Speakers to hang on to for LIFE
How long? 63 years? Only 30 years? In 1973 I inherited my uncle's Fisher President II console made in 1956. Awesome Speakers, I yanked and still have all the components, AM tuner, FM tuner, preamp control panel, with programmable clock, Viking stereo tape deck with a switch for separate 2 track and 4 track heads (tape went stereo in 1956), pair of Mono Block amps, pair of pre-amps added in his home by Fisher techs in 1958 when phono went stereo. Ditched the Garrard record changer (tall spike, stacked 3 or 4 lps, automatically pushed them off one at a time from the top stack onto the lower stack, I digress) I burned the huge too tall console in the fireplace. The console was up on 8" bronze legs, and the 15" woofer shot out of the bottom. The speakers were a fixed distance apart, only about 5 feet center to center. The speaker drivers were/are all Electrovoice: horn tweeter, compound diffraction midrange (2 concentric horns), and 15" woofer, two rear controls: 'brilliance', and 'presence'. Woofer is 15w, 37 lbs, the brother of the 15B used in the monster corner Klipschhorn. https://reverb.com/item/2307415-electro-voice-model-15w-alnico-magnet-15-woofer-new-in-original-box-nos I have gone thru 2 sets of custom enclosures, to put anywhere I wanted, separate from the other components. The first separate enclosures: modern rift oak, absolutely identical to the chambers in the huge console, up on 8" high chrome frames. Woofer still firing out the bottom. Simply put new fabric on the front panel, left the drivers mounted, Moved both front and rear panels into the new enclosures. Tightened all the drivers, they were a bit loose. I had the woofers professionally re-coned then, 1976 (no audible or visible problems, but they were 20 years old, and out, transportable). After a few years, I wanted to face the 15" woofers forward, and, having read too much, I decided I would vent them, to squeak even more bass than anyone ever heard. I had Tom, my Audio Visual consultant who helped me design corporate office boardrooms, training rooms, etc, and, I Joe, Electrovoice service manager, and the whole team of Electrovoice engineers eager to help me. Taller enclosures to face the woofer forward, increased volume to 6 cubic feet, and a rear port that could be open or closed ...... Big space, multiband equalizer, pro sound meter, charts, graphs, left the ports open. Never needed, but the itch was scratched. Moved here, only 13 foot wide room, roll them out of the corners to use, ... after a few years I closed the ports, they remain closed. I bought a set of spare drivers, both horns and a 15B lurk downstairs, and, I re-coned the woofers a second time, myself this time. Perfect! Did I mention they are 16 OHM, and need about 1 watt to drive them, incredibly efficient. I drove them for years with the original Fisher EL37 mono blocks, then Fisher 500c EL34 receiver, now modern tube integrated tube amp K88/6550, Integrated preamp, Cayin A88T, remote volume and inputs. Replaced the Fisher receiver with a McIntosh Tuner/Preamp mx110z. Along the way, I used different speakers, JSE Infinite Slope, model 2, driven by McIntosh MC2250 SS. They are awesome speakers, only 30 years old, my son has them now, I went back to horns and tubes. btw, the horns are only 63 years old, working as well as when new. Elliott |
Great Discussion, Same Drivers made in 1958 (used by me for 57 years) now in Custom Rosewood Enclosures seen in background of 'cleaning' photo here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/MODERN-JAZZ-QUARTET-The-Sheriff-Vinyl-LP/133650601174 Originally in Fisher President II Console and moved into 3 custom cases over the years. Originally fixed spacing within Fisher President II, woofer facing down, unit on 8" bronze legs 1st pair of separate enclosures: Light Rift Oak Identical to Fisher box, 8" chrome legs, simply moved the front panel with drivers, new fabric, woofer still facing down 2nd pair of enclosures: English Brown Oak, Taller Case, increase cu ft some, to face the woofer forward. No 8" legs so was around the same height 3rd, current enclosure: Larger yet, 6.3 cu ft, rear port (port blocked in this location) I'm not living without them. Spare drivers, all 3 types. Just bought another spare re-coned 15W and cone kit for one of mine with dried out cone. ..................................... All Electro-voice Drivers, 16 ohm, made in 1958 inherited from my Uncle in 1973. 15" Woofer: 15W, (37 lb, monster magnet). https://products.electrovoice.com/binary/15W,%2015BW,%2015WK,%2015BWK%20EDS.pdf Mid Horn, Compound Diffraction 847A (ugly, but sounds terrific) https://products.electrovoice.com/binary/847A%20EDS.pdf Horn Tweeter T350 https://products.electrovoice.com/binary/T350%20EDS.pdf For the life of me, I cannot understand how these 4 horns all still sound fabulous at 62 years old. What the heck are they made of? |
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Acoustat 6’s is the one that will stay with me!!! it is a keeper!!! to have a 8 foot tall speaker sound soooo transparent, I had all the cone speakers- AR-9, Vandee’s, B&W 801’s, Altec 19’s, Maggie’s that would rattle, JBL , but them Acoustats just lets the guitar stand 8 feet tall in my room, yes they can BEAM at times, but to hear Jeff Lorber on these monsters is a BLESSING ,at times I feel like I can walk right into the speaker and be in another dimension, like I opened a door in the twilight zone. free you mind and your body will follow. |
Of many speakers that I owned (Celestion, Apogee, Vandersteen, Thies, ProAc, B&W), I’ve only ever bought back the same brand speakers again - Merlin TSMs and Devore Super 8s. I would own a pair of Merlins again, probably not the Super 8s, but I am quite happy these days with the Devore Nines, which are the Goldilocks of that Devore series - just right. Two weeks after I bought them, the prior owner emailed asking if I would sell them back. |
I owned and lived with my Vonschweikert VR-7’s for 19 years.. Then I downsized and gave up my dedicated audio room.. I had to let the VR7’s go ... They were just too big for my new room.. I went for a mid tower that is efficient so I could play with some low powered amps. I now am using the Daedalus Athena with a First Watt SIT3 amp. Not missing the BIG VR’s anymore. the Daedalus are much easier to setup and live with.. Not as majestic, but I sure am liking the SET like sound and less complexity and heat of tubes.. Enjoying a more minimalist system. |
prof2,781 posts07-06-2019 12:44pmPrediction: Most of those in this thread who talked about a speaker they would use "for life"...have moved on to other speakers ;-) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No doubt about it, You should see a topic over on Audiokhrama, **List your speakers in order of favorite, best fav at top of list please*** Folks over there own more than 2,3,4, up to say, 6,7,8 speakers,,,,UNREAL. I fiannly dumped my Millennium tweeter acting as 1500hz - its roll off at 12khz. Just ordered a -~~My Final pair~~~For life. Voxativ wide band. I am glad I bought perhaps one of the best sounding xover types back in 2004, so I felt no need whatsoever to jump on and off the speaker-merry-go-round. I get no pleasure at all buying a component and finding its not to my standards. No not at all. Thats why i am getting My Final Pair. You too can jump off the speaker merry go round. I did. Actually I never got on the ride. Here's one for the ages https://www.bowerswilkins.com/home-audio/nautilus UNREAL,,, lol What super hype. |
As implied by @mapman, for long term enjoyment, I believe it is most important to find a speaker, a type of speaker, or a manufacturer's "house" sound that is "musical" to you and with which you are comfortable. When I first started down the road of reproduced music, it seemed I easily and decisively determined which gear/speakers I liked the sound of and which I didn't, starting with car systems using Jensen coaxial 6x9 speakers (liked) and Infinity poly cone speakers (didn't like). It seemed easy to build a good sounding (musical) system on just about any budget and I spent way more time thinking about the music I was listening to than the gear I was listening through. After building a pair of large and very musical DIY Jenson Triaxial speakers (still have them) that got me through college and beyond, I finally had a few bucks. After much auditioning I found that I really liked the A/D/S sound of the day (1981), so I ended up with L810s that I owned and enjoyed for over 20 years. I subsequently purchased A/D/S 300i and later 320i speaker systems for the vehicles I owned and folks would say stuff like, "wow, that sounds like a home system in your car." At about that time, I had more money and unknowingly morphed into an "audiophile" (i.e., obsessed with changing gear and "upgrading" my system). It didn't help that I had two friends working at one of the better shops of the day and they would often say, "you gotta hear this!" One of my earlier (brilliant) moves was selling the L810s I had enjoyed for over two decades for about half what they go for now. I then moved through several speakers that the magazines said I should really like. The closest I got to a sound I enjoyed was with the old B&W matrix series. I finally did a little research and realized that Michael Kelly who started Aerial had been involved with A/D/S so I listened to some Aerial speakers and the sound reminded me of the "musicality" I enjoyed with the L810s. While the metal dome tweeter used by Aerial was/is different from the old fabric dome of the A/D/S speakers, it was relatively sweet sounding without harshness and the Aerial house sound seemed to retain a similar rich tonality and punchy dynamics as my old L810s. I purchased a pair of Aerial 9s and was finally happy and comfortable with the musicality of my system again. I have struggled a little with the amplifiers I used to drive my Aerial speakers but have finally found a pair of large Class AB amps that drive them well and sound great. I did take a sideways move in the Aerial line when I purchased a pair of stand mounded LR5s that have a similar house sound but are actually better speakers because of the sealed woofers (traded the "larger and deeper" low bass of the 9s for the accuracy and control of the LR5's bass). At the suggestion of Michael Kelly, I augmented the LR5s with a pair of Aerial SW12 subs (also musical and dynamic) for a sound I cannot imagine ever changing. The only possible speaker change I have thought about would be to add another one or two of the SW12 subs. So, while not exactly a "speaker for life" with the A/D/S to Aerial line, I have found a "house sound" for life to meet my desire for a musical speaker that has no problem rocking out. |
them well and sound great. I did take a sideways move in the Aerial line when I purchased a pair of stand mounded LR5s that have a similar house sound but are actually better speakers because of the sealed woofers (traded the "larger and deeper" low bass of the 9s for the accuracy and control of the LR5's bass). At the suggestion of Michael Kelly, I augmented the LR5s with a pair of Aerial SW12 subs (also musical and dynamic) for a sound I cannot imagine ever changing. The only possible speaker change I have thought about would be to add another one or two of the SW12 subs. So, while not exactly a "speaker for life" with the A/D/S to Aerial line, I have found a "house sound" for life to meet my desire for a musical speaker that has no problem rocking out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I looked over a topic on audiokharma, **List your speakers with your top fav in 1st of list*** I was amazed at how mnay of just one lab these audiophiles own. Some Audiophiles will sort of COLLECT different modles of 1 single speaker lab. Just unreal. Like here with the Aerials, I have no idea what that speaker is , or sounds. HOUSE SOUND, Yep, Vandy's have their own unique sound, Thiels their tradem mrak, B&W's all pretty much sound the same. Point is, Why get stuck on a *house sound*, which is nothing more or less than *Coloration* = Distortion.. >?? |
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Maybe the transition from audiophile to music lover involves overcoming the obsession with changing equipment.
~~~~~~~ No in fact I am not a MerryGo Round with my components. I keep things a very long time. I do spend alot on tweaks, upgrades and such. But its all complete now Just waiting on the Vox , and will add a 2nd amp, The cayin A50T. basically have 2 systems. No, I do not like buying and selling, But if the speakers havea house sound, they gotta go,. Luckily the Frankenstein's have no such house sound, They are perfectly neutral. Music starts 2:37 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAmOC9zhS-Y |
