Which pair to buy? Altec 604, JBL L200, Technics SB300 or B & W 801 Mk2?

[sealy]

Which pair to buy? Altec 604, JBL L200, Technics SB-E100 or B & W 801 Mk2?

The Altecs(White magnet covers, 515 woofers) are in mint condition and come with the original vintage boxes - $1500.

The Technics are in very good shape - $700

The JBL's are also in good shape with the original boxes, but will need super tweeters - $1300

The B & W's are in excellent condition - $1700.

So far, I think it's between the 604's and the 801's, but if anyone would like to chime in, I'd be most interested in your opinion.

 

[mhardy6647]

Well... it depends a lot on your amplification hardware and a little on your taste in music.
Were you me, you'd already have the 604s (sound like "E" version) in your house. Oh, come to think of it... I do
The price seems OK if it includes XOs.

Nothing else on your list floats my boat at all... but you have to please your ears, not mine.
Have you listened to 801s? They're ear-gougers, to me.

 

[sealy]

I've got a nice Hitachi MOSFET power amp and a huge Onkyo M-509 power amp to power whatever I eventually do get. I mis-designated the Technics. They are actually the floor-standing SB-E100, with mid and treble horns. Sounds great. I've never heard the 604, so I can't comment on the sound.

I've listened at length to the 801's. To me, they sound very dynamic with excellent bass response, especially with the ports stuffed. Did you find them bright? One speaker I did find too bright on the top end, was the JBL L5. Excellent speaker, but the top was just too metallic-sounding for me.

 

[mhardy6647]

Almost all JBLs I've heard (generally pro components and monitors) are too bright for me. Not a fan, with just a few exceptions (all carefully engineered DIY).

I love 604 Duplexes; not everyone does, though. They're definitely forward sounding in that great Voice of the Theatre way, but they are neither bright nor harsh to my ear, and they do vocals better than anything in the house (with the possible exception of the ESL-57s, but the 604s have more realistic, in-room vocal "presence" than that wonderful but slightly wispy or ethereal electrostatic midrange of the Quads). The 604Es I have (in the boxes AKer BIllfort designed; http://www.wardsweb.org/Billfort/) are slightly warm and have very respectable LF extension and definition (I do use a powered subwoofer, but crossed in very low and at very low level).

 

[deaner33]

I've got a nice Hitachi MOSFET power amp and a huge Onkyo M-509 power amp to power whatever I eventually do get. I mis-designated the Technics. They are actually the floor-standing SB-E100, with mid and treble horns. Sounds great. I've never heard the 604, so I can't comment on the sound.

I've listened at length to the 801's. To me, they sound very dynamic with excellent bass response, especially with the ports stuffed. Did you find them bright? One speaker I did find too bright on the top end, was the JBL L5. Excellent speaker, but the top was just too metallic-sounding for me.

Those are some really nice Technics & quite rare.

 

[mhardy6647]

PS - given the OPs avatar, you'd probably enjoy this book I have on the Martin aircraft. I grew up none too far (albeit across the Patapsco River) from the Martin plant and airfield near Baltimore.

just a stock thumbnail of the book's cover:
http://www.byrdaviationbooks.com/mart.jpg

EDIT: I do know there are some interesting Technics speakers; no ears-on experience, though.

http://www.audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/speaker/index.html

http://www.audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/speaker/sb-e500.JPG

This is the SB-E100. Probably not many of these in the US.

http://www.audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/speaker/sb-e100.JPG

 

[analog addict]

604's. but I too am biased.

One word of warning, you get those and soon you'll find yourself haunting old TV and radio shops looking for old light bulbs....:yes:

 

[jhoyt]

I'd be tempted to go with the Technics. Middle-of-the-road Japanese speakers were usually nothing special, but their TOTL stuff was incredible.

 

[Steve O]

If you mean the B&W 801 Series 2 (of late 80s) vs 604s of any vintage: no contest: the 801 wins w/o question. I've got 801s, vintage 604Es and 604Cs. The 604s are crude compared to 801s. The primary limitation of this version of the 801 is that it's a power hog and pretty much demands a good SS amp in the 250-400W/ch range. Since there aren't too many decent 250W tube amps, tubes are largely out of the question. As an example, a vintage, restored MC275 couldn't cut it with the 801s.

While the 604s can be fun, esp with low power tube amps, they also provide convincing evidence that research has resulted in much improved sound when they're compared to the 801s.

 

[voltcontrol]

Another vote for the 801's. :yes:

 

[djnagle]

I vote for the Technics. The top of the line speakers are VERY good. I think better than the others you mentioned.

 

[Tom Brennan]

I'd get the JBLs and make compensation networks to extend the highs; the LE-85 compression driver can get up there if compensated.

The times I heard the B&W I didn't like the bass; thought it was wooly and tubby.

These are my opinions, not the word down from Sinai.

 

[jwalker]

The bass is the 801 series 2 is for some reason much better than the series 3 to my ears.

A coworker noticed the same when he tried to use 801 S3 as the mains in his subwooferless home theater setup. He's relegated that pair as surrounds, keeping the 801 S2 in front.

Being the S2 version, these 801's are highly desirable and will keep their value very well. From a name recognition perspective, the B&W are better known than the others. I'm not talking about interest in terms of enthusiast and vintage forums like Audiokarma, but more for the general populace. In other words it will be easier to sell them later on.

But go ahead and get what fits your budget and sounds best to you. Ultimately you and not a bunch of random internet folks are going to be buying and listening to them.

 

[sealy]

I'd get the JBLs and make compensation networks to extend the highs; the LE-85 compression driver can get up there if compensated.

The times I heard the B&W I didn't like the bass; thought it was wooly and tubby.

These are my opinions, not the word down from Sinai.

I concur to a degree about the bass. Interestingly, plugging the ports helped solidify the bass response, especially at higher volume levels. I'm going back today to listen to the Technics. If I choose to get them, I'll have enough cash left over to get a pair of small Acoustats.

 

[sealy]

PS - given the OPs avatar, you'd probably enjoy this book I have on the Martin aircraft. I grew up none too far (albeit across the Patapsco River) from the Martin plant and airfield near Baltimore.

just a stock thumbnail of the book's cover:
http://www.byrdaviationbooks.com/mart.jpg

EDIT: I do know there are some interesting Technics speakers; no ears-on experience, though.

http://www.audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/speaker/index.html

http://www.audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/speaker/sb-e500.JPG

This is the SB-E100. Probably not many of these in the US.

http://www.audio-heritage.jp/TECHNICS/speaker/sb-e100.JPG

Take note of the "Club" on the wheel in the cockpit. As if anyone is going to drive it away. LOL!! Apparently these things are easy to fly. This picture was taken at Sproat Lake, Vancouver Island, the home base of the Mars Water Bombers.

 

[dnewma04]

I think for the prices listed, I'd be tempted to look at the technics and the B&W a little closer. I think the L200s might be right out (at least at 1300). Maybe the JBLs would be more tempting at the price of the technics, but they require a fair amount of work to make good.