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Speaker recommendations for Kenwood KA-801 amp.

Stack

Active Member
So, I have a bit of an upgrade bug...

It's become apparent that after years of upgrading various components one by one, my Realistic Mach 2 speakers are the weakest point in my current setup.

Now, don't get me wrong. The Mach 2's are excellent for cranking volume and served me well for years, but I'm in the mood for a more detailed speaker. I was hoping maybe somebody with a KA-801 or similar amp (KA-701, KA-915, or probably even the previous KA-8100 or 9100 series) could give me a push in the right direction for my research.

I'm not picky about what era the speakers are from, and I'm no stranger to refoaming or recapping jobs. The price would ideally be around $500 (which puts me squarely in the used market) but I'd consider more expensive speakers approaching $1000 as well.

The first speakers I've been looking into are JBL L5s. They seem to be in the right price range, wattage is in the right neighborhood, and I've personally heard them in somebody else's setup and really enjoy the sound... but he had a mid 90s Harmon Kardon amplifier, which is not really similar to a Kenwood KA-801 at all.
 
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Well, I'm shutting this down before it even starts.

Just minutes after typing this up, I decided to go on Craigslist and see if there were any JBL L5s listed in my area. You know, just to see. And, you'll never guess what, somebody had a pair listed for a really good price, in near mint condition, and only a few miles from my place of work! I jumped.

Haven't been listening to them for long now, but I can already say they're substantially more detailed than the Mach 2s. Thanks so much for the help!
 
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