Speakers to hang on to for LIFE

There are a bunch of vintage bicycle fans who call themselves the Retro Grouches of North America. I side with Stereophile contributor Art Dudley, whom I will cautiously label a kindred soul in the world of stereo fans.

He maintains there are many aspects of performance reproduction that you may prioritize according to your own tastes, and that very different approaches and results can be equally valid, and satisfying in different ways, with different recordings, genres, rooms.

Including some decidedly old techniques and equipment, which in my opinion put the challenge to the assertion that there is one true sound, and that the best of the newer speakers will necessarily allow one to get closer to it.

I find Art's tastes to be eclectic, with many remarkably similar to my own. He just got some old Altec Valencias to contrast with his Quads, and maintains that each represent equally valid and effective, but vastly different, approaches to musical enjoyment.

Elders can be keepers. Hooray Art!

PIONEER/TAD S3-EX AND MARTIN LOGANS

I'm with Simao, above. I don't know that my Reference 3A De Capo i/A's (which I recently upgraded with the new, Beryllium tweeter) are my forever speakers but they're awfully good and I'm happier with them than with any of the many other speakers I've owned. A classic design, and with good reason!

I am the original owner a pair of very early appogee full range speakers.their dimensions are 801/2"x35"x4"
serial no. is 1115 purchased new in 1985. I replaced the factory x-overs with a levinson Lnc-2 with the correct modules and slope.I run the bass panels direct ( bypass the impedance matching transformers )but I use the normal inputs for the mids and high ribbons.. I use a pair of 1985 levinson ML-3's ( one ML-3 for each side).I find that these speakers are really difficult to space properly but when they lock in the sound and image are easy to live with. They have gone back to have the ribbons replaced and the internal wire was also upgraded after hurricane Andrew did some damage to the ribbons.I built custom wood cases to transport the speakers. they each weigh 300 lbs.with the interface box.
The ML-3's are placed directly behind each speaker using cables that are less that a foot long.
I have used this arrangement for 38 years and I have had no issued with the speakers or the electronics. I will keep this set up as long as it continues to serve me so well.
I have moved to a different home 3 times during that period
and each time I took apart the speakers and packaged them up in the wooden crates. I was very careful and had no problems with each move.Each speaker still looks like new!

Ronniec15, I too had a pair and really think they were great, but, of course, Appogee moved on. I sold mine to a guy in Houston and lost contact with him. They were among my many different speakers as I switched between horns, ribbons, dynamic drivers, etc.

My last several speakers have been dynamic drivers with special tweeters. I suspect that with my BMC Arcadia speakers, I will stick with them for a long time.