Which Snells? What's your budget?
Ed and I are in sync on this one. Although there are few true classics out there, most seriously designed and built speakers today are more linear, have better control of cabinet resonances, have much better inner detail and low-level resolution, more true bass extension, better treble extension with far better dispersion (this one is SO easy to verify--a lot of highly regarded speakers from the '70s and even '80s rolled off at about 15KHz; many today extend out to 30KHz), better sensitivity, better power handling, better dynamics, and in smaller, more affordable packages.
For example, the PSB Image 25 compact stand speaker at $479/pair has a midrange-to-treble smoothness and linearity that would have been considered unachievable in anything but a cost-no-object speaker 15-30 years ago. Mini-monitor size, usable bass extension down to 45 Hz at least, anechoic sensitivity at 89dB or 91dB in-room. That means it only takes 1/4 the amp power to hit the same loudness as those classics from the '70s such as the AR 3a and the Dahlquist DQ-10.
If you have more money and want more bass extension, just move up the PSB Image line. They make T-45, T-55, and T-65 floorstanders. A twice the B-25's price, the PSB T-55 Image Tower is 93 dB efficient (like doubling your amp power again), has true deep bass that extends down into the low 30's. It can also handle about 70% more power than the B-25. This provides a tremendous dynamic range, both louder and softer, than the B-25.
In the vintage days, American speakers pretty much ruled. There are still some very excellent American speakers, but it's really hard to beat the price/performance value of speakers from Canada, such as Paradigm, Mirage, Energy, PSB, and Totem.
Ed and I are in sync on this one. Although there are few true classics out there, most seriously designed and built speakers today are more linear, have better control of cabinet resonances, have much better inner detail and low-level resolution, more true bass extension, better treble extension with far better dispersion (this one is SO easy to verify--a lot of highly regarded speakers from the '70s and even '80s rolled off at about 15KHz; many today extend out to 30KHz), better sensitivity, better power handling, better dynamics, and in smaller, more affordable packages.
For example, the PSB Image 25 compact stand speaker at $479/pair has a midrange-to-treble smoothness and linearity that would have been considered unachievable in anything but a cost-no-object speaker 15-30 years ago. Mini-monitor size, usable bass extension down to 45 Hz at least, anechoic sensitivity at 89dB or 91dB in-room. That means it only takes 1/4 the amp power to hit the same loudness as those classics from the '70s such as the AR 3a and the Dahlquist DQ-10.
If you have more money and want more bass extension, just move up the PSB Image line. They make T-45, T-55, and T-65 floorstanders. A twice the B-25's price, the PSB T-55 Image Tower is 93 dB efficient (like doubling your amp power again), has true deep bass that extends down into the low 30's. It can also handle about 70% more power than the B-25. This provides a tremendous dynamic range, both louder and softer, than the B-25.
In the vintage days, American speakers pretty much ruled. There are still some very excellent American speakers, but it's really hard to beat the price/performance value of speakers from Canada, such as Paradigm, Mirage, Energy, PSB, and Totem.