Does anybody still want Empire Cavalier 4000 speakers?

[KiM3Ce]

I know that long ago Empire was a well-regarded company and that these were intended to sound good while looking presentable in an MCM living room. Does anybody still want these speakers or are they just a curiosity? They turn up surprisingly often at estate sales.

 

[KiM3Ce]

I swear this is the only photo I could find on Pinterest. I have to suspect this ad ran in Playboy.

 

[Goofyfoot201]

They are pretty darn ugly. How do they sound?

 

[KiM3Ce]

Thanks, I guess I will keep linking them when they turn up. I have never heard nor seen them but they were pretty upscale in their day.

 

[mhardy6647]

There are a couple of folks here who love them (at least the bigger ones).
I am not one of those people, though.

 

[biscuithead]

I'd love to get my hands on another pair of Empire speakers. I have some Grenadiers. 12" down firing woofer and silk-dome mids and tweets. I think they sound wonderful after a refurb.

 

[swamppirate]

Thanks, I guess I will keep linking them when they turn up. I have never heard nor seen them but they were pretty upscale in their day.

 

[Cosmos]

Trying hard not to be negative, but every empire speaker I heard when they were new, I worked for a Empire dealer, were far better looking than they sounded. One caveat, I am sure that I did not hear every model they ever made. As good as their cartridges were, the speakers did not follow. If you choose to chase a pair, I would encourage you to listen to them before you plunk down cash.. IMHO, your opinion and mileage may vary..

 

[saabracer23]

I recently rebuilt a pair of the 9000M and I thought they sounded surprisingly good. The 15" woofer suspension is very stiff so I was worried there may have been a lack of bass, but there was plenty. The mid and treble were clean and articulate.

Dan

 

[tanker 200]

My parents had a pair of Empires when I was growing up, I always thought they sounded like they had a moving blanket or two on top of them. When I got my Sansui G-8700 I thought they might sound better than the console they had been hooked up to, They didn't, They only managed to put my Sansui into protection for the first and only time in 37 years.

 

[saabracer23]

I will say the 9000Ms that I rebuilt also sounded quite muffled as if there was a blanket on them as well. After a full recap the blanket was removed.

Dan

 

[teal'c]

There were some 7000s in my local Sal Army priced at 75$ each and they were gone within a week.
Currently there's a set of 8000s for 50$ on CL. Been up for two days.

 

[nfafan]

The ad copy looked sweet...

 

[swamppirate]

I recently rebuilt a pair of the 9000M and I thought they sounded surprisingly good. The 15" woofer suspension is very stiff so I was worried there may have been a lack of bass, but there was plenty. The mid and treble were clean and articulate.

Dan

Bingo!