Vintage Speakers still rock

[kach22i]

I heard a lot of speakers at the recent AK-Fest, and have to say some of the old stuff just sounded "right" when compared to the new stuff. Which was like a young kid trying to hard to impress.

Hat's off to these old Infinity 4.5's............................they had the right stuff.
http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x295/kach22i/AK-FEST 2010/?start=20

 

[RBFC]

I remember hearing the Infinity RS1Bs at Sid Marks' (classic recordings writer for the Absolute Sound) apartment in NYC around 20 years ago. He had tweaked them a bit. The original Decca LP of Rigoletto with Pavarotti was playing and the sound was breathtaking! Although the IRS has been said to have "integration" difficulties, some of the slightly smaller models offered spectacular sound.

Lee

 

[kach22i]

Yea, but were they "digital ready" speakers?

Remember some were saying 20 years ago that you had to get new speakers to get the most out of your $17.00 CD's. The high cost of entry actually kept me content with my turntable until about 1991 when I bought my first CD player/changer.

Speaker companies were almost required to advertise themselves as "Digital Ready".

That's one silly phrase I'm glad died out.

Or is it still around?

 

[nsgarch]

I heard a lot of speakers at the recent AK-Fest, and have to say some of the old stuff just sounded "right" when compared to the new stuff. Which was like a young kid trying to hard to impress.

I had a pair of those George, right before I bought my CLSII-Z's. They were bi-amped with big Brystons; and though in a nice big room with high ceilings, I could never get them to image worth a damn!

 

[JackD201]

In hindsight, I remember when you could count great imaging speakers that were not little monitors with the fingers of one hand. They already could do the other stuff very well though.

 

[kach22i]

This might sound odd, but the hand you see in one of the photos is not mine. A young man was checking out the speakers and touched the sponge foam absorber adjacent to the tweeters. In horror and shock he (and I) saw the two deep fingerprints he left. The sponge foam lost it's spring back, I tried to ease his guilt by saying the imprints may come back out over time, perhaps taking months to do so.

Just perhaps the foam has changed character enough to improve imaging.

I think if these speakers were made today, the blank panel area adjacent to the EMMIT ribbon tweeters would not exist. The designer today being free of rectangular shapes unlike in the era of the 60's, 70's and 80's would allow them to stand free.

Similar to this:
http://www.newformresearch.com/r630v3.htm

 

[kach22i]

Based on looks alone, I'd say these old speakers still rock. I've not seen or heard of these before, they are cooooooooool.

B&W Bowers & Wilkins DM70
http://loudspeaker-repair-service.reromanus.net/refurbish_DM70.htm

 

[JackD201]

I never knew they made stats. Great find Kach!

 

[jadis]

I had listened to the 4.5s several times in the 80s. I think in those days, it was the 'flagship' of Infinity. Then came the RS 1 and 1B (I owned its younger brother the 3B). Then the IRS Beta. Well, technically the IRS was the flagship, till the 5 series, but in those days, it was called 'expensive' at something like $20,000. Today, it may not even buy a pair of bookshelf speakers.

 

[RBFC]

I heard the 4.5s about 35 years ago and it was the first time I'd heard an acoustic guitar sound pretty real to me. Couldn't afford them then, but never forgot that demo.

Lee

 

[kach22i]

I did not add this caption, but it is funny.

http://www.syer.net/dahlquist.htm

That's a B&W DM-70, clearly confused by one of a pair of nattily dressed Dahlquist DM-10s that showed up the other day.

 

[kach22i]

Another speaker vintage I have not seen or heard before.

SAE stats
http://www.burchardgalleries.com/auctions/2009/jul2609/01images/l324.htm

First found here:
http://www.burchardgalleries.com/auctions/2009/jul2609/full_catalog_page7.htm

PAIR SAE MARK XIV WALNUT ELECTROSTATIC SPEAKERS: Circa mid 1970's. Originally retailed for $1800. Measures 43'' h. x 24'' x 18 1/2''
CONDITION: While all components appear to be in working condition, we cannot guarantee as such. Not damage to one inside corner.

 

[RBFC]

I remember looking at those SAE speakers in 1974. I bought the SAE amp and preamp that year, but didn't go for the speakers. At the time, it was considered pretty good gear.

Lee

 

[kach22i]

http://cabinet-of-wonders.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html

.................from Japan in the 1930s

 

[flez007]

I still beleive old Avalons, particulary Ascents and Eclipses, do have a better timbre and less colour than new ones, and still miss some of the fun factor old JBLs (L300 and L65 in particular). Such is life...

 

[Ki Choi]

Yamaha NS-1000Ms were pleasant surprise. Actually I think they sound better than more modern B&W N800s in the same room with same electronics. My wife agrees... It is also mind blowing to know that Yamaha had insight to use Beryllium tweeter and mid drivers in 1970s...that's almost forty years ago...before anyone else. I could have never afford them in 1970s but found them locally at a reasonable price and yes, I would vote for one of the best Vintage Speakers that still rock.

Ki

 

[mullard88]

Hi Ki Choi,

I have not heard the Yamaha NS 1000M yet but I have owned a pair of Yamaha NS 10 bookshelf speakers for more than 20 years. I still love it and it is one of the old speakers that make me question the prices of today's speakers. My friend who also loves the Yamaha NS 1000M told me of a pair in Coquitlam, B.C. that I am very tempted to inspect when I visit Vancouver later this year.

 

[jadis]

I still beleive old Avalons, particulary Ascents and Eclipses, do have a better timbre and less colour than new ones, and still miss some of the fun factor old JBLs (L300 and L65 in particular). Such is life...

I was very impressed with the Avalon Ascents driven by Rowland amps in the 90s. They are very transparent and open sounding though I have not heard the present models. For some reasons I miss my old JBL 112s and 4311s but when I asked myself the question if I want to own one again today, I would say no. In some ways, it's like an old girl friend. LOL

 

[Bruce B]

back in the late '70s in my foggy college days I wanted a LOUD speaker. This was before I was saved. I had a choice between JBL 4311, ESS/Heil AMT, BIC Venturi (with the flashing lights!) and Cerwin Vega. I chose the Cerwin Vega S-2 with the "bass excavator"!! Damn they could play loud and handle a lot of power. We would take them down to the student center and have parties with them every Fri/Sat night.
I saw the light and started drinking the Kool-aid and my next pair of speakers were Infinity RS-IIb and then Maggie MG-II

 

[Ki Choi]

Them were the good ole days, Dr. Bruce... I had to work all summer to be able to buy a pair of my dream speakers at the time - the Large Advents. I did buy a pair but not the nice walnut kind but the 99.9% pure plastic veneer model. JBL (with those white colored woofers...), ARs (that seemed to be so far out of reach...$$$ wise), and the Cerwin Vegas and their handsome red rings on their woofers as I barely remember. I would have killed for them "bass excavator"...

Soon graduation came (barely), and I was able to purchase (before buying a reliable transportation to get to work) a GAS Ampzilla to go with the Advents. The second day of Ampzilla's existance in my place, I blew out the orange donut tweets on my beloved Advents...actually the coils had melted...while creaming out the last few notes from the Joel's Only the Good Dye Young... It was a sad day.

Them were the fine days in Raleigh NC in 1979, and I was closer to the state of contemplative audio life than now - one of the side effects of having tasted yours and MikeL's Kool-aid.