I have decided I need vintage speakers as I do not like the aesthetics on new affordable speakers. If you know of some decent bookshelf speakers for under $1000, with wood veneer, let me know. Meantime, I'm looking at Snell QBx20s or B&O vintage bookshelf units. Any comments? any vintage sources would be helpful. Thanks
Bookshelf Speakers
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wmgwizard
Addicted Member
Too many variables involved to offer any useful suggestions.
What do you listen to (classical, thrash metal, rap) ?
How do you listen (background or critical) ?
What are you driving them with and what sources ?
Size requirements ?
Room size ?
What do you think sounds "good" ?
And thats just a short list.
What do you listen to (classical, thrash metal, rap) ?
How do you listen (background or critical) ?
What are you driving them with and what sources ?
Size requirements ?
Room size ?
What do you think sounds "good" ?
And thats just a short list.
How about these? Beautiful cabinets and good sound. https://ascendacoustics.com/collections/sierra-series-pairs/products/sierra-1?variant=39545359204406
Thank you for replies. @rickb119, those do look good. I'll look into them. @wmgwizard, that was the 2nd post but, folk, early rock, blues, early Reggae, radio is usually on the local college classical station. Amp is NAD 3130, if I remember it's 30 W/channel. I have a tube amp, if I ever get back to trying to revive it, that I could run through the NAD pre-amp. Tuner is a DL FT-11. Room is approx 18x12 but compromised. One wall is mostly windows, fireplace, 6-ft opening to the dining room. Best spot for speakers seems to be the short walls either side of the large opening, which aims them at the back of the couch. So shelves with bookshelf speakers (have been approved by significant other). BTW, bought the Snell QBx20 but they could be returned if I pay shipping. Two B&O bookshelf pairs, one somewhere in US & one in the Netherlands. It may be easier for some but we've been without a stereo shop for 5-10 years. One just opened in Feb. Don't know if they'll make it.
goodolpg
Just an old fart trying to help.
wmgwizard, that info was in his OTHER thread.
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/bookshelf-speaker-suggestions.1005488/
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/bookshelf-speaker-suggestions.1005488/
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Sgt Shultz
Addicted Member
I can highly recommend these little speaker, they punch way above their weight with more bass slam than their specs imply.
I've had several sets go through my house but keep gifting them to family members, one day I'll keep a pair for myself.
Infinity RS-325
I've had several sets go through my house but keep gifting them to family members, one day I'll keep a pair for myself.
Infinity RS-325
If you're going to be putting them on an actual bookshelf, the Ascend's won't work (rear ported). Plus, they work/sound better in a little smaller room. My Sierra 2's sound amazing in my office. Not as good in the larger living room.
Depending on how large of a space you have for them, I'd highly recommend the ADS L710's (21.5 x 12.25 x 10.5). They're a sealed 3 way, with beautiful wood veneer. Rubber surrounds, quality crossover components. The only reason I sold mine was because I acquired some much larger KEF's. Here's what they look like.
Depending on how large of a space you have for them, I'd highly recommend the ADS L710's (21.5 x 12.25 x 10.5). They're a sealed 3 way, with beautiful wood veneer. Rubber surrounds, quality crossover components. The only reason I sold mine was because I acquired some much larger KEF's. Here's what they look like.
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I apologize, wmgwizard. Lamo couldn't find the 1st post so I posted the short one.
Sgt Schultz, would love a pair of those. The 21.5 inch dim might be pushing it. I rejected the Snell Kiis which are only 18" but, for a nice 3-way. I'll look around for those.
Sgt Schultz, would love a pair of those. The 21.5 inch dim might be pushing it. I rejected the Snell Kiis which are only 18" but, for a nice 3-way. I'll look around for those.
goodolpg
Just an old fart trying to help.
No big deal. You're fine. Just that the way OP worded it as it was in his second post, with no second post in this thread with pertinent info it made me go looking and found he started another thread, which I assume is what he meant by second post.
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Well, yes, the idea is to get the highs over the top of the couch and still have room for a stereo cabinet below. I'm thinking 15" or so tall. I should have looked harder at the B&O CM2, 12.8" high x 7.9" wide x 10.9" deep with a 6 1/2" bass/mid. May have to buy those also and use one pair in the office. They are a little spendy unless freight from the Netherlands is cheap.
I picked up a pair of Boston Acoustics CR8's for pennies yesterday from a neighbor(I've posted a thread elsewhere in the forum). As an owner of some pretty great, pretty large speakers(see signature) I was more then pleasantly surprised how well these little boxes perform. I mean, really surprised. I hadn't read reviews before getting them and found out only after the fact that they have an excellent reputation. They are room filling with bass that just shouldn't be this deep from such tiny speakers.
If you happen to run across a pair in your hunting I would seriously consider them. They should cost little enough that even if you decide on a different pair down the road, having these as backups, or for a different room, or just to swap in from time to time, will be worth it.
If you happen to run across a pair in your hunting I would seriously consider them. They should cost little enough that even if you decide on a different pair down the road, having these as backups, or for a different room, or just to swap in from time to time, will be worth it.
Back when what are 'vintage speakers' were new, wood veneer was almost universal. So that shouldn't be a limiting factor in your search.
But your current ideas are strikingly idiosyncratic - not that common and not, I think, for any obvious reason. Snell made outstanding speakers, but why that one? And B&Os are fine speakers, but you need to like the European sound, which is clear but cold - excess bass isn't a problem in my experience. And on most B&Os, the wood veneer is applied to plastic, and there isn't that much of it either, since they tend to be rather thin with wide grills.
There are a bazillion speakers out there. By the standards of vintage speakers, your budget is huge. So look around and listen to everything you can. While you are choosing, you can probably find a pair of reasonable sounding vintage speakers at Goodwill, tag sales, or the like, for less than a hundred bucks, maybe less than ten.
Advertise on Barter Town - if you are in my area, I can give you many fine choices, and I bet many other AKers can too.
But your current ideas are strikingly idiosyncratic - not that common and not, I think, for any obvious reason. Snell made outstanding speakers, but why that one? And B&Os are fine speakers, but you need to like the European sound, which is clear but cold - excess bass isn't a problem in my experience. And on most B&Os, the wood veneer is applied to plastic, and there isn't that much of it either, since they tend to be rather thin with wide grills.
There are a bazillion speakers out there. By the standards of vintage speakers, your budget is huge. So look around and listen to everything you can. While you are choosing, you can probably find a pair of reasonable sounding vintage speakers at Goodwill, tag sales, or the like, for less than a hundred bucks, maybe less than ten.
Advertise on Barter Town - if you are in my area, I can give you many fine choices, and I bet many other AKers can too.
absolve2525
Super Member
If you don't mind glossy black, original NHT Super Ones are great, and often found on Ebay for cheap. I really like vintage Kef Corelli also. There's a pair on Ebay now, but located in England. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1155069463...Q6yboOQRVq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
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Ziinda
Active Member
I'm looking a mountain of vintage bookshelf speakers made by typical big names, then thinking in my head of all others I sold and there is not 1 speaker I can safely tecommend. From my experience you want to stay away from the most common makers like Infinity, Polk, JBL, I doubt I need to mention others like Sony, pioneer, Onkyo etc...
Definitely need to go up the ladder before you'll find a good speaker, once you move up you'll find fewer models available. Basically so many pieces were sold by infinity and JBL that they became the standard and the only good (to those that know good speakers) bookshelves were priced my h higher and sold far less of them. That equates to fewer used available and many times the owners just put them in closets since they aren't ever worried about cash or interested in going through the entire sale process. Many are handed over to relatives that have no idea of what they have.
I would check usaudiomart just to see what's available, $1k should put you right in the mix of what's going to be good both new and now when you consider you'll likely find prices were above $3k when new and very good deals can be found if youre patient. I myself have no experience with higher end bookshelfs, I could not relate the cost to what you get with bookshelfs even at $500? But I know they exist Harbreth made lots of good ones but most are still priced high. There's so many unknown companies that have come and gone for one reason or another, I really don't envy the effort it could take on your part to even get started in choosing 1 set. As you have already mentioned, you're looking at multiple sets and you just started.
I go freaking crazy if I had to go through this. Second guessing and not being able to test a bunch at once always complicates shopping for quality used speakers. You know you can only trust a review to a certain degree and when big $ are involved people will not be leaving poor reviews even if they hate them.
I wish you good luck on your search and I think your end choice will be something that many will be very interested in hearing. How you got to that choice will be even more interesting. This is an area I don't think many have ever explored at this moment just because of the mindset of people like me and views on bookshelves from years ago tend to not hold the highest interest. Now it's really unknown and has a curiously interesting appeal to me just because I've seen what's out there now.
You're choices are many and you have the upper card because of the market you're shopping in being so hard to sell now. You could land some fantastic speakers at that price point regardless of their original price, I would be sending low offers out on old unsold posts to see if you get a bite, you never know, it's all in the timing, just need to be careful to not piss off a bunch of sellers in the process.
Definitely need to go up the ladder before you'll find a good speaker, once you move up you'll find fewer models available. Basically so many pieces were sold by infinity and JBL that they became the standard and the only good (to those that know good speakers) bookshelves were priced my h higher and sold far less of them. That equates to fewer used available and many times the owners just put them in closets since they aren't ever worried about cash or interested in going through the entire sale process. Many are handed over to relatives that have no idea of what they have.
I would check usaudiomart just to see what's available, $1k should put you right in the mix of what's going to be good both new and now when you consider you'll likely find prices were above $3k when new and very good deals can be found if youre patient. I myself have no experience with higher end bookshelfs, I could not relate the cost to what you get with bookshelfs even at $500? But I know they exist Harbreth made lots of good ones but most are still priced high. There's so many unknown companies that have come and gone for one reason or another, I really don't envy the effort it could take on your part to even get started in choosing 1 set. As you have already mentioned, you're looking at multiple sets and you just started.
I go freaking crazy if I had to go through this. Second guessing and not being able to test a bunch at once always complicates shopping for quality used speakers. You know you can only trust a review to a certain degree and when big $ are involved people will not be leaving poor reviews even if they hate them.
I wish you good luck on your search and I think your end choice will be something that many will be very interested in hearing. How you got to that choice will be even more interesting. This is an area I don't think many have ever explored at this moment just because of the mindset of people like me and views on bookshelves from years ago tend to not hold the highest interest. Now it's really unknown and has a curiously interesting appeal to me just because I've seen what's out there now.
You're choices are many and you have the upper card because of the market you're shopping in being so hard to sell now. You could land some fantastic speakers at that price point regardless of their original price, I would be sending low offers out on old unsold posts to see if you get a bite, you never know, it's all in the timing, just need to be careful to not piss off a bunch of sellers in the process.
Ziinda, interesting site, lots of ad annoyance and high prices on what may be good. How would one know, as you point out. As for the Snell---the size fits my need, they were (I think) a good brand (also made Boston Acoustics), price was tolerable, look OK. I need to rearrange the room some and listen to them again. From my 1st try, they sound good playing instrumentals---sound fine playing the local classical station. Voice on some CD tracks seems distorted. Isn't voice mostly mid-range? Shouldn't that be the strength of units with 5 1/4" drivers? Good turntable waiting for a new arm, so listening to an LP, on the temp unit, might not tell me much. Would like to get the room set up, even with stand-ins, but the Snells could go back.
The stereo I'm aiming for is entry level audiophile (eventually) but, spending over $500 on something I've never been able to listen to is not ideal. I may drive to a smaller town, 150 mi away, just to hear what a shop there has for new.
BTW, no answers on a question I had earlier. Why do manufacturers make smaller units with 6, or even 4, Ohm impedance?
The stereo I'm aiming for is entry level audiophile (eventually) but, spending over $500 on something I've never been able to listen to is not ideal. I may drive to a smaller town, 150 mi away, just to hear what a shop there has for new.
BTW, no answers on a question I had earlier. Why do manufacturers make smaller units with 6, or even 4, Ohm impedance?
NH-MAN
Addicted Member
Allison 110 8-inch woofer
With your left over buget you could get them veneered however you like
Picture, as I just got them years ago.
review
Allison LC110 Speaker System Review price specs - Hi-Fi Classic (hifi-classic.net)
With your left over buget you could get them veneered however you like
Picture, as I just got them years ago.
review
Allison LC110 Speaker System Review price specs - Hi-Fi Classic (hifi-classic.net)
There is another vintage thread active in the Speakers forum. To summarize the conclusions over there: Everyone agrees there is a huge variety of vintage speakers that are outstanding, but there is at least one poster for each suggestion who thinks it's loathsome. The suggestions I see here seem mostly newer.
$1000 buys a pretty good older vintage speaker. Consider JBL L166 Horizons, the top of the JBL bookshelf line for several years and an outstanding speaker. They fly under the radar for pricing (the inferior L100 is 2-5x the asking price) but the funky grills always have some damage. If you don't care about the original grills they look great naked but make sure the drivers are original. They are available on eBay and CL right now for ~$500.
$1000 buys a pretty good older vintage speaker. Consider JBL L166 Horizons, the top of the JBL bookshelf line for several years and an outstanding speaker. They fly under the radar for pricing (the inferior L100 is 2-5x the asking price) but the funky grills always have some damage. If you don't care about the original grills they look great naked but make sure the drivers are original. They are available on eBay and CL right now for ~$500.