ADS 200's. killer speakers. had them in the car and now have them in the house. they are 50 years old now. sound as good as they did new. the tweeter is as accurate as any i've heard. LOVE THEM !!!
I see a lot of support here for the Dynaco A25s, they were my first hifi speakers, very good in their day and still quite listenable. Decades later I had inherited another pair and I put them to use as a stopgap passive subwoofer. To my surprise, two of them placed side by side on the floor were able to output formidable bass down to 30hz! For JBL-like tonality and dynamics, the old Klipsch KG1.0/1.2/1.5 models are still common, and replacement tweeter diaphragms are readily available and easy to install. Or you can pimp them with titanium diaphragms!
The Dynaco's A25 were a great speaker for the money,I paid $150. a pair in the mid 70's,they had incredible bass but didn't take up space,the sound belittled their size,one of my favorite bookshelf speakers along with my Rectilinear mini 3's.
I purchased a pair of the Boston Acoustic A40s new back in the 80s and still have them, although they've been relegated to garage duty. I had the tweeters replaced under warranty back in the day, but they've worked great ever since. I might just look for a matching pair and move them back into the house as surround sound speakers.
I'm glad you put bose on your list. It earned you a new subscriber. I'm not a Bose fan, though my first pair of speakers were 201s. The reason I'm glad you included it is because it shows you're not an "audiophile", which is a latin word for 'stuck up'. I always tell people that they should own what they like, and like what they own. If you have some 301s and a cheap receiver and like the sound, then listen to that setup as much as you can and enjoy life!
Totally agree. I never had the money to be an "audiophile". However, I did the best I could. When I went to college I purchased a pair of Bose 301 and 201. Running these with a JVC receiver and CD player the sound was amazing. I remember sitting in the room listening to various songs, artists. It created an incredible 3D effect if you were in the center of the room with both pairs of speakers going. I have heard a lot of hate about Bose over the years. I have graduated to better speakers since then. However, for the time and the cost they were great.
The sad thing about Bose is that folks could buy far better sounding speakers for the same or less money. Bose spends far more money on marketing and litigation than they spend on product design and component parts. Bose won't publish their specs for good reason. Independent testers have used standard measurement techniques and Bose speakers test out poorly. Yes, there is a correlation between specs and performance.
I absolutely loved my Bose 301 series II speakers! I used them for over 20 years with a Pioneer SX-3700, and Technics SL-D303 turntable, and I wish I still had them. All of which were the first major purchases I made when I started working in my teens. Never got into the whole audiophile thing of chasing the greatest sound. I was perfectly happy with my setup. Guitar amps were another story...
I clicked on this video, stopped it at 00:01 (before watching it), to chime in with a simple "Dynaco A25" answer. I've had several pair, and they are just sublime.
Thank you so much for this truthful video! After leaving the military (1974) I worked for a Hi Fi Fo Fum in KCMO. That's where my real musical journey began. We carried the whole spectrum of equipment from Pioneer's 450 rec. to the full line of Mac's. We also had an A/B switcher which allowed comparisons of speakers. That's where I first discovered the Advent speaker line. It was very difficult to discern the difference between the large and small Advents. I owned the Bose 501's and later switched to the "Stacked Advent" system. Fast forward many years after 20 years in the computer industry, I worked for Buzz Jensen's Audio Advice in Phoenix, AZ. Buzz was the first retailer, that I knew of, that would allow clients to take speakers home for a real-life test drive. You were exactly right...what speakers sound like in your environment is the game changer! You've also landed a client for life!
I'm one of those minimus 7 guys. What i really like them for is tv not home theater but just plain stereo tv. If you like that kind of sound, you might like old cantons or a/d/s speakers for music. If you can find canton mini plus s speakers, they're like the gourmet version of the minimus 7 especially with the matching canton sub.
Fine choices for vintage budget speakers. I liked the EPI-70's as replacements for the model 60. In the mid 1970's EPI offered the 70 as a car speaker as the LS70. The satellite/subwoofer craze of later 1970's was a change from the big amp, big speakers mindset. Still like my EPI-100's better. Don't think Advent ever built a "bad" speaker. This Baby Advent, Advent 2, Original Large Advent, New Advent and the 5002 were all fine systems. The B/A A-40's are really boss. I got a pair several years back and dig the sweet high end and reasonable bass. Use them in my 900+ cu/ft kitchen powered by an SX-434 receiver. Impressive stereo imaging and sound so good I sometimes forget just how bass shy they are. I think that the EPI-100 was one of the best bang-for-buck budget speakers in the 1970's. Even though it was introduced in 1970, thank you very much Mr. Winslow Burhoe.
Cerwin vega 201 my pair is 44 yrs old, and I listen to them everyday. They are from stansbury stereo in Baltimore. Cica1978. My 40yr old jvc receiver and cd1669-2 cassette deck are still rocking as I turn 70. Still crazy after all these year
Ding, ding, ding!!! Your explanation about how a speaker will sound to someone else in their listening environment, and with their equipment, is spot on. It took me a long time to understand that magic in sound is subjective, and is many times pure luck.
I've been using a pair of 1980's Advent bookshelf speakers for a while and they continue to impress with the sound quality I'm getting. They're inexpensive, easy to re-foam and I like the wood cabinet look. I think they're a good choice for anyone just looking to upgrade a bit in this age of $30 digitized-plasticized speakers.
They are kinda hard to find. In the past 20 years I've managed to find a pair of the small advents. I got em for 25$ needing refoam. However I have 3 pairs of the large advents. I run four of them thru a marantz 2238b sounds awesome
Wow! Minimus 7s! Actually Optimus Pro 77s. I use those to this very day as my desktop speakers. They sound fantastic with my Aiyima A07 amp and Douk Audio P1 pre. And yes, dead drivers have been replaced.
Great list. I started my audiophile journey in the mid 80's with EPI 100s. They were great for a college dorm room. Upgraded to ADS L570s which I still have and love to death.
My wife got a pair of ADS bookshelf speakers in 1978, I couldn’t tell you the specific model, but they were the best sounding speakers of that size I’ve ever heard. They weren’t very large, but great sound, great bass. Also, I had (and still have) some Mini Advents with the matching subwoofer (which eventually fell apart). I refoamed them and they still sound great!
Love the video. Some great choices. There are a bunch of good bookshelf speakers out there. I know ADS may be on the upper end of $200. But I have some B7's that sound great and should be around $200 to buy. I also have some L-200's that blow away the Minimus 7's. I also have some small B&W's I just found for $75 with stands. Those may be from the early 90's though.
I have a pair of AR-3a speakers that I bought in 1970. These were billed at the time as "bookshelf speakers" even though, I have never seen a bookcase that will accommodate them. They have been re-foamed twice, and are working fine after about 52 years.
Any speaker that didn't have a base incorporated into the cabinet was considered a bookshelf back then. Kinda funny. I love AR speakers. Henry Kloss was the man!
I restored my 'bought new' AR-28s speakers. Refoamed and had to replace both Teledyne tweeters, thanks to Simply Speakers. Refinished the faux vinyl wood with a piano black finish. I think they are selling at about $400, but a nice complement to a vintage setup.
To [mis]quote Yoda: Once down the Minimus7 path you start, forever will it dominate your destiny. 😀 Got a couple pair of 'em floating around the house.
Love it: I only just refoamed my BA A40's that I bought new in 1984 (I believe). They shifted around the house doing dining room duty at first and ending up on my desk. They even went to work with me for my personal office for a few years. They just so suited my listening habits and preferences to a T. I was devastated when the woofer foam crumbled and they started to buzz. Sob! So happy when I discovered foam kits -- who knew? I have a pair of Videoton Minimax II bookshelf speakers made by a Hungarian company in around 1978. Amazingly they still work like new and need no refoaming (non-trad surround material?). They were heavily sold in England at the time and competed well against much pricier names. The same importer (I think) showed up at consumer shows here in Canada and they were sold in some numbers here too. I got my pair at Ring Audio who had a fondness for carrying audiophile Brit imports like Rega turntables. I'm making brand new grill covers for them as I realized a month ago while testing them that the circular holes cut into the original fibre board covers actually screw up the tweeter dispersion and make the sweet spot really small and finicky to locate.
Spot on, we can listen to people talking about this and that, but in the end it's about me and my own room, the best one can do is to try and get those speakers on a loan from an audio shop and see if they fit in the room and if they sound good in the room (and this is subjective from person to person). Try it before you buy it, that's all I keep saying
ADS a/d/s Braun - amazing speaker line. Any of their late 70’s thru 80’s line with their 1 in. tweeter - the “206-0116” one - will blow your mind. Some I can immediately think of are the L470/2’s, the L400e’s, and the L570/2’s. Incredible speakers. All with butyl rubber surrounds vs foam, which rarely need replacement. The L400’s are often on the Bay in the low $100’s. If you have the space, get the small floor standers of this period, the L690’s. Same 1 in. magical tweeter in all these ADS/Braun speakers listed but the larger sound box of the L690 created a giant killer. In fact, in ‘84 NAD had a/d/s build an L690 clone with the NAD branding to market. Incredible line of speakers and all found in vintage shops under $200. Seek and ye shall find and smile!
Have owned a lot of Braun ADS speakers. I would never sell any of them for under $200. That's one reason I didn't include them. The other reason is that they are way more rare, at least around here, than any other speaker on the list.
@@skylabsaudio 👍🏼You’re probably right about most being over $200, at least in shops. eBay deals do come up, if there is time for patience. Happy I found your channel. Digging it very much!
I have several sets of ADS Including some L-200's, B7's and 710's and agree they are great. It's possible on Craig's list or local direct sellers to get under $200 for some of the lower line ADS, probably not from a store where they need to make a profit and stand behind their products.
I remember the Acoustic Research AR18s being a great set! Driven by a Kenwood Trio KA-6000 they were good for just about everything I listened to. I can remember the cymbols in Fleetwood Mac's dreams trailing off and the Bass drop in Heart's "Magic Man" rattling the walls. Voices were open and clear. Loved those speakers! I definately have to mention the Infinity Infinitesimals as well, although they're not in this price range.
I've still got some AR18S in my stash, ran them for a few months at the end of '21, tremendous speaker, sealed box bass speed and a ridiculously good tweeter, you can hear why so many studios had them on the meter bridge..
@@markpreston3406 Totally awesome speaker. I think they were left off because he is talking about what the speakers cost now instead of what they cost when they were introduced. A good pair of 18s today cost over 300, and that is on the low side.
Still rocking 5 pairs of epi's. Two pairs of 180's stacked in my living room system powered by dual Harman Kardon hk-770 twin toroidal amps. Gold ring tweeters on all my speakers. My basement system consists of a Technics SA-700 receiver pushing a pair of epi 400 towers and a pair of epi 100 bookshelf speakers. Yes, I know it has the fiberboard, but I love it's sound and has no troubles pushing a steady 4 ohm load. And my garage system is just a cheap Onkyo surround receiver pushing another pair of epi 100's. I grew up on the epi sound. My dad had a pair of epi 100's pushed by a Pioneer sx-727 receiver and I always loved the sound. He later sold the epi's and got a pair of Klipsch Chorus speakers. Yeah, they can play loud and that's about it. Imo, the little epi's sound more accurate from top to bottom.
A small bookshelf in the class here that you overlooked is the Mission 70 MkII. Less than 0.4 cu. ft. volume. 70-20000 Hz. 88db/w/m 6.5" woofer. 3/4" tweeter. 3800 Hz xover. British. Acoustic suspension. Very attractive though budget vinyl. Very linear and accurate. Amazing with a sub.
I recently picked up both the Baby Advent II's and the Boston Acoustics A60's, based on your recommendation. I'm honestly floored by how good these sound, and I paid $150 total for both sets. Ridiculous! If either are available in your area, go get em!!
You are so lucky! When I saw the title for this video I immediately thought: Baby Advent. It was so satisfying, being an audio nerd, seeing them as top pick. Also, IMHO, absolutely worthy of this title amongst others.
A year ago I bought a pair of Monitor Audio MA301 small bookshelf speakers off eBay for $120 to use in my office desktop system, and they are outstanding. 20 years ago my parents asked me to shop for a home theater system for my sister and at one stereo store the salesman asked me to listen to a pair of $600 MA301s, knowing that was above my price range, just to see my surprise at what a full sound and superb soundstage one could obtain from a speaker that was only 10.5 inches high. One of my local shops had a used Paradigm system for $400 that was too good of a value to pass up for my sister, but I definitely was extremely impressed with the MA301s. Fast forward to 2020 when I began working at home at the start of the pandemic. A little Bluetooth speaker lasted about two hours on my desk before I started wanting better fidelity. I remembered I had an old Panasonic compact system I had bought my wife years ago that had since been stored in our basement, I pulled that out, and was initially pleasantly surprised at how good it sounded. But I kept thinking how much better it would sound with better speakers, and started shopping on eBay. I checked out the usual suspects, KEF, B & W, Mission, and some rarer ones like Mordaunt Short and Castle, before remembering the MA301s. After a few weeks of waiting I spotted an auction and bought my little Monitor Audios for 80% off their MSRP. I have replaced the Panasonic electronics with a Cambridge Audio integrated amplifier, a Sony DVD changer as a transport, and a pair external DAC‘s (one an Emotiva Little Ego+ USB DAC on my laptop that at $39.10, might be the very best value in all of hi-fi, the other a 1Mii Bluetooth receiver that has an ESS Saber DAC chip and an optical input that I use as my DAC for listening to CDs or Bluetooth). I have some vague thoughts of eventually upgrading the Cambridge Audio with a Rotel, and possibly replacing my pair of inexpensive DACs with a Geshelli Labs J2. But I have no thoughts of replacing my MA301s. Sitting on a pair of concrete blocks on my desk in the middle of the room to bring them to ear-height, 8 feet from a wall, they still have surprisingly deep bass and pinpoint imaging.
Just two weeks ago I found a pair of A40s At the thrift store for $4 each. They needed a new foam, otherwise great shape! The next day I happen to see an ad in my neighborhood for a second pair of A40s for $30. I asked the neighbor if he could send me a photo with the grills off - they needed foam so he offered them to me for free! Unbelievable luck, and I’ll have at least one awesome set of bookshelf’s out of the flock.
I watched this just days after I purchased a pair of baby Advent bookshelf speakers ! Made me smile when you said a good #1 pick for bookshelf , I also have been looking fore Bose 301 series II
I have a pair of the 7's in the basement shop/pool room 28'x40'. They sit in the upper corners of the space. Everyone always asks where the speakers are. They always say wow, I can't believe that. They fill the room so nice. I have had those and the Kenwood amp for 47 years. Bought these when I was in the Army back in the late 70's. They still work awesome. In my mind they were the best bang for the buck back.
I'm glad you included the Bose 301s with the caveat that placement is super important. The direct reflecting needs to be in a corner to work right. When set up right, they sound very good. I wouldn't call them accurate, but rather pleasing. Positioning also helps with bass. Re: the Minimus 7s, I suggest the ebay crossover upgrade kit; completely improves the sound quality - gets rid of the hiss and increases the transparency. You are correct, almost no bass so a sub will liven them up. My $.02
I found my Minimus 7s at a yard sale years ago. Probably paid $20 , if that. I think the guy was divorcing and they were his wife's stuff so he was practically giving everything away. (Been there twice, so I know the look, lol.) I use them for my rear speakers in my living room setup. Front speakers are (sit down, now...) re-foamed Fisher 56-S 8-inch 2-ways which I bought brand new in 1974 for $55 each (I believe SaveMart was the store). And....the receiver is a Pioneer VSX D608 A/V receiver (100 watts X 5) which I bought in the early 2000's for (still sitting?..) $50! The guy was relocating and selling everything cheap, (including an AIWA sub-woofer ($50) AND a set of JBL 8-inch 2 way studio monitors($50)!
@@bsmith9506 I love that Pioneer VSX line... I found a VSX-9300 (early '90s, I think) at a thrift store for maybe $40 about ten years ago, and the thing is bulletproof; I've driven a 2 ohm load at clipping levels with this thing at a parking lot party and it didn't bat an eye. It's currently driving ADS L880s in my office, and it's keeping schmancier amps in storage.
@@willgibson7478 The fact that these receivers are still kicking arse today is a true testament to how things are built today and how they were built back in the day...things were made to last! Now everything is disposable, not made to last and definitely not made to be repaired. Recently the motor on my 1995 Whirlpool dryer went bad. My sister said "buy a new one". I chose to repair it. Pricey, yes. Almost the cost of a new one. The repairman said 90% of his calls are for newer machines. I'll probably get another 27 years out of it...he installed a rebuilt motor and took my old motor to rebuild it. I told him "see you in 27 years" jokingly.
The older B&W DM series speakers from the early 1990's can be found for under $200 a pair and punch way above their weight. They're also very durable and unlike many older speakers, do not have foam surrounds.
My Sony SSK 30ED are still amazing. About 15 years ago Sont went for high end, this one with 6.5" kevlar driver and 1" extended definition. I got them for $150. on clearance from CC, nobody bought them, and they all missed out, because they were $329. a pair. They still sound amazing today and are one of my top 2 sets. The other being my home build full range single driver floor speakers.
Although I think they were released in 1991, the JBL L1 bookshelf is a stout performer. It has a 6 1/2” woofer and a titanium dome tweeter in a rear ported cabinet. Not only do they pack quite a punch for their size, they also can handle a good bit of power (200 watts RMS per speaker). The entire line of the L series of this timeframe were the last that were designed by JBL before they were acquired by Harmon. They are all well regarded and can be found fairly easy on the second hand market. The L5 and L7 floor standers are considered among the best bargains for audiophiles available today. The only drawbacks are you need ample power to drive either of them and room placement for the top of the line L7 can be tricky due to the side firing 12” passive subwoofer. Also the L7 is pretty much an actual full range speaker. Their bass reproduction is as good as any modest priced powered subwoofer provided you feed them enough power.
Found a pair of the L1's in near new condition at a local resale shop for $20 pair about 10 years ago. Was stunned at how good they sounded. Still going strong in my son's home studio today. I have to admit, I was nervous to put them up against my Polk LSi-9's in an A/B comparison. Not quite as refined as the Polks, but the Polks certainly didn't run away with the show either.
@@joelabbe6185 You stole them for $20 a pair. Depending on what type of music you listen to they should have a powered sub to hit the lowest frequencies under 50HZ. I use one as a center channel in a 5.1 set up and cross it at 100HZ. If you can find any of the L series in this line at a good price I’d recommend them. The only one I don’t own or haven’t heard is the L3. The L5 is very good but would recommend a high quality powered sub with them also for room shaking bass. The L7 is fine on its own as long as you have enough power to drive them properly. 200 clean watts per channel is the very minimum to wake them up. Placement can be difficult. These are one of the few speakers that passive bi-amping (connecting 2 amplifiers to each speaker using the internal crossover) is effective since 1 channel drives strictly the sub and crosses at about 180HZ. Both amp channels get used to about their maximum capacity. I use 2 amps rated at 200 watts to drive each one. They still sound amazing to me after 20+ years. The louder you play them the better they sound.
Mike E: I'm primarily a contemporary jazz nut, and they are well-suited to that genre. Have used the L1's with a couple sub set ups: a pair of Miller and Kreisel V125's ( in stereo; left channel to one sub, left rear of room and R to twin sub right rear of room) and a Velodyne F1200. Properly tweaked, these combos didn't disappoint. A friend's dad has a pair of L7's sitting in his garage doing nothing for years now. He knows what they are, and so far hasn't budged on making them disappear. I have this problem lately of not NEEDING one more fine pieces, but cannot help myself when something presents itself at a good price. I think it was easier to stop drinking 8 years ago, than to stop collecting. ;-)
After almost 17 years with my Infinity beta 20 still love the sound. Tried to replace them but... they are so well built and sound quality is amazing. I had some JBL's and loved them too.
Wow I’m really kicking myself after having the chance to buy a pair for 30 bucks. I saw them at the thrift store and put them in my cart but something unrelated made me to depressed to buy anything that day so I handed them to someone else who luckily wasn’t going to just resell them. Seeing the smile on their face when I handed them over and told them how nice they were was a good feeling. BUT ID TAKE ALL THAT HAPPINESS BACK IF I COULD TO BACK TO THAT MOMENT. lol. Later found a pair of Mirage OM 10 for the same price and a pair of KLH model 17 not long after but no number of speakers is ever enough, you know how it goes. I hope. Lament me with how much I’m missing out on for passing those up. There’s such little info on the web regarding those specific infinity’s that it’s hard to gauge if I’m missing out on a lot. I’ve been looking for a pair of infinity’s ever since. Seems to be a underrated brand like phase tech. At least I have a pair of EPI that he mentions in another video on best bookshelf speakers.
Thanks to you guys posting good vintage speakers to look out for, I present my current bookshelf speakers in rotation. Fortunately this is an affordable hobby unlike my vintage telescope collection. Bose 201 DCM Timepiece Bose 141 Advent Baby II refoamed Paradigm Titan refoamed Advent 2002 DCM Macrophone
I bought a pair of DLK Model 1 speakers when I was in college (40+ years ago)... their sound still holds up pretty well with a good preamp/amp and relatively small room.
Rogers LS1s I'm running 7s. a little too large for bookshelf. but I have heard the 1s and they are very good. If you find a pair for under 200 grab them and run!!!
My late father in law gave me a pair of KLH bookshelf speakers from the 80’s. 6” woofer with 1” tweeter, ported in rear. At first I didn’t think much about them because of the 90’s KLH junk that was everywhere. When I hooked them up to an old Sony receiver for a garage setup, wow! Even my buddies who come in to my garage were impressed. “Open sounding” was said a few times.
Speaker Lab 6 inch,made them myself used heavy particle board and walnut veneer bare speakers,very heavy and for 40+ years they are used in a wood lined room,ceiling too so the effect people tell me it's like being there.no drapes on the windows,very private home,to muffle the sound.these get much more use than Sansui sp 2000 in the living room.
I have been enjoying all the videos in this channel, I really like the sincere approach to the reviews, and the fact that you actually work and repair the equipment.
I have a pair of Jensen SBC65 bookshelf speakers that I picked up at a second hand store many years ago and they are a perfect match paired with my Technics SA5170 receiver.
I bought a pair of B&W DM110's in the late 80's and only recently had to rebuild them. Great budget speaker at the time. I don't see many around though.
Thank you for the time and effort you put into making quality reviews. I’m going to look into these speakers. I’m currently looking for a pair and was looking into getting a pair of pioneers elite TX-7’s
As bookshelf speakers, I use the Infinity Qe (18 x 12 x 10 inches) with a Klipsch Sub 6, the EMIT ribbon tweeters is legendary and the Sub 6 add just enough bass to the 8" Qe woofer for a rich sound output.
JBL TLX12 (1989-92) is an amazing sounding bookshelf speaker. My first speaker bought new in 92 which I still own. I picked up a second set about 3 years back for $75. Very detailed and clear bass. These punch well above their weight. The second pair I picked up were a little rough on the vinyl wrap so I removed it and put on a walnut veneer....they look incredible. Type: 2 way, 2 driver loudspeaker system Recommended Amplifier: 10 to 75W Crossover Frequency: 3200Hz Impedance: 8Ω Sensitivity: 90dB Bass: 1 x 165mm polymer laminate cone Tweeter: 1 x 25mm titanium dome Finish: black Dimensions: 380 x 230 x 242mm Weight: 16kg Year: 1989
Kevin, the best small cabinet speaker I've ever heard is the NHT Superone (not Superzero). Not sure if it's old enough to be called vintage. From around 1990 and available for a lot less than $200/pair. The deep tight bass from the sealed 11.6″ Tall x 7.25″ Wide x 8.5″ Deep cabinet will amaze you. 6" woofer. If you've never listened to them, I sincerely suggest you do.
4 1/2 years ago I bought a pair of 18 year old PSB Image 2b... only paid $190 for them. They may not be audiophile quality by any means. That aside they were so beautiful sounding even with the 49 hrz roll off. They are imo flawless for the price, build quality, the ability to nicely fill a 10×13 room withoutneeding a sub... for some reason they rolled off lower & lower over time... actually looking for another pair. Nothing perfect about them however for me again flawless.
My Favorite are my 1971 Pro series Voice of Music model 91 two ways. sound beautiful. 8" woofer and 3" extended range tweeter second order crossed at 2kHz. goes down to 55Hz at 3db down. second choice is the B&W DM110 Speakers.
Bookshelf stereo, Pioneer SX-525, Sharp RT-12 tape deck, and a set of Realistic MC-800's. Not a lot of bass, had to hug the speakers to really enjoy it, lol. Enjoyed it, and was proud of it for years. When I finally sold it, I had no trouble getting my money back. Currently own a set of Jensen JP1200's, not sure if anyone considers them to be bookshelf speakers, but I do. They are awesome, and so are their big brothers the JP1800's. Those 1800's were the best speakers I ever owned.
Thanks for the list. I always buy Minimus 7's if I see them. Still have a working pair from the 80's in my workshop. I'm sure you cost me money, just logged into CL for Boston's and Advent's...
My first speakers were Ohm L bookshelves. I traded them in 1981 for Ohm C2s (labeled a bookshelf speaker) which I still have. Great sound but need power to drive them because of low efficiency.
My first one were the Ohm E’s in ‘78. Sold them to my brother and bought the L’s. Had a Nikko 719 with a Phillips 677 turntable. No idea what happened to them.
Not always below $200 but old Dynaco A25's really surprised me as great all around fun sounding speakers. I picked up a pair of near mint Minimus 7's a couple of years ago and I just really didn't get what they hype was about, just sounded thin and tiny.
about 30 years ago I bought a pair of Wharfedale Diamond bookshelf speakers that I really loved. They were rear ported and that took a while to figure out the positioning on but they sounded great. When we were gone for a weekend my son blew one of the woofers. The guy who had recommended the speaker to me had a single working one too and I gave him the one I had in exchange for a not-that-great car cassette deck...
I picked up for $30 a pair of Panasonic 1971 speakers used in a restaurant to announce seating parties. Paper cone and tweeter. Recapped and sound excellent but need volume down as 50 yo paper tweeters won't survive at loud levels. They have that vintage 70s Pioneer thatch grill. Look incredible. Sound good. Great find after recap with Solen.
I still have 8 Minimus7 speakers outdoors for my patio surround system with a Snap AV 12" inground sub. Denon rcvr AVR4800 and Crown CDi 2000 bridged mono. Have replaced 1 woofer and 1 tweeter in 18 years of hard rocking out in the country.hard to beat.
I think the allure of the Minimus 7 was their affordability and generally more robust sound compared to like-size speakers. Made/make great shop and garage speakers being able to be pushed by even low powered receivers. Not great speakers but great for their price.
Thought I had a minimus 7 as rear speaker only had one so I put a single Jamo also rated at 70 watts well the Jamo has a dead woofer now and was mistaken about the minimus that turned out to bean Optimus Pro 77 in a metal cabinet rated at 70 watts. I suspect it's a bit more robust. Certainly more than the Jamo I seem to remember the other Jamo had a dead woofer too. That Pro 77 has a poly cap now good vocals.
I put a set of Polk audio monitor 40 series 2 and a set of KLH 900b in parallel in a very small room. Connected to a Sansui 800 and the sound I get is actually a head scratcher. It sounds better than it has a right to. If I hook either sets by themselves at 8 ohms they both sound like bookshelf speakers. But the magic happens when I parallel them and the result is amazing. I found both sets of these for under $10 for the pair. I would never seek this configuration out but for stumbling across them it really works well. And I have had the 301 series 3 that I could get amazing sound out of.
I just replaced my Wharfdale Diamonds on my secondary system in a small backroom with Celestion 2's - very rich and accurate and more musical and I paid $40!!!
Boston A40 series 2..... got in a trade probably 12 years ago....my first re - foam, completely worth it. They sound excellent. Your comment about being a total speaker fanatic, rings true with me. Celestion, KEF, Wharfedale, MB Quart, JBL, Boston Acoustics. The way different ones compliment different styles of music is genuine, thanks for pointing that out Kevin!!!
Great vid and agree with 99%! As a fellow speaker junkie, I must add the Boston cr6-9's (6's scale well), Klh 21" tall mtm design (no model#), and Yamaha ns636 8" 3way all bring smiles when I put them into the mix! Of course with most any bkshelf, subs are a must for the big picture. Thanks
Minimus 7 with mods can make great satellites. Great cabinets,decent drivers, need proper crossovers and connectors. Hard to beat solid metal cabinets, just deaden them. Canton, ADS,Braun,Bang and Olufsen c30,40,50, BA micro all nice tiny speakers.
I would encourage everyone who finds any Altec 877a’s. They are always going for cheap. I see them go for $60-$150 CAD, and are just what you’d expect from Altec and Vintage speakers.
Thanks for the video most informative from a professionals opion . I just picked up a pair of Bang and Olfsen, Beovox S45-2 for 100$ 3 way speakers 8" woofer. Wow moved the 90's Klipsch KG3's up stairs. From 1978 till 1982. Book shelf speakers . I reed they where considered one of the companies reference speakers. I would put them up against a pair of KEF 50's, that cost 1500$ all day long. Thanks
Agree on the Minimus 7...I have 2 pr - 1 bad tweet & 3 bad woofers so they sit in a closet...I bought an NOS pr of Minimus 11 on ebay about 10 yrs ago...I wish they had the 7 tweeter but they still sound pretty good
In 1974 a salesman at CMC stereo tried relentlessly to sell me a pair of Bose 301’s . I bought my Altec model 3’s as I had planned. Had them for 22 years, enjoyed every minute with them.
Nice initial group. Being a tad older, your comments at 2:46 + were on point. I was 17 in 1973. I wore out "Brandy" and "Going Mobile" The WHO with my bookshelf set of Jensens. The day I had to get rid of them I opened them up to see they were Model 6. I wanted that to find another set of them! Life got in the way...
I found a perfect pair of KLH 900Bs 8 years ago in a thrift store for $40.00. After airing out the stink of tobacco for two days, they have operated flawlessly during daily use. A graphic equalizer I found smooths out the frequencies. Paired with a Pioneer amplifier, I couldn’t ask for more.
@@skylabsaudio I don't remember the model number, and I think they were made by Braun, but there's a three-way mini speaker that has real bass output! Found them! Look up Braun 3-way mini speaker. Braun L300
ADS L470/2’s. Oh my, the sweetest tweeter out there in a vintage early/mid eighties small bookshelf. If you don’t have quite the shelf space, go for the smaller siblings, the a/d/s L400e’s. With a sun, amazing. Plentiful between $100-$200 on the Bay.
@@jjguthrie8468 Yep. there's a reason why they used the same mids/tweets in almost all of the L-series line. My L810s and 910s have the exact same tweeter, though very slightly different mids, but the 910s were designed as mains for studios.
Nice video. I had those same Boston a40’s. I loved them. I turned upside down and covered the front with felt, kinda softened them a little. After those I had the first edition of Celestion 3 which were pretty good as well.
A pair of older speakers I'm still using are the Wharfedale W30D. They are a bit taller than most bookshelf speakers at 19". They sound pretty good, but the upper end is limited to 18.5k Hz. I'm currently using them as computer speakers. According to an old brochure, they were priced at $59.95 per when new.
2:13 I have a set, similar to those. The Infinity Reference 1, they have the Polycell but they are 2 way speakers, so they are shorter than those displayed. I have found several things, nothing outright definite about those. In the ?rear there is an circular cap, with the push tab connectors, and there is sticker with what I take as a serial number, production number, something. Besides that &”Reference 1” is raised, molded into the cup with the connectors. I have seen something about the Reference 1 betas, along with Reference 1 several different names. The thing is that I see the ones I have, except the Polycell is switched with another tweeter, they are 3 wqy, orhers are floor mount, but all others seem to pop up repeatedly, and I will need to scroll deep, and change my search several more times, just to find a picture, click and find out that it was a different picture from the search, or the information doesn’t give me enough, or it will direct me to the same list as I was searching through already, or simply Reference 1 with Polycell might be mentioned. Does someone happen to know Reference 1 ______, or some way I can get more information, without the Reference 1 everything else? I switched them out with the 201 series 2, mainly because they need new surrounds. What is known about Paradigm Phantom v.2? A while back they began to sound like they were needed for new surroundings. From what I found. The covers are attached, so the back needs to be accessed and disassembled to get to the speakers. Yeah those Reference 1 has me wandering at times. I have multiple pdf files, pictures, documents, and many other files on everything including some on others that I help with issues that others have. Crazy thing is remote manuals, and remotes also.
Also the Cambridge Soundworks Model Six - designed by Henry Kloss to be, more or less, a clone of the Baby Advent, but with a larger woofer. They be found easily for under $100 a pair and they sound great.
Used a pair of Design Acoustics PS-9's in my second system for years, finally replaced them with some Cizek model 2's. But pretty much everyone that heard them loved PS-9's. I did recap the crossovers though
A little newer than most of what's on your list (these came out in the early 90s), but I'm consistently impressed with my good old NHT SuperZeroes. They are lacking in low bass, but they sound like they should cost way more than they do. Heck, they're still made today!
Back in the mid 80s to the Early 90s I was the manager for the Regional Service facility for Circuit City in Louisville KY. All our stores used the Audio Authority comparator systems made in Lexington KY.
I'd have to count, but I think I have 8 pairs of the Minimus 7's (I know, don't ask) or their derivatives around. Out of all 16 of those just a single woofer was bad. One out of 32 ain't bad. And I didn't hear a single one of them before I bought them- didn't even see most of them except in photos. Among those are a pair each of the RCA (ported) and then Genexxa with shielded drivers. And the KLH and Memorex versions too, not shielded. I have a "wood" cabinet Minimus pair running as L and R front channels in a HT setup, with a subwoofer. I'll swap the others in as I get time to see who wins. Cambridge center. Just changed out the electrolytics in the hi pass filters is all I did- except for the Memorex as they have something else going on, must be an actual crossover. I really wanted to slice up Minimus pairs and weld them back together to use as a center channel but looked at my wife and decided otherwise. Another pair will soon be summoned for Atmos or rear channel. Just don't care for ported speakers ... IMO it's all about the midrange, everything else revolves around that. If you have to keep turning up the volume to hear what you need to hear, and then it's too loud, the midrange is wrong.
I have a soft spot for the AR-3a. I have seen them classified as bookshelves, but that would be a mighty shelf for sure. The AR-7s however always impressed me in my many visits to Wheaton HiFi.
Bought a set of Utahs in the 70s. Heavy cabinet. Blew out the midranges, and replaced them with radio shack 3-ways. Still pumping it out. Have a 23 speaker setup plus subwoofer for shaking the windows during action flicks. The foam in the Bose 301s I had rotted.
ADS 200's. killer speakers. had them in the car and now have them in the house. they are 50 years old now. sound as good as they did new. the tweeter is as accurate as any i've heard. LOVE THEM !!!
I love your no BS commentary.
I see a lot of support here for the Dynaco A25s, they were my first hifi speakers, very good in their day and still quite listenable. Decades later I had inherited another pair and I put them to use as a stopgap passive subwoofer. To my surprise, two of them placed side by side on the floor were able to output formidable bass down to 30hz! For JBL-like tonality and dynamics, the old Klipsch KG1.0/1.2/1.5 models are still common, and replacement tweeter diaphragms are readily available and easy to install. Or you can pimp them with titanium diaphragms!
I used to have a pair of those, very fond memories of them, They sound great...
The Dynaco's A25 were a great speaker for the money,I paid $150. a pair in the mid 70's,they had incredible bass but didn't take up space,the sound belittled their size,one of my favorite bookshelf speakers along with my Rectilinear mini 3's.
Great speakers.
I purchased a pair of the Boston Acoustic A40s new back in the 80s and still have them, although they've been relegated to garage duty. I had the tweeters replaced under warranty back in the day, but they've worked great ever since. I might just look for a matching pair and move them back into the house as surround sound speakers.
I'm glad you put bose on your list. It earned you a new subscriber. I'm not a Bose fan, though my first pair of speakers were 201s. The reason I'm glad you included it is because it shows you're not an "audiophile", which is a latin word for 'stuck up'.
I always tell people that they should own what they like, and like what they own. If you have some 301s and a cheap receiver and like the sound, then listen to that setup as much as you can and enjoy life!
201's we're my first speakers I ever had in highschool , with a pioneer receiver , that system sounded so good and I played them for 10 years
Totally agree. I never had the money to be an "audiophile". However, I did the best I could. When I went to college I purchased a pair of Bose 301 and 201. Running these with a JVC receiver and CD player the sound was amazing. I remember sitting in the room listening to various songs, artists. It created an incredible 3D effect if you were in the center of the room with both pairs of speakers going. I have heard a lot of hate about Bose over the years. I have graduated to better speakers since then. However, for the time and the cost they were great.
The sad thing about Bose is that folks could buy far better sounding speakers for the same or less money. Bose spends far more money on marketing and litigation than they spend on product design and component parts. Bose won't publish their specs for good reason. Independent testers have used standard measurement techniques and Bose speakers test out poorly. Yes, there is a correlation between specs and performance.
Yes. I like Cerwin Vega speakers. I had an audiophile turn his nose up at them.
I absolutely loved my Bose 301 series II speakers! I used them for over 20 years with a Pioneer SX-3700, and Technics SL-D303 turntable, and I wish I still had them. All of which were the first major purchases I made when I started working in my teens. Never got into the whole audiophile thing of chasing the greatest sound. I was perfectly happy with my setup. Guitar amps were another story...
I clicked on this video, stopped it at 00:01 (before watching it), to chime in with a simple "Dynaco A25" answer. I've had several pair, and they are just sublime.
Although a bit before this time period, the Dynaco A25 was always a favorite for sound and value.
Don't forget the A25 XL's!
Never heard of it till now. I want to hear a pair.
I bought a pair of A25s at an estate sale for ... well, let's just say Not Much.
Haven't heard them yet, but I expect they will be good.
I still listen to the A25 powered by a Marantz 2230 receiver… very smooth and open sound… has the adjustable frequency crossover.
@@MH-fb5kr what other speakers have you owned?
Thank you so much for this truthful video! After leaving the military (1974) I worked for a Hi Fi Fo Fum in KCMO. That's where my real musical journey began. We carried the whole spectrum of equipment from Pioneer's 450 rec. to the full line of Mac's. We also had an A/B switcher which allowed comparisons of speakers. That's where I first discovered the Advent speaker line. It was very difficult to discern the difference between the large and small Advents. I owned the Bose 501's and later switched to the "Stacked Advent" system. Fast forward many years after 20 years in the computer industry, I worked for Buzz Jensen's Audio Advice in Phoenix, AZ. Buzz was the first retailer, that I knew of, that would allow clients to take speakers home for a real-life test drive. You were exactly right...what speakers sound like in your environment is the game changer! You've also landed a client for life!
Thank you so much for the kind words! Appreciate it!
I'm one of those minimus 7 guys. What i really like them for is tv not home theater but just plain stereo tv. If you like that kind of sound, you might like old cantons or a/d/s speakers for music. If you can find canton mini plus s speakers, they're like the gourmet version of the minimus 7 especially with the matching canton sub.
My 101 year old neighbor passed away recently. Her daughter gave me the stereo. It included a pristine pair of Allison Model 5s. Wow! They are great 😌
Fine choices for vintage budget speakers. I liked the EPI-70's as replacements for the model 60. In the mid 1970's EPI offered the 70 as a car speaker as the LS70. The satellite/subwoofer craze of later 1970's was a change from the big amp, big speakers mindset. Still like my EPI-100's better. Don't think Advent ever built a "bad" speaker. This Baby Advent, Advent 2, Original Large Advent, New Advent and the 5002 were all fine systems. The B/A A-40's are really boss. I got a pair several years back and dig the sweet high end and reasonable bass. Use them in my 900+ cu/ft kitchen powered by an SX-434 receiver. Impressive stereo imaging and sound so good I sometimes forget just how bass shy they are. I think that the EPI-100 was one of the best bang-for-buck budget speakers in the 1970's. Even though it was introduced in 1970, thank you very much Mr. Winslow Burhoe.
Cerwin vega 201 my pair is 44 yrs old, and I listen to them everyday. They are from stansbury stereo in Baltimore. Cica1978. My 40yr old jvc receiver and cd1669-2 cassette deck are still rocking as I turn 70. Still crazy after all these year
Loved your comment...I'm 75 and still crazy after all these years.
Dynaco A 25 is a beast sound superb with anything.
Ding, ding, ding!!! Your explanation about how a speaker will sound to someone else in their listening environment, and with their equipment, is spot on. It took me a long time to understand that magic in sound is subjective, and is many times pure luck.
I've been using a pair of 1980's Advent bookshelf speakers for a while and they continue to impress with the sound quality I'm getting. They're inexpensive, easy to re-foam and I like the wood cabinet look. I think they're a good choice for anyone just looking to upgrade a bit in this age of $30 digitized-plasticized speakers.
They are kinda hard to find. In the past 20 years I've managed to find a pair of the small advents. I got em for 25$ needing refoam. However I have 3 pairs of the large advents. I run four of them thru a marantz 2238b sounds awesome
@@marshallgibson8872 Yes, and the prices have been going up on them too. Growing up in the 80's, the Advents are a sentimental favorite.
Wow! Minimus 7s! Actually Optimus Pro 77s. I use those to this very day as my desktop speakers. They sound fantastic with my Aiyima A07 amp and Douk Audio P1 pre. And yes, dead drivers have been replaced.
Great list. I started my audiophile journey in the mid 80's with EPI 100s. They were great for a college dorm room. Upgraded to ADS L570s which I still have and love to death.
I had the A/D/S L810. VERY tightly engineered speakers. They were really the best thing for the price.
@@scottlowell493 I'm amazed that they're still like new. It's pretty crazy.
congratulations on not blowing them. or more accurately perhaps to say congratulations on not having a friend blow them when you weren't in the room.
to be clear, that was a commentary on college parties, not the speakers. 😅
EPI 100's are awesome speakers!
My wife got a pair of ADS bookshelf speakers in 1978, I couldn’t tell you the specific model, but they were the best sounding speakers of that size I’ve ever heard. They weren’t very large, but great sound, great bass. Also, I had (and still have) some Mini Advents with the matching subwoofer (which eventually fell apart). I refoamed them and they still sound great!
I have a pair of ADS 810s that I will never sell. They made incredible speakers.
I’ve got L710s. ADS was an awesome brand.
ADS bookshelves are the sh*t, disappointed they weren't mentioned here.
Love the video. Some great choices. There are a bunch of good bookshelf speakers out there. I know ADS may be on the upper end of $200. But I have some B7's that sound great and should be around $200 to buy. I also have some L-200's that blow away the Minimus 7's. I also have some small B&W's I just found for $75 with stands. Those may be from the early 90's though.
I still have a pair of ADS L570s from my college years in the mid 80s. I love 'em.
I have a pair of AR-3a speakers that I bought in 1970. These were billed at the time as "bookshelf speakers" even though, I have never seen a bookcase that will accommodate them. They have been re-foamed twice, and are working fine after about 52 years.
Any speaker that didn't have a base incorporated into the cabinet was considered a bookshelf back then. Kinda funny. I love AR speakers. Henry Kloss was the man!
I restored my 'bought new' AR-28s speakers. Refoamed and had to replace both Teledyne tweeters, thanks to Simply Speakers. Refinished the faux vinyl wood with a piano black finish. I think they are selling at about $400, but a nice complement to a vintage setup.
They aren't going for $200 or less these days.
@@andykeena8767 Fully restored? I did a quick search and I don't see any for sale in the US.
@@leonarddaneman810 I saw a few on ebay for $1,350-$1,999
Loved the minimus 7’s back in the day… had them in our kitchen, equalized them a bit and they were great…especially for the $$$.
Cheers
To [mis]quote Yoda: Once down the Minimus7 path you start, forever will it dominate your destiny. 😀 Got a couple pair of 'em floating around the house.
Love it: I only just refoamed my BA A40's that I bought new in 1984 (I believe). They shifted around the house doing dining room duty at first and ending up on my desk. They even went to work with me for my personal office for a few years. They just so suited my listening habits and preferences to a T. I was devastated when the woofer foam crumbled and they started to buzz. Sob! So happy when I discovered foam kits -- who knew?
I have a pair of Videoton Minimax II bookshelf speakers made by a Hungarian company in around 1978. Amazingly they still work like new and need no refoaming (non-trad surround material?). They were heavily sold in England at the time and competed well against much pricier names. The same importer (I think) showed up at consumer shows here in Canada and they were sold in some numbers here too. I got my pair at Ring Audio who had a fondness for carrying audiophile Brit imports like Rega turntables. I'm making brand new grill covers for them as I realized a month ago while testing them that the circular holes cut into the original fibre board covers actually screw up the tweeter dispersion and make the sweet spot really small and finicky to locate.
Advent Baby 2s! Replaced my Large Advents. Still got ‘em, still like ‘em. Always fun to swap in when I get the urge.
Spot on, we can listen to people talking about this and that, but in the end it's about me and my own room, the best one can do is to try and get those speakers on a loan from an audio shop and see if they fit in the room and if they sound good in the room (and this is subjective from person to person). Try it before you buy it, that's all I keep saying
ADS a/d/s Braun - amazing speaker line. Any of their late 70’s thru 80’s line with their 1 in. tweeter - the “206-0116” one - will blow your mind. Some I can immediately think of are the L470/2’s, the L400e’s, and the L570/2’s. Incredible speakers. All with butyl rubber surrounds vs foam, which rarely need replacement. The L400’s are often on the Bay in the low $100’s. If you have the space, get the small floor standers of this period, the L690’s. Same 1 in. magical tweeter in all these ADS/Braun speakers listed but the larger sound box of the L690 created a giant killer. In fact, in ‘84 NAD had a/d/s build an L690 clone with the NAD branding to market. Incredible line of speakers and all found in vintage shops under $200. Seek and ye shall find and smile!
Have owned a lot of Braun ADS speakers. I would never sell any of them for under $200. That's one reason I didn't include them. The other reason is that they are way more rare, at least around here, than any other speaker on the list.
@@skylabsaudio 👍🏼You’re probably right about most being over $200, at least in shops. eBay deals do come up, if there is time for patience. Happy I found your channel. Digging it very much!
I have several sets of ADS Including some L-200's, B7's and 710's and agree they are great. It's possible on Craig's list or local direct sellers to get under $200 for some of the lower line ADS, probably not from a store where they need to make a profit and stand behind their products.
I remember the Acoustic Research AR18s being a great set! Driven by a Kenwood Trio KA-6000 they were good for just about everything I listened to. I can remember the cymbols in Fleetwood Mac's dreams trailing off and the Bass drop in Heart's "Magic Man" rattling the walls. Voices were open and clear. Loved those speakers!
I definately have to mention the Infinity Infinitesimals as well, although they're not in this price range.
Those AR-18 were very good on their price
I've still got some AR18S in my stash, ran them for a few months at the end of '21, tremendous speaker, sealed box bass speed and a ridiculously good tweeter, you can hear why so many studios had them on the meter bridge..
@@markpreston3406 Totally awesome speaker. I think they were left off because he is talking about what the speakers cost now instead of what they cost when they were introduced. A good pair of 18s today cost over 300, and that is on the low side.
Still rocking 5 pairs of epi's.
Two pairs of 180's stacked in my living room system powered by dual Harman Kardon hk-770 twin toroidal amps. Gold ring tweeters on all my speakers.
My basement system consists of a Technics SA-700 receiver pushing a pair of epi 400 towers and a pair of epi 100 bookshelf speakers. Yes, I know it has the fiberboard, but I love it's sound and has no troubles pushing a steady 4 ohm load.
And my garage system is just a cheap Onkyo surround receiver pushing another pair of epi 100's.
I grew up on the epi sound. My dad had a pair of epi 100's pushed by a Pioneer sx-727 receiver and I always loved the sound. He later sold the epi's and got a pair of Klipsch Chorus speakers. Yeah, they can play loud and that's about it. Imo, the little epi's sound more accurate from top to bottom.
I agree. I'd take the Dynacos over the Klipsch. Just my personal opinion. :)
Have 2 pairs of 100's :)
So glad to see the A40s on the list. If I hadn't I might have had to unsubscribe. ;)
A small bookshelf in the class here that you overlooked is the Mission 70 MkII. Less than 0.4 cu. ft. volume. 70-20000 Hz. 88db/w/m 6.5" woofer. 3/4" tweeter. 3800 Hz xover. British. Acoustic suspension. Very attractive though budget vinyl. Very linear and accurate. Amazing with a sub.
Also very uncommon around here anyway. Have liked every Misson speaker I have ever heard.
I recently picked up both the Baby Advent II's and the Boston Acoustics A60's, based on your recommendation. I'm honestly floored by how good these sound, and I paid $150 total for both sets. Ridiculous! If either are available in your area, go get em!!
You are so lucky! When I saw the title for this video I immediately thought: Baby Advent. It was so satisfying, being an audio nerd, seeing them as top pick. Also, IMHO, absolutely worthy of this title amongst others.
A year ago I bought a pair of Monitor Audio MA301 small bookshelf speakers off eBay for $120 to use in my office desktop system, and they are outstanding.
20 years ago my parents asked me to shop for a home theater system for my sister and at one stereo store the salesman asked me to listen to a pair of $600 MA301s, knowing that was above my price range, just to see my surprise at what a full sound and superb soundstage one could obtain from a speaker that was only 10.5 inches high. One of my local shops had a used Paradigm system for $400 that was too good of a value to pass up for my sister, but I definitely was extremely impressed with the MA301s.
Fast forward to 2020 when I began working at home at the start of the pandemic. A little Bluetooth speaker lasted about two hours on my desk before I started wanting better fidelity. I remembered I had an old Panasonic compact system I had bought my wife years ago that had since been stored in our basement, I pulled that out, and was initially pleasantly surprised at how good it sounded.
But I kept thinking how much better it would sound with better speakers, and started shopping on eBay. I checked out the usual suspects, KEF, B & W, Mission, and some rarer ones like Mordaunt Short and Castle, before remembering the MA301s. After a few weeks of waiting I spotted an auction and bought my little Monitor Audios for 80% off their MSRP.
I have replaced the Panasonic electronics with a Cambridge Audio integrated amplifier, a Sony DVD changer as a transport, and a pair external DAC‘s (one an Emotiva Little Ego+ USB DAC on my laptop that at $39.10, might be the very best value in all of hi-fi, the other a 1Mii Bluetooth receiver that has an ESS Saber DAC chip and an optical input that I use as my DAC for listening to CDs or Bluetooth). I have some vague thoughts of eventually upgrading the Cambridge Audio with a Rotel, and possibly replacing my pair of inexpensive DACs with a Geshelli Labs J2.
But I have no thoughts of replacing my MA301s. Sitting on a pair of concrete blocks on my desk in the middle of the room to bring them to ear-height, 8 feet from a wall, they still have surprisingly deep bass and pinpoint imaging.
my brother had a set of 301s and I was amazed at the output of these bookshelf speakers.
NHT Superzero…can’t be beat for the price. Sound better than many speakers twice their price.
I've had the Bose bookshelves since the 80's and love em. I've had them so loud the were pumping air at a foot away. Bullet proof with great sound.
Just two weeks ago I found a pair of A40s At the thrift store for $4 each. They needed a new foam, otherwise great shape! The next day I happen to see an ad in my neighborhood for a second pair of A40s for $30. I asked the neighbor if he could send me a photo with the grills off - they needed foam so he offered them to me for free! Unbelievable luck, and I’ll have at least one awesome set of bookshelf’s out of the flock.
I watched this just days after I purchased a pair of baby Advent bookshelf speakers ! Made me smile when you said a good #1 pick for bookshelf , I also have been looking fore Bose 301 series II
I have a pair of the 7's in the basement shop/pool room 28'x40'. They sit in the upper corners of the space. Everyone always asks where the speakers are. They always say wow, I can't believe that. They fill the room so nice. I have had those and the Kenwood amp for 47 years. Bought these when I was in the Army back in the late 70's. They still work awesome. In my mind they were the best bang for the buck back.
I'm glad you included the Bose 301s with the caveat that placement is super important. The direct reflecting needs to be in a corner to work right. When set up right, they sound very good. I wouldn't call them accurate, but rather pleasing. Positioning also helps with bass. Re: the Minimus 7s, I suggest the ebay crossover upgrade kit; completely improves the sound quality - gets rid of the hiss and increases the transparency. You are correct, almost no bass so a sub will liven them up. My $.02
I found my Minimus 7s at a yard sale years ago. Probably paid $20 , if that. I think the guy was divorcing and they were his wife's stuff so he was practically giving everything away. (Been there twice, so I know the look, lol.) I use them for my rear speakers in my living room setup. Front speakers are (sit down, now...) re-foamed Fisher 56-S 8-inch 2-ways which I bought brand new in 1974 for $55 each (I believe SaveMart was the store). And....the receiver is a Pioneer VSX D608 A/V receiver (100 watts X 5) which I bought in the early 2000's for (still sitting?..) $50! The guy was relocating and selling everything cheap, (including an AIWA sub-woofer ($50) AND a set of JBL 8-inch 2 way studio monitors($50)!
@@bsmith9506 I love that Pioneer VSX line... I found a VSX-9300 (early '90s, I think) at a thrift store for maybe $40 about ten years ago, and the thing is bulletproof; I've driven a 2 ohm load at clipping levels with this thing at a parking lot party and it didn't bat an eye. It's currently driving ADS L880s in my office, and it's keeping schmancier amps in storage.
@@willgibson7478 The fact that these receivers are still kicking arse today is a true testament to how things are built today and how they were built back in the day...things were made to last! Now everything is disposable, not made to last and definitely not made to be repaired. Recently the motor on my 1995 Whirlpool dryer went bad. My sister said "buy a new one". I chose to repair it. Pricey, yes. Almost the cost of a new one. The repairman said 90% of his calls are for newer machines. I'll probably get another 27 years out of it...he installed a rebuilt motor and took my old motor to rebuild it. I told him "see you in 27 years" jokingly.
The older B&W DM series speakers from the early 1990's can be found for under $200 a pair and punch way above their weight. They're also very durable and unlike many older speakers, do not have foam surrounds.
I had a pair of DM-570's and really liked them.
Picked up a pair of mint Kef 101/3 from a thrift shop for $130. The best bookshelf speakers I’ve had.
My Sony SSK 30ED are still amazing. About 15 years ago Sont went for high end, this one with 6.5" kevlar driver and 1" extended definition. I got them for $150. on clearance from CC, nobody bought them, and they all missed out, because they were $329. a pair. They still sound amazing today and are one of my top 2 sets. The other being my home build full range single driver floor speakers.
Although I think they were released in 1991, the JBL L1 bookshelf is a stout performer. It has a 6 1/2” woofer and a titanium dome tweeter in a rear ported cabinet. Not only do they pack quite a punch for their size, they also can handle a good bit of power (200 watts RMS per speaker). The entire line of the L series of this timeframe were the last that were designed by JBL before they were acquired by Harmon. They are all well regarded and can be found fairly easy on the second hand market. The L5 and L7 floor standers are considered among the best bargains for audiophiles available today. The only drawbacks are you need ample power to drive either of them and room placement for the top of the line L7 can be tricky due to the side firing 12” passive subwoofer. Also the L7 is pretty much an actual full range speaker. Their bass reproduction is as good as any modest priced powered subwoofer provided you feed them enough power.
Had the L1's with a Sony powered sub connected to a vintage Marants. GREAT set up
Found a pair of the L1's in near new condition at a local resale shop for $20 pair about 10 years ago. Was stunned at how good they sounded. Still going strong in my son's home studio today. I have to admit, I was nervous to put them up against my Polk LSi-9's in an A/B comparison. Not quite as refined as the Polks, but the Polks certainly didn't run away with the show either.
@@joelabbe6185 You stole them for $20 a pair. Depending on what type of music you listen to they should have a powered sub to hit the lowest frequencies under 50HZ. I use one as a center channel in a 5.1 set up and cross it at 100HZ. If you can find any of the L series in this line at a good price I’d recommend them. The only one I don’t own or haven’t heard is the L3. The L5 is very good but would recommend a high quality powered sub with them also for room shaking bass. The L7 is fine on its own as long as you have enough power to drive them properly. 200 clean watts per channel is the very minimum to wake them up. Placement can be difficult. These are one of the few speakers that passive bi-amping (connecting 2 amplifiers to each speaker using the internal crossover) is effective since 1 channel drives strictly the sub and crosses at about 180HZ. Both amp channels get used to about their maximum capacity. I use 2 amps rated at 200 watts to drive each one. They still sound amazing to me after 20+ years. The louder you play them the better they sound.
Mike E: I'm primarily a contemporary jazz nut, and they are well-suited to that genre. Have used the L1's with a couple sub set ups: a pair of Miller and Kreisel V125's ( in stereo; left channel to one sub, left rear of room and R to twin sub right rear of room) and a Velodyne F1200. Properly tweaked, these combos didn't disappoint. A friend's dad has a pair of L7's sitting in his garage doing nothing for years now. He knows what they are, and so far hasn't budged on making them disappear. I have this problem lately of not NEEDING one more fine pieces, but cannot help myself when something presents itself at a good price. I think it was easier to stop drinking 8 years ago, than to stop collecting. ;-)
After almost 17 years with my Infinity beta 20 still love the sound. Tried to replace them but... they are so well built and sound quality is amazing.
I had some JBL's and loved them too.
Wow I’m really kicking myself after having the chance to buy a pair for 30 bucks. I saw them at the thrift store and put them in my cart but something unrelated made me to depressed to buy anything that day so I handed them to someone else who luckily wasn’t going to just resell them. Seeing the smile on their face when I handed them over and told them how nice they were was a good feeling. BUT ID TAKE ALL THAT HAPPINESS BACK IF I COULD TO BACK TO THAT MOMENT. lol. Later found a pair of Mirage OM 10 for the same price and a pair of KLH model 17 not long after but no number of speakers is ever enough, you know how it goes. I hope.
Lament me with how much I’m missing out on for passing those up. There’s such little info on the web regarding those specific infinity’s that it’s hard to gauge if I’m missing out on a lot. I’ve been looking for a pair of infinity’s ever since. Seems to be a underrated brand like phase tech. At least I have a pair of EPI that he mentions in another video on best bookshelf speakers.
Thanks to you guys posting good vintage speakers to look out for, I present my current bookshelf speakers in rotation. Fortunately this is an affordable hobby unlike my vintage telescope collection.
Bose 201
DCM Timepiece
Bose 141
Advent Baby II refoamed
Paradigm Titan refoamed
Advent 2002
DCM Macrophone
I bought Bose 301s for my first system, over 30 years ago. They are now in my garage and still sound really good out there as well!
I bought a pair of DLK Model 1 speakers when I was in college (40+ years ago)... their sound still holds up pretty well with a good preamp/amp and relatively small room.
I've always liked the Realistic Nova-15 speakers from the mid-80s.
Rogers LS1s I'm running 7s. a little too large for bookshelf. but I have heard the 1s and they are very good. If you find a pair for under 200 grab them and run!!!
My late father in law gave me a pair of KLH bookshelf speakers from the 80’s. 6” woofer with 1” tweeter, ported in rear. At first I didn’t think much about them because of the 90’s KLH junk that was everywhere.
When I hooked them up to an old Sony receiver for a garage setup, wow! Even my buddies who come in to my garage were impressed. “Open sounding” was said a few times.
Speaker Lab 6 inch,made them myself used heavy particle board and walnut veneer
bare speakers,very heavy and for 40+ years they are used in a wood lined room,ceiling too so the effect people tell me it's like being there.no drapes on the windows,very private home,to muffle the sound.these get much more use than Sansui sp 2000 in the living room.
BIC with venturi port. I remember them as bright and punchy
I have been enjoying all the videos in this channel, I really like the sincere approach to the reviews, and the fact that you actually work and repair the equipment.
Thank you, Alex! Appreciate it!
I have a pair of Jensen SBC65 bookshelf speakers that I picked up at a second hand store many years ago and they are a perfect match paired with my Technics SA5170 receiver.
I bought a pair of B&W DM110's in the late 80's and only recently had to rebuild them. Great budget speaker at the time. I don't see many around though.
Thank you for the time and effort you put into making quality reviews. I’m going to look into these speakers. I’m currently looking for a pair and was looking into getting a pair of pioneers elite TX-7’s
My pleasure!
As bookshelf speakers, I use the Infinity Qe (18 x 12 x 10 inches) with a Klipsch Sub 6, the EMIT ribbon tweeters is legendary and the Sub 6 add just enough bass to the 8" Qe woofer for a rich sound output.
PSB Alpha has always been a favorite. Great channel!
JBL TLX12 (1989-92) is an amazing sounding bookshelf speaker. My first speaker bought new in 92 which I still own. I picked up a second set about 3 years back for $75. Very detailed and clear bass. These punch well above their weight. The second pair I picked up were a little rough on the vinyl wrap so I removed it and put on a walnut veneer....they look incredible.
Type: 2 way, 2 driver loudspeaker system
Recommended Amplifier: 10 to 75W
Crossover Frequency: 3200Hz
Impedance: 8Ω
Sensitivity: 90dB
Bass: 1 x 165mm polymer laminate cone
Tweeter: 1 x 25mm titanium dome
Finish: black
Dimensions: 380 x 230 x 242mm
Weight: 16kg
Year: 1989
I have 2 pairs of Dynaco A-10's. One set I inherited and the other pair I purchased for $90. Great bookshelf speakers driven by my Yamaha CR-2020.
Kevin, the best small cabinet speaker I've ever heard is the NHT Superone (not Superzero). Not sure if it's old enough to be called vintage. From around 1990 and available for a lot less than $200/pair. The deep tight bass from the sealed 11.6″ Tall x 7.25″ Wide x 8.5″ Deep cabinet will amaze you. 6" woofer. If you've never listened to them, I sincerely suggest you do.
4 1/2 years ago I bought a pair of 18 year old PSB Image 2b... only paid $190 for them. They may not be audiophile quality by any means. That aside they were so beautiful sounding even with the 49 hrz roll off. They are imo flawless for the price, build quality, the ability to nicely fill a 10×13 room withoutneeding a sub... for some reason they rolled off lower & lower over time... actually looking for another pair. Nothing perfect about them however for me again flawless.
My Favorite are my 1971 Pro series Voice of Music model 91 two ways. sound beautiful. 8" woofer and 3" extended range tweeter second order crossed at 2kHz. goes down to 55Hz at 3db down. second choice is the B&W DM110 Speakers.
Bookshelf stereo, Pioneer SX-525, Sharp RT-12 tape deck, and a set of Realistic MC-800's. Not a lot of bass, had to hug the speakers to really enjoy it, lol. Enjoyed it, and was proud of it for years. When I finally sold it, I had no trouble getting my money back. Currently own a set of Jensen JP1200's, not sure if anyone considers them to be bookshelf speakers, but I do. They are awesome, and so are their big brothers the JP1800's. Those 1800's were the best speakers I ever owned.
Thanks for the list. I always buy Minimus 7's if I see them. Still have a working pair from the 80's in my workshop. I'm sure you cost me money, just logged into CL for Boston's and Advent's...
My first speakers were Ohm L bookshelves. I traded them in 1981 for Ohm C2s (labeled a bookshelf speaker) which I still have. Great sound but need power to drive them because of low efficiency.
My first one were the Ohm E’s in ‘78. Sold them to my brother and bought the L’s. Had a Nikko 719 with a Phillips 677 turntable. No idea what happened to them.
@@dan4466 I used a Nikko 1219 for the C2s. I miss it.
I had a pair of Bose 301’s while in high school and early career. I have fond memories of them. They were my first real stereo speakers…😀
Not always below $200 but old Dynaco A25's really surprised me as great all around fun sounding speakers. I picked up a pair of near mint Minimus 7's a couple of years ago and I just really didn't get what they hype was about, just sounded thin and tiny.
I love my a25's. They work great on a desktop and those 10" drivers are essential for us old music enthusiasts. heh
about 30 years ago I bought a pair of Wharfedale Diamond bookshelf speakers that I really loved. They were rear ported and that took a while to figure out the positioning on but they sounded great. When we were gone for a weekend my son blew one of the woofers. The guy who had recommended the speaker to me had a single working one too and I gave him the one I had in exchange for a not-that-great car cassette deck...
I picked up for $30 a pair of Panasonic 1971 speakers used in a restaurant to announce seating parties. Paper cone and tweeter. Recapped and sound excellent but need volume down as 50 yo paper tweeters won't survive at loud levels.
They have that vintage 70s Pioneer thatch grill. Look incredible.
Sound good.
Great find after recap with Solen.
I still have 8 Minimus7 speakers outdoors for my patio surround system with a Snap AV 12" inground sub. Denon rcvr AVR4800 and Crown CDi 2000 bridged mono. Have replaced 1 woofer and 1 tweeter in 18 years of hard rocking out in the country.hard to beat.
Are the sansui sp30s shit? Next week im pairing them with a marantz 2220b
Is that a good combo???
Thanks
I think the allure of the Minimus 7 was their affordability and generally more robust sound compared to like-size speakers. Made/make great shop and garage speakers being able to be pushed by even low powered receivers. Not great speakers but great for their price.
Thought I had a minimus 7 as rear speaker only had one so I put a single Jamo also rated at 70 watts well the Jamo has a dead woofer now and was mistaken about the minimus that turned out to bean Optimus Pro 77 in a metal cabinet rated at 70 watts. I suspect it's a bit more robust. Certainly more than the Jamo I seem to remember the other Jamo had a dead woofer too. That Pro 77 has a poly cap now good vocals.
I put a set of Polk audio monitor 40 series 2 and a set of KLH 900b in parallel in a very small room. Connected to a Sansui 800 and the sound I get is actually a head scratcher. It sounds better than it has a right to. If I hook either sets by themselves at 8 ohms they both sound like bookshelf speakers. But the magic happens when I parallel them and the result is amazing. I found both sets of these for under $10 for the pair. I would never seek this configuration out but for stumbling across them it really works well. And I have had the 301 series 3 that I could get amazing sound out of.
I just replaced my Wharfdale Diamonds on my secondary system in a small backroom with Celestion 2's - very rich and accurate and more musical and I paid $40!!!
Boston A40 series 2..... got in a trade probably 12 years ago....my first re - foam, completely worth it. They sound excellent. Your comment about being a total speaker fanatic, rings true with me. Celestion, KEF, Wharfedale, MB Quart, JBL, Boston Acoustics. The way different ones compliment different styles of music is genuine, thanks for pointing that out Kevin!!!
Great vid and agree with 99%! As a fellow speaker junkie, I must add the Boston cr6-9's (6's scale well), Klh 21" tall mtm design (no model#), and Yamaha ns636 8" 3way all bring smiles when I put them into the mix! Of course with most any bkshelf, subs are a must for the big picture. Thanks
The mid 1980s to early 1990s for bookshelf speakers to me was the golden age. PSB and Monitor Audio were amazing. Also a big fan of B&W.
Minimus 7 with mods can make great satellites. Great cabinets,decent drivers, need proper crossovers and connectors. Hard to beat solid metal cabinets, just deaden them. Canton, ADS,Braun,Bang and Olufsen c30,40,50, BA micro all nice tiny speakers.
What inductor/resistor do you use?
I would encourage everyone who finds any Altec 877a’s. They are always going for cheap. I see them go for $60-$150 CAD, and are just what you’d expect from Altec and Vintage speakers.
Acoustic Research TSW 210. Owned them for a while in college. During my, new speaker every semester phase. Also owned the 610 later on down the road.
Thanks for the video most informative from a professionals opion . I just picked up a pair of Bang and Olfsen, Beovox S45-2 for 100$
3 way speakers 8" woofer. Wow moved the 90's Klipsch KG3's up stairs. From 1978 till 1982. Book shelf speakers . I reed they where
considered one of the companies reference speakers. I would put them up against a pair of KEF 50's, that cost 1500$ all day long.
Thanks
Agree on the Minimus 7...I have 2 pr - 1 bad tweet & 3 bad woofers so they sit in a closet...I bought an NOS pr of Minimus 11 on ebay about 10 yrs ago...I wish they had the 7 tweeter but they still sound pretty good
In 1974 a salesman at CMC stereo tried relentlessly to sell me a pair of Bose 301’s . I bought my Altec model 3’s as I had planned. Had them for 22 years, enjoyed every minute with them.
Nice initial group. Being a tad older, your comments at 2:46 + were on point. I was 17 in 1973. I wore out "Brandy" and "Going Mobile" The WHO with my bookshelf set of Jensens. The day I had to get rid of them I opened them up to see they were Model 6. I wanted that to find another set of them! Life got in the way...
I found a perfect pair of KLH 900Bs 8 years ago in a thrift store for $40.00. After airing out the stink of tobacco for two days, they have operated flawlessly during daily use. A graphic equalizer I found smooths out the frequencies. Paired with a Pioneer amplifier, I couldn’t ask for more.
The Braun/aDs versions of those Minimus Sevens are what you're after. Much more robust drivers and much more linear/neutral sound.
I bet they are. ADS/Braun makes incredible speaker
@@skylabsaudio I don't remember the model number, and I think they were made by Braun, but there's a three-way mini speaker that has real bass output! Found them!
Look up Braun 3-way mini speaker. Braun L300
ADS L470/2’s. Oh my, the sweetest tweeter out there in a vintage early/mid eighties small bookshelf. If you don’t have quite the shelf space, go for the smaller siblings, the a/d/s L400e’s. With a sun, amazing. Plentiful between $100-$200 on the Bay.
@@jjguthrie8468 Yep. there's a reason why they used the same mids/tweets in almost all of the L-series line. My L810s and 910s have the exact same tweeter, though very slightly different mids, but the 910s were designed as mains for studios.
Infinity Qe speakers were really great bookshelf speakers. Had a pair and sold a bunch of them to friends who heard mine.
Nice video. I had those same Boston a40’s. I loved them. I turned upside down and covered the front with felt, kinda softened them a little. After those I had the first edition of Celestion 3 which were pretty good as well.
A pair of older speakers I'm still using are the Wharfedale W30D. They are a bit taller than most bookshelf speakers at 19". They sound pretty good, but the upper end is limited to 18.5k Hz. I'm currently using them as computer speakers. According to an old brochure, they were priced at $59.95 per when new.
2:13 I have a set, similar to those. The Infinity Reference 1, they have the Polycell but they are 2 way speakers, so they are shorter than those displayed. I have found several things, nothing outright definite about those. In the ?rear there is an circular cap, with the push tab connectors, and there is sticker with what I take as a serial number, production number, something. Besides that &”Reference 1” is raised, molded into the cup with the connectors.
I have seen something about the Reference 1 betas, along with Reference 1 several different names.
The thing is that I see the ones I have, except the Polycell is switched with another tweeter, they are 3 wqy, orhers are floor mount, but all others seem to pop up repeatedly, and I will need to scroll deep, and change my search several more times, just to find a picture, click and find out that it was a different picture from the search, or the information doesn’t give me enough, or it will direct me to the same list as I was searching through already, or simply Reference 1 with Polycell might be mentioned.
Does someone happen to know Reference 1 ______, or some way I can get more information, without the Reference 1 everything else? I switched them out with the 201 series 2, mainly because they need new surrounds.
What is known about Paradigm Phantom v.2? A while back they began to sound like they were needed for new surroundings. From what I found. The covers are attached, so the back needs to be accessed and disassembled to get to the speakers.
Yeah those Reference 1 has me wandering at times. I have multiple pdf files, pictures, documents, and many other files on everything including some on others that I help with issues that others have. Crazy thing is remote manuals, and remotes also.
Also the Cambridge Soundworks Model Six - designed by Henry Kloss to be, more or less, a clone of the Baby Advent, but with a larger woofer. They be found easily for under $100 a pair and they sound great.
have a pair of ditton by celestion they sound great for bookself
Used a pair of Design Acoustics PS-9's in my second system for years, finally replaced them with some Cizek model 2's. But pretty much everyone that heard them loved PS-9's. I did recap the crossovers though
A little newer than most of what's on your list (these came out in the early 90s), but I'm consistently impressed with my good old NHT SuperZeroes. They are lacking in low bass, but they sound like they should cost way more than they do. Heck, they're still made today!
Back in the mid 80s to the Early 90s I was the manager for the Regional Service facility for Circuit City in Louisville KY. All our stores used the Audio Authority comparator systems made in Lexington KY.
I'd have to count, but I think I have 8 pairs of the Minimus 7's (I know, don't ask) or their derivatives around. Out of all 16 of those just a single woofer was bad. One out of 32 ain't bad. And I didn't hear a single one of them before I bought them- didn't even see most of them except in photos. Among those are a pair each of the RCA (ported) and then Genexxa with shielded drivers. And the KLH and Memorex versions too, not shielded. I have a "wood" cabinet Minimus pair running as L and R front channels in a HT setup, with a subwoofer. I'll swap the others in as I get time to see who wins. Cambridge center.
Just changed out the electrolytics in the hi pass filters is all I did- except for the Memorex as they have something else going on, must be an actual crossover. I really wanted to slice up Minimus pairs and weld them back together to use as a center channel but looked at my wife and decided otherwise. Another pair will soon be summoned for Atmos or rear channel. Just don't care for ported speakers ... IMO it's all about the midrange, everything else revolves around that. If you have to keep turning up the volume to hear what you need to hear, and then it's too loud, the midrange is wrong.
Great topic! Really enjoyed your perspective as a shop owner. Also, the intro was hilarious. Well done - keep up the great work.
Thank you, Gabriel!
I have a soft spot for the AR-3a. I have seen them classified as bookshelves, but that would be a mighty shelf for sure. The AR-7s however always impressed me in my many visits to Wheaton HiFi.
Bought a set of Utahs in the 70s. Heavy cabinet. Blew out the midranges, and replaced them with radio shack 3-ways. Still pumping it out. Have a 23 speaker setup plus subwoofer for shaking the windows during action flicks. The foam in the Bose 301s I had rotted.