I Picked up 2 pairs of speakers today from CL

mrappe

mrappe

Active Member
I got these
1 pair EPI Model 100v
1 pair Bolivar Speaker Works Model 18
$50 for each pair

They both are in very good condition. Especially the EPIs. Other than a few very small nicks they look like new. They have been re-foamed and re capped. I have been wanting a pair since my best friend bought a pair in the early 70s. I have not heard them since then and they did not dissapoint. I had forgotten how good they sound for a small inexpensive speaker. I had never heard of the Bolivar Speaker Works Model 18, The sound OK but not a good as the EPIs. Maybe they need re-capping. Does anyone have experience with them?
 
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I know the feeling. My college roommate 35 years ago had Smaller Advents that I coveted. Thanks to CL, I now have a pair and am amazed at such big sound from small, well, smallish speakers.
 
When my wife and I put together our first stereo system, in the latter half of the 70s, I recall doing hours of research (using stereo magazine reviews in those days) about the best turntable, amp, speakers in our not very ambitious price range. We settled on EPI 100s (I don't know what the "v" in yours stands for) for the speakers, since everything I could find suggested that they gave a very flat response curve over their range, and also because, while they were a bit less efficient than some models they compared with, their wattage capacity was above, but not excessively so, what the receivers we were considering put out. In their price range, on those criteria, nothing really competed with them. I still have them, though they now have a rather amateuring refoaming...not pretty but it worked.
 
I own the bigger-woofer Bolivar Model 64's. Otherwise I think they are the same as your 18's, maybe bigger cabs. They are fine speakers. Of course, JBL sounding.
 
IIRC, Bolivar was started by some of the folks from CTS in Paducah, KY - I think Bolivar (the town) is very close to Paducah. For a while, Bolivar Speaker Works was owned by harman international, producing mainly mass-market speakers (alhough better than average), and doing private-label products for stereo chains. The whole shebang was shut down after less than ten years, meeting the same fate as CTS.

Makes you think...if a company with harman behind it couldn't hang on, what chance did EPI/Genesis/Burhoe have?
 
Congrats on the purchase :yes: I've been looking for a pair of EPI 100's for some time now. $50 seems like an excellent price, especially refoamed and recapped!!
 
Yes, $50 for a pair of 100's in good shape, refoamed and ready to go is an amazing price.

I've had w's for a few months now, had to replace the woofers but they really do sound good. I have another pair of v's that need woofers and one needs a tweeter. Trying to decide if I'm going to refurbish or just sell off the parts that I have.

Great speakers though... Congrats!
 
hbucker said:
I have another pair of v's that need woofers and one needs a tweeter. Trying to decide if I'm going to refurbish or just sell off the parts that I have.
Click to expand...

So, You have one good tweeter or do the woofers just need new foam? If the latter, you could always sell the one good tweeter and replace both with these:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=275-070

Wait for them to go on sale though. I got a pair of them waiting if my airsprings or the ones on my T/E series speakers go out. The mounting plate is just a tad larger than the originals (though the screw holes line up perfectly). A little Dremel sanding drum should do fine to allow the silkies to fit snugly.

A quick test shows they are a fine replacement driver and perfectly suited for these speakers due to low Fs and crossover freq. ability.
 
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