Vintage Speakers are back in style

[Snoopy]

I mean vintage audio gear is like vintage cars .. looks just better in my opinion. And I’m glad that there is modern equipment that still has uses that design

Wouldn’t it be set if everything would either look like a AV receiver or a unit that is just a box with a touch screen ?

Someone here remembers these awful thin plastic loudspeakers that people used before soundbars where a thing ?

5 inch subwoofers ?

Like audio is something supposed to be hidden out of sight.

 

[Mart68]

GAVE THEM AWAY??????? Oh bloody hell sir!!!

Having said that, the 50s were never quite the same as their larger brethren, the mid bass being quite full-balanced and not seemingly as well integrated into the mids as the larger ones were in my now ancient experience.

One golden oldie from KEF I have always held something of a torch for, is the 1970s Concerto model. B139 bass, B110 mid and T27 tweeter. On low stands, the whole was always better than the sum of the parts, although I doubt they'd 'Klippel' very well. Didn't matter as they 'communicated' the music beautifully and seemed popular with the Quad 33/303 amp of the period. I believe Cheshire based Wilmslow Audio did a superior crossover for them, but no hands-on knowledge of that sadly. By the late 70's, the R104ab and the then groundbreaking R105 put the Concerto out to grass, but we bought a final batch of them (brown grilles rather than the silvery ones of old) to sell off and they were really good, if a little 'wide' for developing UK tastes.

I liked most of the KEFS from mid 70s on even the early Uni-Q (or at least the big ones). That's my sort of balance - as opposed to the 'No bass but hear how clear and fast they are!' speakers that took over. I remember R105 being impressive - I'd forgot about them.

Not sure I like their current models as much really.

 

[kmanusa]

Ever since I owned my first pair of IMF RSPM Mark IV (late 1970s?), I have never been satisfied with any subsequent system that was not either "full range" or augmented with a capable subwoofer. I would never have bought my Martin Logan CLS if I did not plan to augment them with subwoofers. My JBL 250Ti have superb bass down to around 30 Hz; while that covers 99% of the music I like, I do occasionally miss that last octave of low bass on recordings of pipe organs and synthesizers.

 

[ckernel8]

I've been looking at AR9s and JBL L100Ts...I know they're pretty distinct but they go for about the same amount of money in good condition. I would love to know how they actually measure before I buy some locally (and probably end up test listening to them in some self storage unit completely removing any ability to be objective).

 

[DSJR]

Ever since I owned my first pair of IMF RSPM Mark IV (late 1970s?), I have never been satisfied with any subsequent system that was not either "full range" or augmented with a capable subwoofer. I would never have bought my Martin Logan CLS if I did not plan to augment them with subwoofers. My JBL 250Ti have superb bass down to around 30 Hz; while that covers 99% of the music I like, I do occasionally miss that last octave of low bass on recordings of pipe organs and synthesizers.

Those days are gone now, but my Gawd I do miss 'em... For me it was the ATC100As which could do 30Hz (I think they started to tail off below 35Hz), rolling off below and amps filtered below 20Hz regardless I seem to remember.

I don't really know many at all of the US made models of this period, except the AR LSTs which I loved and the odd JBL (I have a huge fondness for the JBL L65 Jubal I have to say, but Lord knows how they'd sound today - they were always considerably less coloured in the midrange I recall, than the L100/4310 of old - almost 'friendly' sounding

 

[Sal1950]

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.

Baloney. I owned my pair for 3+ decades and with proper positioning, some bass reinforcement, and great driving gear they can be awesome !

 

[DSJR]

I've been looking at AR9s and JBL L100Ts...I know they're pretty distinct but they go for about the same amount of money in good condition. I would love to know how they actually measure before I buy some locally (and probably end up test listening to them in some self storage unit completely removing any ability to be objective).

I can't tell you which issue off-hand (Speakers 1981), but HiFi Choice did the smaller(?) 90s and they were okay apart from a then demanding load I recall. Warm tone I seem to remember and NOT suited to a certain Scottish vinyl source of that era

 

[Sal1950]

Aside from the deranged positioning,

Like Floyd Toole's positioning of his Revel Salon 2's, its done to put the tweeters at listening ear level, not so deranged.

 

[ckernel8]

I can't tell you which issue off-hand (Speakers 1981), but HiFi Choice did the smaller(?) 90s and they were okay apart from a then demanding load I recall. Warm tone I seem to remember and NOT suited to a certain Scottish vinyl source of that era

There are a pair of AR90s around too in my little corner of Facebook Marketplace...really good shape, side grilles at all.

 

[jkasch]

A lot of ASR members seem to be pining big ole loudspeakers that wouldn’t test all that well these days.

 

[Sal1950]

A lot of ASR members seem to be pining big ole loudspeakers that wouldn’t test all that well these days.

Well many of them have fairly large homes and can collect those large ole speakers along with classic gear to compliment them.
Before my retirement and move to FL, my home in Chicago allowed me the room to set up a couple classic rigs in the kitchen, bedroom 3, basement, and
garage, I loved to play with some kool ole HiFi toys of my youth. Really miss those days but don't miss answering to an alarm clock.

 

[Jaxjax]

Those days are gone now, but my Gawd I do miss 'em... For me it was the ATC100As which could do 30Hz (I think they started to tail off below 35Hz), rolling off below and amps filtered below 20Hz regardless I seem to remember.

I don't really know many at all of the US made models of this period, except the AR LSTs which I loved and the odd JBL (I have a huge fondness for the JBL L65 Jubal I have to say, but Lord knows how they'd sound today - they were always considerably less coloured in the midrange I recall, than the L100/4310 of old - almost 'friendly' sounding

The ATC 100A & 150 is a dream for me. I had the Jubals, sent the woofer drivers off to a JBL expert for new surrounds. I waited forever for a good pair & they indeed were nice after all said & done. Then foolishly got an itch & sold them. It's difficult to find really nice examples anymore. ohhh & I did the felt too under the glass tops.

 

[MattHooper]

A lot of ASR members seem to be pining big ole loudspeakers that wouldn’t test all that well these days.

That’s part of the naughtiness and allure

 

[jkasch]

That’s part of the naughtiness and allure

ASR equivalent to talking dirty. “Those Revels are nice, but look at them Altecs!”

 

[Old_School_Brad]

A lot of ASR members seem to be pining big ole loudspeakers that wouldn’t test all that well these days.

Personally, I know what sounds good to me. Having collected Infinity Kappas for years, I’ve come to understand both how they sound and how they measure in my room.

I often advocate for vintage high-quality speakers (monkey cage or larger) because you simply have a hard time matching their performance and build for the same price with new ones -at least not within what I consider a reasonable budget. Even with a $20,000 budget, I’d still be looking at used gear to get the most value for the money.

Honestly, I can’t imagine what kind of budget it would take to match the performance of something like for example the Kappa 9 or 9.2i in today’s market -if it’s even possible outside of niche, ultra-high-end offerings.

It seems my user-name isn't arbitrary..

 

[dlaloum]

Personally, I know what sounds good to me. Having collected Infinity Kappas for years, I’ve come to understand both how they sound and how they measure in my room.

I often advocate for vintage high-quality speakers (monkey cage or larger) because you simply have a hard time matching their performance and build for the same price with new ones -at least not within what I consider a reasonable budget. Even with a $20,000 budget, I’d still be looking at used gear to get the most value for the money.

Honestly, I can’t imagine what kind of budget it would take to match the performance of something like for example the Kappa 9 or 9.2i in today’s market -if it’s even possible outside of niche, ultra-high-end offerings.

It seems my user-name isn't arbitrary..

I agree...

The best of 20 to 30 years ago, is still performing at least on a par with current speaker at more than double their current going prices... which makes vintage speakers great value.

The trick is finding good condition ones....

I hunted a pair of B&O Penta's to do surround duties in my 5.1.4 setup .... is it overkill, most certainly (!) - but they are attractive (WAF!) don't take much room, and provide performance that is well beyond anything I could look at that remotely would fit the WAF criteria while also working in my space.... when new in 1986, they sold for AU$15,000... (in todays money circa AU$50,000...) - in the normal B&O manner, the competition at that level of sound quality was selling for half the price.... but I only paid AU$500 for them...

If you have the patience, both to research, and then to find them in the market... there are loads of forgotten bargains out there.

And in terms of pure performance - the best of 40 years ago, is still damn good today - speakers are the area where there has been the least progress in terms of where the state of the art is today.... ultimately they are mechanical devices, and regardless how much wizardy you put into the DSP, the limits are still the same mechanical limits.
(and today's DSP wizardy can then be applied to the vintage designs to improve the vintage speakers too!)

 

[Mart68]

A lot of ASR members seem to be pining big ole loudspeakers that wouldn’t test all that well these days.

I reckon if we could get some of those old KEFs on the Klippel they'd make 'Happy Panther' status.

It's not all nostalgia (although there's an element of that).

 

[dlaloum]

I reckon if we could get some of those old KEFs on the Klippel they'd make 'Happy Panther' status.

It's not all nostalgia (although there's an element of that).

The now getting long in the tooth Quad ESL63's are well nigh identical to the current version.....

They are still, one of the lowest distortion speakers made today... yes there are (very minor) improvements in the lates version, from the original 1980's ESL63.... But heck, you can pick up a pair of 63's for circa US$1000 (I picked up a pair for US$600 but that was 30 years ago...)

And YES - they will outperform pretty much anything you can get under US$10,000

 

[Sal1950]

And YES - they will outperform pretty much anything you can get under US$10,000

??? I'd beg to seriously co differ with you on that one bro.
Yes the Quads could always deliver extremely detailed and mostly smooth midrange but,
they could never play louder that a good pair of headphones, had llimited bass response, a rolled off top, and would never have lasted
a week in my rig till I had lightning bolts shooting across the panels. LOL

 

[Mart68]

I've never been that keen on any panel or electrostatic speaker myself. Some things they do well, but too many compromises for me.

I have an ideal room for setting up dipoles but never been enthused enough to buy any.