Vintage Speakers Worth Owning Today?

[sergeauckland]

I second Yamaha NS1000s, especially when triamped with active crossovers!

I did that with my B&W 801f loudspeakers. Bought a pair of fairly scruffy ones, but they were complete, working, and with grilles and hoods. Took out the passive crossover and replaced it with a DSP crossover and equaliser. Once working properly, had the cabinets reveneered by a local furniture restorer. Definitely keepers, and at a total cost of around £2250 including the reveneering, less than I could buy anything comparable, even used.

I also have a pair of JR149s in my study, which although having nothing of the scale of the 801s, still manage to sound lovely at low volumes. Got those free from a friend who thought them too big. Listening to some Sony Stitt with Oscar Peterson on them as I type.

Old 'speakers if well maintained and restored as necessary are well worth pursuing.

S.

 

[SIY]

Quad 63, AR-LST, NHT 3.3, Acoustat 2+2...

 

[GeorgeWalk]

I have an original pair of Klipsch Heresys I bought in 1976. Over the years, I have replaced the seals on the horns, replaced the crossovers, and had the woofers reconed. All relatively cheap compared the the cost of a new pair of Heresys. I love them and would never part with them.

 

[Sal1950]

Once working properly, had the cabinets reveneered by a local furniture restorer.

The woodwork looks beautiful.

 

[Sal1950]

Old speakers, like vintage electronics have their charms. Up in Chicago I had 3 vintage systems going, nice mono stuff all. One in the kitchen, basement, and garage. I find stereo pretty much irrelevant if I can't sit in the sweet spot to enjoy the imaging. Amazing how smooth this stuff can sound (tubes and top end roll off). To me Vintage means pre 1970.

 

[watchnerd]

If you're into the whole big boxy imposing speaker thing, with big woofers, you either have to go vintage or DIY something. There are very few speaker makers interesting in making or selling that type of speaker anymore, especially if you want a nice wood veneer.

There do seem to be exceptions coming back to market, albeit not sealed:

Klipsch Cornwall IV:

Tannoy Legacy Arden:

Comment:

I've never heard nor seen either one of these in person.

 

[sergeauckland]

The woodwork looks beautiful.

Thanks. Even better in the flesh. Zebrano veneer, and beautifully done. The guy who did it normally restores antiques, and this was the first time anyone asked him to do loudspeakers. The octagonal structure was a challenge, he said.

S

 

[Frank Dernie]

Yamaha NS 1000 M ... My father had it and we loved it ( SHould never have parted ways with it, We did keep the CA 2010 that powered it) I would like to re-audition this speaker to assess how it fares with modern designs ...
Technics SB-7000. never heard it but I know the Japanese were unto something back then; too bad these efforts were mostly ignored by Western Audiophiles.
Perhaps Altec Lansing Voice of the Theater

I would second this.
I bought a pair over 40 years ago and would never sell them, though they are now in my bedroom and get used only when I am ill, which isn't often.
They have lower distortion than most conventional speakers, even now.
I heard that the tweeters are fragile and can be damaged if a lower power than needed amp is driven into amp clipping with them.
I could happily go back to them as mu only speakers.

 

[watchnerd]

I second Yamaha NS1000s, especially when triamped with active crossovers!

I did that with my B&W 801f loudspeakers. Bought a pair of fairly scruffy ones, but they were complete, working, and with grilles and hoods. Took out the passive crossover and replaced it with a DSP crossover and equaliser. Once working properly, had the cabinets reveneered by a local furniture restorer. Definitely keepers, and at a total cost of around £2250 including the reveneering, less than I could buy anything comparable, even used.

View attachment 37454
I also have a pair of JR149s in my study, which although having nothing of the scale of the 801s, still manage to sound lovely at low volumes. Got those free from a friend who thought them too big. Listening to some Sony Stitt with Oscar Peterson on them as I type.

Old 'speakers if well maintained and restored as necessary are well worth pursuing.

S.

That looks amazing.

Was the crossover degraded and thus the reason to move to DSP, or was it just for fun?

 

[MRC01]

... However, very few 30+ year old speakers will still meet their specifications.

My 20-year old Mag 3.6/R still meet their specifications, according to my REW measurements.
Will they still do that 10 years from now? Will I still have them 10 years from now? Who knows?

 

[Snarfie]

Currently listning to IMF Compact II monitors for close monitoring - JK Acoustic Optima 3 an Vandersteen Model1B full range speakers used for imaging & depth. All speakers ar 30 years or older so they qualify beeing Vintage i guess. The thing is when i start using room correction software they sounded way better than before in my horrible acoustic room. Whithout the roomcorrection i would listen 90% less.

JK's are down left on the ground. Sometimes i change de Vandersteens for the JK's. Probably the JK's will be sold overall de Vandersteens are much better in setting a solid stage image.

 

[pierre]

I have a pair of 3a andante, completely flat on axis from 30hz, semi active, with already control for various positions, more info Here. My pair came with individual measurement and an Acoustic primer (in French). It would nice if modern brand could do half of that.

I am trying to find a pair of Reference 120 but no luck so far.

 

[Snarfie]

I second Yamaha NS1000s, especially when triamped with active crossovers!

I did that with my B&W 801f loudspeakers. Bought a pair of fairly scruffy ones, but they were complete, working, and with grilles and hoods. Took out the passive crossover and replaced it with a DSP crossover and equaliser. Once working properly, had the cabinets reveneered by a local furniture restorer. Definitely keepers, and at a total cost of around £2250 including the reveneering, less than I could buy anything comparable, even used.

View attachment 37454
I also have a pair of JR149s in my study, which although having nothing of the scale of the 801s, still manage to sound lovely at low volumes. Got those free from a friend who thought them too big. Listening to some Sony Stitt with Oscar Peterson on them as I type.

Old 'speakers if well maintained and restored as necessary are well worth pursuing.

S.

The B&W's looking great was thinking to buy a pair here in holland. Did you measur them using room correction?.

 

[gene_stl]

Waahoo!! Just snagged a very beatiful pair of NS1000s!!!!

 

[FrantzM]

Waahoo!! Just snagged a very beatiful pair of NS1000s!!!!

Hate You!!!

 

[watchnerd]

Currently listning to IMF Compact II monitors for close monitoring - JK Acoustic Optima 3 an Vandersteen Model1B full range speakers used for imaging & depth. All speakers ar 30 years or older so they qualify beeing Vintage i guess. The thing is when i start using room correction software they sounded way better than before in my horrible acoustic room. Whithout the roomcorrection i would listen 90% less.

JK's are down left on the ground. Sometimes i change de Vandersteens for the JK's. Probably the JK's will be sold overall de Vandersteens are much better in setting a solid stage image.

That room......

Yikes.

Have you considered an area rug?

 

[Julf]

Was the crossover degraded and thus the reason to move to DSP, or was it just for fun?

When I did that to my Linn Isobariks, it was because DSP allows much more sophisticated control and steeper slopes without a lot of ill effects.

 

[Snarfie]

That room......

Yikes.

Have you considered an area rug?

It's the current mancave will be modified in due time when i have choosen the final setup.

 

[watchnerd]

I would second this.
I bought a pair over 40 years ago and would never sell them, though they are now in my bedroom and get used only when I am ill, which isn't often.
They have lower distortion than most conventional speakers, even now.
I heard that the tweeters are fragile and can be damaged if a lower power than needed amp is driven into amp clipping with them.
I could happily go back to them as mu only speakers.

When I was in college (late 80s, early 90s), I dated a girl well past the point of when we should have broken up because:

--She had a pair of Yamaha NS 10000M that she didn't like and were thus on permanent loan to me

--She had a vintage 1972 Ford Mustang Mach I convertible with a 351 Cleveland V8 that she hated to drive so "made me" drive it

 

[restorer-john]

When I was in college (late 80s, early 90s), I dated a girl well past the point of when we should have broken up because:

--She had a pair of Yamaha NS 10000M that she didn't like and were thus on permanent loan to me

--She had a vintage 1972 Ford Mustang convertible with a 351 Cleveland V8 that she hated to drive so "made me" drive it

Did you get them in the divorce too?