always better. Sometimes you can just stay where you are - and it's good.

These KEF speaker chassis were also provided for DIY builders. I took these chassis and built the boxes. For those times they sounded very good for me. The tweeter I did replace with an AMT from ESS. The AMT was more directive. But I think time went over this all and todays speakers sound for me much better. Of course the best source I had was vinyl LP.

 

[Poultrygeist]

ADS 710's from the 1980's. The cat proof metal grills saved the day.

 

[VMAT4]

Never owned a pair, but certainly high performance per dollar, the Thiel 3.5.

 

[Kr2d2]

Hi,

I still love my vintage QUAD ESL57 (design from ~1957, my are from mid 1970s, I own them since ~2000):

... wonderfull in combination with either QUAD 33 (anlog sources)/Meier Audio DACCORD FF (digital sources) -> QUAD 303 or - if I am in the mood for tubes - QUAD 34 -> QUAD II Monos.

I think the overall quality of or satisfaction with audio gear for me(!) is maybe 50% objective sound quality and 50% other biases like my personal story with it, the feeling that it's 70 year old and still so good sounding, the look & feel, etc ...

Although I have - beside lots of more HiFi stuff - other most beautiful speakers in the world, I think I enjoy my vintage QUAD collection the most!

 

[guy48065]

Never owned a pair, but certainly high performance per dollar, the Thiel 3.5.

One of the best things about reference-grade speakers from the previous century is they're way more affordable today.
I've always wanted to own a pair of Thiel towers and last year I was searching pretty hard for a pair of 3.5s to buy.
In December eBay sent me a notice that a pair of CS7 speakers had just been listed. They were a few hundred beyond what I was looking to spend, and several hundred miles away but SO worth it!

 

[Bruce Morgen]

Back when the JBL L-100 was king of the showroom, I discovered the Electro-Voice Interface "A". In terms of performance, it was considerably better than the L-100, with a low end that was solid down to the mid-30s and IMO a considerably smoother overall response. Unfortunately, the woofer and PR had rot-prone foam surrounds and its little (SEAS?) cone tweeters were as delicate AF -- but to my younger self's ears it was the best "bookshelf"-sized speaker available at the time. Despite requiring its (very modestly speced, unlike the Bose 901's) equalizer, it was also considerably less profligate of amp power than the ARs, KLHs, and Advents of that era. It also might have been the first widely-available speaker designed according the now-standard T/S math, which most folks don't know includes provision for the use of electronic EQ.

 

[Kblade]

My first speaker, had to mow a lot of lawns to get them