Used vs New vs Vintage vs Floorstanding vs Bookshelf vs ..... OMG!


OK. I am new in this (new in HIFI, in Audiogon, in discussion forums). I need to buy a pair of speakers for a newly-to-be-built HIFI system, and I am getting a little overwhelmed about all the options and possibilities (and opinions). By the way, I am NOT rich so that helps me a lot to discard a bunch of options.

I started checking vintage HIFI speakers for around $500, basically old JBLs, Technics, and the like (eBay, Craiglist, Letgo). Of course as soon as I began I started checking newer and pricier loudspeakers... and I am trying not to be a consumerist… Either way first  I decided for a pair of JBLs vintage. Until I watched John Darko's youtube review on the ELAC Navis ARB-51. So I changed my mind, I raised my budget and changed from vintage to new, from big to small.

Then I learned about the huge immense used HIFI market. For the same price of the Navis I could buy speakers from enormous brands like Sonus Faber and Focal and B&W in the used market. There I could find Sonus Faber Veneres for 1500, B&W 802 for 2000, and so on. When I contacted somebody from another webpage (The music room) about which was the best option.... the response was... Vandersteen 2Ce signature, "by far". I looked for opinions about it and all I read about them was "OK but meeh". 

So I was really confused. Until I learnt about the Tekton Double Impact, and now I started to get some dizziness. "The best loudspeakers for that price range", "the best period", etc. I contacted Eric Alexander, who kindly took his time to explain me why paper speakers are still the best, and so on. So they are great, really great, for "just" $3000... and I raised my budget again.

Either way, I have read so much, heard so much, watched so much, and I haven't learned much really. Different experts have different opinions, whether the speakers should be flat or not, colored or true, whether it is a matter of "taste" or "you should listen and like them". Well I am no expert, I am 45 years old and I probably won't listen wavelengths of 50 Htzs or lower.

I just want a pair of good speakers so I can enjoy King Crimson, Ramones or Beethoven.

Can anybody help? PLEASE???....

tykozen

Showing 2 responses by vtvmtodvm

Here's some well-intended advice for "tykozen", and anybody else who's considering the purchase of used loudspeakers: DON'T. You will regret such purchase, and if you don't, it will only be due to your disregard for diligence. (E.g.: You failed to open the enclosure and visually inspect everything, and you were not prepared to conduct exhaustive electrical testing to assure proper "in spec" operation of all components, including those archaic passive crossover parts.)

Loudspeakers are commonly subject to all sorts of excessive and unintended (and unrevealed) user abuse, and passive crossover networks are often inaccurate when new, hopeless after aging. Buy new, or don't buy.

Do disregard all of the satisfied A'goners that will advise you otherwise. Many are naive and unaware of the flaws inherent in the used speakers that they purchased, and most lack the competence (and the instruments) necessary to conduct the requisite electronic testing. Ears alone cannot assure adequate evaluation.


Re. jhw9’s comment about the stability of modern polyester film crossover capacitors…

Yes, poly-film caps are surely better than the old oil-filled crossover network caps of yesteryear—also those awful “non-polarized” electrolytic caps that proved so popular—but plain polyester film and PET-type caps are hardly optimum; polypropylene caps are preferable.

Regardless, an age-related decline in passive crossover accuracy involves more than basic network drift—it also encompasses age-related drift in loudspeaker characteristics too. There’s really a compound aging variance in effect.

Passive crossover networks are truly an archaic and imprecise means for the control of loudspeaker passbands. There are far better ways to accomplish this task today.