Realistic T120.....how much to pay?
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RTally
Speaker addict
What part of the world are you in? A lot depends upon your local market.
Those are 30+ year old speakers. Assuming you did your homework and researched with no ready information found, then those speakers have no reputation. No reputation means little market value. I would never pay more than $100 for such speakers. I might fork out $50 if they were in good shape just to listen to them for a while. They may have some hidden value. Where I am located, those are yard sale speakers that would go for $30, if they could be sold even at that.
The Radio Shack 1985 catalog shows that they retailed new for $179 each. At the same time, the Mach 2 retailed for $219. A short answer is that they would be worth less than you would pay for a Mach 2 or even Optimus 400, which retailed at $199. But the Mach 2 is well known, so it's market value would be much higher.
http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/html/1985/h019.html
Those are 30+ year old speakers. Assuming you did your homework and researched with no ready information found, then those speakers have no reputation. No reputation means little market value. I would never pay more than $100 for such speakers. I might fork out $50 if they were in good shape just to listen to them for a while. They may have some hidden value. Where I am located, those are yard sale speakers that would go for $30, if they could be sold even at that.
The Radio Shack 1985 catalog shows that they retailed new for $179 each. At the same time, the Mach 2 retailed for $219. A short answer is that they would be worth less than you would pay for a Mach 2 or even Optimus 400, which retailed at $199. But the Mach 2 is well known, so it's market value would be much higher.
http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/html/1985/h019.html
superdog
AK Member
I couldn't sell a very nice refoamed set for a $100.After six months on CL with no luck I landed up giving them to someone.It must be because they have no reputation.They have a very nice,well built cabinet that probably has more value than the drivers itself.Good for some real quality DIY drivers.
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RTally
Speaker addict
If you have the money to burn, go for it!
The way I look at it, what will that money buy me otherwise? In my area I can buy 4 pair of Dyanaco A25 speakers, two pair of Klipsch KG 4.5 with change left over, a pair of Klipsch Fortes, or an assortment of other speakers that are well regarded. If you think those speakers are better than what you could otherwise spend the money on, buy 'em. But I cannot imagine that those speakers are that good compared to others at about the same price.
z-adamson
Addicted Member
Such as?
markshan
Sir Thrift a Lot
All the even numbered ones. T-100, T-200, T-300
jocko_nc
Super Member
I bought T-300 new back when they were being discontinued. I believe T-300 were a cheapened replacement for the T-200, which is the speaker I remember as the flagship speaker at Radio Shack. T-300 was still a very respectable speaker. From then, quality only went downhill. I recall T-200 sounded excellent and were what I really desired, but they had disappeared by the time I had the cash. Anything earlier than that I was too young to have known. That was my expereince.
They liked to use dual 10's. T-200 both active I think and T-300 active and passive on the lower. There may have been a tower with 12's at some point, but cannot find that. Weak link on the T-300 were the crossovers. Light weight coils. I discovered that in college.
They liked to use dual 10's. T-200 both active I think and T-300 active and passive on the lower. There may have been a tower with 12's at some point, but cannot find that. Weak link on the T-300 were the crossovers. Light weight coils. I discovered that in college.
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superdog
AK Member
$100 max.
Audiokingman
Active Member
Well...I have owned and listened to many Realistic/Optimus speakers over many years and, IMO, the Realistic T-120 speakers are excellent sounding and better sounding than the Mach's which get most of the attention.
If you can get a pair in nice functional and cosmetic condition with all original drivers for under $200, I'd say go for it.
If you can get a pair in nice functional and cosmetic condition with all original drivers for under $200, I'd say go for it.
markshan
Sir Thrift a Lot
People don't buy Machs for the sound. They do it for the nostalgia.
BilboBaggins
Addicted Member
I had a pair years ago that had been painted black. Without doing a lot of work on them, I couldn't sell them. I wasn't about to do a lot of work on them when I knew I wouldn't get it back. I eventually donated them to a local value village. They sound good, but Radio Shack only has a few select speakers that people are looking for, and even fewer where they will pay real money for. Like maybe the Mach's in decent condition.
