Radio Shack Minimus - less than $100, new
Fisher of some sort--$120, new
Genesis (not Arnie Nudell's) 10s--$250, new
3D ACOUSTICS three-piece system--$500, new
Thiel CS3--$700, used
DUNTECH PRINCESSES--$6400, new (demos)
SFORZANDO JL-1--new (still not yet in full production-list price projected to be in the $12,500 range).
I'm shocked that I can remember about what I paid for the prior speakers! If you amortize out what I paid for the Duntechs over the 11+ years I owned them, I figure they were a good deal. |
First I had my EARS(free by God)
Than I had one-box tube radiola(record-player, tuner, amp and speakers)
Than I had S50 monitors(made in Russia and designed in Germany) don't know price in dollars.
Than I had S90 monitors(also made in Russia and designed in Germany)
The two of above stated have capital letters by default.
Vandersteen 1c -- $700
TOTEM FOREST new $2200 |
Bose 501; about $500. new-- (late 60's).
JBL 700LX; about $700. new.
VANDERSTEEN 2Ce; (two pairs) about $1100. each pair, new.
VANDERSTEEN 3A; about $2240. new (annual sale).
VANDERSTEEN 3Asig.; up-grade of 3A was $700. new.
Boston Acoustics (model?) for HT; about $350. new.
PSB STRATUS MINI; for HT; about $700. new.
VANDERSTEEN 5; (annual dealer sale), $9200. ($11.5K MSRP) |
Cheap JVC's
Polk jr+'s
B+W CM2(Concept 90)
B+W 802 Series 2
Merlin VSM/SE
Merlin Millenium |
How come those Boses weren't in your post under the Best System You've Ever Built thread, Craig? Same reason as my Fishers? |
Cool thread idea-
Bose 4.2s (~250 new)
PARADIGM ESPRIT BIPOLARs (~1250 new)
Audiostatic ES100 electrostats (1000 used)
REVEL PERFORMA F30s (~3100 new)
The 4.2s are now my HT rears with the Esprits as the mains
(added a reference CC also; maybe I'll add the reference
surrounds and Servo 15 eventually :). The Revels recently
replaced the ES100s in my 2Ch setup and I am no longer using
the stats. Actually, if anyone wants em (for a small amount
of cash or a cool trade), let me know :). |
Paradigm Monitor 3 - $345
Polk LS-70 - $500
Paradigm Studio 20 v.1 - $550
Paradigm Monitor 7 - $650
Carver AL III - $900
Paradigm Studio 20 v2 - $900
B&W CM-2 -$900
Paradigm Studio 20 v.2 - $900
B&W CDM 1NT - $1200
I know I listed the studio 20's twice, that's cause I had them twice. Actually, it was the same pair. I gave them back to the dealer to buy someting else, and then months later went back and bought the same pair. I like the CDM 1's the best out of all them, except the carvers, but I couldn't keep those because the smoke smell was too much to handle. (Got them used)
BTW, this was all in a matter of about two years. I have a bad habit of trading speakers very often........ |
Soundesign system
Cerwin Vega D5's
Polk SDA-B2's
Spica Angeles with Kenergetics 200 subwoofers, rewired Spica's with Cardas cable with Muse 18 sub.
Mirage M1 Si again with Kenergetics 800 subwoofer system rewired with XLO signature wire
Dunlavy SC-V with Cardas rhodium posts
Dunlavy SC-IV with Cardas rhodium posts |
1973 Acoustic Research bookshelf monitors $150 new
1976 ESS AMT 1-A's floorstanders $1000 new
1981-84 Bose 301's loaner from a friend while in law school
1985 B&W DM100's large monitors w/stands $800 new
1987 Spendor BC3's floorstanders $2500 dealer demo
1988 B&W narrow floorstanders $1500 new
1988 B&W Matrix 801 Series II $5500 new
1995 Genesis 500's $11,000 new
Have stopped w/these and have changed out amps and preamps and cables incessantly instead. Got a system that works now, though, and hope to keep it intact for a while.
Putting together this list was fun! A walk down memory lane. i can still see each of the rooms and apartments I had these systems in, including my college dorm room, my little law school cottage, and various other abodes for the last 30 years. WOW! i've been at this a LONG time. |
Here goes:
Brands Mart Inc. $150 1973
Ohm E $120 1974
KLH? $200 1975
Micro Acoustics $300 1976
Altec Voice of the Theater 1977-1978 $0
Yamaha? girlfriends 1982-1986
B&W 110's $300 1986-1989
Snell J11 $600 1989-1990
Snell Q's $650 1990-present
NHT's various models 1994-1998
Celestion 3 $150 1996-present
JM Lab Micron Carats $350 1996-present
JM Lab Daline's $1,300 1998-present (for sale)
Spica TC-60 $400 1996-2000
B&W 602's $200 1998-2000
Energy C-2 $300 1998-2000
Mission 753 $1,100 1994-2000
Linn Keilidh $750 1998-Present (for sale)
Mission 750le $200 1998-present
Spendor Sp23 $1,200 2001-present
What lies ahead??? |
Genesis II (late 70's)
Wharfedale E-70 (early 80's)
B&W DM110 (graduate school pauper)
Energy Pro Monitor 22 (early 90's)
Vandersteen 2ci (for a long time)
Aerial 10T (maybe forever)
A trip down memory lane. You know, I loved them all. Next thread: girlfriends. |
DLK passive sub/sattelite system (new ~$300)
Carver AL III (new ~$2K)
VSR VR-4 (new~$4K)Amazing conventional driver speaker
INNERSOUND EROS (NEW~$5k +$1200 amp/xover upgrade) 'STATS! I may never go back to boxes.
Regards to all, |
Nice idea for a thread!
I'm sure the thread will help others make informed speaker purchases.Prices in CDN $
Microsoft Sattelite Computer speakers with Subwoofer $140
Paradigm (2nd from the bottom) $1000 for surround package
B&W 601S2 Monitors $500 (I preferred these to the 603S2's)
B&W 603S2 Full Range $1500
CLIFFHANGER AUDIO CHS-2 W2 $5750
(One of the reviewers at Soundstage uses these Cliffhangers for almost all his reviews, these are definitely one of the best speakers I've heard in that price range) |
Infinity Qa $250 new;
Magnepan MG-1 Imp. $700 new;
Martin Logan Sequels $1900 new;
Revel Ultima Salons $16k demo
I've tended to keep speakers longer than other components, in part because its just harder to keep "extras" around because of size, but in part because I believe they are the easiest way to give expression to your preferences in a system, and budget tends to change quicker than preferences do. |
Fisher towers w/ 12" woofers 3 yrs
Pinnicle mini monitors 1 yr
cambridge soundworks ensemble 2 2 yrs
Vandersteen 2ce 5 yrs
Talon Audio Khorus 1 yr
Wilson Watt Puppy 5.1 5 mo and counting
I think I'll keep the Wilsons for the long haul > 3yrs
I feel that the best way to judge speakers is based on how long people own them. I'll bet the average ownership period for vandersteens is over 5 years. |
You will not believe this:
1. Homemade after the Pioneer HPM100 - My father still has them. made in 1975
2. BES 100 - $250
3. Bose 901 - $1400
4. Apogee Slant 6 - $1500
5. Martin Logan Aerius - $1600 - just sold
6. Martin Logan Quest Z - $3700
7. Wilson Witt I $5000 w/ ML trade
8.Legacy Illusion - Don't remember $ -traded the Witts
9. Legacy Whispers - Didn't like the Illusion so traded for these
10. Dantax Albatross 3 $2800 Still have - bedroom syst
11. Eggleston Andras $8800 Still have - HT setup
12. Quad 989 $7000
13. Gershamn Acoustic Avant Garde RX 20 $2750 Still have - office system
14. Martin Logan Odyssey -Traded the Quads - still have - house system
15. VMPS RM 40 $3850 still have - house main system
16. Magnepan MMG - $500 - Sold long ago
17. Newform Research 840 (forget exact number - In my wife's music classroom
18. Legacy Studio Monitors - $750 - still own - rear channels in HT system
19. NHT 2.5i - Office system - sold a year ago - $1100
20. Klipsch RP Floorstanders - Office system - sold
21. Wilson Watt3/Puppy 2 - $4500 - Sold a year ago
22. Mirage OM6 - Sold - had in HT - Do not remember price
23. also owned Boston Acoustics, Paradigm Atom and Titan, Polk surrounds, Klipsch surrounds, Bose AM 5's and 3's for computer.
24. others I forget!
I started in order but lost track when thinking about this. |
Hi Rc; yep, a little embarassing to admit owning the Bose 501s-- but good for the hunility I guess. Of course those Bose were supposed to fire toward the rear wall and reflect sound out into the listening area. But of course what it really did was create a big, diffuse, incoherent "cloud of sound". At the time, the Bose were supposed to be "the best"-- Geez. Well, they WERE best at advertising. A valuable lesson? Cheers. Craig |
Fisher somethings?-100
Infiniti SM82-160
JBL control5 plus-250
Bose 501(old stlye)-400
Klipsch KG3.5-500
Mordaunt-Short MS30i-600w/stands
Mordaunt-Short MS25iPearls-500(demo)
Mordaunt-Short MS30iClassics-550(used)
Soliloquy 6.3 -1500(used) |
I've tended to hang on to speakers for a fair amount of time, and have only submerged myself into the audio pursuit in the last couple of years, but here's what I remember..1) Sears brand plastic turntable with supplied plastic cube speakers; owned as child. Speakers now long gone after having bit the dust when, as a teenager, I hooked up my high-wattage amplifier to them and cranked it 'til they started smoking (literally). Good fun!2) Pioneer (?) generic speakers for first hi-fi in high school days.3) Two pairs (for pre-HT 'surround sound') of Altec Lansing speakers through one of my dads trade deals. The model name escapes me. Loud, clean sound that impressed me at the time. Don't know what I'd think about them now.4) Allison floorstanders (forgot the model); nicely finished - upwards firing driver. Great sound! My first foray into the audiophile waters.5) KEF 103/3 Reference series...owned for many years until my more recent acquisition.6) Castle Acoustics Howard S2 |
Not that this was to become a contest, but it seems that Ljgj is the clear winner so far! So Ljgj, how much are tickets to your audio museum? This has been an interesting thread with no "right" or "wrong" opinions. Speakers, like other gear when upgraded created such a incredible revelation as to how much better audio can get, especially when fired up for the first time. For the record, I bought my "FINAL" speakers 6 pairs ago. At least I didn't buy any Bose along the way.
cheers, Paul |
Cal Hi-Fi house brand 3-way, 12", bought as part of a complete system in 1968 for $500
EPI 150, new, ~$200-$300
ESS Heil Towers, new, $ ?
Yamaha NS-1000 (new, $1,000--what was I thinking?)
Quad ESL-57 (used, $500)
Avalon Eclipse ($7200--what the hell was I thinking?)
Spendor SP 1/2 (used, ~$1450)
ProAc Response 2.5 (used, ~$2500) |
Paul Woodward: I USED but NEVER BOUGHT Bose! I was too poor during law school to have anything so had to accept the 301s as loaners for the 3 yrs I cracked the big books. I have to confess, though: I thought they sounded FINE! I had a big beer keg party after our first-year exams and my sister broke her ankle dancing to the cranked up 301's!! I'm not lying, this was 1981 and I was playing the Stones Tattoo You and Emotional Discharge (or whatever it was called), and the poor girl danced till she dropped. It was a great party and mostly due to the Bose's (well, maybe something to do w/the keg). |
Mine will be a fairly long list, but to the best of my ability I will list in order what I have owned. Some of these I owned at the same time.
RCA table top turntable with "HI Fi speaker"
Curtis Mathis Console with Gerrard Turntable
Bozak 301
Bozak Concerto
Bozak Concert Grand
KLH model 9
JBL S7R (vertical) with dual 15" woofers
Crown ESR
ESS Transtatic
Snell Type A
Essence 10B
Vandersteen 2C
Vandersteen 4
Vandersteen 4A
X-Static
Soundlab A1
Soundlab U1
I would like to add to the list, speakers that I had on loan (due to my affiliation in the business) or were Rep. samples.
Infinity 1001
Braun monitors
ESS Transtatic
Infinity Servo Static
Linn Isobaric |
Jeez, I can't remember what I paid for my speakers, but here's the list:
Mission
Ohm Walsh
Apogee Duetta II
Spica Angelus
Celestion 600's
Martin Logan Quest Z *
Mirage Oasis *
YBA
B&W 302 *
B&W 601
B&W 303 *
B&W LM1 *
Totem Rokk
Gallo Micros *
Wharfdale 7.2
Martin Logan Aerius *
Apogee Cephus 6
ProAc Tablette 2000 *
I own multiple systems, the items in asterix I still own. I'm pretty sure I forgot a pair or two along the way, believe it or not. And my favourites: The Duettas, Martin Logan's, Totem, and Proac. The Spicas and Celestions did some things real well too. The B&W's are impossible to beat for the money. Damn, I think I've owned about 6000lbs worth of speakers over the last 25 years! |
Well my list isn't near as impressive let me see where to start??
Well when I was 16 years old I bought a pair of Avalon Acoustic Eclipse, 4 years later I still have them and am saving for an upgrade. So yup in 4 years the only component I have never changed was my speakers, though they are now on the list, not that they will be changed any time soon:) its always nice to have a fall back plan!!
~Tim |
As near as I can remember, it went like this:
University 620l (Karlson cabinet)
KLH-6
Infinity 2000A
2nd pair of 2000As
Magnepan MG-2
Magnepan MG-3
ProAc Response 2
ProAc Response 3
Gallo Ultimates |
Jbl lanzer 77 - From my father
JBL g400 - $400
DEV TECH BP2002 - $1200 on close out
DEV TECH BP2002TL - exchanged for 2002 for waranty reasons
B&W N802 - $5600 dealer demo |
Good thread!
AR-14 ($200 in 1976 -- reconed once, still own, in son's room)
Thiel CS 2.3 -- traded in for
Thiel CS 6 -- still own, can't bring myself to sell them though I have to
Montana KAS -- Bound for Sound review pair
Paradigm 100 v2 (w matched center & rear -- home theater)
Infinity 10" subwoofer ($150?)
Plus, lots of home demos -- B&W, Klipsch, Definitive Tech...
Plus, several inexpensive small bookshelves: not Bose ;-)
As you can tell, I was an audiophile wannabe for a long time but didn't hit it hard until about 5 years ago.
Cheers. |
Hmm- of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most. Prices have completely disappeared, but I bet I've got a pretty good handle on the speakers.
1. Rat Shack 2 ways 1 yr.
2. Rectilinear Mini 3s 2 yrs.
3. Small Advents
4. Large Advents
5. Infinity RSb (still sitting in my basement after 15 years).
6. Vandersteen 2cis 12 years
7. Vandesteen 3Asigs 1 month |
various homemade
a few that I can't remember their names
New Large Advents
JBL 100 something or another
Bose 901
another pair of 901, stacked them up
homemade sub with 18 inch JBL 2245H
(450 watts into the 901's and 2000 for the JBL, loud and proud until I got married and, well, you know)
AR sub/satellite 660
Alon Petite with woofer
Magnepan 1.5 with 2 Vandersteen 2W subs
B&W 801 matrix III
Wilson Witt II
Soliloquy 8.2 (still have, see my ad (shameless plug))
Lamhorn 1.8, present system with MBL 201 sub, Ahhhhhhhhh
I was impressed with all of them at the time I bought them. Yes, even the 901's. |
Very impressive lists for some of you folks.
I'll have to shamefully admit that i too have owned Blose: 301's, 501's, 601's and 901's. Had my first component system when i was 13 and that included the 301's. It only got worse from there until i finally saw the light. That is, the lights that they use in some of their crossovers. YES, they do use lightbulbs in some of the older models. That and some of the worst wiring you'll ever see. Sean
> |
Home made-$300 estimate
Sansui-$50 (Don't recall model name-does it matter?,but had 10 " chrome-frame woofers)
Cerwin Vega AT-15-paid $800.00 full list price, and was proud of it, still in garage. Some day...
DUNLAVY V-$9500 (demo pair) currently in main system
DUNLAVY II- $1200 (used) Bought for bedroom system, but now using as rear surrounds
I basically went from worst to great (IMO)speakers. No inbetween. |
radio shack mc1000 $?
EV 16 $250 ?
baby advent $?
ads L880 $900 new
nht 2.9 $2000 new
proac 3.8 $ 4000 used |
radio shack mc1000 $?
EV 16 $250 ?
baby advent $?
ads L880 $900 new
nht 2.9 $2000 new
proac 3.8 $ 4000 used |
You know what's great about this thread is it reveals the approx age of the posters based on what their first few speakers were! I'm glad to see we do have some younger members of this insane club, but the majority seem to be, like me, Boomers, ie 50's babies. |
Sean, that's painful. You drank the Bose Koolaid eh? Glad to see you climbed out of the rut and came over from the dark side. Betcha those Bose speakers burn great though! |
1977 Magnepan SMG $550
1990 Magnepan 2.5R $1450 |
1) My father's homemade console/stereo. 9' long, speakers on both ends. Double thick 3/4" plywood, walnut veneer. 15" woofers, horn tweeters. Still own(he'd KILL me if I ever got rid of it).
2) Stromberg Carlson - 50s vintage, not sure model
3) Panasonic - 1976 I don't even know whats
4) ESS AMT1. Still own
5) Fisher boom and sizzle. Boom box ported alignment, 15" woofer, paper cone mids and tweeters
6) Spica SC50 w/Kinergetics 100 subwoofers
7) Apogee Centaur
8) Coincident Digital Masters w/Troubass Subwoofers. Still own.
9) Fried A/6. Still own.
I have also owned(still have too many to count) over 100 hundred pairs of various speakers either my father came into, I came into, he trashpicked, I trashpicked, he built, or I built. Some we modified, some we didn't. A lot were lousy. Some were good. A few were great. Most we have given to friends, who just made a comment about needing speakers, or just commenting on a pair we had laying around. |
2 pilfered drive-in-movie speakers ( I believe the statute of limitations is up) hung on either end of my bed board.
K-Mart "Mid"-Fi ( Paid for)
Thiel, first model the Bro.'s came up with
Kochel KS 300 Horns
Avalon Eidolon
Piega P-10
Rockport Antares |
Main sys
1968 AR 4x new $?
I heard bass that my parents Magnavox couldnt play
1970 Grundig ? demo $?
probably the best looking I ever had
1970 Bozak ? demo $?
a huge bookshelf speaker
1972 Bozak ? used $?
a large cube w/ woofer, mid,& two tweeters
1991 Polk RTA15tl new $1,400
These served me well in main sys and later in HT
1998 POLK SDA SRS used $?
they were huge and I wish I'd tried with better amps
2000 HALES REV 3 used $1,600
very nice I may hold these awhile
Other sys
1998 BOSTON ACCOUSTICS A 7 used $100
plus $116 to recone, very nice bedroom sys
1999 jpw ML810 demo $500
Office system but needed smaller
2001 PSB IMAGE 1t new $300
Office system very nice
1973 ? ? used $50
Originally bought all four for $100 from a friend
who bought a Quad system (remember four channel)
All he wanted was the subwoofer and let me have
the satalites cheap. I've had them so long I forgot
details. Still used in bedroom as rears.
|
I too had the Bose, but that was before I knew there was such a thing as high end.
Advents- 1978
Bose 901-1979
Norman Labs-1984 Still have in the bedroom system
Carver ALS- 1991
Soundlab A2x-1992
Soundlab Aura 1996
Quadrature 4a 1998
Soundlav Aura 2001 |
Large Advent $204 new
ADS L-810 $600 new
Double Advent $500 new
Dahlquist DQ-10 $800 new
FMI 80 $200 new
FMI J-Modular $2000 new
Spendor LS3/5A 15 ohm $400 new
Spendor LS3/5A 11 ohm $600 new
Spendor S3/5 $575 used
Spendor SP-1 $465 used
If it looks like I am getting poorer, it's probably true. |
AR-3a ($225, owned for many years)
Vandersteen 2C ($1100, owned for 15 years)
Vandersteen 3A ($2500, owned for 5 years)
Vandersteen 3A Sigs. ($700 upgrade, owned for 1 year)
Coincident Super Eclipse ($3000 used, owned for 3 months)
Silverline Sonata II ($4000, still have)
Spica TC-60 ($500 used, still have)
ProAc Response 2 ($1000 used, still have)
Sierra-Brooks 32" Horns/TAD 4001 ($4500 used, still have) with TAD 1602 15" drivers in bass cabinet ($3000, still have) |
Looking back its clear that I've made my contribution to B&W. Most of the B&Ws were from the same dealer who offered a full price trade up program.
Two pairs of homemade speakers – college/post college era
Allison CD 1 – new 350
Allison CD 3 – new 800
B&W DM620 – new ~600
B&W DM640 – new 1200**
B&W Matrix 804 – new ~1900
ACI Sapphire III/Sub 1 – new ~1800
B&W Matrix 802 S3 – new 3100**
B&W Matrix HTM – new ~640
B&W CDM2 – new ~700
B&W Matrix 805 – new ~1450**
Thiel CS7.2* - used ~7000**
Thiel MCS1 – new ~1900
Boston Acoustics Micro 90 surround* – new ~850
Paradigm 60v2, Ref CC, Ref ADP* - used ~1900
Aerial CC3B* – new 1350**
Aerial LR3s – new 2750**
B&W 601 S2 – new 370
B&W 602.5 S3* – new 620
*Still own and use in various systems
**Favorites |
Jensen model?? (1975)
B&O model?? (tried to address time linearity) (1977)
Mission 770s (~1982)
NHT 2.5i (~1997)
Magnepan 1.6QR (1999)
Dunlavy SM-1 (2001) + REL Q150 (2002)
Dunlavy SC-VII (2005) |
I am gonna have to show this thread to my wife. ..to get approval for the next bedroom speaker pair... |
1) an all-muppets system (gift) - which IMHO came with hands-down the best turntable ever to bear an imprint of Kermit the Frog
2) Polk 3-way (free)
3) APOGEE Slant 8 ($4,000)
4) Avalon Opus - were to be Avalon Eidolon Diamonds before the recent unpleasantness with my now-ex... (for the speakers, not the ex)
... and to the best of my knowledge, the muppets system was not made by Bose in spite of wiring quality similarities
=) |
This is a little off-topic, but with all of the *ahem*
comments on Bose, I though it might give everyone a chuckle. This week I had a real estate agent over to look at my townhouse in order to put it on the market; she sees my spare pair of Audiostatic ES100 panels and asks "what are those?". I told her they were loudspeakers and explained how they work, to which she replied "Oh, so are they like Bose? I've heard of those". I didn't want to hurt her feelings, so I replied "I don't think Bose makes this kind of speaker, but yeah, kind of".
And after all, who am I to talk- I've still got that pair of
4.2s pulling rear channel duty in my HT ;). |
1) OHM WALSH 2 (Hand-me-down from my father - $800)
2) Boston Acoustics T-1020 ($700 "floor model")
3) Magnepan MGIIB ($500 used)
4) PLATINUM AUDIO SOLO* ($1,400 before Platinum went under)
5) Hales Concept 2 (Traded my beloved Solos)
6) Aerial Acoustics Model 5 (Traded the Hales!!)
7) Magnepan MMG ($250 used)
8) MAGNEPAN 1.6QR* ($1,200 used)
You always remember your first love. The Ohm's were an incredible speaker (especially when you're only 12 years old!) and I have fond memories of just sitting in my bedroom and enjoying the music. The Platinums are still the best speakers that I've ever owned and I regret parting with them. There is, however, something that's just "right" about the Magnepans...very musical. |
Infinity Juniors $400
Magnepan MG-1 $500
DCM TF 700 $550
Acoustat 1 + 1 $1100
Polk SDA (my brain fart) $1150
Magnepan MG-IIIa $1800
Alon IV $2000
Proac 2.5 $2800
Avalon Ascents $5500
Legacy Whisper $11900
AV Reality 1.3P $1200 |
