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Loudspeakers have we really made that much progress since the 1930s?

Since I have a slight grasp on the history or loudspeaker design. And what is possible with modern. I do wonder if we have really made that much progress. I have access to some of the most modern transducers and design equipment. I also have  large collection of vintage.  I tend to spend the most time listening to my 1930 Shearer horns. For they do most things a good bit better than even the most advanced loudspeakers available. And I am not the only one to think so I have had a good num of designers retailers etc give them a listen. Sure weak points of the past are audible. These designs were meant to cover frequency ranges at the time. So adding a tweeter moves them up to modern performance. To me the tweeter has shown the most advancement in transducers but not so much the rest. Sure things are smaller but they really do not sound close to the Shearer.  http://www.audioheritage.org/html/profiles/lmco/shearer.htm
johnk

Showing 1 response by tbg

tbg
5,263 posts
 
I have owned 28 different speakers in 55 years as an audiophile with most, if not all available drivers and tiny to very large boxes. I  had concluded that one must expect that every speaker included compromises and that had two or three years before ones present speakers drove you crazy. Then at the RMAF I heard  the Tidal Contriva SEs powered by a prototype tube Ypsilanti amp.
I bought the speakers but not the amps, buying instead the BMC M2 amps and the DAC1 PRE. Not very long after I got the amps, I heard the BMC Arcadia speakers that had the most realistic base I had ever heard, thanks in part to the BMC M2 amps. I have no temptation  to seek another set of speakers.

I have enjoyed each new speaker that have given me improved realism and thrill of the music and performance.
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