My Personal 5 Favorite Vintage Speakers!

There are MY favorite vintage speakers of all time (for now).

Check out our store:

Join this channel to get access to perks:

Follow us on Instagram

Find us on Facebook

#vintageaudio #vintagehifi #vintagespeakers

[garykittleson]

Selling my ADS L710's was a mistake, and I regretted it as soon as they left. When I put them on Craigslist with a bunch of other good vintage equipment for a garage sale, I had a guy drive an hour and arrive early to buy them before anyone else showed up. I had them set up to demo with a NAD 7155 when he rolled up. We listened for a nice long time while I brought out and wired up my other sale stuff. His absolute joy helped me get over my melancholy. I still have a great little walnut set of ADS 300's (not the L300) in a near-field setup over my workbench. The clarity and richness of those little boxes have amazed me for decades. And they look just cool.

[AKASHAXJ]

" Only an issue for the audiophiles who are too scared to play with their knobs. I'll let you in on a secret, sometimes I push the loudness THX it's been a while since I've laughed that hard!!

[ArKay-njnh]

In 1977 I bought a pair of Tannoy Berkleys, liked them so much I picked up a pair of Ardens. I believe they were about $1500 for the pair. Some times I would flip the Berkleys upside down and stack them on top of the Ardens. Ten years later I was stacking 2 pairs of Ardens for Parties for our Camaro Club.

[ccrm]

I have 2 sets of the AR 4x speakers and I will never give them up. This was a great video, I have never heard of some of these speakers. I will now need to try to get a pair of one of these. Thanks!

[scanspeak]

I had the Boston Acoustics A100 as my first hi-fi speakers in the mid 1980s. It was the speaker that got me addicted to hi-fi, such a huge leap from the regular mid-fi speakers I had grown up with. Years later I built my own loudspeakers based on the wide-baffle design and they have been my love for over a decade now. Great video!

[jackdelal]

I have the JBL 4312A for 40 years and it is still perfect!

[jaybickford]

Hi Kevin, I'm glad you mentioned ESS as an Honorable Mention, as the ESS amt 1b is currently my favorite vintage speaker. I fell in love with them back in High School when they were new, but of course couldn't afford them at that point. Fortunately, I found a really nice pair here in the Twin Cities a few years ago, and they have been my primary speakers ever since. If you haven't already had a chance to listen to this particular ESS speaker, I hope you will get the opportunity to at some time in the future. They are really quite special.

[Techno.Junkie]

Always enjoy your presentations. I was a bench tech at Audio Genesis, Glens Falls, NY 79-81. Picked up a Pioneer SX 1050 someone traded in for a song, it’s connected to a pair of AR 2X’s in the living room & AR 8’s in the large kitchen. Keep the videos & knowledge coming & enjoy the Holidays.

[Vandyfw]

I have owned my ADS L710s since the late 70’s. I love them. They out perform my very pricey B&W 700 series. I did add a sub to supplement the low end. I highly recommend ADS. They are incredibly well built.

[timd]

My Boston A150's blow people away with their punch and clarity. Highly agree with your choices Kevin.

[swinde]

I still have my pair of AR-3a speakers from 1970. They sold for $250.00 Each at the time or $500.00 a pair. They are a classic speaker.
Before AR came out with the AR-LST, one of their "blurbs" was: "This is the best speaker we know how to make". The entire AR line sounded amazingly similar with the trade-offs as you went lower in price was more roleoff at low frequencies and less dispersion of the midrange and high frequencies, but the character of the sound remained the same.

[mikemccallister]

I first saw/listened to the DQ-10 in 1983 and knew I had to have a pair. I finally got my DQ-10's last year for $300 including the DQ-MX1 and the Dahlquist subwoofer. I'm missing the wire mesh cover on the back of the speakers and there was no grill cloth but I left them like for the longest time just because they looked so industrial that way.

[gdemirjian]

Klipsch kg4 are my current fav vintage speakers. Great video. Thanks.

[NCislander]

I agree, I miss my set of ADS speakers from back in the day (1980's). Now have them on my radar once more after this reminder. Thanks for all you do out here Kevin.

[danwheetman]

Shhh…don’t talk about ads, they are still affordable. I have the 810’s, 1090’s and the 1290’s and they are so sweet. You can lose yourself and listen all day long without fatigue. I’m a believer.

[danab]

I never much thought about vintage speakers (have always loved older electronics) until I chanced upon a pair of Celestion Ditton 551 that I ended up restoring and I LOVE them.

[garthkolbeck]

I have two sets of speakers. One set is a 1980's set of Sanyo's that my nice neighbor gave to me as she was putting them out for the trash collection. My second set are early 70's Pioneers that I trash picked out of the remains of a failed yard sale. Yes, both sets have worked perfectly for years right out of the trash pile. I've never had speakers this great and this reliable. Hooked up to a Sony modern 99's home stereo receiver (set on two channel stereo set to zero eq no pre sets) the Sony was given to me by my ex wife after she got them in a free trade swap and didn't want the receiver. I sold off the seven little speakers. My turntable is a Technics that was given to me by friends who went all in on CD in the 90's. Cost of system, $000.00.

[patmeadows]

Hello Kevin. Another great topic and presentation. My personal faves from the 70's; Dynaco A25 and A35. OLA (Original Large Advents) I had them double stacked. The NLA (New Large Advents) and the Boston A200.

[timothyjudsontaylorofficia]

I had a pair of Boston A400’s and Polk SDA1’s with phase link. Between the two, the Bostons won hands down. Another truly great speaker was a set of industrial grade La Scala’s with Crites upgrades. Many others came and went. Thanks for the share.

[karaDee]

Love the review you gave on all the speakers and as always I value your opinion. Don't ever apologize for what you like.