that was when I got them home they were a little dusty but rather mint
Best vintage speakers you ever heard?
- Thread starter Dave N.
- Start date
that was when I got them home they were a little dusty but rather mint
bigaltx24
Super Member
These are AlNiCo magnet paper cone speakers from expensive Zenith consoles from the mid 50s to early 60s. They work very well in open baffles. To me their tone is spot on and sounds like the voices and instruments are right there in the room with you. The only box speakers I listen to these days are my KLH 6s, and I don't listen to them very much anymore.
alteclipsch
Super Member
Altec Valencia 846A are really the top speakers at my home. There were/are others, though, North American Sound (NAS) Squires were fabulous, and I still have KLH Models Twenty Three and Five, which continue to amaze.
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
I like these threads. They are really sort of a popularity contest and since you are soliciting opinions from all, then there will be a lot of answers. Many speaker manufacturers made a line of speakers, 4-6 different models and changed models every few years or not and since speakers were easy to make, just pick some divers, stuff em in a box with a crossover and in rolls the money, they are the most common audio component made back in the day.
Thing to do is just get out and listen to whatever you can. Find some akers in your area and have a get together for some tunes and brews. Talk about the music and the gear and get a chance to hear other systems. Folks are mostly going to be using their best gear when others show up.
Maybe not best but speakers that have left a very good impression are the Epicure 3.0, Magneplanars, Quads, Beveridge Model 2 and Hill Plasmatronics.
Then there is the different presentation by different types of speakers, planar, electrostatic, horn, cone, and others. This is where big differences in sound can occur and finding the type of sound you like will help you decide what other speakers you should seek out for further evaluation.
Thing to do is just get out and listen to whatever you can. Find some akers in your area and have a get together for some tunes and brews. Talk about the music and the gear and get a chance to hear other systems. Folks are mostly going to be using their best gear when others show up.
Maybe not best but speakers that have left a very good impression are the Epicure 3.0, Magneplanars, Quads, Beveridge Model 2 and Hill Plasmatronics.
Then there is the different presentation by different types of speakers, planar, electrostatic, horn, cone, and others. This is where big differences in sound can occur and finding the type of sound you like will help you decide what other speakers you should seek out for further evaluation.
twiiii
Lunatic Member
I got my answer to this question in the wrong place yesterday, so I will try it today. Acoustat 4 and the large Magnapan with the 4 woofer panels and the two midrange tweeter panels that used the ribbon tweeters. For Coned speakers B&W 808's.
For professional speakers three sets of dual Altec 817 boxes with 4 604 HPLN as tweeter /mid woofers and a single 311 X 90 with a 291-16 B for the mid range, with 6 Altec 816 with 6 412-8a woofers with double front gaskets as sub woofers in each of 4 corners . Power ed by Altec amps for three clusters across the front of a 50 wide stage, using Urei Processors Yamaha P3000 mixer, an Ampex ATR 104 with 4 channel tape of a live Neil Diamond Coming to America selection with the opening organ tone of 32HZ at 120 db at 75 ft. I am glad that was over 40 years ago as my hearing could not stand that today.
For professional speakers three sets of dual Altec 817 boxes with 4 604 HPLN as tweeter /mid woofers and a single 311 X 90 with a 291-16 B for the mid range, with 6 Altec 816 with 6 412-8a woofers with double front gaskets as sub woofers in each of 4 corners . Power ed by Altec amps for three clusters across the front of a 50 wide stage, using Urei Processors Yamaha P3000 mixer, an Ampex ATR 104 with 4 channel tape of a live Neil Diamond Coming to America selection with the opening organ tone of 32HZ at 120 db at 75 ft. I am glad that was over 40 years ago as my hearing could not stand that today.
I'd love to hear a pair of those Holton A's, or any of the large Harlteys for that matter.
katana1100
Well-Known Member
Those shows were a great place to see what you like but now, most speaker companies are merely box makers who buy the same drivers from companies like Vifa and call it a day.
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katana1100
Well-Known Member
I heard the Hill Plasmatronic as a kid at a show and they were the best speakers I’ve ever heard in my life.
Best are probably Ohm F. Next AR 3a. Then Altec 601c. I like any of these more than the original Wilson WAMMs I heard at AXPONA last month.
idf.bts
Well-Known Member
I had to look those up, I'd never heard of it. Amazing what people have tried.
https://www.stereophile.com/content/hill-plasmatronics-type-1-loudspeaker-page-2
