Vintage Speakers are back in style

[BigVU's]

Altec Nineteens are, to my taste,  far superior to the LaScalas. If you, the OP, like the Klipsch sound, go for K-horns.

Yeah these have a lot of good vibes going for sure. 19's on tubes

 

[BigVU's]

A well-known member on another site was asked about positioning vintage LaScalas. His reply was, "Face down."

HA HA. No to that guy's la scala placement.

 

[jkasch]

These are still being sold. 2, 15” woofs.

 

[mhardy6647]

A well-known member on another site was asked about positioning vintage LaScalas. His reply was, "Face down."

Yes, or in another room -- better yet, someone else's domicile.

For the current audience, please understand that such comments are for LaScalas of old, which were truly ghastly, top to bottom.
Modern ones are rather less so, it seems.

 

[mhardy6647]

Y'all've seen my current Frankenaltecs.

 

[BigVU's]

Cerwins! Oh yeah - I remember a friend of mine had those. Classic Party Speaker CW D9

 

[BigVU's]

Yes, or in another room -- better yet, someone else's domicile.

For the current audience, please understand that such comments are for LaScalas of old, which were truly ghastly, top to bottom.
Modern ones are rather less so, it seems.

Going to invite all the folks from the Klipsch forum over for some fun. Yeah that is a concern of mine. Even if I did find a pair I am factoring in clean up and upgrades. I really dig the designer statement it makes though!

 

[AlfaNovember]

Vintage ones 60's to 80's. Big Honkers. I need to check those JBL L100's out.

L100s? Yes, you do need to check them out. They're not modern-perfect, but they've been popular for 50 years for valid reasons. According to Internet Lore (which is never wrong), Frank Zappa mixed his albums on 4311/L100s because he figured so many of his fans had them in their own living rooms.

I had Altec 605s in the living room for a decade or more. Too much floor space. Replaced those with thrifted JBL 4311s. The JBLs fell in my lap for cheap, but if I were paying market prices, the better-sounding 4412 with the ti tweeters seem to trade for a bit less than the prettier 4311.

Having heard what modern DSP, active crossovers and Class D can do, I wouldn't pursue anything vintage expecting exceptional sound quality. That being said, I wouldn't kick a set of Snell Type A out of the house. Or large-format compression drivers. But both are difficult to live with.

 

[somebodyelse]

yeah, my question is more....why?

Some combination of fashion and nostalgia, much like cassettes.

 

[JRowland]

I got a pair of these in 1992 and only recently got rid of them. They were great speakers for me and held up to a lot of use/abuse for a long time.

 

[analogonly]

Altec 19, Duntech, Snell Aiii., Infinity IRS V or RS1b, Magnepan Tympany IVD.

 

[Mart68]

Canton CT1000?



Like a JBL L100 done properly. You'll struggle to find in the UK but loads in the Americas and on the continent.

 

[dualazmak]

Having heard what modern DSP, active crossovers and Class D can do, I wouldn't pursue anything vintage expecting exceptional sound quality.

Even though I can well understand your point, I myself have been pursuing/applying a different approach on "still excellent" vintage(?) SPs. By "still excellent", I mean still excellent SP drivers plus nicely designed/manufactured rigid/sturdy cabinet.

I eliminated all the passive LC(R) network and attenuators of a vintage(?) but still-highly-praised three-way SP system (actually YAMAHA NS-1000 not NS-1000M), and I implemented/converted it into PC-DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active setup where each of the SP drivers are dedicatedly and directly driven by each of the three independent amplifiers.

Furthermore, I added L&R super-tweeters and L&R large-heavy sub-woofers both also driven by separate independent amplifiers.

Having the full DSP control in upstream digital domain within PC, you can easily control XO (XO-Fq, filter-type, slopes, phase, relative-gain, polarity, etc.), group-delay (for exact time alignments), and any kind of EQs (if needed).

If you would be interested, please visit post #931 on my project thread for details of the latest system setup.

 

[dualazmak]

Hello OP @BigVU's,

Your handle name BigVU's reminded me that you would be possibly interested in my DIY-built IEC60268-17 ballistic-behavior compatible "12-VU-Meter Array". If so, please visit my post #535 on my project thread.
- My nostalgia and preference for large glass-face VU meters: DIY of 12-VU-Meter Array in multichannel multi-driver multi-way multi-amplifier stereo audio system: #535

 

[617]

Oh these are really cool man. Look a bit like the AMT's just not the ribbon tweets? And this vid is using a proton amp not far off from my hitachi? Nice. Kef 100's
View attachment 446308

Any of the big KEFs and B&W from this era measure well. Nice looking, as well.

 

[DSJR]

I humbly ask the forum which vintage Big Statement Speakers would you suggest? What grabs your attention?

Thanks!

IMF RSPM IV with original KEF bass and midrange straight off. They apparently need recapping now though... We demmed and sold them with Crown D series amps which I use to this day, but I don't have the space nor the need for low bass sadly. Good ones fetch a fair whack too.

I felt the KEF 105s were too 'cold' sounding, but they needed power to properly open up. B&W 801s were much the same and most domestic amps didn't do either of these any real favours I'd suggest.

 

[DSJR]

These are still being sold. 2, 15” woofs.
View attachment 446315

An earlier version of these were HUGE LOUD FUN I remember and not boomy at all. LOADS of noise, but not sure about timbres or 'musicality,' but they sure could move air

 

[BigVU's]

Even though I can well understand your point, I myself have been pursuing/applying a different approach on "still excellent" vintage(?) SPs. By "still excellent", I mean still excellent SP drivers plus nicely designed/manufactured rigid/sturdy cabinet.

I eliminated all the passive LC(R) network and attenuators of a vintage(?) but still-highly-praised three-way SP system (actually YAMAHA NS-1000 not NS-1000M), and I implemented/converted it into PC-DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active setup where each of the SP drivers are dedicatedly and directly driven by each of the three independent amplifiers.

Furthermore, I added L&R super-tweeters and L&R large-heavy sub-woofers both also driven by separate independent amplifiers.

View attachment 446415

View attachment 446416

Having the full DSP control in upstream digital domain within PC, you can easily control XO (XO-Fq, filter-type, slopes, phase, relative-gain, polarity, etc.), group-delay (for exact time alignments), and any kind of EQs (if needed).

If you would be interested, please visit post #931 on my project thread for details of the latest system setup.

That's intense hobbying. I like the VU's!

 

[BigVU's]

IMF RSPM IV with original KEF bass and midrange straight off. They apparently need recapping now though... We demmed and sold them with Crown D series amps which I use to this day, but I don't have the space nor the need for low bass sadly. Good ones fetch a fair whack too.

I felt the KEF 105s were too 'cold' sounding, but they needed power to properly open up. B&W 801s were much the same and most domestic amps didn't do either of these any real favours I'd suggest.

Now this is an interesting speaker for sure. A bit surprising in fact for an unassuming speaker. I almost thought those were VU's on these things! Now that would be a quest for sure. These things sound pretty dang solid too Vintage on Vintage

 

[tw 2022]

A pair of Infinity Kappa 7? They have great sound and an look good.

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I have the crescendo 3006 books....they are in general very similar to those you have (mids are different & different type emit ).. they sound very good , they'd compete easily against most 2 ways under $1000.... very smooth and pretty transparent