Is new better than old?


I have been looking at upgrading my speakers. I have a budget of around $1,200. There is a plethora of speakers on A’gon and C’list in that range. I did a search of Full Speakers priced between $900 and $1,300 and got a list of over 100 really nice (or not) speakers.

My question is, are the newer speakers in this price range better than the older speakers in this range? Are the newer models with the latest and greatest technology, research and design likely to sound better that a speaker that is 6 or 8 to 12 years old, but when new was twice the price (or more)?

A good example is the 13 year old Vandersteen 3A’s vs two year old Paradigm Studio 60 v4’s. Both of these are around $1,000.

Another example is the Von Schweikert Gen: II at $1,099 vs new ERA D14 at $1,100 (seller says these are half price).

I may not be comparing apples to apples above, but I think you get my point. Is a speaker that cost $4,000 but is 10 – 12 years old better than a two year old speaker that maybe sold for $2,000 when new?

Thanks
ben77059

Showing 2 responses by jrtrent

I can't imagine why anyone would want to buy new speakers given the bargains out there.
I don't think the OP was considering anything brand new; the example given was something 13 years old vs. something 2 years old. However, one nice thing about buying new is that it's an opportunity to support the manufacturer, importer/distributor, and dealer of a product you care about. Sales of new items are probably important to the health and longevity of this hobby.
Performance aside, if you want to keep speakers long-term, newer is probably the best option. There are many variables, and many different opinions based on personal experience, but my own experience as well as information from manufacturers and various forum discussions is that 20 years is a reasonable lifespan for a speaker before it starts needing some work. Rubber hardens, foam rots, adhesives lose their grip, enclosures rattle and leak, crossover components age and fail, etc. Nice thing about Vandersteen is that they can repair/restore any speaker they've ever made (my Linn Saras could not be repaired due to lack of parts, but I enjoyed them for 20 years).