I have a set of Lancer 77 speakers. I replaced the caps and induction coils, apply brake fluid to the surrounds every other decade. I also have AR3a (est 1969), KLH-5 (original version with 2 mid range drivers), 1972 Smaller Advent, KEF LS50, B&W 601-S2, Klipsch Forte (1989), Klipsch RP 8000-11. I recently got a set of JBL L-100s, originals with the offset drivers, ser 573xx A, Waiting for the new caps to arrive to test them. Estate sales are gold mnes where I live. The only speakers that I bought retail were the Lancer 77's, right out of Navy boot camp in 1971, and the Klipsch RP 8000-11. My room has full DYI rockwool acoutic treatment set up for a single listening postion located where low frequency room nodes are favorible, just like a mixing room. Absorption at the first reflection points on the walls, ceiling, and floor (3.5" rockwool+2" air gap), deep rockwool bass traps across the corners and at several locations where a wall meets the ceiling. Additional panels are located to adjust the room decay time and brightness. In the right room, the Lancer 77's can sound just fine. Any decent speakers can, with crystal clear mids and highs, tight bass, very good imaging, like real sound stage, and sound that is musically balanced. They sound a little different, but pleasent in their own ways. Worth listening to. Good room acoustics exposes music that is poorly produced or executed, not worth listening too. That's what proper acoutic treatment can do. I had a battle of the West Coast sound JBL77s vs East Coast sound AR3a's last week in an A/B test listening to Chicago and Blood Sweat and Tears. It was epic. PS: The JBL and Klipsch speakers benefit the most from good room acoustics IMO. The Klipsch speakers presented a wider than natural sound stage.
