Altec 755C: The world’s best high efficiency single driver antique bookshelf speaker?

[Three quid]

Does line magnetic sell that driver on its own?

 

[beaur]

Just wondering if someone had compared WE 755 with the Line Magnetic or GIP replicas.
Since the prices of original WE 755 skyrocket and matched pairs are literally unobtanium, it should be a good choice to test and compare them.

I have heard all three back to back. The issue with comparing was each was in a different enclosure. Some people criticize the newer reproductions, but I think they sound pretty good, especially if you don't have an original. Overall I like the original better, as it has that tone I enjoy. Next would be the GIP and very close behind the LM. You wouldn't go wrong with either of those if you liked what either had to offer. I could be mistaken, but I think the newer ones went for a "fuller" range and didn't nail the midrange like the older versions.

Beau

 

[djsina2]

I don’t see a 755 type driver on the GIP site. Is it still being made?

 

[je2a3]

I have heard all three back to back. The issue with comparing was each was in a different enclosure. Some people criticize the newer reproductions, but I think they sound pretty good, especially if you don't have an original. Overall I like the original better, as it has that tone I enjoy. Next would be the GIP and very close behind the LM. You wouldn't go wrong with either of those if you liked what either had to offer. I could be mistaken,

Thanks for your thoughts! I've only heard WE and Altec 755A, C and E.

..but I think the newer ones went for a "fuller" range and didn't nail the midrange like the older versions...

Beau

This is always the problem when extending the frequency extremes, the midrange always suffers.

 

[Walter66]

"Its bandwidth, narrowed to the essentials compared to "modern" sound transducers, leads to concentration on the essentials when listening. In doing so, the listener does not miss the slightest thing, but rather rapidly falls prey to a degree of sonic magic that must unfortunately be considered extinct, just like the perfect temporal cohesion of this loudspeaker, which degrades the vast majority of current multi-way designs to a sound puzzle with clearly audible interfaces. "
That's my opinion, having some listening experience with WE speakers, too. After hearing them, I've had zero strive towards such modern speaker constructions anymore. They just fail to impress me anymore but on the opposite, scared me with their inability to establish acoustic magic in the experience like the old designs did. Their qualities couldn't be analyzed by measuring them, just by auditioning.