Under rated speakers

HK Model 40s. These are two-way, 4 ohm. I replaced the tweeters with new phenolic ring pieces from Parts Express and it really improved them. The old HK tweeters found a home in my Fisher XP-10s, which then became my favorites.
 
I'll join in this thread resurrection by proposing the JBL L7 which can often be found for small change due to their (huge) size but which can play with just about anything new currently selling for up to $10,000, and beyond. And then there's the JBL LSR305 powered monitors which can be had brand new for under $200/pair and will simply amaze anyone who hears them. :dunno:
 
I read through this thread and found it fascinating. I'm one of those dinosaurs that has been collecting audio odds and ends for over fifty years. When the Internet exploded as the ultimate source of info, I noticed that a lot of my acquisitions got little or no mention. I had Microstatic speakers with unique tweeter configurations that I felt sounded wonderful, but could learn nothing about. I found locally made speakers like Clarke and Venture (both made here in CT) and again, could learn little. I seem to remember picking up some burhoe blues and some sonics and kempps and other stuff that had little or no info available. Unfortunately I couldn't keep everything, so a lot of those were given away or thrown out. My wife used to tell me that all she wanted for her birthday was for me to pick five sets of speakers to take to the local put and take at our transfer station (dump). I have kept a few lesser knowns. I have a pair of the epi m180's mentioned earlier in this thread and I never gave up the Microstatics. I have kept all my AR and Altec and Klipsch and most of my Polk and JBL and Pioneer.
I'm beginning to ramble as us old folk are wont to do, so I'll shorten this up and try to answer the post's question. The speakers that I have that I can't find much about and that I feel are good enough to warrant more info are as follows. B&W DM2's. AR 303's. Microstatic whatevers (no model numbers apparent). The Fisher xp7's. Hitachi h8-420's. These are speakers that have survived the yearly purge. I'll add some others in a day or two. My wife just yelled that my dinner is ready.
 
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Under rated in that most folks wouldn't consider a 4" driver. But as they say dynamite comes in small packages.

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IMG_20190212_113610.jpg JVC SX3 speakers. I am not sure whether these are underappreciated or just unknown. Largish 2 way bookshelf speakers that weigh 30 lbs, in a 21"x13"x12" plywood cabinet with real wood walnut coloured veneer and circular perforated metal covers over each speaker. Have been listening to this for the past few hours, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why I have never heard of these speakers before.
 
My vintage RTR exp12 are now my primary main system speaker...I replaced my JBL 4312A monitors!
I have a pair that have replaced my OLAs. Good quality cabinets and nice drivers. They are my choice for under ratered speakers. My other entry is anything made by University before 1970.
 
I don't think Klipsch are underrated, they are just either liked or not. I have KG 4 and KG 4.5 and like both very much, yet both pairs are used in Home theater systems - for me I like them better for that, less so for just music.
Well I do like my KG 4s for music, also! But I take your point!

KG 4's are either luv or hate but everyone knows what they are?? They are not really a sneak in under the radar kinds speaker???

Maybe yet another thread is needed?? IE most well know "under rated speaker?? Cuz you know certainly that would include the RS Mach Ones, (and I am a fan an owner) and luv those speakers! They will do "Stupid SPL's" like nothing I've ever seen and with a good Amp ... they don't care!

And of course if your gonna go there, the infamous, Bose 901's would have to be included??? I don't have a pair myself but I am on the lookout for a pair cuz you know, I hear (no pun intended) that they suck?? But you know I'll have to get a pair and decide for myself?

I picked up a set of "RS Nova Eights??" And to my surprise ... stock those were pretty good also! And they can be modded to be made even better! But "I" like them as they are so you know ... whatever.

But for truly understand I'd also nominate the RS LX 5 Pro's! I have a lot of them bought new back in the day! And I have always used thm with a "Sub" so I never got the tiny woofer in a small box thing?? Back in the day I heard the "Real Seal Linium Tweet" in Linium Speakers! And to me .. they did not sound 700 dollars better then what I had (with a sub.)

The real deal as it were ... did not sound $900 better to me??? But to the point of this thread I would add my Sansui Sp 1200's! They were suppose to suck ... I thought and even with twin ports they roll off fast at 45hz ... But again whatever as I said, use a "Sub." They were cheap and a "lark" and that was a year ago and they are still here uh as in right now! Sigh used in concontation with my LX 5's! I run them all together with a sub cuz that's what I do!

But for purposes of this thread I'll nominate as underrated Sansui Sf 1's (end table speakers) and the Sp 1200's. Split decision on the SF 1's?? My wife never cared for them but I did ... but a bit later ... they went down with bad caps apparently?? But the SP 1200's?? She's never raised a single complaint about them!

And while neither have I "exactly??" But you know after a decade or more of using mostly my LX 5's for the HT thing I found there was "something missing??" I suppose the Linium Tweeter does it's on thing? And I couldn't live without them??

So I now run them in conjunction with the SP 1200's!! And I luv the combo although it's hard to tell the LX 5's are really there! :)

They match up so well that they only way you can tell the LX 5's are there is when you disconnect them! And they are worth mentioning because by and large my better half is like whatever with me and the "Stereo Stuff" but the LX 5's are on plant stands. And she did ask ... why are those "Black Speakers" there?? Cuz, you know I want to put plants on those stands!!!

Uh yeah "NO!" I don't put my foot down often ... but I explain, that yes indeed .. they are still hooked up and playing now! :)

So "NO" the LX 5's are not going to be replaced with plants! And that was the end of that conversation! Now after I ever come across a pair of LA Bella's or La Scala's much less K-Horns at a price that I can afford ... well you know ... that's gonna be a whole nother conversation!! :)
 
Braun and Visonik speakers.
LOL i have both! LS 200 bought with known blown woofers ... disclosed ( in a parking lot!) I bought and I bought a reform kit ... but I did not like it's looks (the kit) so I have never heard them yet. And ... A Visonik Sub One from 1973! And I am the original owner from 1973!!! 12 inch acoustic speaker, 6 ohm and 50 watt minimum!

It can be brutal for some HTR's, it shut down right quick my Technics AVX AA 920 HTR ... but I see in retrospect that HTR in particular, has a low impedance mode?? Live and learn. I did just hook up a separate amp to it for the sub and problem solved. :)

The Visonic Sub One was originally used (when I bought it) with a Philips AH-380 and Ortofon Two way speakers! That was a monster amp back in the day! Time and technology changes ... my Sub One got sit aside by new stuff and powered subs. But it never got buried ... it has sat unused for a decade or more in the MB, in a place of pride. But finally I brought it out of retirement with another HTR and Boston Acoustic AVR 50's and it all sounds great!

So yeah I gotta get my Braun's fixed and try the sub with them! But while most likely those are not common brands these days ... some of us do have and remember them! :)
 
The Fisher XP7B. And here's why.
For starters they get little attention due to the bass roll off reputation and top end roll off after 14 khz. Well, maybe 14 khz's where the roll off starts is enough. The speaker is a 5 driver 4 way. The mid drivers are split. This is a case of a speaker that does a lot right and very little wrong. The sin is the small box. So let's look at the bass.
The woofer goes down to 28 and is crossed at 300 hz with a 6 db per half octave roll off into the lower range mid driver.
This means it can and should be placed next to any two surfaces. But NOT three. No, it's not a good bookshelf speaker. So put it on the floor next to the side wall and three feet out from the back wall. Or in the corner three feet from the floor.
This makes for very good sound quality low bass response and plenty of it. But without the bump between 400 and 600. And avoids the hole from 800 to 1200. Both of which can happen if you corner a speaker with a first crossover point north of 400. The mid and tweeter drivers do a very good job of the rest.

It can't be done with any of the good two ways such as the Old Large Advent and Dynaco's because of the tall crossover points.

This works REALLY good with the big Rectilinear 111's. But those aren't $100 speakers anymore, so....

The Pioneer CS99a and Kenwood KL777a are crossed to high. So they're out . To bad. And also the price.

So this is the one. No mods needed. It's way better than the Optimums 5B and Criterion 5XB in the same price class. Completely different league.

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