I am shocked at some vintage bookshelf speakers

[Fast996]

I know things have doubled and tripled. I wanted to get a pair of nice bookshelf speakers for my office tied to a Mac 1500 receiver. Lo and behold I checked Acoustic
Research AR-3's ect and couldn't believe the asking prices. Pushing 2000 and up. There are others JBL L100's,KLH,ect.
What happened? Heck I use to visit Pacific Stereo when I was in high school and AR's I didn't think they were audiophile grade.
Btw I did a search and found a mint pair of Fulton walnut FMI 100's for $100 each. Do you think I jumped on them? Darn right I did.
Take it easy on me...Thanks for reading my rant.

 

[DesertRatt]

FMI 100s were cool sounding little speakers! I've spent a lot of time in 1976 listening to them with my friend Bob using a Fisher integrated tube amp. Sweet! Funny, I think they were about $100 back then new.

 

[TPettenati]

Crazy asking prices sometimes don't reflect actual selling prices. Premium prices on what is perceived to be something providing superior sound. Don't underestimate the power of nostalgia to separate a man from his hard earned cash.

There are still some lesser known high quality brands that fly under the radar, but those continue to get harder to find.

 

[Blue Shadow]

There is stupid nostalgia in the US and pent up far eastern demand driving the prices on lots of gear. If the company has follow on products, Klipsch, JBL and such, new high prices filter down to the old crap on the market. Key is finding gear every Tom, Dick and Harry aren’t worshipping and over bidding for from the different sales venues. Not speakers but Onkyo and Niko instead of Pio/Mar/Sui/Mc. Time Frames instead of just about any speaker.

 

[homebrew]

What you're finding indicates that vintage speakers are, for the most part, simply not worth it. I see, that as a former owner, that vintage AR's are some of the worst offenders. Unless you like recessed mids and highs. There are too many new speakers that dump all over most vintage speakers. Plus, you don't have to worry about no warranty, re-foaming drivers, reworking crossovers, or finding unobtanium replacement drivers. Finding a deal like $200 for a pair of pristine Altec 19's or Infinity IRS's is one thing. But $2000 for a pair of AR3a's? Unless your an obsessive collector, there are better ways to spend your money.

 

[Fast996]

What you're finding indicates that vintage speakers are, for the most part, simply not worth it. I see, that as a former owner, that vintage AR's are some of the worst offenders. Unless you like recessed mids and highs. There are too many new speakers that dump all over most vintage speakers. Plus, you don't have to worry about no warranty, re-foaming drivers, reworking crossovers, or finding unobtanium replacement drivers. Finding a deal like $200 for a pair of pristine Altec 19's or Infinity IRS's is one thing. But $2000 for a pair of AR3a's? Unless your an obsessive collector, there are better ways to spend your money.

FMI 100s were cool sounding little speakers! I've spent a lot of time in 1976 listening to them worth my friend Bob using a Fisher integrated tube amp. Sweet! Funny, I think they were about $100 back then new.

I do get the point about having to refurbish drivers,crossovers ect. Well taken.
On the Fulton's kind of a esoteric design but I always thought they sounded very good. Of course I have 2 other pair and this will be my third.
After seeing the prices on others I by chance thought I would search for the Fulton 100's by just luck I found a pair. The problem with Fulton's just not
to many know of them....but that's just what I wanted a good speaker at a reasonable price,albiet I think they are worth more.

 

[sound hound]

Some of it is reputation. Vintage speakers have developed a reputation that many consider enviable. Time allows that to occur, especially for vintage speakers. Some of the reputation is just an individual matter, whether it is deserved or not. When I bought my Dynaco A25, it was supposed to be excellent. But for me, it went on the shelf to sell once I bought a Fulton FMI-80. For me, Fulton speakers were the cat's pajamas. Since that experience, I don't think I would ever pass up a Fulton speaker if I saw it on sale in the flesh, unless it was out of my price range.

Now I have a pair of Signet 260's that I have become more and more attached to for their sound. They are my daily driver. So, now, if I see another pair of Signets on sale for not too much money, that's what I would buy. It doesn't mean that they are the best speaker in their price range, just that I have an experience with them, that has led me to consider them excellent speakers. Sure, there must be new speakers that exceed them in sound quality, but I don't have any experience with them the way I do with the Signets. Reputation is a quality that develops over time. The reputation of the Signets in my eyes are well deserved and I'll stick with my choice of them.

 

[Oerets]

Not having purchased speakers for a few years and more now. Have continued to monitor my local markets online enough to see the prices. It appears here locally that the higher price point does not equate to selling prices. Some very nice speakers are still for sale without any price reduction for a couple of years or more. Not just speakers other items as well.

 

[Lux Man]

Some very nice speakers are still for sale without any price reduction for a couple of years or more.

Doesn't that sound like a flipper who is willing to just sit on them with his inflated price hoping for a fish to bite his crazy price?

 

[Bill S]

There are a lot of new, true bookshelf sized speakers available that will out perform older designs. You'll not find them for $100 tho and many folks on this forum are looking for stuff in that range.

 

[ConradH]

IMO, speakers are very subject to aging. Surrounds, crossover caps, water damage to wood, adhesives failing to hold magnets, toasted voice coils, centering that's drifted off. Dried up damping coatings on tweeters and failed ferrofluid. There are almost no vintage speakers I'd spend significant money on. The one thing you can be sure of is they don't sound today like they sounded when they were new. Spend more on something new!

 

[Rybeam]

We that grew up with these brands are getting older and demand is peaking and will begin to go down. The number of people wanting our treasures is going down. I fight the idea of selling off everything expect my very favorites while there is still a market.

 

[rickb119]

We that grew up with these brands are getting older and demand is peaking and will begin to go down. The number of people wanting our treasures is going down. I fight the idea of selling off everything expect my very favorites while there is still a market.

I think demand (for vintage) peaked during covid, and has been falling since. I sold most of my 'extras' a few years ago, prior to a cross country move, and will be selling the last of them tomorrow (at a price less than what I could have gotten a few years ago).

 

[Fast996]

I think demand (for vintage) peaked during covid, and has been falling since. I sold most of my 'extras' a few years ago, prior to a cross country move, and will be selling the last of them tomorrow (at a price less than what I could have gotten a few years ago).

Well there are exceptions like a Marantz 4400 which I snagged off of Epay for $600 during Covid, now look at them. I'll have my Fulton's tomorrow for less than 500.00 shipped. Even if Marantz and McIntosh go down I'll always be a buyer of value.

 

[dfunghi]

I know things have doubled and tripled. I wanted to get a pair of nice bookshelf speakers for my office tied to a Mac 1500 receiver. Lo and behold I checked Acoustic
Research AR-3's ect and couldn't believe the asking prices. Pushing 2000 and up. There are others JBL L100's,KLH,ect.
What happened? Heck I use to visit Pacific Stereo when I was in high school and AR's I didn't think they were audiophile grade.
Btw I did a search and found a mint pair of Fulton walnut FMI 100's for $100 each. Do you think I jumped on them? Darn right I did.
Take it easy on me...Thanks for reading my rant.

For true bookshelf speakers, a bit less of a footprint than the AR, I have a really affordable pair of Signet SL 260 that really sound great. Running off of many different set ups over the years, currently a Fisher 500b.

 

[Powertech]

If you like the sound and appearance of vintage bookshelf speakers, there are kit providers around that can supply replacement drivers and crossovers. A lot of these come as either full kits, partial kits down to individual components manufactured to original specs or better. The BBC LS3/5A springs to mind as do some Harbeth and KE|F designs. At least you would be getting your desired look and sound without the issues of aged component degradation. Also you are guaranteed as to precisely what you are getting.
Maybe something that could be considered.

 

[Fast996]

Fulton 100's in the house. Not bad for 50 years old. Like new and invested less than 500 including shipping.
Now that's better than what they ask for those AR3's ymmv on that.

 

[harman/kardon]

If you like the sound and appearance of vintage bookshelf speakers, there are kit providers around that can supply replacement drivers and crossovers. A lot of these come as either full kits, partial kits down to individual components manufactured to original specs or better. The BBC LS3/5A springs to mind as do some Harbeth and KE|F designs. At least you would be getting your desired look and sound without the issues of aged component degradation. Also you are guaranteed as to precisely what you are getting.
Maybe something that could be considered.

Rogers LS 2a over here and I can really recommend them.

 

[jayvis]

If you like the sound and appearance of vintage bookshelf speakers, there are kit providers around that can supply replacement drivers and crossovers. A lot of these come as either full kits, partial kits down to individual components manufactured to original specs or better. The BBC LS3/5A springs to mind as do some Harbeth and KE|F designs. At least you would be getting your desired look and sound without the issues of aged component degradation. Also you are guaranteed as to precisely what you are getting.
Maybe something that could be considered.

I think it's silly to suggest that these installed kits will sound just like the originals did when new. Beyond specifications, nothing exists today to compare them to when listening.

 

[mrswakka]

I have a couple pairs of DCM timepieces, and halftimes that sound amazing. And my 3D Acoustics have replaced my DCM TimeWindows llls. I’m looking at some FanFare bookshelf speakers this weekend. They’re supposed to be very good.