For Old Timers who experienced the "Golden Age" of Audio of the 60s and 70s.

@almarg,  Al, ...  how much stock do you place on some of the high-tech materials used in better speakers such as neodymium magnets, lightweight and stiff cone materials (e.g., beryllium domes, graphene, and so forth).  I assume that the crossovers are also better.  

Just talking out loud, but I wonder how the top-end speakers of yesteryear would compare in an A-B audition.   

@bdp24  -- I drove (or should I say, over drove) my 2000a speakers with a Crown DC 300 amp.  Talk about an electronic IN-compatibility.  I had to run the amp with the protect circuit in "off mode" because the amp thought it was shorting out.  The high-end impedance was probably in the low single digits because of the electrostatic tweets.  I also blew them out on a regular basis.   I also recall that the inductors got so hot, I couldn't touch the mounting screw head that held the x-overboard down.  

The 1001 and 2000a speakers touted a transmission line woofer set-up which used a cardboard tube stuffed with damping material.  Frankly, it looked like a bass reflex system to me.  FWIW, J. Gordon Holt rated the 2000a as Class B speakers in the day, which was pretty impressive.  And yes, I remember when Stereophile was sans advertisement and paid subscription only.

Btw, do you remember Nel's custom made 10 foot high (or thereabouts) downward firing subwoofer tower?  Nel cut the woofer off at 5 or 10 Hz because he was afraid that it could make 2 Hz sound energy that would boil a person's blood or something crazy like that.  :)  

In 1975 I went into Wacks Audio in Milwaukee, and it started my journey.

I talked to the owner, and he knew I had a big interest in audio.

He took me up a flight of stairs to a locked room, that only certain customers got to see.

Inside were Magneplanar Timpani IIIc speakers, driven by an Audio Research D150, Sp3a and some unknown turntable. The D150 was massive, with three meters and a big knob that cranked up the voltage during start up. One look at that amp, and you knew the owner was dead serious about audio!

The sound that came out of those speakers sounded like "real" music. I had never ever heard anything like that, and was completely blown away!

I could not afford that system, but after hunting around, I bought Magnepan IIa speakers, GAS Son of Ampzilla, Thoebe preamp, and a decent turntable. I was more than satisfied for years!

Bifwynne 6-4-2016 5:47pm EDT
Al, ...  how much stock do you place on some of the high-tech materials used in better speakers such as neodymium magnets, lightweight and stiff cone materials (e.g., beryllium domes, graphene, and so forth).

Hi Bruce,

Frankly, I never pay much if any attention to such things.  As I and others have said here many times in the past, what usually matters most is how well a chosen design approach is implemented, and not which approach is chosen.

And when it comes to speakers that applies doubly in my case, as I'm more knowledgeable about electronics than about speakers.

Best regards,
-- Al 

These postings made me think, I've had a lot of equipment over my 62 years.  Some of the memorable setups:

While in college I snagged a Dynaco PAT-4 pre-amp, McIntosh MC225 amp, Dual 1219 turntable with a Shure V15 cartridge and a pair of Large Advent speakers

After college I snagged a Tandberg receiver, B&O turntable and cassette deck and a pair of Canton LE900 speakers.

In my mid-50's I snagged the NAD Masters Series electronics, laptop for streaming, pair of Totem Fire monitors and Velodyne sub.

I agree with what's been said (above), my current equipment IS much better than what's come before, going "digital" has been a real benefit to me, not a fan of pops and clicks.