Are vintage speakers really that good?

Certainly productability falls into place with the mass produced garbage, I was however, speaking of higher end speaker drivers than you. If you've heard some of the better hand-built/hand-made speakers, such as the ATD drivers from Italy, you would not be making such statements. I listen to everything from Blue-Grass to Country, Jazz to Classical, and Folk. I don't need different speakers to give me the large orchestra sound at high volume. These are the same speakers that will play a simple solo guitar/folk vocalist perfectly.

This is my point: Many are not aware of the better drivers out there, so they have no idea of what is being missed.

My definition of improved DOES refer to sound quality.

jes45@aol.com ...I don't consider Dynaudio or Seas to be garbage. Perhaps you do. I am sure there is someone who likes drivers that are hand made by saffron-robed monks using pressed llama wool cones, laminated with yak milk , and thinks that the stuff slapped together by happy-go-lucky Italians is junk.

I might as well chime in to piss and moan over selling my JBL L200 studiomasters years ago. I at one point had the 4311's and really enjoyed them. I then went totally whole hog into the "quad" revolution and bought 4 JBL L200's. Wish to God I had kept a pair of them. Used to love to listen to classic rock on the speakers that a majority of the albums were mastered and mixed on.

Use Martin Logan's now and really enjoy them. But would love to have a pair of those old efficient JBL's to let Mick and the boys help me get my ya-ya's out.

No one has mentioned how fine older Klipschhorns and Lascalas sound when combined with good quality tube amps. I am running Lascalas with a Sophia SET, and am blown away by low brass and mid range clarity with 25 year old speakers. Not that I wouldn't like to have Avantgard Trios and their horn subwoofers, but I cannot justify the additional 60 thousand.

I bought a pair of Dynaco A-25's at the Salvation Army for $5/pair.
1.5" Seas,soft dome tweeter,10" Seas woofer with rubber surround that still looks new.
I removed the drivers to take a look and the sealant around the woofer is still sticky after 35 years!!I could not believe how well braced and stuffed they are!
There were >1,000,000 of these speakers sold.
They are 8ohm and only dip to 7ohm.
I found out through a Dynaco authority they are 'probably' 85-87 dB sensitivity.He said they never did properly measure the sensitivity but a compromised test showed 85-87dB.With no hesitation I can say they give my Thiel 3.5's($2850) a real fight.The A-25's are only rated at a low of 40 htz but sound MUCH deeper with very tight bass.
I've read somewhere they dont image well but in my system they image just fine and vanish once the music starts.
Speaking of Dynaco,their Dynaco and Dynakits ST-70 amp sold > 1,000,000 units also.

Anyone on a tight budget who wants to buy a real classic pair of speakers,check out eBay where they go from $50-$150 or so..check out thrift shops also..