Extreme NEWB Questions and Speaker Identification


Actual post is below the picture links, thanks!

https://i.ibb.co/njNFxHh/3-D97166-B-536-A-4-A0-E-A597-64-A686543982.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/rs1RmB2/229-A91-A1-5-EF7-4052-8-A7-E-C66-CE6-D7-A9-F4.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/HrXktd6/A60-DA45-E-C090-4-CB7-88-E9-F4-E65970-EEA1.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/6Wj7rR0/4824-E144-CFF4-4775-84-BF-D1-E449-CF9-EFA.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/Wx5LTGh/BAD9125-C-ABA2-4535-A0-C9-02-B774-E4-ACEE.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/ygyHTFr/5709-E642-0973-4548-AFB3-05-D97-F5-A2-BB9.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/vZc7dbV/DF99-B296-99-DA-4-B66-AA08-D0846-BB54428.jpg

So I’m recently new to the speaker game and need some help. Trying to set up a garage space we can use for get togethers etc. I kept seeing a lot of secondhand audio equipment for dirt cheap when I browsed by and sell pages so decided I’d pick up a receiver and some speakers. The receiver I got is a Harmon Kardon AVR 1700. I knew basically nothing about it but it was $20 so I just bought it.

In looking for speakers, I stumbled upon these “Essence” speakers and the only reason I was Interested was because they had a high end “look” to them. Plus they were basically free so I decided to take a chance. When I picked up the speakers, I realized they were huge. 40 inches tall and probably 50 pounds a piece. I was thinking to myself that these had to be a pretty penny in their day. I cannot find any model number on the speakers other than a handwritten number under each of the speaker lids. When I google Essence speakers, I can’t find anything that matches these.

Questions...
1. Anyone know what these are or what they’re worth? They’re in basically mint condition.
2. I’m assuming these are too powerful to use on my “new” receiver. How do I know what power of receiver I need? They had spade wires on them and my receiver doesn’t accept those.
3. If my receiver can handle them, what kind of speaker wire should I get?

thanks for the help.


scottwissing

OP,

Why in the world would you sell them? You don't need to be an expert in anything to appreciate them. Just consider yourself lucky and enjoy them.

scottwissing you got an incredible deal! lkp1952 is correct. Those are Beryl speakers. And you are correct, they were made by Dale Pitcher when he was in Lincoln. They were made in the early 1990's and sold for anywhere between $2000 to $5000 a pair depending on the deal you got from Dale. I have a pair myself down in the basement in my backup system. My entire main 2 channel system is made by Dale: preamp, amps, external crossovers, speakers, interconnects, and speaker cables. He made incredible stuff. Unfortunately he went off the deep end about 6 years ago with a psychotic break and of course is out of business. Such a shame, he was truly an electronic genius.
A salesman who sold a lot of Dale's stuff is Duane Randleman, now with Automated Lifestyles in Bettendorf, Iowa. He would know details about those speakers if you need more info.
OP, first welcome to the hobby. Second, strongly consider keeping those speakers. In this hobby there can be a significant amount of seller's remorse--when someone has something of high value that they got a great deal on and then leave it behind for something else. I suggest you listen to the speakers first before trying to "flip" them to someone else. It appears you have a bird in the hand....
 
Thanks to everyone who responded and helped me identify the speakers. I really appreciate all the help. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the speakers a bit and learning along the way. 

I’ve learned that I don’t have the right kind of equipment or cables to really do the speakers justice. I’m trying to pick up a few things I need but for now I’ll just have to stick with my Home theater receiver and basic audio cables. 

I have a couple more questions...

1. These speakers sound absolutely amazing vocally...never really heard anything so pure. However, there is little to no bass...I’m not looking for a crazy amount but there is really none at all ...would you pair these with a stand alone sub woofer? And no I’m not exaggerating when i say there is almost no bass...

2.  I know it isn’t a purist way to listen to them, but I’d like to use these as my home theater speakers...what is the best option for cables? I’m going to have to be running an hdmi cable from my cable box to my receiver...would a high quality optical cable be my best bet from receiver to tv? The current optical cable is one of those tiny ones that probably cost $1 and when i tried using the speakers with it, it was about as loud as a whisper on the highest volume setting. So obviously not enough juice. 

3. Can someone send me a link for a couple 2 channel amps that would be a good fit for these speakers? Wouldn’t mind getting them second ha d to save a bit of money. Thanks a lot!