Modern speakers vs Vintage speakers

[Addicted to hifi]

I find this topic very interesting But cart agree that vintage speakers sound as good as modern speakers.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

I agree with your opiniion.

Yesterday I dropped again in high end shop to listen to Magico A5 driven by Octave V80 amp, with source of DCS Bartok and Rossini clock.

The total cost is around 60k$.

it sounds accurate with nice detaiils and clean bass in pretty spacious shop ( 40ft by 30 ft and height of 10 ft).
It is hard to fault ( I may wish to have more dynamics as done by Avantgarde Trio)

But the sound out of vintage speakers are different just more natural.

I will not make judgement which is better between modern and vintage speaker.

I wish to have both depending on my mood.

to have both is a excellent idea.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

I have owned vintage imf,acoustic research,gales,klipschorns,infinitys but they all had weaknesses in there design Like lacking in clarity,resolution and detail.they all sounded good but today’s speakers are more than good sounding if you spend enough.

 

[thomask]

I find this topic very interesting But cart agree that vintage speakers sound as good as modern speakers.

Vintage speakers may lack details and clarity compared with modern high end speaker.

But they are musical and relaxing.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Vintage speakers may lack details and clarity compared with modern high end speaker.

But they are musical and relaxing.

Yes agree.I miss my imf rspm7 speakers.they were very musical and warm sounding.

 

[MarcelNL]

Why not get some Tesla ARO 835 or even better; some original Klangfilm KL405 (Kurt Müllers version if you can find those) and have a Bionor built (there is a guy in India making the horns, no idea if they are true to design), no filtering needed, add a great tweeter and be amazed about what sound you end up with for how little investment. (eeerrr that is relatively little, just 4 regular KL405's will set you back like 3-4 grand)

(I'm using three 835 units in a similar design)

 

[ddk]

I have owned vintage imf,acoustic research,gales,klipschorns,infinitys but they all had weaknesses in there design Like lacking in clarity,resolution and detail.they all sounded good but today’s speakers are more than good sounding if you spend enough.

It’s your choices not a general reflection of vintage speakers!

Vintage speakers may lack details and clarity compared with modern high end speaker.

But they are musical and relaxing.

At the top end they lack nothing and in some cases their detail and resolution is unmatched by any modern speaker. A mediocre or poor design is just that irrespective of production era.

david

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Hoping to avoid a discussion about vintage versus modern speakers....Vintage IMO is not necessarily the 70-ies, go back in time a bit further and there are speakers that create a magically natural sound that is very hard to find in modern speakers. I second what Bonzo75 said, dual woofer FLH is IMO one of the best designs, depending on what units they are made with

It’s your choices not a general reflection of vintage speakers!


At the top end they lack nothing and in some cases their detail and resolution is unmatched by any modern speaker. A mediocre or poor design is just that irrespective of production era.

david

There’s no way vintage speakers are as good as modern speakers.technology in speakers has come a long way,but everyone to there own.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

It’s your choices not a general reflection of vintage speakers!


At the top end they lack nothing and in some cases their detail and resolution is unmatched by any modern speaker. A mediocre or poor design is just that irrespective of production era.

david

I do like the sound of vintage speakers but not as much as good modern ones.

 

[thomask]

It’s your choices not a general reflection of vintage speakers!


At the top end they lack nothing and in some cases their detail and resolution is unmatched by any modern speaker. A mediocre or poor design is just that irrespective of production era.

david

Genuine Western Electric system can match any top high end systme in details and resolution, but they are costly and hard to get them in good condition.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Genuine Western Electric system can match any top high end systme in details and resolution, but they are costly and hard to get them in good condition.

Never heard western electric but have seen pictures of there speakers.I remember them being very big.

 

[thomask]

Never heard western electric but have seen pictures of there speakers.I remember them being very big.

Mr Chung had been my friend for 20 years and I had chance to listen to his system often.

But I could not afford them.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Genuine Western Electric system can match any top high end systme in details and resolution, but they are costly and hard to get them in good condition.

Thanks for sharing the video.I was right they are big.

 

[morricab]

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Yesterday the wedding of my son was done beautuflly in front of 100 guests.

I dropped in some audio shops in Seoul, Korea today.


1. I listened to Magico A5 driven by Sim Audio integrated.

The owner of shop mentioned that Octave vacuum amp fitted with KT150 is the best to drive A5, but not ready for audition today.

Even driven by Sim Audio integrated, A5 sounds fast and clean

It is really good for the money.

I am not sure whether I have enough motivation to replace Lansche 4.1 by Magico A5.

But if I have fresh start with budget of 25K$ on speaker, A5 is hard to beat.


2. Then I dropped in the vintage audio shop where I auditioned full 3 way Western Electric system valued at 300k$ two years ago.

The one that I auditioned had been sold.

But I had listeded to JBL Hartzfield early version(three way) in excellent condition.

It really sounds warm an moving.

I got tempted to pull the trigger for JBL at 35k$.


Then I had listened to Altec A800 early version in pristine condition.

I got blown away by the sound driven by Altec 1520 T vacuum amplifier.

It sounds natural with effortless dynamics and good extensiion on both treble and bass.

It sounds excellent for both vocal and orchestral music.


I had bought Altec A7 speakers located in Vancouver, Canada two months ago at 1000 CDN(800 USD) for pair of speakers.

I expect to pick it up after being back to Washinton State next week.

But I am not sure whether Altec A7 will sound as good as Altec A800.


With Lansche 4.1 still working fine, I may not need to add Magico A5.

But I am tempted to add Altec A800 at reasonable price in addition to Altec A7.

I love the Hartsfields! Especially the last iteration that had the 075 tweeter (without it is rolled off a bit much in the highs). If the tweeter had been on the version you heard I bet you would have pulled the trigger.

 

[MarcelNL]

once size starts to matter for speaker design sound quality usually is leaving the room....I'm going to end up installing a wall section to contain the baffles and horns for my 'Trionor' design, currently sitting at 220cm by 220 cm by 85cm deep.

 

[morricab]

I find this topic very interesting But cart agree that vintage speakers sound as good as modern speakers.

WHat about modern horns and/or high sensitivity speakers? I can't really agree with your list regarding the best sounding modern speakers. I think there are other modern speakers that are possibly better than vintage but not the ones you mentioned. The best vintage speakers deliver so effortlessly (many of them were not really designed for home use but for cinema or studio originially) with dynamics that normal box/cone/dome speakers struggle with. There are some modern designs with pro (or pro style) drivers (Like Goebbel Divin series) that compete to be the best or horns (like Aries Cerat Symphonia as an example).

 

[morricab]

I have owned vintage imf,acoustic research,gales,klipschorns,infinitys but they all had weaknesses in there design Like lacking in clarity,resolution and detail.they all sounded good but today’s speakers are more than good sounding if you spend enough.

Not the best of vintage by a long shot...

 

[morricab]

There’s no way vintage speakers are as good as modern speakers.technology in speakers has come a long way,but everyone to there own.

You clearly haven't heard the best from the past or you would be a bit less sure of yourself.

 

[MarcelNL]

IMO it all comes down to the implementation of, and intrinsic quality a particular driver has and also to what you are looking for in your sound....too often people are somehow seeking a sound that has little to do with real sound, to each his own.

 

[Al M.]

There’s no way vintage speakers are as good as modern speakers.technology in speakers has come a long way,but everyone to there own.

The assessment of vintage vs modern will greatly depend on what the listener is looking for and what their priorities are, and what the electronic environment around the speakers is.

"Objective" assessments often will come down to just subjective preferences and individual choices. Also assessments of what "real" sound is as a reference.

As so often in high end audio.