I came across a hammered pair of these at the Salvation Army thrift store. Sadly, 30 dollars was more than they were worth. I guess I could have purchased them and parted them out. Some of the components were salvageable
My Father has a near perfect pair of the first gen Mach Ones with the original surround intact. I think he paid about $20 for them at a resale shop 12+yrs ago. I have a pair of Yamaha NS 670's from 1973 that sound much better, paid $20 for them at a thrift shop 6yrs ago
Radio shack made some great speakers. I still have a a 12' DVC Optimus woofer that I use in a 501 series 1 cab. The 10' woofers fell apart. I was amazed that series one 501's had no crossover. Has 2 direct reflecting tweeters that dont work anymore. Voice coils are fried.
They sound incredible but they're just so freaking huge that not that many of us can use them. There's an older pair close to me for only $2K and they're mint. But good lord where the hell can you put them?!
@@TheGpono Absolutely-- that was the other P.A. we used... some highs, no lows, not even Bose. Big as F__k and hell to move around from gig to gig. The La Scala's at least sounded good.
You can never go wrong with a Large Advent. They are incredibly repairable: I think I am fondest of the Vinyl Clad versions from about 1972 - 1978. And the Smaller Advent wasn't bad nor the earliest of their descendants such as the Advent /1. Henry Kloss said, it's hard enough trying to "voice" a 2-way let alone anything more complex.
I agree, probably the best value. I have 4 of the large Advent anniversary series produced in the early 90s. A Pioneer SX-1010 with an additional amp and SQ decoder for 4-channel surround sound. It works well with stereo sources, a 3D sound effect that enhances regular and live recordings movies and music.
@@bernieschiff5919 My primary care physician in Sarasota, FL for 35 years was highly successful and sought after. He could have any speaker he wanted and when he began his search in the seventies, he had all the options outlined in the video above as well as AR3a"s, JBL Summits and his real favorite: Klipsch Corner Horns. His wife put the kibosh on that. After listening to all: Large Advents were his choice. He sold them to me because he didn't believe that a simple re-foam of the woofers would solve the problem that after 25 years they didn't sound as good as they once had. A year later at my physical and preparation for him doing a colonoscopy on me, he asked if he could buy them back. I'm going to say no?!?! Luckily, I found another pair shortly thereafter at a garage sale for $20 in walnut (his were the utility cabinets!).
I had a pair of the New Large Advents that blew out the woofer surrounds, so I bought a MUCH more expensive pair of speakers (based on reviews). I figured that I could get more money for the Advents if I repaired them - it was easy. After I repaired them, I hooked them up for an A/B comparison to my new speakers - the Advents were much better - solid bass that was less boomy, and a much less colored midrange - female voices just sounded better. I sold the new speakers and kept the Advents.
Placement is very important as the illustration shows. I have a pair of 901 series V that I got in 1981 and still use them with a Bose Spatial Control receiver.
I have ESS tempest speakers that I bought in 1977 I’ve replaced the woofers and rear passive radiator they have a heil air motion transformer tweeter that was a great tweeter technology still used today by many manufacturers
Fun video! Keep doing them. I remember those 901s. I listened and shrugged. I didn’t understand why everyone thought they were great. 50 years later it seems I was right. When it comes to vintage speakers, I’m all about the NE US. ADS is my fav. Boston Acoustics, Advent, Audio Analyst. Had them all and they sounded great.
The thing that always amazes me is when standing close one speaker, the other can still be clearly heard. So many speakers have a small sweet spot in between that makes listening more difficult.
@@66skate that’s because Sansui has 3 different tweeters and a horn and giant Midrange speakers. Bowers Wilkins, Klips and Martin Logan has the same wide sound stage with unique tweeters and huge midrange. Oh yeah Bose 901 definitely has a wide sound stage if there’s nothing obstructing the rear of the cabinets cough Bookshelf
Even though I own a rather high-end 2-channel system of Rotel separates and Martin Logan SL3's... I also have a set of 901's that have a cool factor that I will always love. Sure, they are a tonal wreck and do a million things wrong. But who cares? They are awesome to crank, look cool as ever and are truly a piece of audio history.
Well the 901s can (and will) sound really good if you place them correctly, use the matching EQ and hook them up to a proper amplifier. "No highs, no lows… must be Bose" probably comes from the awful Acoustimass systems of the 80s and 90s…
BOZAK - almost any of them. Rudy was a genius, and with his pal Emory Cook, they knocked out the audiophiles in their time, and Bozaks still sound awesome today.
Forgot 2 inexpensive legends - the Advent loudspeaker (2 different versions, both set new performance levels for their price) and the beloved radio shack Optimus 7. Neither one worth much to a vintage resale shop like you guys, but both very much in demand.
The Advent loudspeaker, especially the "large Advent" version was a tremendous bargain. I'd own it any day over the L100. It had bass down to the low 30Hz range and fairly linear respose for its day. The store I worked in sold them by the ton.
@@johnstone7697 full agreement. I still have mine purchased from Tweeter Etc on Comm Ave in Boston in the late ‘70s. Refoamed, still sound great connected to my old Kenwood KR 4070 and fed by a Fluance TT and a WiiM. Rock and folk music and anything live sounds great on this system (to my ears at least). I have an expensive “audiophile” system in the media room (Arcam, KEF, Denon, fancy cables…) and to be honest I listen to the old system more often
I had 2 pairs of BOSE 901 Series IVs. It was hooked with the Pioneer SX-1980. Now some don't like the sound of these but hook the watts to it and it's like nothing you have heard before.
I can't understand the hate. As a bassist I love the bump in those frequencies a lot. If someone approaches 901s with the mindset that they will hear a flat frequency response then they'll be very disappointed but for casual listening I think they sound nice. Old CD store used to use them and I enjoyed that store. My friends dad was proud of his and he also had a robust vintage Pioneer receiver. I think people must be retarded to think the junky plastic speakers Bose pushed out are comparable. It's the same stigma with Yamaha hifi. It's so lame to hate an inanimate object.
the Dynaco A25 - smooth, accurate, decent bass in a small nice looking 2way @ low price (paid $160/pr in '72). lasted through the loud (college) years & beyond.
My first set of speakers in the 70's were the Pioneer HPM-100's along with a pioneer SX-1010. A powerhouse of sound! Today I have the HPM-100's with a set of JBL Decades. Both are awesome sounding speakers.
Acoustic Research AR18s. Not the most resolving, but the nicest tone of all the speakers in my collection. And my collection includes speakers like the JBL 4429, 4311, ProAc Tablette 10, Avalons, Kef LS50w, Hedd Type 20, and I'm sure I'm missing a few. If you ever come across a pair of AR18s, just grab 'em. They are usually available for throwaway prices.
Surprised that the Altec Model 19 was not on your list. It succeeded the Valencia model by increasing the the x-over frequency to 1.2 KHz from 800 Hz. The result was less "honk" and more home listening pleasure.
I remember seeing and hearing Pioneer HPM-100 speakers in college years in Austin, Texas. The hi-fi dealer had a very unique pair of the HPM-100s on display for listening. The box was plexiglass. It was plexiglass on all sides and it let you see everything inside. Quality sound? I don't remember it being exceptional, just cool to look at. This dealer also had a the JBL Paragon speaker system on display of audition. That sound was overwhelming, but my finances couldn't handle it and there was now way I would ever get the Paragon beast into my dorm room!
That was The Sound Gallery. In Delwood Shopping Center. I worked there for a while I was at UT. We drove the Paragon with SAE pre and power amp. We also had Klipsch. And JBL. I never thought the HPM 100 was the best we had. The JBL L100 was, to my ear, superior. I was not and am not today a Bose 901 guy. For lots of reasons.
Respectfully I have to seriously disagree with what you mention as good vintage speakers. JBL are great, but the rest are dorm room ear bleeders. What I would consider classic or vintage speakers would be Altec Lansing Voice of the theater models. a7, Valencia magnificent etc. Also Heathkit, Klipsch Bozak, Thiel, Advents and B&W. In my personal opinion, those would be better vintage high end speakers. Just my opinion and I’m probably forgetting a few.
I am fortunate enough to own a pair of Cerwin Vega 15s 400 watt capability and they are as good today as they were when I purchased them in the early 90s
I don't know if they ever made it across the Pond from England, but I always had a soft spot for the Leak 2075. Unfortunately, they were just too large to fit into my parents' living room & be aesthetically acceptable, so the largest & beautiful sounding Celestion Ditton 66 was my daily listen from late 1976 until I moved out in 1979, into a tiny apartment. For a while after moving in it was headphones only, in the shape of the wonderful Wharfedale ID1 Orthodynamic - Isodynamic Headphones. But that's a completely different listening experience.
I had an appointment to get a pair of L810s and the guy sold them out from under me. Didn't even give me a chance to offer more. I was pretty pissed. I passed on another pair that looked like they were drug behind a delivery van for an afternoon.
You already know I'm a complete devotee of the Pioneer HPM-100 speaker's as they both rock my world and blow my hair back. I generally like most speakers if they are well made. Well made speakers can all sound different. I love the big booming unapologetic unsophisticated 1970's frat house raw sound of my 2 sets of Pioneer HPM -100's. Pioneer HPM - 100's are feral party speakers. Just hook up a powerful receiver and Rock on or Disco the night away! Pioneer HPM-100's are not audiophile speakers for those high class folk who want to pick out the delicate sounds of a single oboe in a classical music score. Pioneer HPM -100's celebrate the raw power it takes to play head banging Rock or Soul thumping disco music!
Lucky to find speakers? Polk SRS SDA, Altec 19, McIntosh XRT-20, ADS L2030, Carver Amazing. These are all statement pieces. I would echo the ADS comments, they are absolutely stellar. Fortunately not on a lot of people's radar so still reasonable. Not the 2030s though. Rare as hen's teeth.
@@stevezeidman7224 The ADS do not require bi-amping, but do benefit from it. I think via the c2000 bi-amp controller. I do not have the L2030, but I do have the SRS SDA, and an early pair of 70's era Cornwalls. I owned a pair of Ohm Walsh F's, which I thought were about the best, but managed to burn a voice coil on one. Traded them in on a pair of Ohm Walsh 5 Signatures. They had much-improved bass and power handling, though I think some of the Walsh driver magic was gone from the extreme treble. They used a super tweeter. They had to go in a downsizing move. The Klipsch and Polks are in storage, patiently waiting to take their place in a big space.
I have a set of AR-16 speakers that I bought 47 years ago. I just the upgrades the CAPS and they still sound great. I did re-foam them years ago and I just made new grills.
I adore large Advents. I have a set in the master bedroom and a stack in the family room, both driven by vintage Marantz receivers. A 2235 upstairs and a 2270 downstairs. Awesome combination.
I still have my HPM-100's. I set them up on on a dedicated two-channel system, with my Pioneer SA-9500II Integrated amp. I always wanted pair of Bose 901'a, but they were just to expensive for me at the time.
How would you rank the Altec Lansing model 14's ? I have a set of those matched to a Marantz 2385, 6350Q turntable and an RG pro20 dynanamic processor. All ressurected and flawlessly playing today. Love these speakers. My grandkids will one day be happy, as i am today
I bought my first "high end" product in 1972, Empire 598 still have and works, Speaker wise I have 2 "cult" ones, the original Dahlquist DQ-10's with the power they want a great speaker, and the opposite spectrum a pair of Altec 19's. As far as bass and depth nothing I could afford could beat them.
No highs no lows must be Bose Sorry not sorry I have and will always hate Bose! Bose is the brand the people not in the known buy! the brand that people buy thinking its high end!
I always wanted the L100's, but they quit making them before I could get a pair. I did buy a pair of L112's in 1981 and I still have them to this day in mint condition. You don't hear much about these anymore, but I think that they are outstanding speakers.
Outstanding! It's hard to find them mint. Over the period of time that I've had them, the woofers have been reconed twice. If I have to do it again, it will have to be the surrounds because they don't make the woofer cone any longer or the diaphram for the 044 tweeter.@@williammcnicholas1400
I have a pair of Kef Carina ii's that I purchased around 1984 for $500/pair. They are the fronts of my current 5.1.2 all Kef system. They definitely hold up, especially in 2.1 stereo mode for music.
When I first heard the Pioneer HPM 100s in music store I was simply blown away by the way the speaker was able to detail the instruments & voices much greater than the others that were demoed. It definitely was a step up from the L100s imo.
I keep my VERY old Wharfedale speakers around (not connected, although they sounded damn good) for the fine solid walnut cabinets. You can't find wood like that anymore. I just use them as beautiful end tables.
I've got a set of Sansui SP-X11000 that are a part of my Sansui System. I love the sound this system presents. Would highly recommend anyone who comes across a set of these speakers to get them. Thanks for the video, keep up the good job.
B&W DM-220s. I own two sets. Love them to death. Two 16 ohm 8 inch midbass drivers with die cast zinc frames, and vented magnets. A 1 inch polymide tweeter with an absolutely massive magnet out the back. Their slightly bigger cousin is the DM-330.
The Bose 901's required the listening room to be rectangular in size, with solid rear and side walls. To obtain max. sound quality, they also required the Bose receiver with 100 + 100 Watts. This receiver had a SPATIAL slide control feature which helped immensely with a real concert sound. I still own my 1979 JBL 4311's.
Fun video. What are your thoughts on the "East Coast" sound from Billy Villchur and Henry Kloss: Acoustic Research, KLH, Advent, Boston Acoustic? Also, how about your thoughts on Klipsch? Would love to hear more about those two groups.
If you're talking about cost no object, melt your face off ultimate loud speakers...original Klipschorns with the most obscene amount of power available all the way! First experience was Dark Side of the Moon. I was speechless at the time🤘
I have a pair of the L100s I rescued and completely rebuilt. I'm doing the same with a pair of Cornwalls now. Also looking for a pair of those Pioneers and a pair of ADS. I really like the renovation projects.
I remember when those first came out (in '78) and they were REALLY well received by audiophiles and the general public. I have owned and still own a few pairs and they still perform well. Great little speakers.
Your list is pretty darn good. My crowd had AR3a, Advents (large) JBL 100s. We also had Bose 501s which were also awesome at super loud volume. I have the AR3 now with my Marantz 2270. Pleased with my set up but now looking a adding a Pioneer with Advents to my collection. Also the speaker choice varies hugely with the type and volume of playing your music.
I havent heard any of the speakers you mentioned, sadly. But from those I have heared the ESS AMT Monitor were one of those which impressed me the most. Their special ribbon tweeter (Air Motion Transformer) not only directs to the listener but also in the opposite direction, where it reflects. All in all it sounds everywhere in the room like if you are in the stereo sweet spot.
I love my JBL L-112. I also have 2 sets of Pioneer HPM-100. After an hour or so they get fatiguing. The JBL’s could be played all day long and you never get tired of them. The bass is great in both, but the JBL L112 is superior.
You'll love this, Frank Zappa bought me my first pair of home speakers, JBL 4311b's which I still own. My uncle was his manager & we really hit it off. And not over music but deep discussions over geo global politics, as everyone used to crack up at a 17 yr old kid & Frank jabbering on. Frank was brilliant & fairly conservative, which I'm sure may come as a bit of a surprise to many, a truly special guy in which I will never forget those special times. And never part with those 4311's.
@512bb What a cool experience to have with such a person a Frank. There is a video of him in a senate hearing or something like that that shows his intellect. I believe he also was on a couple of talk shows debating his views; I just don't remember what over? The Satanic Panic, maybe? But that also doesn't sound right either. That is awesome that you have kept them all this time. The only thing that could have topped that is if you were to say; we didn't talk about music, but he did teach me this lick on the 6 string. 🤯🤯 Of course that would have taken hundreds of hours, possibly thousands, but I am a daydreamer.
Bose 802 the ones for church. They had a wood grain cabinet actually particleboard with a veneer deeper base is created with this cabinet versus the plastic These are the most amazing speakers but you do have to have the eq. Running and Adcom 7807 310 W of power seven channel output. This was an amazing set up, especially run Low Jack connections, crystal clear later I added JL Audio DSP talk about a game changer laser optics. This was incredibly clear and amazing Bass all around Music. Haven’t heard anything better.
No mention of 1960s ARs? Pre 1970 AR was by far the biggest selling manufacturer. I reconditioned a pair of 2AXs that sound great. Also how about the Dynaco A25 which I think is the biggest spelling single model of all time although it went through several generations.
Couple that Bose EQ to an ordinary speaker and shit happens 😂 Me and my friend put it in the signal-path of his Marantz Speakers 15" woofers. And things started to fell of walls and shelf´s 🤣🤣
Great video man! Thanks for taking me back in time! Up here in BC Canada, our small town had an awesome stereo shop, Quesnel Electronics. They were a pioneer dealer owned by the one and only Johnny Orange Juice(John Wang) and his wife. Just wonderful and cool people that I still see around town. We always talk about the good old days and good times installing our car stereos. I graduated in 1982 so myself and buddies all had HPM100's with the Champagne colored pioneer stereos and the new linear tracking turntables, and in our vehicles we rocked the old tough as nails pioneer component car stereos. What I would add to your list is the Killer... Cerwin Vega 10S and the monsterous 15S, both with the metal tweeters and red foam. With a good amp the 15`s would deliver a great body massage, the bass is amazing. One more outstanding brand of speaker that was made in Vancouver at a furniture factory in the late 60's and 70's, were WEB speakers(Wilsdon Engineering Brothers). Hands down the most beautiful and heavy cabinets I've ever seen. The Highest quality in sound, materials and craftsmanship. One final set of speakers that I have in my shop are a set of vintage Realistic Optimus. Beautiful cabinets and great sound. I also remember back in the 80's, Nikko stereos were coming on strong up here, giving Johnny Orange Juice a run for his money. We always stayed loyal to Johnny. Johnny had the most awesome repair shop, and his deal was always Johnny paid the taxes, even when the G.S.T(Goods and Services Tax) came in. Provincial and GST taxes added up to 13%. He also had a great lay away plan! One hell of a good deal for punks like us.
Most of the old Klipsch were not only ground breaking, but are still in high enough demand that they are still in production today. And then there are the Infinity IRS series, not made by Infinity anymore, but at least an IRS Beta knockoff exists (Genesis Speakers). Magnepan, still going strong. Quad is still building an ESL.
The Altec Lansing speakers of the 70s were incredible. To me, the JBL L100 and Pioneer HPM-100 were two different versions of the same thing. Add in the Marantz speakers of the same era.
And then came the Infinity Kappa 7's, 8's and 9's. The amp killers and nothing was the same. I am still running a pair of Kappa 7's and am always running into sounds I wasn't expecting. The music lives there.
I have a pair of B&W 801 Matrix II's with NorthCreek crossovers ... all from the '90s. They still perform at a level that's hard to match even for $10K.
I currently run B&W 802 series 80. I do agree even at the age of these B&W 800 series speakers, the sound is legendary giving new era expensive speakers a run for the money with the right cables/source/amp.
@@Retrogamingmaverick Correctly. They are literally worth the price related to genius enclosure design, used materials, point source construction, high quality components concerning drivers, frequency crossover - sound reproduction is 3-dimensional, precise, dynamic, lively, warm. And reliability and longevity makes them an ideal inheritance to further generations. . . .
Throw out all the gimmicks and the added attenuation of certain frequencies and you have pure Infinity music. I first listened to Infintiy Kappa 7's in my little 12 x 12 living room and I was flat stunned. People said they had no bass. ????? They make my floors shake throughout the house shake. LOL!!! And the clarity is something to behold. Not everyone one should be allowed to own them. I drove a long way to get one of four sets available in the U.S. :)
The Sansui speakers always seem to have thin sound despite having a huge woofer and 4-5 mids and tweeters. I know they’re nostalgic and iconic but I have a pair of Mission Cyrus 781 bookshelf speakers that blows grills off any Sansui I’ve owned.
RTR 280DR bi-amp purple woofers model are my all time favorite vintage speaker. I've owned a few sets over the years and would like to get another to keep forever, lol. But they are very hard to find. Great video!
I LOVE my Kenwood kl777's. I remember finding out they are actually hated by audiophiles. I find them pretty revealing and used them with an R-S700 Yamaha receiver then added a MX-630 power amp. Electric guitar solos sound enormous on them. If you want awesome rock n roll speakers then look at the KL line. I have the Z not the S. It taught me to take what audiofools say with a grain of salt and to trust my ears.
I have a pair of Grundig speakers 120/80 professional. I bought them in the 1970s, and they still sound excellent. They are brilliant, and they age with me!
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Cerwin Vega D9
I bought the HPM100’s when I was in high school. I still have them and they still sound fantastic. Cheers!
There was also the venerable Realistic Mach Ones they were beasts for sure
I came across a hammered pair of these at the Salvation Army thrift store. Sadly, 30 dollars was more than they were worth. I guess I could have purchased them and parted them out. Some of the components were salvageable
My Father has a near perfect pair of the first gen Mach Ones with the original surround intact. I think he paid about $20 for them at a resale shop 12+yrs ago.
I have a pair of Yamaha NS 670's from 1973 that sound much better, paid $20 for them at a thrift shop 6yrs ago
Radio shack made some great speakers. I still have a a 12' DVC Optimus woofer that I use in a 501 series 1 cab. The 10' woofers fell apart. I was amazed that series one 501's had no crossover. Has 2 direct reflecting tweeters that dont work anymore. Voice coils are fried.
I have Mach 3's that were refoamed by the previous owner. I drive them with NAD electronics.
Klipsch La Scala, a masterpiece.
Not rare but one of the best!
Hard for me to consider a speaker my band used as a P.A. system in the 70's as high end. We had 4 of them in split boxes as was their intended usage.
You equate rarity with most wanted? Why? Their are plenty of rare vintage speakers that just don`t sound good.
They sound incredible but they're just so freaking huge that not that many of us can use them. There's an older pair close to me for only $2K and they're mint. But good lord where the hell can you put them?!
@@TheGpono Absolutely-- that was the other P.A. we used... some highs, no lows, not even Bose. Big as F__k and hell to move around from gig to gig. The La Scala's at least sounded good.
You can never go wrong with a Large Advent. They are incredibly repairable: I think I am fondest of the Vinyl Clad versions from about 1972 - 1978. And the Smaller Advent wasn't bad nor the earliest of their descendants such as the Advent /1. Henry Kloss said, it's hard enough trying to "voice" a 2-way let alone anything more complex.
I agree, probably the best value. I have 4 of the large Advent anniversary series produced in the early 90s. A Pioneer SX-1010 with an additional amp and SQ decoder for 4-channel surround sound. It works well with stereo sources, a 3D sound effect that enhances regular and live recordings movies and music.
@@bernieschiff5919 My primary care physician in Sarasota, FL for 35 years was highly successful and sought after. He could have any speaker he wanted and when he began his search in the seventies, he had all the options outlined in the video above as well as AR3a"s, JBL Summits and his real favorite: Klipsch Corner Horns. His wife put the kibosh on that. After listening to all: Large Advents were his choice. He sold them to me because he didn't believe that a simple re-foam of the woofers would solve the problem that after 25 years they didn't sound as good as they once had. A year later at my physical and preparation for him doing a colonoscopy on me, he asked if he could buy them back. I'm going to say no?!?! Luckily, I found another pair shortly thereafter at a garage sale for $20 in walnut (his were the utility cabinets!).
I agree on Advent, many people discount due to 2 way. That being said, I heard a richness - so I bought them.
Yes! I have the double stack large advent bullnose with powered subwoofer underneath each stack …wonderful sound..
I had a pair of the New Large Advents that blew out the woofer surrounds, so I bought a MUCH more expensive pair of speakers (based on reviews). I figured that I could get more money for the Advents if I repaired them - it was easy. After I repaired them, I hooked them up for an A/B comparison to my new speakers - the Advents were much better - solid bass that was less boomy, and a much less colored midrange - female voices just sounded better. I sold the new speakers and kept the Advents.
Altec Lansing Model 19 , love that speaker .
I've had mine since 1979
Bose 901s paired with lots of power and the correct positioning sound very very big, what more can you ask of a small speaker.
Placement is very important as the illustration shows. I have a pair of 901 series V that I got in 1981 and still use them with a Bose Spatial Control receiver.
ADS L810
I have ESS tempest speakers that I bought in 1977 I’ve replaced the woofers and rear passive radiator they have a heil air motion transformer tweeter that was a great tweeter technology still used today by many manufacturers
Fun video! Keep doing them. I remember those 901s. I listened and shrugged. I didn’t understand why everyone thought they were great. 50 years later it seems I was right. When it comes to vintage speakers, I’m all about the NE US. ADS is my fav. Boston Acoustics, Advent, Audio Analyst. Had them all and they sounded great.
lol maybe you had the speakers facing backwards or a 20 watt receiver. I still have mine and can post a clip if you like 😂😂😂
The thing that always amazes me is when standing close one speaker, the other can still be clearly heard. So many speakers have a small sweet spot in between that makes listening more difficult.
@@66skate that’s because Sansui has 3 different tweeters and a horn and giant Midrange speakers. Bowers Wilkins, Klips and Martin Logan has the same wide sound stage with unique tweeters and huge midrange. Oh yeah Bose 901 definitely has a wide sound stage if there’s nothing obstructing the rear of the cabinets cough Bookshelf
Even though I own a rather high-end 2-channel system of Rotel separates and Martin Logan SL3's... I also have a set of 901's that have a cool factor that I will always love. Sure, they are a tonal wreck and do a million things wrong. But who cares? They are awesome to crank, look cool as ever and are truly a piece of audio history.
"No highs, no lows .... must be a Bose." Spoken by more than one experienced audio engineer.
Well the 901s can (and will) sound really good if you place them correctly, use the matching EQ and hook them up to a proper amplifier.
"No highs, no lows… must be Bose" probably comes from the awful Acoustimass systems of the 80s and 90s…
BOZAK - almost any of them. Rudy was a genius, and with his pal Emory Cook, they knocked out the audiophiles in their time, and Bozaks still sound awesome today.
100% agree! I had a friend who had the Concert Grands and they were awesome.
Yep I had B301 FIRS SPEAKERS I GOT
Forgot 2 inexpensive legends - the Advent loudspeaker (2 different versions, both set new performance levels for their price) and the beloved radio shack Optimus 7. Neither one worth much to a vintage resale shop like you guys, but both very much in demand.
Minimus 7…
The Advent loudspeaker, especially the "large Advent" version was a tremendous bargain. I'd own it any day over the L100. It had bass down to the low 30Hz range and fairly linear respose for its day. The store I worked in sold them by the ton.
@@johnstone7697 full agreement. I still have mine purchased from Tweeter Etc on Comm Ave in Boston in the late ‘70s. Refoamed, still sound great connected to my old Kenwood KR 4070 and fed by a Fluance TT and a WiiM. Rock and folk music and anything live sounds great on this system (to my ears at least). I have an expensive “audiophile” system in the media room (Arcam, KEF, Denon, fancy cables…) and to be honest I listen to the old system more often
I had 2 pairs of BOSE 901 Series IVs. It was hooked with the Pioneer SX-1980. Now some don't like the sound of these but hook the watts to it and it's like nothing you have heard before.
Yes, Bose 901 is like something I’ve heard all my adult life, a bad table radio.
I can't understand the hate. As a bassist I love the bump in those frequencies a lot. If someone approaches 901s with the mindset that they will hear a flat frequency response then they'll be very disappointed but for casual listening I think they sound nice. Old CD store used to use them and I enjoyed that store. My friends dad was proud of his and he also had a robust vintage Pioneer receiver. I think people must be retarded to think the junky plastic speakers Bose pushed out are comparable. It's the same stigma with Yamaha hifi. It's so lame to hate an inanimate object.
Kabuki Sansui, Kenwood and other brand speakers are absolutely garbage
the Dynaco A25 - smooth, accurate, decent bass in a small nice looking 2way @ low price (paid $160/pr in '72). lasted through the loud (college) years & beyond.
I always laugh at the 901 hate, well, Bose hate in general. But for me, they are extremely obtainable and sound amazing!
My first set of speakers in the 70's were the Pioneer HPM-100's along with a pioneer SX-1010. A powerhouse of sound! Today I have the HPM-100's with a set of JBL Decades. Both are awesome sounding speakers.
Which ones do you like best?
@@kentrichardson9070 The HPM-100, larger woofer and cabinet
Acoustic Research AR18s. Not the most resolving, but the nicest tone of all the speakers in my collection. And my collection includes speakers like the JBL 4429, 4311, ProAc Tablette 10, Avalons, Kef LS50w, Hedd Type 20, and I'm sure I'm missing a few. If you ever come across a pair of AR18s, just grab 'em. They are usually available for throwaway prices.
The second speakers I built was the AR-9 type but only one out ward 12 woofer, 4way and still rock’n with m500t power
Surprised that the Altec Model 19 was not on your list. It succeeded the Valencia model by increasing the the x-over frequency to 1.2 KHz from 800 Hz. The result was less "honk" and more home listening pleasure.
I've always like the sound and build quality if the vintage Infinities.
It don't get no better. RIP Arnie Nudell. Your job is done.
I bought a pair of RS2's in 1982. They are the best I own and sound as good today as when they were new.
An English speaker model called "Celestion Ditton 66"...will easily compete against all your favoured American and Japanese models.
My pops had a pair, I remember them well
I inherited a pair of 66’s they sat barely used in my Father in laws living room for 42 years. Looking to add an external power amp to wake them up.
Also KEFs , B&Ws and Spendors.
I remember seeing and hearing Pioneer HPM-100 speakers in college years in Austin, Texas. The hi-fi dealer had a very unique pair of the HPM-100s on display for listening. The box was plexiglass. It was plexiglass on all sides and it let you see everything inside. Quality sound? I don't remember it being exceptional, just cool to look at. This dealer also had a the JBL Paragon speaker system on display of audition. That sound was overwhelming, but my finances couldn't handle it and there was now way I would ever get the Paragon beast into my dorm room!
That was The Sound Gallery. In Delwood Shopping Center. I worked there for a while I was at UT. We drove the Paragon with SAE pre and power amp.
We also had Klipsch. And JBL. I never thought the HPM 100 was the best we had. The JBL L100 was, to my ear, superior. I was not and am not today a Bose 901 guy. For lots of reasons.
Ohm F’s in my opinion! You’ve never heard anything like them!
Respectfully I have to seriously disagree with what you mention as good vintage speakers. JBL are great, but the rest are dorm room ear bleeders. What I would consider classic or vintage speakers would be Altec Lansing Voice of the theater models. a7, Valencia magnificent etc. Also Heathkit, Klipsch Bozak, Thiel, Advents and B&W. In my personal opinion, those would be better vintage high end speakers. Just my opinion and I’m probably forgetting a few.
Yamaha NS-1000 smokes all of these.
I am fortunate enough to own a pair of Cerwin Vega 15s 400 watt capability and they are as good today as they were when I purchased them in the early 90s
What do you have running them?
I don't know if they ever made it across the Pond from England, but I always had a soft spot for the Leak 2075. Unfortunately, they were just too large to fit into my parents' living room & be aesthetically acceptable, so the largest & beautiful sounding Celestion Ditton 66 was my daily listen from late 1976 until I moved out in 1979, into a tiny apartment. For a while after moving in it was headphones only, in the shape of the wonderful Wharfedale ID1 Orthodynamic - Isodynamic Headphones. But that's a completely different listening experience.
Always on the lookout for old ADS or Braun speakers.
I’ve had 710s since ‘79 and I picked up some 780s too. I’d love to get 1230s but they’re too big.
L-810s were L100 and HPM-100 killers.
I had an appointment to get a pair of L810s and the guy sold them out from under me. Didn't even give me a chance to offer more. I was pretty pissed. I passed on another pair that looked like they were drug behind a delivery van for an afternoon.
@@tmdillon1969 Ah that sucks. Had a similar scenario with L780s. I was in the car with the money.
I was a JBL L100 guy until my brother bought the ADS L-810s in '78. Now they are MINE!
You already know I'm a complete devotee of the Pioneer HPM-100 speaker's as they both rock my world and blow my hair back. I generally like most speakers if they are well made. Well made speakers can all sound different. I love the big booming unapologetic unsophisticated 1970's frat house raw sound of my 2 sets of Pioneer HPM -100's. Pioneer HPM - 100's are feral party speakers. Just hook up a powerful receiver and Rock on or Disco the night away! Pioneer HPM-100's are not audiophile speakers for those high class folk who want to pick out the delicate sounds of a single oboe in a classical music score. Pioneer HPM -100's celebrate the raw power it takes to play head banging Rock or Soul thumping disco music!
got 6 901s 2000 carver watts and they rock or can sound great at low levels its my bose room
Lucky to find speakers? Polk SRS SDA, Altec 19, McIntosh XRT-20, ADS L2030, Carver Amazing. These are all statement pieces. I would echo the ADS comments, they are absolutely stellar. Fortunately not on a lot of people's radar so still reasonable. Not the 2030s though. Rare as hen's teeth.
Wow, you have L2030s? Those things look amazing. Need bi-amp, right?
@@stevezeidman7224 The ADS do not require bi-amping, but do benefit from it. I think via the c2000 bi-amp controller. I do not have the L2030, but I do have the SRS SDA, and an early pair of 70's era Cornwalls. I owned a pair of Ohm Walsh F's, which I thought were about the best, but managed to burn a voice coil on one. Traded them in on a pair of Ohm Walsh 5 Signatures. They had much-improved bass and power handling, though I think some of the Walsh driver magic was gone from the extreme treble. They used a super tweeter. They had to go in a downsizing move. The Klipsch and Polks are in storage, patiently waiting to take their place in a big space.
I have a set of AR-16 speakers that I bought 47 years ago. I just the upgrades the CAPS and they still sound great. I did re-foam them years ago and I just made new grills.
CONGRATULATIONS.... I absolutely love AR Speakers.
I bought my first Pair when I was 14 years old... AR-93's.
I adore large Advents. I have a set in the master bedroom and a stack in the family room, both driven by vintage Marantz receivers. A 2235 upstairs and a 2270 downstairs. Awesome combination.
I'm surprised none of the older Polk Audio Monitors made the cut.
I had the monitor 10s. loved them
Still have mine and they still rock.@@3dimensionsofmusic3D
No Polks mentioned at all, I bought a pair of Polk RTA-15's in 1992, and still have them. They still sound fantastic.
@@corbinhbucknerjr558 I still have a pair of RTA12C from 85 that also sound and look excellent 👌
Re-capped my 10b's I've had since new. They're still my favorites!!
Any of Heritage Klipsch speakers ! Al are a easily rebuilt at a bargain price ! They will Rock your world !
ADS L1590, L710, L810, L1230, L1530 .... all are collectable and fantastic even today
Don’t forget the L2030!!
I still have my HPM-100's. I set them up on on a dedicated two-channel system, with my Pioneer SA-9500II Integrated amp. I always wanted pair of Bose 901'a, but they were just to expensive for me at the time.
How would you rank the Altec Lansing model 14's ? I have a set of those matched to a Marantz 2385, 6350Q turntable and an RG pro20 dynanamic processor. All ressurected and flawlessly playing today. Love these speakers. My grandkids will one day be happy, as i am today
DQ-10's, KEF 104/2's, DCM Timewindow 1a's
I bought my first "high end" product in 1972, Empire 598 still have and works, Speaker wise I have 2 "cult" ones, the original Dahlquist DQ-10's with the power they want a great speaker, and the opposite spectrum a pair of Altec 19's. As far as bass and depth nothing I could afford could beat them.
I'm currently running a mint pair of DQ10's with the matching subs and active crossover. They sound great!
I have a pair of DQ-9’s and I love them!
No highs no lows must be Bose
Sorry not sorry I have and will always hate Bose!
Bose is the brand the people not in the known buy! the brand that people buy thinking its high end!
the only setting I heard them sound "ok" was in a small club, mounted from the ceiling (as instructed), not playing too loud.
Buy Other Sound Equipment.. still true today
Bose is not my favourite speakers but for most people they sound good enough.
You are sharing some great history with your style of videos. Thanks for doing these. How is the CerwinVega! Video coming, are we getting close? 😃
I have the Mach 2 Realistic Speakers! I have reformed them the surrounds, recapped the cross over they sound fantastic!
I just got a pair for 40.00 at the thrift store mint cabinets and grills. My next project.
I always wanted the L100's, but they quit making them before I could get a pair. I did buy a pair of L112's in 1981 and I still have them to this day in mint condition. You don't hear much about these anymore, but I think that they are outstanding speakers.
I bought a pair of L112’s in 1980 and still have them. Also in mint condition.
Outstanding! It's hard to find them mint. Over the period of time that I've had them, the woofers have been reconed twice. If I have to do it again, it will have to be the surrounds because they don't make the woofer cone any longer or the diaphram for the 044 tweeter.@@williammcnicholas1400
Those are better and more accurate than the L100s.
I heard a set of Altec-Lansing Santana II's and thought they were amazing.
I haven't heard those but I really like their Model 19s.
I have a pair of Kef Carina ii's that I purchased around 1984 for $500/pair. They are the fronts of my current 5.1.2 all Kef system. They definitely hold up, especially in 2.1 stereo mode for music.
When I first heard the Pioneer HPM 100s in music store I was simply blown away by the way the speaker was able to detail the instruments & voices much greater than the others that were demoed. It definitely was a step up from the L100s imo.
Altec model 19
I have owned series 2 901's salesman samples, and hpm 100's and to be honest my homemade sound better...
I keep my VERY old Wharfedale speakers around (not connected, although they sounded damn good) for the fine solid walnut cabinets. You can't find wood like that anymore. I just use them as beautiful end tables.
I've got a set of Sansui SP-X11000 that are a part of my Sansui System. I love the sound this system presents. Would highly recommend anyone who comes across a set of these speakers to get them. Thanks for the video, keep up the good job.
Yamaha NS1000M
Collectable and in demand don't necessarily translate to an accurate response curve. As Groucho said....40,000 Frenchmen can't be wrong.
I've still got a pair of 901's. They don't sound that bad with a sub and extra tweeters.
B&W DM-220s. I own two sets. Love them to death. Two 16 ohm 8 inch midbass drivers with die cast zinc frames, and vented magnets. A 1 inch polymide tweeter with an absolutely massive magnet out the back. Their slightly bigger cousin is the DM-330.
I have a set of RtR tower series 3 !!
Nice !!!
The Bose 901's required the listening room to be rectangular in size, with solid rear and side walls. To obtain max. sound quality, they also required the Bose receiver with 100 + 100 Watts. This receiver had a SPATIAL slide control feature which helped immensely with a real concert sound. I still own my 1979 JBL 4311's.
Fun video. What are your thoughts on the "East Coast" sound from Billy Villchur and Henry Kloss: Acoustic Research, KLH, Advent, Boston Acoustic? Also, how about your thoughts on Klipsch? Would love to hear more about those two groups.
If you're talking about cost no object, melt your face off ultimate loud speakers...original Klipschorns with the most obscene amount of power available all the way! First experience was Dark Side of the Moon. I was speechless at the time🤘
I have a pair of the L100s I rescued and completely rebuilt. I'm doing the same with a pair of Cornwalls now. Also looking for a pair of those Pioneers and a pair of ADS. I really like the renovation projects.
Still use my 45-year-old Minimus 7 speakers. A tiny integrated amp...and this computer...are all I need.
I remember when those first came out (in '78) and they were REALLY well received by audiophiles and the general public. I have owned and still own a few pairs and they still perform well. Great little speakers.
@@stonefree1911 The value we've all gotten out of them is far beyond the tiny cost we paid for them. Astounding...👍
If you're handy with a soldering iron research the Zilch crossover mod for the Minimus 7. It absolutely transforms the sound.
@@tommost1 I've seen some stuff about crossovers for the Minimus 7. It's (very) high time I actually got off my duff and tried one.
Fantastic! Who needs a headphone amplifier! Those speakers and the amp, would cost you over $1200 if they remade them today!
Your list is pretty darn good. My crowd had AR3a, Advents (large) JBL 100s. We also had Bose 501s which were also awesome at super loud volume. I have the AR3 now with my Marantz 2270. Pleased with my set up but now looking a adding a Pioneer with Advents to my collection. Also the speaker choice varies hugely with the type and volume of playing your music.
I havent heard any of the speakers you mentioned, sadly.
But from those I have heared the ESS AMT Monitor were one of those which impressed me the most.
Their special ribbon tweeter (Air Motion Transformer) not only directs to the listener but also in the opposite direction, where it reflects.
All in all it sounds everywhere in the room like if you are in the stereo sweet spot.
I love my JBL L-112. I also have 2 sets of Pioneer HPM-100. After an hour or so they get fatiguing. The JBL’s could be played all day long and you never get tired of them. The bass is great in both, but the JBL L112 is superior.
I still have my Bose 901 VI and love them. Will always be my favourite.😊❤❤
3:22 "What a pair!" Pioneer wasn't ashamed to use sex in order to boost sales. Buy the speakers and you might get the girl, the ad seems to be saying.
80's era Polk Monitor 10's.....
One of my fave vintage speakers are the RTR Tower 600's. Listening to Ted Nugent at college in 1976 was a hoot!
You'll love this, Frank Zappa bought me my first pair of home speakers, JBL 4311b's which I still own. My uncle was his manager & we really hit it off. And not over music but deep discussions over geo global politics, as everyone used to crack up at a 17 yr old kid & Frank jabbering on. Frank was brilliant & fairly conservative, which I'm sure may come as a bit of a surprise to many, a truly special guy in which I will never forget those special times. And never part with those 4311's.
@512bb
What a cool experience to have with such a person a Frank.
There is a video of him in a senate hearing or something like that that shows his intellect.
I believe he also was on a couple of talk shows debating his views; I just don't remember what over?
The Satanic Panic, maybe? But that also doesn't sound right either.
That is awesome that you have kept them all this time.
The only thing that could have topped that is if you were to say; we didn't talk about music, but he did teach me this lick on the 6 string.
🤯🤯
Of course that would have taken hundreds of hours, possibly thousands, but I am a daydreamer.
I would love it if you would do a vid about classic JBL D44000 Paragon, C45 Metregon and C46 Minigon speakers.
I´ve missed the Yamaha NS-1000M.
Was looking to see if anybody else would post about the NS-1000M.
I've had mine for 40 years...still pretty good😃.
🤔
Real good.
Altec Lansing Model 14 and Model 19, JBL 4311, Carver Amazing Loudspeaker, in no particular order.
Altec 19s are the ones I would want.
One of my parent’s friends had the JBL L100 with one of the higher end Pioneer receivers at the time. That got me really hooked on audio.
LAY OFF THE ZOOM ON YOUR CAMERA! Annoying…
Bose 802 the ones for church. They had a wood grain cabinet actually particleboard with a veneer deeper base is created with this cabinet versus the plastic These are the most amazing speakers but you do have to have the eq. Running and Adcom 7807 310 W of power seven channel output. This was an amazing set up, especially run Low Jack connections, crystal clear later I added JL Audio DSP talk about a game changer laser optics. This was incredibly clear and amazing Bass all around Music. Haven’t heard anything better.
some ESS AMT3's would be nice
No mention of 1960s ARs? Pre 1970 AR was by far the biggest selling manufacturer. I reconditioned a pair of 2AXs that sound great. Also how about the Dynaco A25 which I think is the biggest spelling single model of all time although it went through several generations.
Couple that Bose EQ to an ordinary speaker and shit happens 😂 Me and my friend put it in the signal-path of his Marantz Speakers 15" woofers. And things started to fell of walls and shelf´s 🤣🤣
Pioneer, sansui, kenwood, and Bose don't even enter my mind when considering vintage speakers
Great video man! Thanks for taking me back in time!
Up here in BC Canada, our small town had an awesome stereo shop, Quesnel Electronics. They were a pioneer dealer owned by the one and only Johnny Orange Juice(John Wang) and his wife. Just wonderful and cool people that I still see around town. We always talk about the good old days and good times installing our car stereos. I graduated in 1982 so myself and buddies all had HPM100's with the Champagne colored pioneer stereos and the new linear tracking turntables, and in our vehicles we rocked the old tough as nails pioneer component car stereos. What I would add to your list is the Killer... Cerwin Vega 10S and the monsterous 15S, both with the metal tweeters and red foam. With a good amp the 15`s would deliver a great body massage, the bass is amazing. One more outstanding brand of speaker that was made in Vancouver at a furniture factory in the late 60's and 70's, were WEB speakers(Wilsdon Engineering Brothers). Hands down the most beautiful and heavy cabinets I've ever seen. The Highest quality in sound, materials and craftsmanship. One final set of speakers that I have in my shop are a set of vintage Realistic Optimus. Beautiful cabinets and great sound. I also remember back in the 80's, Nikko stereos were coming on strong up here, giving Johnny Orange Juice a run for his money. We always stayed loyal to Johnny. Johnny had the most awesome repair shop, and his deal was always Johnny paid the taxes, even when the G.S.T(Goods and Services Tax) came in. Provincial and GST taxes added up to 13%. He also had a great lay away plan! One hell of a good deal for punks like us.
Thanks! I also really appreciate the story!
Maybe the Dahlquist dq tens cause of there imagianing qualitys & my other pick might be ths spicas tc 5o whew! now those are speakers!
I would like to add a couple to your list: Yamaha's NS-1000 and Klipschorns
Most of the old Klipsch were not only ground breaking, but are still in high enough demand that they are still in production today.
And then there are the Infinity IRS series, not made by Infinity anymore, but at least an IRS Beta knockoff exists (Genesis Speakers).
Magnepan, still going strong.
Quad is still building an ESL.
The Altec Lansing speakers of the 70s were incredible.
To me, the JBL L100 and Pioneer HPM-100 were two different versions of the same thing. Add in the Marantz speakers of the same era.
The horn was perfect
And then came the Infinity Kappa 7's, 8's and 9's. The amp killers and nothing was the same. I am still running a pair of Kappa 7's and am always running into sounds I wasn't expecting. The music lives there.
The last 3 are a JOKE! lol
I have a pair of B&W 801 Matrix II's with NorthCreek crossovers ... all from the '90s.
They still perform at a level that's hard to match even for $10K.
I currently run B&W 802 series 80.
I do agree even at the age of these B&W 800 series speakers, the sound is legendary giving new era expensive speakers a run for the money with the right cables/source/amp.
I think Advent and AR9ls were great..
Love your videos, but it's minimize, not minimalize.
The most wanted collectable speaker of all times should be: KEF Blade One/Two (Meta). Why? Listen to one of them and you will understand . . .
Good god they’re pricey!
@@Retrogamingmaverick Correctly. They are literally worth the price related to genius enclosure design, used materials, point source construction, high quality components concerning drivers, frequency crossover - sound reproduction is 3-dimensional, precise, dynamic, lively, warm.
And reliability and longevity makes them an ideal inheritance to further generations. . . .
I've got pair of Tannoy speakers from the 70s.Worth anything ?
Definitely, I was expecting to see Tannoy & B&W speakers in this video.
Nudell era Infinity was just leaps and bounds more innovative and incredible sounding but cost and size were limiting factors.
I sold these Infinity's in the 70's at Stansbury Stero - about 10 miles away from Justin's location. Arnie and Infinity was great.
Throw out all the gimmicks and the added attenuation of certain frequencies and you have pure Infinity music. I first listened to Infintiy Kappa 7's in my little 12 x 12 living room and I was flat stunned. People said they had no bass. ????? They make my floors shake throughout the house shake. LOL!!! And the clarity is something to behold. Not everyone one should be allowed to own them. I drove a long way to get one of four sets available in the U.S. :)
The Sansui speakers always seem to have thin sound despite having a huge woofer and 4-5 mids and tweeters. I know they’re nostalgic and iconic but I have a pair of Mission Cyrus 781 bookshelf speakers that blows grills off any Sansui I’ve owned.
RTR 280DR bi-amp purple woofers model are my all time favorite vintage speaker. I've owned a few sets over the years and would like to get another to keep forever, lol. But they are very hard to find. Great video!
Being a Sonab fan, with a few of the smaller units in my collection. I would love to hear a fully working pair of OA2212
Still listen to AR 10 Pi's....
I’ve owned my HPM 100s since new in 1978. Replaced both woofers once with aftermarket and recently found 2 original woofers . They sound great!
I LOVE my Kenwood kl777's. I remember finding out they are actually hated by audiophiles. I find them pretty revealing and used them with an R-S700 Yamaha receiver then added a MX-630 power amp. Electric guitar solos sound enormous on them. If you want awesome rock n roll speakers then look at the KL line. I have the Z not the S. It taught me to take what audiofools say with a grain of salt and to trust my ears.
I have a pair of Grundig speakers 120/80 professional. I bought them in the 1970s, and they still sound excellent. They are brilliant, and they age with me!