Did Fisher make any good speakers?
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Starrider1
Active Member
Good question, I too have seen some large floor standing speakers at the local thrift store and was wondering if Fisher was any good.
avguytx
Lunatic Member
I picked up a totally MINT pair of Fisher XP-7's over the weekend and I mean MINT. They look like the day they came off the assembly line and the original soft dome tweeters are there AND they work! They may find their way into a rotation in another room from time to time on an old tube amp if I ever get one redone and ready to hook to a preamp. I don't think anything is going to replace my newly acquired Polk SDA SRS2's for awhile. Unless it's a pair of the bigger ones!
I also have a pair of "The Fisher 95's" (I think it is) in my attic which is a 3-way speaker with a paper cone tweeter. Woofer surrounds need re-doing but I don't care to spend any money on those just to be doing it. I'll try to post a some pics of the XP-7's later. I have jury duty tonite in the lovely small town I live in. Ugh.
I also have a pair of "The Fisher 95's" (I think it is) in my attic which is a 3-way speaker with a paper cone tweeter. Woofer surrounds need re-doing but I don't care to spend any money on those just to be doing it. I'll try to post a some pics of the XP-7's later. I have jury duty tonite in the lovely small town I live in. Ugh.
Brian
An Old Geezer
And to be contrary, some would say no and some would say yes. The early Fishers XP single digit plus XP10, 15 and XP18 have a following. These speakers were manufactured for Fisher by William Hecht's company using his tweeter design. Suspect he and Avery spent time getting what they wanted. Like many speaker companies, later designs start having things like sales departments and finance departments start getting involved.
If you have an early US produced tube or SS Fisher, adding a set of these speakers will show what the Fisher experience was all about. Most of these speakers though will not have properly operating tweeters. There was a rubber diaphram that will have hardened and disintigrated by now. The tweeters can be dismantled and a new rubber made but in talking to Mr. Hecht a few years ago he could not believe anyone would still want to run the tweeters and said there were better units out there today to replace them as the originals were limited in response purposely b/c of the quality of recording playback systems at the time. Owners of the 15 and 18 seem to really like them.
If you have an early US produced tube or SS Fisher, adding a set of these speakers will show what the Fisher experience was all about. Most of these speakers though will not have properly operating tweeters. There was a rubber diaphram that will have hardened and disintigrated by now. The tweeters can be dismantled and a new rubber made but in talking to Mr. Hecht a few years ago he could not believe anyone would still want to run the tweeters and said there were better units out there today to replace them as the originals were limited in response purposely b/c of the quality of recording playback systems at the time. Owners of the 15 and 18 seem to really like them.
Saint Johnny
Bon Ton Roule
Most if not ALL of the early XP series speakers, are very under-rated. IMHO.
I still have a pair of XP7S's that were given to me, 35 years ago, and I listened to them every day, up until the foams gave out, in the mid 1990's. In my albeit limited experience with high-end speakers. They were and still are the best balanced speaker I have ever heard. I replaced the woofers with TOTL rat/shack woofers, before I knew that refoaming them was an option, and they sounded like ****. I put them way, and never bothered dragging them out again. If I could remember where I stored the original drivers, so they could be refoamed. I'd be listening to them right now.
Just picked up a pair of VG+ XP-7's without the 'S', the other day for $10.00 but haven't plugged them in yet.
They are very different speakers, the XP-7 vs. the XP-7S, btw.
But what's $10.00? It's definitly worth the investment!
alexkerhead
To High For Infinity
I have had two sets of Fisher "Studio Standard"(model number evades me) speakers, and both had the response chart posted on the FRONTS!
One set had a 3" tweet, 5" mid and 12" woofer. The other set had a 2" tweet, 4" mid, and 8" woofer. Same series. 1/2" partical board construction, lots of resonance.
They were very flat, but the treble and midrange were horridly screechy. I ended up giving both sets away to two different friends. They love em, cuz they get loud.
Edit: These are what both sets looked like.
http://home.mchsi.com/~martin.rogers/HT6.jpg
One set had a 3" tweet, 5" mid and 12" woofer. The other set had a 2" tweet, 4" mid, and 8" woofer. Same series. 1/2" partical board construction, lots of resonance.
They were very flat, but the treble and midrange were horridly screechy. I ended up giving both sets away to two different friends. They love em, cuz they get loud.
Edit: These are what both sets looked like.
http://home.mchsi.com/~martin.rogers/HT6.jpg
Like I said......
Such is true of any speaker of course.
Such is true of any speaker of course.
It's very difficult to come up with any kind of blanket opinion about a company's line of speakers that spanned decades, multiple owners, and quality that varied from very good to ****.
I just posted in another thread, but here goes...
The XP series had three pretty distinct groups.
The first is the single-digit model numbers, such as XP-7, etc. These tend to be very good quality speakers, although they certainly do have the "Avery Fisher" sound. The double digit model number stating with 1, such as the XP-10 through XP-18, are very high quality speakers. With both lines, compared to modern speakers, they will have dramatically rolled-off highs. Usually replacing the tweeters with more contemporary types will show great improvement in the highs.
The later XP models, such as the XP-55, etc., are much more iffy. Some are pretty decent, many are pretty low quality vinyl covered stuff.
Any Fisher speaker models starting with ST or ST-V are pretty much worthless from a quality sound standpoint. 1980's department store junk.
I just posted in another thread, but here goes...
The XP series had three pretty distinct groups.
The first is the single-digit model numbers, such as XP-7, etc. These tend to be very good quality speakers, although they certainly do have the "Avery Fisher" sound. The double digit model number stating with 1, such as the XP-10 through XP-18, are very high quality speakers. With both lines, compared to modern speakers, they will have dramatically rolled-off highs. Usually replacing the tweeters with more contemporary types will show great improvement in the highs.
The later XP models, such as the XP-55, etc., are much more iffy. Some are pretty decent, many are pretty low quality vinyl covered stuff.
Any Fisher speaker models starting with ST or ST-V are pretty much worthless from a quality sound standpoint. 1980's department store junk.
kfa888
Addicted Member
What about a Yamaha NS-1000, Tannoy or Altec 19... would someone say those sucked?
bowtie427ss
Lunatic Member
I'm sure some would yes.
Are they wrong?
Not if that's their opinion formed on their own listening experiences.
Speakers are a lot like beer, we all like em, but thank god we don't all like the same ones.
kfa888
Addicted Member
Yamaha Nutz
Active Member
I had a set of either early-late 60's 3-way cane grill/solid wood enclosure vintage speakers in my original system (acquired second-hand from a friend who purchased a set of Wharfedale's).
Now at that time, my electronics wasn't state-of-the-art, nevertheless they performed fairly well, but were inadequate for any large volume gains (easily distorted)
I cannot speak for the modern-day equipment
Now at that time, my electronics wasn't state-of-the-art, nevertheless they performed fairly well, but were inadequate for any large volume gains (easily distorted)
I cannot speak for the modern-day equipment
bowtie427ss
Lunatic Member
LOL!
But i think you get my point, and i think that was TB's point............. that the answer to the OP's original question is highly subject to the opinion of the individual answering.
Of all the devices in the audio chain, speakers are the most diverse and variable. There are/were far more manufacturers of loudspeakers than makers of other components, and the variation of design among loudspeakers boggles the mind.
At the end of the day all that really matters is that YOU love YOUR speakers, doesn't matter if they're minimus7's or Wilson Grand Slamm's, it's you the listener that has to be pleased by them.
Fisher-Dave
Super Member
I'm pretty happy with the ST-845's.Better sounding newer Fishers IMO. They have nice heavy drivers in them,sweet sounding tweets to.They are only rated at 150 watts but I have driven the chit out of them for long periods of time and they still sound nice. I later used the same unit to drive the JBL S-312's rated 250 watts at just a little less volume than I drive the Fishers to and both mids shot in less than the one song I was playing.Those Fishers have been driven to higher levels with the same song and unit [ RS-1080 ] before and after. The JBL S-312's did outlast the Pioneer 150 watt CSG-401W's though,those 401's didn't even like the less powerfull RS-1060 I tried them with. I didn't drive either unit into distortion. I use a set of JBL S-38's now but I know not to give them much juice but when the time comes, I switch to B channel and let the Fish have plenty. 
fdrennen
Organist in Residence
Way to sit on the fence Tom, I'm damn proud of you!
Retro
Why jump over the fence when you could sit on it?
chillwolf
"Play 'em off!"
Thanks everyone for your input on the question about Fisher speakers! Just wanted to get a consensus of opinions on them. I know different people have varying opinions on a subject. But what I gathered from the input here is that Fisher did make some good speakers. Now I know which ones to look out for.
I just bought a pair of ST 550s today, and I've gotta say Fisher didn't skimp on these. They sound quite good, but I haven't run them hard as the surrounds were falling apart. I'll give you guys the stright skinny on 'em when they're done.
Attachments
Anything in particular you can tell me about the XP66B? I have a pair - they were my grandfather's. The woofer surrounds have been replaced. One midrange has a cracked/torn cone. But I haven't listened to them in years and don't really remember what they sound like. I'm thinking about putting them in the bedroom due to their compact size for a 3-way.
TIA!
