What's your best speaker "score"?

shortcuttomo

Active Member
So a few days ago I noticed a local ad for some generic big-box stereo equipment. In the back of the picture I could see some distinctive grilles. I phoned immediately, and went home with some Yamaha NS-1000Ms. He'd bought them new about 12-13 years ago, on a closeout sale, and figured $150 was fair. I didn't argue. Condition is about a 8.5/10; they've been in a basement for years, so they have the normal light scratches from stuff being placed on them or leaned against them, but nothing that's not cosmetic only. As you can notice in the picture, they're pretty good overall.


I've never really got a "great deal" like this before. I've just paid the normal used price - for example my last used speakers I bought were some Boston Acoustics A200s with tech-replaced woofers, which I took for $180 (probably reasonable).


I've been running the NS-1000Ms for a few days, and they're pretty solid. I've recently moved into a condo (temporarily!), so my regular stereo equipment has been put in storage. I've been running some Polk Audio bookshelves off a Harman Kardon 3375 receiver, so I hooked them up in this less-than-ideal situation. I don't have proper stands, so they're about 3" high on some books, and probably 6" off the back wall. Definitely a bright speaker - I've dialed the high level back to -3dB and the mid level to around -1. High-end is pretty impressive - I've been playing some Jeff Buckley and ISIS today, and they do a good job with the midrange and top-end at least. I haven't heard any sign that the drivers are gone or damaged as of yet.


Bass is definitely lacking, which I'd expect at least a bit given the receiver and placement. It's accurate and you can definitely hear it, but still, it doesn't really "fill out" the low-end like I want it to. Probably doesn't help that my stereo mains are normally Energy 22 Reference Connoisseurs, which are a two-way with fantastic low end omph.


I'd love to A/B these with the Ref Cons, but with everything in storage don't know if I'll be able to any time soon. I think the Ref Cons are definitely better.

Still, I'm happy that I got such a desirable speaker for so little!


What's your best speaker score? I'm not talking about how little you paid for some half-decent speaker that is easily replaceable, now - I'm talking about a good speaker, that people want, that you got for much less than market value. And did you sell it, or keep it?
 

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Let's see, I don't usually "score" a speaker, preferring to actually build my own. But I have acquired some commercial speakers over the years.

AR3a's from the original owner, in very good shape ($0)

ADS 570/2 from original owner, mint condition ($1.00)

Dahlquist 10's very good shape/upgraded x-over ($0) BTW: I turned them down for lack of space.

Best Regards,
TerryO
 
Rsa for 3.50 each
RS7 for $0
CM1020 for 24 for the pair.
MX 400 for 80

M&K sub/sat combr for $50

May not be sought after equipment, but i got them cheep.
 
oooooo

That's what brought me back into the audiophile world. Speaker scores.

Scores to date
Dahlquist DQ-20 FREE
Dahlquist DQ-10 Mirrored set $10
KEF 103/3 with Kube for $35
Large Advent FREE
ADS L710 $10
Speakerlab 3 $10
Advent Maestro $15
Advent Heritage $35
Infinity Monitor Jr. $25

Some needed foam. Some needed a little repair.
I have others where the price is much better than market but not really a score. And I have some that are not known enough to be considered desireable.

I have some sub woofers and center channel and rear surround that bring a pretty penny. Way cheap for their value.
Klipsch and M&K, I forget the model numbers
 
My Leslie DVX-580 speakers. Paid $250. I've been told they retailed for about $3,000 in 74. Do to poor sales, not many were produced. I've yet to find another owner.
 
Snell e.5 MKII $125.00 pair
Vero Design Soundwave VR-3 $9.00 pair
Paradigm 7se $30.00 pair
Tannoy 611mkii $100.00 pair
 
Either the Altec Carmels I got for $7 or the $3 cabinet my wife got with an Altec 604C in it.
 
B&W 804 Matrix part of package deal that included Adcom GTP-500II preamp/tuner, Adcom 545II amp. Adcom power conditioner & Nakamishi CD player all in great shape all for $100

Magnapan MGIIb $20 perfect in original carton with manual
Magnapan SMG $20 perfect in original carton with manual
JBL 120ti $5 perfect in original boxes
Snell JIII $25 perfect
B&W 601 S2 free - had to re-solder a couple wires
ADS 780/2 $20 great drivers rough cabinets
ADS 400 $5
B&W 302 $20 great shape
JBL L100a $5 good drivers rough cabinets

still have them all.
 
Best price score would be nice Klipsch KG 4's at a garage sale for $10.00. Not one of my favorite pair of speakers but worth $10 I guess.
 
1986 Klipsch Cornwall II's. Some of the first CII's manufactured with original cane fronts. I'm the second owner and have the original sales slips. Paid $680 for the pair. I did very well as they can go for nearly twice that in this area.
 
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Pioneer HPM 1500, HPM 900, and HPM 100. $20. $10, and $10 respectively. I know they are not everyone's cup of tea, but they go nice in my all Pioneer system.
 

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Klipsch Fortes (first gen) $20
DCM Time Windows $15
ADS L520 $15
ADS L420 $20
ADS L400 $14
Dynaco A25 $24
HPM 60 $20
KLH Model 17 $12
KLH Model 30 $16
Original Large Advents (2 pairs) $10 per pair
Smaller Advent $10
EPI 100 (3 pairs) $5, $10 and $10
Optimus 1 $10
Nova 7b $10
 
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My JBL Olympus, loaded with LX5 and N7000 crossovers LE15A woofer, 075 tweeter, and 375 compression midrange. All in pristine one owner condition. I beleive these would go for around 6-7 grand in the US, I have never seen nor neard of another pair in Australia, so I have no idea of their true value (generally you can add at least 30% to US built speakers get a comparison price)

I picked em' up for $150, I love them, and I will be buried in them :)
 
La Scala's... $500, and the guy delivered them and he and his 14 year old daughter carried them out of the van and into my apartment in the rain! Came with some partially completed DIY crossovers with big air-core inductors. Standard crossovers were recapped with good film caps.

Frazier Black Box II, I got one for free that my friend was throwing away when he was moving about 25 years ago. I could've had both, but had no room in the car. I finally got a mate last year for $50 or so courtesy of an AKer who found it in a thrift store and bought it and shipped it to me.

Celestion DL-8 II, $20/pair. Rough cosmetics, no grilles, fully functional.

Boston Acoustics A-40, needed refoam. $10. (Not a great score, but a decent little speaker.)

I've passed on some good scores 'cause there's no room here. Klipsch KG 5.2 (?) for $50. AR 2 or 3 (don't recall) could've had 'em for $15 at an estate sale but it was raining and my car was a block away.
 
4 Allen organ HC10's from a local church......free

Bozak 302a's in Walnut Barzilay cabs.....$150

Altec a7-500 clones.....$200

In that order...after the a7's, i've pretty much stopped looking for speakers. I would like to rebuild the cabinets though, with something nice.
 
Paradigm Espirit monitors, $6.99 + tax and about $12.00 to
replace a rubber surround on one woofer.

A Paradigm ps-800 subwoofer with a pair of nuance bookshelf
speakers taped to it for $4.99 + tax.
 
No huge scores but:

Epi M180's $15/ pair
RS Optimus 5's $15/ pair

Both in good shape cosmetically. Sonics wise perfect.
 
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