vintage versus modern speakers

02-09-15: Runnin
I'll guess we'll have to disagree then.

yes, I think this would be the best. :-)

The modern woofer/driver has long throw movement that wasn't possible in the 70's.

ok, so? many vintage speakers never lacked a great bass foundation. And, who says that speakers of the '70s are the only speakers that qualify as "vintage"? what about speakers from the '80s & '90s? I would consider them as vintage as well.

The cone materials today can be stiffer, lighter, and therefore faster.

correct. How many speaker designers know how to maximize this in their designs such that their end product sounds like music & not hi-end sound?? Very few - less than a handful. So, merely having the best materials does not mean a superlative speaker.

Cabinets can be engineered by computer with programming that's done faster and better than any old school methods

correct again - CAD makes cabinet design more convenient; not necessarily easier. Still how many modern speaker designers get their cabinets done correctly so that the box does not resonant, the baffle is strong enough, doesnt splatter the hi freq, reduces the comb filtering, etc, etc so that their end product sounds like music & not hi-end sound?? Again, less than a handful.

How long are the caps in a 30 yr old speaker going to last?

agreed, they have a finite life. So, if you read my orig post, I did clearly mention that new x-over components is very likely needed. Yeah, not everyone is a speaker tech but a lot of people on this forum are savvy DIYers. IMO, if the speaker is worth the music is reproduces then having work done on the x-over is worth it.

In the 30 years, how often has it been abused?

Yup, this is definitely an important question. It's no different than buying a modern day speaker. Yeah, abusing the speaker many times (vintage) vs. fewer times (modern) can (will?) reduce the longevity of the drivers. But who's to say that a fewer times abused modern day speaker's driver will last any longer?? Like Metman wrote - "...and due diligence goes a long way so choose wisely...".

Look, Runnin, in my original post I did not write that the OP has to buy vintage speakers; I wrote that he should not dismiss vintage speakers. You can read my original post again - this is clearly written. And, I still maintain that a half-baked modern day speaker design is not much better off than a vintage speaker. Half-baked is half-baked not withstanding the newer materials, manuf tech, CAD, etc, etc. None of these newer designs assure the user of a better product.

I think some are simply used, familiar and accustomed to the sound characteristics of their old school speakers. Anything new will of course be different, and immediately viewed as inferior.

Are you referring to yourself here?? I feel the comment certainly does not apply to me - I've owned a few modern day speakers & if I find one today that sounds like real music, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it....

Bomb, at the end of the day, your following comment says all one needs to know about your bias.

I've owned a few modern day speakers & if I find one today that sounds like real music, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it….

02-09-15: Runnin
Bomb, at the end of the day, your following comment says all one needs to know about your bias.

I've owned a few modern day speakers & if I find one today that sounds like real music, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it….

Runnin, I'm afraid I don't understand how this shows a bias??? Please explain to me & all of us. Thanks.

I thought my Ess Heils were the absolute best. I also had Kefs which were nice . For me it was a pair of Hanks Honkers made in Berkley Cal .These were comprised of huge JBL drivers in an enclosure made with 2x4s and 1 inch plywood. They were great when driven by my Macintosh loud or soft.

Wow! Wow! Wow!
Thank you for the info all of you gentlemen and Ladies!
I still think that 80-90 speakers are better than modern! Example: Paul Klipsch=23 patents in the field! Any modern cad software computer "GURU" engineer that can say the same? Bob Carver? The whole dedicate team at Yamaha/Sony/JBL/Klipsch/ not bothered by any ancillaries expenses to take into account, but with the sole mission of developing and building the absolute best speaker possible, from a SONIC point of view, because they had unlimited budgets? Yes , I admit, the design is boring, unlike some atrocities that I have seen today! The point is that those companies, such as Sony, Klipsch, Carver, etc.. during the late 70 through early 2000 were driven by sound, not by esthetics, design, marketing and the such.
Just my two cents. Remember, I am just the cook!
The last question is :
VOLTAGE PARADIGM ? can anyone explain in everyday terms?
And by the way, I have changed and refoamed some speakers.
Looking right now at Infinity and Klipsch Vintage speakers.
Thank you.