My favourite SET was an Art Audio PX-25. 6 watts were ample for my Avantgarde Uno speakers at the time. I've now switched from SETs to solid state after extensive 10-amplifier home demo sessions. Keep it under your hat, but a Class D won over brands such as Accuphase, Mark Levinson, Lyngdorf, Micromego, Bakoon, Sugden, Quad, GamuT and a few others. No regrets even though I've upgraded speakers to Duo XDs.
25 Most Underrated Vintage Speakers
- Thread starter nc42acc
- Start date
Dr Morbius
Active member
Yes, I built the rack…….it’s designed to be under tension all the time so as you increase the weight on it, it actually gets stronger………………you say you’re a slow worker, that means you takes your time to make it right ( As Mike Holmes would say!).
Randy Myers
Well-known member
The DQ-10's were one of my favorites. The older KEFs were also a favorite. I had my 104aB's for years. One of the few items I never looked to replace for many years.
steve59
Active member
If 1990 is vintage my first 'hi-end' speaker assuming the Bose 901vI doesn't count would be the KEF R105/3 that I kept for 25 years. I added a pair of VA beethovens in 04 that became mains, but on the weekends the KEF's went back in for their ability to assault my senses! To be realistic I thing I've been looking for a speaker that can do what I liked best about each speaker even if it seems contradictory.
Dr Morbius
Active member
I got these Klipschorn’s almost a year ago and I still can’t get over how realistically profound they reproduce music. My audiophile friends all drop their jaws when we’re having a listen. My granddaughter is shown here helping me move them into the corner's. ( no toeing back and forth or forwards and backwards! ).
Feanor
Active member
Interesting that you regretted selling those omni-directional speakers.
My own room lends itself to omnis (being semi-circulsr with dining and kitchen areas behind the speakers) and a couple of years ago I was seriously considering getting either German Physics or MBL omnis. These were considered the top brands for these niche market speakers.
I auditioned both brands at dealer showrooms (not their top models but in the £15K sort of range) and indeed they did what they are designed to do - sound good over a very wide area of the listening room. However, when sitting in the ideal listening position and closing my eyes, there was no way I could confidently point towards the trumpet, or the oboe or any other individual instrument. Their imaging was so poor compared with my horn speakers that I now forgo the advantage of good sound in other areas of my room, in favour of stunningly realistic sound in my admittedly small sweet spot.
Maybe I over-value great imaging but after experiencing it, I’ll never want to lose even part of the thrill of seemingly being in the fifth row of the stalls!
Dizzie
Well-known member
Interesting that Ohm is still in business but not often mentioned. https://ohmspeaker.com/
How many of the "classic" speaker companies are still in business?
Feanor, No need to regret. You can have a do-over.
How many of the "classic" speaker companies are still in business?
Feanor, No need to regret. You can have a do-over.
Feanor
Active member
Well I wouldn't buy omni speakers today I suppose, but the Ohm F's were very nice speakers if carefully placed.
Granted omnis will tend to have a problem with imaging, (shared to a lessor extent with dipoles). I was fortunate having my Ohm F's at the time spaced relatively far from the walls behind and beside that imaging was reasonable because the direct sound arrives sufficiently ahead of the reflected sound.
crwilli
Well-known member
You could double your fun! (But I don’t recommend it)