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Audio and Video Talk
The Vintage Audio Section
Are Vintage Speakers Like Vintage Tyres?
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<blockquote data-quote="Rotelman" data-source="post: 1117181" data-attributes="member: 19028"><p>Vintage speakers should be used and they can indeed sound very good, but pairing and synergy is a much more important aspect to get right if any enjoyment is to be had, imho.</p><p></p><p>I use a set of 1969 Goodmans Mezzo ii (the 2 way "bookshelf" type housing the famous 12" woofer) in my study room setup, driven by a Sansui AU555a with spectacular results. Excellent frequency response that makes for a very musical end result and an overall enjoyable experience.</p><p></p><p>This status changes drastically when driving these speakers using a modern amp or even something from the 90s with a high damping factor. The sound becomes restricted and constrained with audible telltale signs that the woofer isn't happy to do what the amp wants it to do, but it obliges with the outcome of poor sound reproduction and an unenjoyable experience. </p><p></p><p>OTOH, my other same era speakers such as the B&O Boevox3000s don't seem to suffer from the same sensitivity to damping factor and in fact sounds better on more modern amps, so no hard and fast rules with this aspect, just trial and error.</p><p></p><p>So, horses for courses I suppose, but if your benchmark used is a modern hifi speaker, vintage speakers will not match up sound wise I'm afraid. However, marvelling at the great-for-its-time sound of a 50year + system whilst slowly evacuating the contents of a well aged bottle of red wine is a damn fine way trying to make sense of it all...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Rotelman, post: 1117181, member: 19028"] Vintage speakers should be used and they can indeed sound very good, but pairing and synergy is a much more important aspect to get right if any enjoyment is to be had, imho. I use a set of 1969 Goodmans Mezzo ii (the 2 way "bookshelf" type housing the famous 12" woofer) in my study room setup, driven by a Sansui AU555a with spectacular results. Excellent frequency response that makes for a very musical end result and an overall enjoyable experience. This status changes drastically when driving these speakers using a modern amp or even something from the 90s with a high damping factor. The sound becomes restricted and constrained with audible telltale signs that the woofer isn't happy to do what the amp wants it to do, but it obliges with the outcome of poor sound reproduction and an unenjoyable experience. OTOH, my other same era speakers such as the B&O Boevox3000s don't seem to suffer from the same sensitivity to damping factor and in fact sounds better on more modern amps, so no hard and fast rules with this aspect, just trial and error. So, horses for courses I suppose, but if your benchmark used is a modern hifi speaker, vintage speakers will not match up sound wise I'm afraid. However, marvelling at the great-for-its-time sound of a 50year + system whilst slowly evacuating the contents of a well aged bottle of red wine is a damn fine way trying to make sense of it all... [/QUOTE]
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Audio and Video Talk
The Vintage Audio Section
Are Vintage Speakers Like Vintage Tyres?
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