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Searching for the ideal vintage bookshelf speakers.

Greetings Gentlemen. I am looking for the ideal pair of vintage bookshelf speakers. My "listening room" doubles as library and design studio. It is approximately 12 x 30 x 8 feet with wood floors, one small rug, several wooden cases lining the walls, and no drapes.

The speakers will sit horizontally atop two bookcases which are against one of the 12-foot wide walls. Maximum speaker dimensions: 31h x 16w x 12d inches. I will not be buying a subwoofer, so I want speakers that can deliver the broadest and clearest dynamic range possible.

My preference is for sealed box or front vented three-way speakers. I have selected the following prospects: Altec 874A Segovia, Acoustic Research 11, Harbeth Super HL5, KLH Model 5, Rogers Export Monitor, Allison Four and Spendor SP-1.

If you have direct experience with these speakers, I would highly value your thoughts regarding 1) quality of cabinet construction 2) clarity and naturalness of sound 3) warmth vs brightness of tones 4) open vs tight sonic image 5) listener fatigue value and 6) speaker preference for tube or solid state amplification.

I listen to a wide variety of music: medieval, renaissance, swing, beebop, blues, Scandinavian folk, Celtic, organ, opera and orchestral, and a good helping of classic rock.

Many thanks for your ideas. Best wishes.
unclechoppy
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
^^^ Now ADS is an idea I can really get behind. I had a pair of L1090 ii floorstanders for nine years. They get it all right--dynamics, linearity, smoothness, frequency extension. Like a good vintage anything, the cabinetry and veneer applications are first-rate too.

They have a wide variety of bookshelf configurations from mini's to dual-woofer models. The L710 would probably be a nice choice, but there are some others as well. They use dual 7" woofers instead of a 10" or 12", so the width is narrower. And they're 10" deep so they'll fit comfortably on the shelf. Here's the product sheet.

The ADSs were ahead of their time. They don't suffer from the quirks and shortcomings of other vintage speakers, such as boomy bass, dispersion suckouts at the crossover regions, diffraction distortion, foam rot, etc.
chrshanl37
835 posts
 
I was just going to suggest the 710's Johnny good call. I have owned many models of ADS & a/d/s/ speakers and for bookshelf's the 710's and the L9e are my two favorites. Of those two the 710's are a bit more efficient. Can't go wrong with any of their speakers.

terraplane8bob's avatar
terraplane8bob
68 posts
 
Bozaks had no "Foam surround" on their drivers [I always hated the phony bass on AR speakers] and I still have a system with 6 Bozak woofers, 4 Bozak mids and 24 Bozak tweeters that will blow you out of the room. Imaging ? Nah --- not much. Bottom end? Definitely. Satisfaction quotient ? Truly enjoyable ! It provides a LOT of fun but not if you are a true "Audiophile". If you are, you will tear the system to shreds with "informed" opinions !  Relax !  If it sounds good ---- it IS good !
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,665 posts
 
I would look at Audionote AN J's or even K's will fit your size they are wonderful speakers and designed to be positioned close to a wall so in your book shelf they will do better then most.
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I still have a system with 6 Bozak woofers, 4 Bozak mids and 24 Bozak tweeters that will blow you out of the room. Imaging ? Nah --- not much. Bottom end? Definitely. Satisfaction quotient ? Truly enjoyable ! It provides a LOT of fun but not if you are a true "Audiophile". If you are, you will tear the system to shreds with "informed" opinions ! Relax ! If it sounds good ---- it IS good !

Stereophile reviewed some fully restored Bozak Concert Grand B410s a little over 10 years year. They looked past modern audiophile concerns and were very favorable about these. An excerpt from the conclusion:

Conclusion
You read about speakers that perfectly image but have limited bass, or hyperdetailed speakers that, over time, fatigue the listener. But the Bozak Concert Grand does everything well while not excelling at any one sonic parameter. I believe this is its greatest strength. It is dynamic beyond belief, with gobs of musical detail and harmonic richness. A pair of them are magical in their ability to deliver space and ambience cues, but they image more like what you hear at a concert—not "pinpoint" imaging, but a more blended sound. And the speaker has extraordinary but not superfast bass. The Bozak Concert Grand is the most musically satisfying loudspeaker I’ve heard. It may be the best non-horn vintage speaker you can own.

However, no way would these Concert Grands fit on the OP's bookshelf space. But they are definitely "vintage" in its most favorable connotation.
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