Vintage or new speakers?

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Given the incredibly low prices for used loudspeakers is it better to buy vintage or go with new?
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Another advantage with vintage gear: if you find they don't give you the sound you're after, you can probably sell them on for about what you paid for them. With new speakers you could be taking a 50% hit on the resale value.

thisisnev
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I have a pair of Wharfedale W60D speakers I purchased in 1968 and they still sound great with the new CDs. They don't need much power. With their solid walnut (real wood) cabinets they weigh 50 pounds each. They contain a 12" woofer, 6" midrange, and a 3" tweeter each. In 1968 they cost an entire week's pay each, but they have been a good investment. I even tried to replace them with Bose 901 speakers in the eighties but the Bose didn't sound any better so I returned them to the store. I still have my Bang & Olufsen Cd player from 1986 which still sounds as good as any new CD system. I recently had it refurbished because I couldn't find anything new with the same quality. You are right--vintage speakers are fantastic. Besides at my age (75) I probably couldn't hear any difference.

robertbrumbaugh
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I have a pair of 8" woofers that were made in 1957. They are in a pair of speakers right now, along with some other drivers made in 1960. They are being powered by amplifiers that are around 20 years old (turn of the century), based on circuit designs from the 1930's. They are my favorite amps, I have three of them. Newer is not always better.

johnlebeau
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I only own vintage speakers, and I always go for ones with rubberized surrounds! As long as you keep them out of the sun there is nothing to worry about. Great video as always Paul, really appreciate the time you take to answer these questions.

mechanicalslrlounge
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I'm watching this as I am accumulating vintage and older headphones and monitors. Just got a set of Bowers and Wilkins headphones for like $35, a $600 MSRP monitor for $25, and another pair of amplified monitors for 40$... not bad for 100$. IT ALL JAMS

BericBuilds
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Just bought the Infinity IRS Beta for a really great deal. Looking to set up the system with some state of the art equipments back in the days and recreate the glory experience!

sampolin
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Perfect example here would be the lovely set of Infinity IRS Delta/Gammas for sale right now on ebay! About $4k for the set. Id buy those over say a brand new set of Klipsch RF7-IIIs any day of the week!

AllboroLCD
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I had a pair of Kenwood KLA-900 speakers back in the mid/late 80's, great stuff. I miss my old analog stereo set up I had.

danielkbarton
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4:10
Holy sh!t ... I've got that same drill set that's sitting on your bench. I've also got a pair of B&W 801 Matrix II's that I doubt I'll ever part with.

thecarman
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I can testify that my vintage Sony APM-66ES MKII are much more musical and overall it does everything better than my more recently crafted TAOC-FC-3000. Past technologies can give us a good surprise. Another example but not in loudspeakers is my Sony CDP-R1 and DAS-R1 first put for sale in 1987 although mine was bought in 1992. The feeling one has hearing that combo is like real music. Rich aren't deaf and weren't deaf 30 years ago when, for instance, the Infinity IRS were made. Paul listens his reference vintage Infinity loudspeakers as a reference even today. Nonetheless, having some electronics skills can be convenient if only to check everything is in order or if a failure arises later. The real danger for vintage gear are the incompetent repairmen that can destroy beyond recovery some priceless units. I don't recommend to buy modified gear, always original parts and circuit.

salvadorrodenas
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I still listen to my old Jbl L300 Summit i bought 1984 . The best i ever herd combined with my own 845 se amp

drivethrou
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You are right about the surround problem. I had to "dump" some Paradigm Titans from 2000, because the surrounds on the woofers deteriorated bad.

bikdav
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I'm using a pair of Acoustic Research AR94 speakers. I've had to refoam the woofers, but they sound (to me) at least as good as when I bought them back in the early 1980s. I have newer speakers but they don't have the same magic.

Crumbleofborg
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I picked up a pretty mint pair of Vandersteen Model 2Ce speakers last week with original stands. I’m quite happy with them.

AlexKnightVancouver
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My 1996 Infinity Compositions Overture 3's have rebuild amplifiers but are stil going strong. They sound amazing for being 25 years old.

flipheijnsbergen
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Agreed. There is a large $ premium on new speakers. If you can forgo the brand-new furniture aspect, then a great old brand that was well regarded is a great deal. Surrounds can be replaced and at some point, capacitors can be upgraded, and they will sound better than new. And you don't have to break them in.

odizcvw
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The problem with vintage is, not everything should be classified as vintage. Many gear out there is mediocre at best and being sold as if it's " pure vintage"

I seen the revival of old Japanese bo box style speakers. Crappy off set drivers in a cheap particle box . Being hailed as *vintage must haves*

Lots of research should be done prior and really knowing what you buy. I bought couple years ago a rs1b in bad shape. I sold it for more than double I put into it.

Then the refoaming point, it's cheap to do and very easy to do yourself. I've fixed plenty of vintage speakers mostly infinity emits, emims can be restored too now (thanks to Bob Douglas from American vintage audio that offers the diaphragms)

Magnepans done plenty of those too, it's rewarding aslong as you know what you're buying.

MichelLinschoten
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My IRS IIIa's are close to 40 years old. Like said, it's all on how they were taken care of. At the same time, I've seen some junk be refurbed in great again. Quality internal parts are cheap and available.

finscreenname
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Great question! I have an old Creek amp (90s), so I sourced some Mission 70s that I thought they would be a good match. Paul is right, buy “in good condition” if you can.

Barryer
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I picked up a set of old Polk with hell for stout cabinets (RTi100). Then diy all the drivers and crossovers from a kit that matched the basic design of the cabinet. I go back and forth between these and a much more expensive PAP Trio10 Mundorf AMT. Honestly happy to listen to either the cheap diy setup or the big guns.

christianjforbes