Does anyone like vintage speakers?

I wasn't as much into the high end in the late 60's and early 70's as I am now. As a student, I just couldn't afford it.

I didn't become interested in the high end until the mid 80's, well past the golden age. I was mainly intrigued by Maggies and Quads, and I still couldn't afford it. So my "vintage speaker" associations are mainly with JBLs (L88s and 100s), KLHs (17s), ARs (2 and 2As) and various Advents that belonged to friends.

The main difference I hear bewteen speakers 35-40 years ago and speakers in the last 10-15 years is the quality of resolution - "modern" high end speakers, for good or ill, are much more highly resolving than the vintage speakers whether monitors or floorstanders, stats or planars.

(The solid state revolution changed everything.)

I still have some older electronic gear around (Heathkit, Scott, Yamaha, Luxman), much of it loaned to music loving, cash-strapped friends, one of whom I've also loaned my last vintage speakers to. I still enjoy many of older speakers, but I'm not looking to put any vintage speakers in my main system.

In fact, the only "vintage" piece in my main system is a Luxman tuner.

I am surprised, nay *shocked* that anyone considers Apogees vintage. No longer manufactured but of the modern era, surely.

Erm, Greg, audio specialty stores, at least when I was shopping in the 60's - 70's to around 1980, peddled tons of receivers, from modest little 20-50 watt jobbers to the behemoths you mention. Not just junk, but classics from Scott, Fisher, Marantz, Luxman, Yamaha, Harmon Kardon, Kenwood, Pioneer etc. Yeah, I agree there was a lot of high watt garbage starting in the late 70's but there were some perfectly decent sounding receivers as well, especially since so many speakers weren't as resolving as they are now.

I dunno if it was the appliance stores that killed audio...I seem to remember a lot of big ol' stereo consoles in appliance stores in the late 50's and 60's.

Beemerrider, I'm glad you've found bliss with those B&Ws. Nothing quite like achieving the dream. I bet they sound better than my old ARs do now.

Those JBLs could rock though!

That was about the extent of my expertise back then too.

Tannoy Golds - that sounds like fun!

I've got Alon Lil Rascals (Nola Minis) hooked upt to a Luxman receiver in the office, and when they go back into the HT set-up I may play with some vintage speakers.

Not contemplating replacing by big Alon Vs with vintage, of course.