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Missing the Old Days

I’m new to the higher end audio game. What I don’t know about modern audiophile technology and doctrine could fill a library.

What I do know is how I like to listen to my music, which I’m quite sure would make some crinkle their eyes and squint at me with a look of “my lord son, really?” Kinda look lol.

My first foray into good speakers are my current Goldenear Triton 5’s and my JL D108 Sub. They sound nice....very nice...but they just don’t sound the way I like. So now I’ll soon hook them up to a Parasound Halo A21/P5 which I’m sure will improve the sound.

However, I’m aware that it still may not deliver the goods for me personally. I miss the days of those big, solid, powerful speakers that’d shake the dust off your shelves and make the squirrels living in your my attic fear for their lives. 

I miss my trusty old MTX AAL 2230’s. They weren’t fancy, they certainly weren’t overly detailed, but they kicked ass. They kicked a lot of ass. Where are the speakers that can deliver big sound, driving Bass and clarity without the need to run 1 or 2 Subs? Speakers that are powerhouses without costing 10, 15, 20 thousand or more? There used to be a time when you could go to any number of local Stereo shops and have multiple choices of all ranges of speakers and equipment. I have to drive an hour or more to find any store remotely close to that.

I’ve seen Tyler Acoustics, but I’m Leary. No dealers, only direct sales, very generic specs, and hardly any reviews anywhere. I’d like to hear a few of his models, the cheaper Halo 1’s that closely resemble my beloved MTX’s just look like a white van special Speaker with those shiny black woofers.

Maybe I’m just an old Deadhead stuck in the past, but if there are speakers like this out there that are quality and don’t cost as much as a car, I’d love to hear about them!
128x128bigjohn9095
whoopycat
168 posts
 
Zu Omen Def would fit your needs nicely.  Or even Zu Omen Dirty Weekends if you wanted to dip your toe in the water for $999 and trade them in for full credit within a year.  The Dirty Weekends play plenty loud, but Omen Def will bring the squirrels and girls to the party. 

And you get 60 days to try them in your home without paying a dime if you don't like em.  
corelli
966 posts
 
While I love my Tekton DI's, I'm not sure their refined sound is what the OP is looking for.  I think back to the first time I heard and then bought a pair of of Altec Lansing Santana II's.  Rock and roll heaven.  And what about their even bigger brothers of that era?  While these are not the speakers I would want today, I'd love to go back in time and have a listen.
chrisoshea
372 posts
 
Indeed...I have heard several different Zu Audio speakers at RMAF over the years and they can party hard on 30-75 watts a channel...cool company, cool people. I have an old pair of JBL Lancer 44s, refurbished LE 8Ts, in my basement system...small room and they are direct, clear and powerful in that space....

bisbee993
1 posts
 
I remember quite well the sounds of JBL L300's.  Used to pick them up for a few hundred bucks..  Fast forward a few decades and I am enjoying my Magnepan 1.6's.  For not a lot of $ Magnepan 3.xx are a good buy..  Ah, the good old days.
glassaudio2
1 posts
 

I also support the vintage JBL nod- if you want big sound on a budget. A vintage audio enthusiast friend of mine says the JBL 4698 B Cabaret is (was) the biggest secret in home audio.

The JBL 4698B Cabaret Series is a 3-Way Speaker with 18" Woofer, 10" Midrange, and 2404H Tweeter. These were made for sound reinforcement but they make a killer home speaker. These keep up all day long with JBL 4343 4345 and blow the JBL L300 out of the water. Components in each cabinet are; E155 18" Woofer with Cast Aluminum Basket and 4" Voice Coil. Midrange is E110 10" Cast Aluminum Basket. The tweeter is a 2404H and is exactly the same as 2405, 077, 076, 075 but this one has baby cheek front for wide dispersion, these tweeters have a frequency response to 21.5kc.

These speakers handle every type of music and do it well. Frequency Response is 35Hz- 21.5kHz. Power Handling 400 Watts RMS Continuous and 800 Watts Peak, Impedance 4 Ohms. Sensitivity is 103 dB/1 Watt/1 Meter. That makes these as efficient as a Klipsch Corner Horn Speaker. So these JBL’s are an excellent choice if you want to run low power tube amplifier or run high power solid state amp- these speakers do it all.

The bass will mix concrete, smooth as silk midrange, and high frequencies that will give you goosebumps. Back in 1990, these sold for $2600/pr. 

I would plan on (re) building the cabs. They were designed for roadwork and they are not suitable for placement in most homes (ask my ex-wife...) I would use Russian birch plywood and a nice mahogany veneer. You will not be disappointed.


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