Can Speakers From 1970s Sound Better Than Modern Speakers?

#Vintagespeakers #Vintageaudio #Speakers

[Jayiyagi]

Hey everyone ! Sorry about the terrible quality of the video. Didn't think I was going to do a video on it and got rushed last minute ! Anyways I think ive said everything I wanted to say one way or the other in the video

[LILRIPPER]

JBL stands for James B. Lansing. He was a pioneer developer who broke off from Altec Lannsing who was mainly involved in the professional side of the music business. Altec studio monitors the famous "604" was more widely used by professional recording studios than all other brands combined. They also made professional stage systems which were used by all the "old groups" Rolling Stones, Beetles Etc. Earlier they were part of Western Electric (Telephone)which designed them in their state of the art, Bell Laboratories. One speaker that they designed back in the 50's was the designated the "755" it is still known as the best 8 inch speaker ever developed. In the 50's Western Electric was broken-up because it had become a monopoly. Harmon Kardon has the rights to the "Altec Lansing" name.

[Nicnackity]

For a young guy, you nailed it better then any other reviewer I’ve heard. You are not just pushing new products. Excellent and soooo true.

[mikejames-drummerreginacan]

JBL made a full professional line AND a full home audio line in the 1970's ...home models: L 26, L36, L50, Jubal, L100, L200 and L300

[greenmonalisa]

1:50 music lovers listen to the music. Audiophiles listen to their gear.

[rotorfix]

I've encountered a couple vintage speakers that can match the refinement of most modern $4K/pair models. Imaging is often a weak point as you noted, but I believe that's mostly because large woofers were commonplace back then. Most modern speakers with large woofers also fail to image as well as a small bookshelf speaker with </= 7" midwoofer, especially concerning 2-way speakers where the woofer handles much of the midrange duties.

Considering all the technology and build quality in those L300s, I'd bet a modern speaker of comparable quality would cost at least $5K/pair.

The real question is, if vintage speakers tend to let one relax and enjoy the music more than modern designs, has speaker technology really advanced at all?

[Lee.Higginbotham]

I have a brand new yamaha amp A-S1200 and still using my Kenwood 777D's I bought back in 1976. My technics 1200 GR sounds great playing thru them. 🎸🎸🎸

[danielethier]

Thanks for the great video an the walk through memory lane.
Had a friend from the 70s who had jbl 15s which he had the cabinets professionally customized to suit these. If my memory serves me well, he was also using the altec model 19 horns along with the altec crossovers. He was using a tube amplifier and preamp to drive these. He was very fortunate to own a fairly large house in which his speakers were positioned for optimal sound quality and the bottom end that could compete with an earthquake.
All's this to say...for all you audiophiles who still posses these rare vintage systems...hang on to them, for the quality and the ambiance that they produce will never be surpassed.

[Billfish]

Getting the right room, or the room right, will do more to improve the sound than any single thing you can change in your stereo system. Also, combining McIntosh and JBL's is a sweat sound that I love. In the 70's and 80's, it was the best I could do and I still miss it sometimes.

[morayjames]

I have a set of JBL L200B which are the two way version with all Alnico drivers, the tweeter horn is similar to the mid horn in your L300 but it is a little bit shorter. I have found that the optical diffraction style lens while providing the designed dispersion messes up the stage and the image of the loudspeaker. You might want to experiment with listening to your trumpets without the diffraction lens on, they are held in place with Velcro tabs and they are easily removed/replaced. I much prefer the sound of the trumpets without the lens. Great Plains Audio (who are Altec today) can recharge all your Alnico motors and rebuild your horn drivers to better than new. With hard play Alnico magnets do loose magnetic strength but they can be re charged. Magnetic loss is due to excessive heat buildup over time with very high level playback. the mid horn of the L300 and the tweeter of the L200 are truly magical sounding drivers. These aluminum diaphragm drivers can be over driven and if the diaphragms slap the phase plug they will work harden and crack eventually. If you hear a pair that fail to amaze you they have damaged diaphragms. JBL rebuilds are available but VERY expensive but take heart Radian have replacement diaphragms which many prefer to the factory original. Thanks for posting.

[Guitar]

Even recorded on your iPhone and then compressed by YouTube the detail in those speakers that I can hear is just from another world

[ebiros]

The L300 was designed after JBL's 4333 monitor speaker, that used 3/4" particle board but after designing the L300, which was made out of 1" particle board, they found that :L300 had better bass and redesigned the 4333 into 4333A that used the thicker material for the enclosure.

[tonychand]

Great video. I restored a pair of AR-2ax speakers. Replaced caps and added a resistor also bypassed the pots. I love these speakers, , so musical. I'll never get rid of them. When I'm gone my boys can fight over them.

[russmaleartist]

I agree. I have a set of Dahlquist DQ10s, that has gone through some upgrades. In fact, recently I converted these speakers from passive speakers to active speakers. I am using a DBX DriveTrack PA2 to do the digital crossovers . . . and I have to say that the details, the bass control, the lack of distortion, etc. is outstanding.

[gerryk]

My Speakers I purchased in 1978 Have been Amazing Me ALL THESE YEARS !!!
MY SYSTEM IS HOOKED UP TO MY VIDEO SYSTEM AND THE IMAGING AND ACCURACY BLOW ME AWAY !!! TODAY I WAS WATCHING AN EPISODE OF A TV SHOW: SNEAKY PETE !! I ACTUALLY THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS KNOCKING ON MY FRONT DOOR !!! INFINITY QLS-1’s (1978)

[NATIVESUNSETS]

Those old Big watt Silver faced Receivers really pack a punch with the older Speakers I bet a Sansui G-33000 – 300 WPC, Marantz 2600 – 300 WPC, Technics SA-1000 – 330 WPC, Pioneer SX-1980 – 270 WPC to name a few would make those JBL's put out a sound second to none.

[JimButler]

The vaned acoustic lense that you were discussing is a diffuser and as you were explaining, it disperses the sound. The purpose of that, is to minimize directionality so that the sound will appear to be coming from the general area and not a specific point. This actually does help with imaging.

[mikemadden]

Equalizers were & still are the trick for fixing funky speakers & crummy recordings!
They work with speakers & recordings from any era, old or new, vintage or modern.

[ara]

Yes is the answer. You feel it with those JBLs. The scale and bass response out weigh so many modern speakers. They are also very smooth and detailed sounding, not fatiguing. Many so called higher end speakers leave me feeling very underwhelmed with gutless bass and tiring listening. JBLs are beautiful sounding.

[ddmau]

We had a company picnic one hot summer day in the forest preserves . The stereo we used was 2 pairs of JBL 200's, a preamp and a PHASE LINEAR
700 watt RMS amplifier! I swear it sounded like ZEPPELIN was live !