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Loudspeakers have we really made that much progress since the 1930s?

Since I have a slight grasp on the history or loudspeaker design. And what is possible with modern. I do wonder if we have really made that much progress. I have access to some of the most modern transducers and design equipment. I also have  large collection of vintage.  I tend to spend the most time listening to my 1930 Shearer horns. For they do most things a good bit better than even the most advanced loudspeakers available. And I am not the only one to think so I have had a good num of designers retailers etc give them a listen. Sure weak points of the past are audible. These designs were meant to cover frequency ranges at the time. So adding a tweeter moves them up to modern performance. To me the tweeter has shown the most advancement in transducers but not so much the rest. Sure things are smaller but they really do not sound close to the Shearer.  http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/lmco/shearer.htm
128x128johnk
realthing
45 posts
 
A look at some of the recently posted ancient Lansing and Altec advertising literature on audioheritage tells a good story. The answer is of course yes, things have advanced, but the quantum leaps took place then. Today's biggest advantage is in affordability (despite the puny looking prices in the old catalogs, non-inflation adjusted). Since the 50s certainly, it's just been a matter of cost reduction, miniaturization and refinement. One of the clearest and best symphonic recordings I have (from an RCA cd) is Rubinstein recorded by RCA in 1956 and, of course, mastered and monitored using contemporary equipment. So at the top end at least, things have clearly been pretty darn good for a long time.

And BTW horns are nonpariel when used properly, something challenging to do.
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
I prefer listening to my vintage Altec Bolero, Segovia, Santana 1 and Stonehenge 1 speakers! Lively, dynamic sound even when used with low power tube or as amps! Sadly this company is gone - now just a marketing name for cheap Ch****e junk!
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Correction: "ss amps"!
johnk's avatar
johnk OP
1,975 posts
 
Shadorne You can say what ever you like toss out any num you feel. As long as you had fun its all good happy listening! 
greg22lz
182 posts
 
Wouldn't Eric Alexander's patented speaker array on the Double Impact qualify as an advancement in speaker design? It hasn't been done that way previously, it is revolutionary, it works extremely well, and those particular speakers are seamless top to bottom. 
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