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Speakers 10 years old or older that can compete with todays best,

I attend High End Audio Shows whenever I get a chance.  I also regularly visit several of my local High End Audio parlors, so I get to hear quite a few different speaker brands all the time.  And these speakers are also at various price points. Of course, the new speakers with their current technology sound totally incredible. However, I strongly feel that my beloved Revel Salon 2 speakers, which have been around for over ten years, still sound just as good or even better than the vast majority of the newer speakers that I get a chance to hear or audition in todays market.  And that goes for speakers at, or well above the Salon 2s price point. I feel that my Revel Salon 2 speakers (especially for the money) are so incredibly outstanding compared to the current speaker offerings of today, that I will probably never part with them. Are there others who feel that your beloved older speakers compare favorably with todays, newfangled, shinny-penny, obscenely expensive models?

kennymacc
wspohn's avatar
wspohn
610 posts
 

There are a lot of older speakers that can compete with many new speakers today.

Within their obvious limits, a pair of Quad 57s can run with many of the best (I use original Martin Logan CLS and they are fantastic for non bass heavy material).

I also have some  Vandersteen 4A that were at the time his top speakers, made in quite small numbers - all the money went into the drivers rather than 'wasting' it on fine veneers - he just 'put a sock on it' for looks   (Anyone looking at these be sure to buy 4A, not 4).

And the speakers I use in my main system (Wilson Maxx2) still handily compete with many today - and they don't give small children nightmares like the stupendously priced current top of the line Wilsons.

vinylvalet
911 posts
 

Late model Merlin TSM monitors. I still have and use mine. Over 20 years old.

stevencason
97 posts
 

Thiel CS 2 2

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,942 posts
 

I digitize my turntable and use digital RIAA correction which is more accurate than any analog circuit.

I am curious about this. The RIAA pre-emphasis is of course done with analog components; as a result is not the ideal but instead a modified curvy slope. Does the digital version do the curvy thing?

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I first heard the Classic Audio Loudspeaker model T1 at the Triode Show in Philadelphia back in ’98. John Wolff also made a slightly smaller version called the T-3. It was the first speaker I’d heard that really did everything. I had John make me a set of T-3s with the same internal volume as the T-1 (the T-1s were too wide for my room) and I’ve had them ever since. They have been updated with a new crossover, field coils, a 2nd 15" woofer (downfiring) and a beryllium midrange diaphragm With a Kapton surround (which has its first breakup at 35KHz). Most of the updates were 15 years ago. I’ve yet to hear anything to convince me to move on; they do the best job I’ve heard with my reference recordings, which I recorded. 98dB, 16 Ohms, flat to 20Hz.

I think the Sound Labs would have been very satisfactory, but had no way of making them work in my room.

ervikingo
166 posts
 

like @cleeds I enjoy my IRS Betas.  Had AR3a, DQ10, Mirage M3 and M1, Aerial 8b (still have them on secondary system) and the Betas which reign supreme.

Big Threshold 12e's on the bass and Manley Snappers on the mid highs!

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