Tomcomm
Member
My system is a snap shot of early '60s hi fi when the bass reflex and simple tube ducting bass enclosures were pretty much standard practice. The multi-cell big horns were competing with small direct drivers for mid and high in 3 way configurations when power was limited by the tube amp technology. Designer speakers were just starting to appear but they achieved performance thru poor efficiency. I almost bought a pair of 8in "bookshelf" speakers at $300 each when the sales guy demoed an Altec Lancing small Voice of the Theater used in their Valencia premium home system. The stand alone enclosures were all furniture grade wood and sold for $800 each, 1960 dollars. He played a stereo LP of a rain storm passing over a shopping arcade. There was thunder, down pore rain approach and trailing off. And finally the rain water dripping off the tile roof, I was blown away. Since I only listen to classical music, I had to have that sound, it was so real. Nothing does horns better than horns!
Bottom line, I ordered the two 2215 15in woofers and the two 811B/806 800hz horns used in the Valencia for less than $400 and started looking for something to put them in that would be wife acceptable. Racks were out since it was going into the living room. The dresser and end table set cost $350 as I recall. The Dynakit 70, Garrard changer, Sony tape deck. FM tuner and the all triode, dc heater preamp were hi fi store items. In the early 90s I added a DBX noise reducer to the Sony deck, a Denon DCD 1500 CD player and a Phase Linear 400 power amp. Later I acquired a Panasonic SV3500 DAT recorder and replaced the 30w 15in Altecs with 150w 15in JBL 2405s and added 30w JBL 2005 horn tweeters. The system is now in the garage office against its narrow 12ft wall. The external horns are corner mounted and directed at the listening chair 8ft from the speaker wall. I need to sit close because after 50 years of this system, I don’t hear so good any more……Tomcomm
Bottom line, I ordered the two 2215 15in woofers and the two 811B/806 800hz horns used in the Valencia for less than $400 and started looking for something to put them in that would be wife acceptable. Racks were out since it was going into the living room. The dresser and end table set cost $350 as I recall. The Dynakit 70, Garrard changer, Sony tape deck. FM tuner and the all triode, dc heater preamp were hi fi store items. In the early 90s I added a DBX noise reducer to the Sony deck, a Denon DCD 1500 CD player and a Phase Linear 400 power amp. Later I acquired a Panasonic SV3500 DAT recorder and replaced the 30w 15in Altecs with 150w 15in JBL 2405s and added 30w JBL 2005 horn tweeters. The system is now in the garage office against its narrow 12ft wall. The external horns are corner mounted and directed at the listening chair 8ft from the speaker wall. I need to sit close because after 50 years of this system, I don’t hear so good any more……Tomcomm
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I stopped serious listening to/shopping for the new apartment/bedroom speakers in the 70's. 
