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Best cheap speakers for Eico HF87

Alucard

Alucard

Active Member
Hello. I have got my Eico HF 87 up and running and I was wondering what the best cheap speakers would be for it
I was also wondering if I should just buy new maybe ?
I heard that there were some really good bookshelf speakers out there for good prices
I don't know. You mostlikely know more about this then I do
 
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A pair of W90C's or W70C's should work well with that amp. Should be able to find a pair of either for well-under $500 with some looking. You could even go with early W90's or W70's if you're not planning on cranking the things (The early ones like I have are only rated for 30wpc, but I'm currently driving mine with a 39wpc Sansui 2000x). All these models LOVE tube power. If you're looking to do the warm, engaging, musical, tube-powered thing, these are a really-good choice (My W90's are phenomenal with tubes). And the Wharfedale W** and W*** models are designed to work well in the smaller rooms found in apartments, duplexes, etc., so even the big W90's will do fine in a fairly-small room (I have mine in a 14'x14' room, and they sound fantastic).

Even the W60's should be okay with that amp (and might be better for you if you need a smaller speaker (The W70's and W90's are kinda' big). Like the others, the W60's are excellent with jazz, classical, and blues, as well as '60's and early '70's R&B, funk, classic rock, etc. They have a very-rich sound with great mids (and also a nice upper-bass response... Not boomy at all... Low-bass is on the lean side, but you won't miss it unless you're listening to music that accentuates those ultra-low frequencies... The nice upper-bass really makes up for that).

You might also want to look into the W3 and W4 models. Sound-signature is similar to the original Airedale model, only smaller.
 
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Gang-Twanger said:
A pair of W90C's or W70C's should work well with that amp. Should be able to find a pair of either for well-under $500 with some looking. You could even go with early W90's or W70's if you're not planning on cranking the things (The early ones like I have are only rated for 30wpc, but I'm currently driving mine with a 39wpc Sansui 2000x). All these models LOVE tube power. If you're looking to do the warm, engaging, musical, tube-powered thing, these are a really-good choice (My W90's are phenomenal with tubes). And the Wharfedale W** and W*** models are designed to work well in the smaller rooms found in apartments, duplexes, etc., so even the big W90's will do fine in a fairly-small room (I have mine in a 14'x14' room, and they sound fantastic).

Even the W60's should be okay with that amp (and might be better for you if you need a smaller speaker (The W70's and W90's are kinda' big). Like the others, the W60's are excellent with jazz, classical, and blues, as well as '60's and early '70's R&B, funk, classic rock, etc. They have a very-rich sound with great mids (and also a nice upper-bass response... Not boomy at all... Low-bass is on the lean side, but you won't miss it unless you're listening to music that accentuates those ultra-low frequencies... The nice upper-bass really makes up for that).

You might also want to look into the W3 and W4 models. Sound-signature is similar to the original Airedale model, only smaller.
Click to expand...

I am going to start looking for those then thank you very much
 
Alucard said:
I am going to start looking for those then thank you very much
Click to expand...

Those are a good place to start if you're trying to keep the budget reasonable (Put it this way, I paid $450 for a pair of recapped early W90's in really-nice shape, so under $500 shouldn't be any problem at all... Just a matter of finding them locally because they're not the kind of speaker you can ship... Even the much-smaller W60's are over 50lbs each, and that would surely put the shipping cost at or above the cost of the speakers).

The sound of those early W models is a lot like the Rudy-era Bozak sound. It has that same kind of ultra-musical sound with great mids. A real "you are there" sound. My W90's are ported, but they have a fat, smooth, effortless bass-response that goes really-well with just about anything you throw at them. The tweeters are very-soft on top, but it's perfect for '60's and early '70's music (Beatles, James Brown, Hendrix and other psychedelic rock/pop, R&B stuff like 60's and early '70's Motown and that sort of thing), and especially jazz and classical). If you're looking for a speaker that makes classic that sort of music sound "right", those are it.

The later W**D and W**E models are a bit of a different animal (The W60D and W60E, sonically-speaking have a lot more in common with the AR3a than the original W60 model, which is closer to a Bozak type of sound). But if you're interested in the W90 models, ALL of them are great (They have a completely-isolated woofer-section... The woofers are isolated from each other as well as the mids and tweeters... Really-nice bass-response).

See the URL in my signature below if you want to get an idea of how the W90's sound...
 
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Pinnacle speakers can be found in that price range. They tend to be fairly efficient and should sing with your Eico. I love the AC650 that can be found for around $100. On the larger end, I have recently rediscovered my JBL L-36's. They also perform well above their going price of around $200. If you can find some late 80's Canton Ergos, that would also be an excellent option in the $500 range. Mission speakers from the late 70's early eighties are wonderful as well. Lots of options in your price range.
 
I concur with GangTwanger. 1960s Wharfies are the shiznit, I have a pair of early W70Ds driven by a Fisher 500B and they sing! If you prefer acoustic music like jazz or folk, you should look for earlier models though the Ds have no problem with that whatsoever.
 
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