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What Have I Bought?

I saw a pair of large Advent speakers listed on CL by a seller whom I've bought other items from before. The pictures looked like the bullnose version of the speakers, and that's all I needed to know. The pictures showed the speakers to be in almost-mint condition, so I plunked down the money via PayPal and drove the 70 miles to pick them up the following weekend. I was more than pleased when I saw them...even the documentation (2 sheets) on the back of the speakers was in near-mint shape. Gorgeous walnut cabinets, but they weren't the bullnose edition specifically, although they did have a beveled front that is semi-bullnose. I know that Advent produced several versions of the large model and am not sure which one these are. The sound is to die for....flat, uncolored, and unbelievably well-balanced. Doesn't stand out in any particular way, but you just want to keep listening for hours. Anyone that might recognize which model these are please respond. Henry Kloss was a flat-out genius.
discnik
transnova's avatar
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transnova
350 posts
 
Stock Advents sounded great. If you ever have the opportunity to hear a pair that has been given the “magic” treatment by Bill Legall at Millersound you will not believe your ears!
banyanbull
35 posts
 
The Large Advent speaker was an outstanding value performer in its day.  Some music lovers even added a second pair and used them is a "Stacked Advents" configuration.  The second pair would sit directly on top of the first, wired in series, but inverted so the tweeters would be in close proximity. The problem with older speakers of this vintage is the flexing surround material around the outside edge of the woofer tends to deteriorate. There is a business in Tulsa Oklahoma that does an outstanding job of rebuilding woofers for very reasonable rates. Let me know and I'll supply you with the details.     
discnik OP
160 posts
 
Thanks for all the responses and suggestions on the Large Advents. I
regret waiting so long to pick up a pair, but thought anything priced so cheaply originally couldn't be anything special. We owe a debt of gratitude to the pioneers of audio who had the foresight and integrity to build products that not only performed great, but were built to last.
thelonerider
9 posts
 
I may be wrong but... Were not the beveled edge the first edition, called OLA by the community. They came with a green or orange "fried egg" tweeter mounted up off the baffle and a 12" basket, Masonite edge, inverted foam surround woofer mounted low in the box? The bull nose are the second edition with a tweeter mounted directly on the baffle and a non Masonite ring woofer mounted higher up from the bottom, better suited for placing directly on the floor. Hey, what do I know, I can be wrong.
discnik OP
160 posts
 
From everything I've seen/learned so far, I think you are correct, Lone Rider. The beveled-edge front version was the first iteration of the Large Advents, the bullnose edition came later, from what I've been able to glean. I did not realize the material around the woofer is Masonite....no wonder it deteriorates over time (or warps, or whatever the issue was).
I still have not removed the grills on the speakers...they sound great and the seller assured me the woofers were re-foamed and crossovers reworked. It amazes me how 'right' these speakers sound with a wide variety of music. I am in the process of picking up a pair of the bullnose
from Atlanta....the seller has to come to NC in July for a wedding and will bring them with him. Good karma there.
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