What vintage speaker might you use today

As I was composing my post directly above, Doug posted his. Also well reasoned, I second his recommendation to augment the Quad with a pair of subs. But not just any sub---the GR Research/Rythmik OB/Dipole Sub. It is in some ways similar to the one Gradient designed and offered for the Quad ESL63 in the 80's and 90's, but quite a bit better. It is particularly well suited for dipole loudspeakers, sounding very different from a "normal" sub, no matter the quality. You can read all about it on the GR Research website and in their Audiocircle Forum. Very special!

Ok, this is fun. I don’t even love some of these, but have good memories. Does that make sense?

Klipsch corner horns. These were the first high end speakers I ever heard. It was in 69 at HiFi Stereo House in my home town of Newington, CT. They were run with phase linear and crown gear if I recall correctly. I would love to tinker with the crossovers using new components and internal cabling. I’d also play with the veneer as I work with wood and would have a ton of fun finishing these honking horns (I typically don’t even like horns, lol).

Proac Response 2’s. These were a great speaker in the day. They could be a bit hot on top, but man did they disappear and they did midrange correctly. Very listenable and easy to drive with top tube gear.

Quad.....

ET’s.

JSE infinite slopes. I think it was the 5’s that were the large ones. 5 drivers if I recall. Those really sounded great with modded B&K gear from a store in Bristol CT who specialized in modding the B&K line. Many nights with wine and music in the store, lol.

Of course the last ones would be the Vandersteen 2's with NAD separates from 89.  All being fed from a Sota vacuum TT with a nice Van Den Hul cartridge.  We finally had real cable in 89 too ;)....

My systems are a cross section of my audio history as I find myself unable to part with many favourites.

I've owned and valued Spica Angelus, and still own and use Vandersteen 4A (newer models are simpler with on board amps, albeit more costly), and my second system uses Martin Logan CLS, my 3rd, Energy Reference Connoisseurs.

Any will at least hold their own with current models.

A lot of interesting comments, above, that illustrate how much a particular preference is a matter of taste more so than of particular technology and vintage of the gear.  I found it interesting that Doug Schroeder much preferred the Volti Vittora over the 757s among speakers based on horn-compression drivers.  I like the tonality of the Volti speaker, but, in the three instances that I heard the speakers, they sounded very polite and dynamically dead compared to the compression driver speakers that I personally prefer.  I did not hear the 757s he heard at RMAF, and most of the 757s I've heard were restored/modified, so I don't know if it sounded anything like the 757s that I favor over the Volti.  

I tend to agree with the comments above about the tunefulness of some vintage woofer/enclosures.  Yes, they do not go very deep and deliver the same kind of punch, and I will agree that punch is a plus with some music, but, I will take the trade-off to have the tuneful and "less mechanical" sound of old school bass.

As for the sub-woofer for a Quad, a friend of mine likes the Gradient dipole sub-woofer he uses with a Quad 63.  I haven't heard his setup with the Gradient (he changes out various speakers that as often as most people change underwear and I missed that setup), but I have heard them elsewhere, and they do sound quite natural.  It may be the case that dipole bass would be a better match with dipole speakers like the Quads.  I heard, at a show, BG Radia dipole speakers with the Sound Insight SI 300 sub-woofers, and the combination sounded pretty good.

I have been a fan of the AR line.  I have had a pair of AR 3a's, and have rebuilt a pair of AR 11's recently as well as using a pair of AR 9's for my surround sound front speakers.  As an aside, I recently purchased a pair of ADS 910's that are rated highly by many folks I have spoken to.  I can let you know what I find out about them.  I am looking for a set of the original stands that were available for them, anyone have a lead?

Thanks

Dan