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Speakers that don't need mods to sound great.

chazvintage

chazvintage

Active Member
After years of reading about speakers on this forum, I rarely see a post about a set that is right on from the stock, not including cap rebuild, although I'm not sold on all must be recapped.

I'm talking about the legends of speakers around here. No names needed if you are a avid reader here.

When I was a noob, I liked what I liked and didn't care what others had. After a couple of years, I loosened up and opened my ears to other possibilities.

Now fast forward to 25 years later and so many pairs of speakers, no one will listen about a new a pair as they have heard it all before. I'm like a broken record trying to sell about how great this pair will be and so on.

The optimism is not as great as in the beginning. I have had the fortune of the music industry to see and hear too many to count pro and consumer set ups.
In my personal listening pairs, I've purged many and kept few.

My keepers are probably off beat and reflect my taste and maybe called mid-fi here.
3D Acoustic 3 piece system 3D6/ 10B sub x 2 sets , these do it all, read up on these and win really!

3D Acoustic Decade matched set, never seen any member post or mention this pair. will never part with.
An all EV loaded horn cab w/15 driver, 350 tweet 1824 mid, My vinyl set

A Karlson cab with rebadged allied 615 , trx clone , better than average but needs fine tuning, my tube set. As well a a few one trick pony pairs.

So to wrap up this book post. I like vintage and I like under 1000, unless a set of model 19s come my way. Except I have to mod these as well ?

I'm hoping find other members with 3D Acoustics and see what they think about it.
These are the only sets I have needing ZERO mods. Caveat recapped one set and put the old ones back in as no difference.

Thanks for reading the book and I'll be attending Joe Bonamassa master class in Hershey Pa in FEB. If any members are, hope to meet you and jam with Joe.
 
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I left the Model 19s I had about 10 years ago alone. I bought new caps but never installed them, I figured why screw with a good thing. And it's not as though I lacked experience with Altecs.
 
I believe that a lot of the recapping and mods of gear is hobby induced and not something that folks think needs to be done. The fact that it isn't hard and it might make things better gets people to try it. Another aspect of the hobby.

If you are wanting to discuss the 3D Acoustics speakers with other 3D owners, maybe stuffing 3D Acoustics in the title would get their attention. You waited until mid-way through your post. Maybe an edit of the title or the content and put 3D Acoustics on the first line so it shows in a preview of the post. But heck you thread is rocking being only 90 minutes old. IIf you want to go that route, I'd try something like 3D Acoustics content and owners sought as the first line of your thread. Then it shows in the preview.
 
Thanks for the posts, I have had ADS on my short list already and have heard the 1590 and those were amazing to say the least, but hearing at your place making me jealous, usually doesn't end up the same at mine. Funny how that goes.

I thank you for picking models and not wholesale brands to make my post relevant.
I use mid-fi amps to run my gear a mix of pro and consumer. Carver M-1.5t, Dynaco 410, Crown psa 2 shoco modded from tour, and some under 20 watt tube amps.
Plenty of room treatment and moving room designs around.

3D Acoustics owners are pretty rare these days considering the history of the company, they turned into Dahlquist. Regnar couldn't help much with a proper surround and falcon acoustic in UK has me covered for parts that seem unobtanium.
I was hoping for a rocking thread so 3D title post would of dulled it. Thanks Blue
 
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I do not consider recapping of xovrs as a modification.
But thats just me.
to conform with OPs wants,,
than Monitor Audio Gold20s are fine as they are. British.
 
I had to return a Cherry BOMB amp from the man himself , as he graciously gave me a full refund because of my divorce, that was my Hi-fi peak.
I planned, before I moved to colorado and got rid of receivers because of no reception worth tuning to. But I was a sansui believer.
 
Replacing 30-40 year old electrolytics is always a benefit. For electronics,at a minimum, it's the safe thing to do. For speaker crossovers, old electrolytics will simply drift and no longer function exactly as intended.

If the OP wants speakers that need no restoration I suggest don't buy old ones, buy new.

I have two pairs of ads, great speakers, even better after a smart recap.
 
Tannoy Saturn, almost any model. Made in the 1990s, so won't need parts repair yet, if they have been treated well.

The S8 should come under your price ceiling. Dual 8", bass in spades, great imaging, very good tonal balance, incredibly good coherence.

A bit obscure, not too many to be found- but if you can, you won't be disappointed.

Regards,
Gordon.
 
Thanks for the posts, all of my speakers are restored by me and recapped if necessary, restoration isn't Modding to me.
Going on a cruise next year to japan and going to Kendrick Sound in Tokyo and hopefully ship something home cross my fingers Visa/Mastercard.
I have been in love their work and lusting for a while, and who wouldn't.
I have tried to come across Tannoy and will look up this model Gordon thank you and nice offbeat pick to boot.
Not ignoring JBL suggestion either , that L-7 has that great crossover with adjustable slope under the cover right?
Keep it rolling please.

 
ADS 910's. Mids and tweeters rebuilt by Richard So, crossovers original. Phenomenal sounding speakers.
KLH Fives, Six's. Recapped and surrounds resealed. Great speakers.
AR3's with original oil caps and drivers, excellent speakers.
AR12's, recapped and surrounds replaced, also excellent.
DCM Time Windows, early production. Original caps. Great sounding speakers.
JBL 4301b's. All original, woofer surrounds replaced prior to purchase. Amazing small monitors.
My speakers that have been restored, I would not consider them modded. All caps are matching values to the originals.
 
MarZutra said:
I know that this suggestion isn't the norm however the Epi 100 are actually very nice sounding speakers totally original.
Click to expand...
I gifted a pair of 150's with human upgrades last year and weren't they something, masonite tweets rebuilds really did sound better to me. I'm trying to acquire close totl with 1000.oo and hoping to make a statement as well. thanks for the post.
 
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