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Considering Beveridge, your opinion please.

Hi all, I resently started researching loudspeakers for a 2 channel audio system. I'm considering buying a pair of Beveridge loudspeakers, I've read extremely positive things about them, but the number one thing that attracts me is the realism they are capable of producing. They can still be found in the used market and I understand they can be refurbished to almost new condition by R. Beveridge himself, total cost should be around $2500.

Other speakers that have picked my attention are Janszen and Sanders, they both have very good reviews and have great support and warranty. Price wise they're 3-5 times the Bev.

I will appreciate your comments, first about the Beveridge, and the idea of buying into 20 year old speakers and then your opinion of the new Janszen and Sanders.

Thanks and happy holidays to all.
mjc
frogman
7,373 posts
 
****All of this doesn't help much with advice, does it?****

I will let the OP decide, but I think this is all very good advice.

****IMO, dynamic speakers today (and yesterday) can overall outperform vintage electrostats****

Well, yes, kinda/sorta.

****Anyway, when it did work, the sound was pure magic****

Exactly! How much is one willing to give up for those moments of magic that IMO only an electrostat can give you; when all the stars and planets are aligned? That is why I keep my Stax F-81's after all these years. Frustrating as they are (little bass, little volume), there are times when I listen to well recorded vocals or acoustic instruments that scare me with the realism. I have never heard that kind of realism from a dynamic speaker.
baranyi's avatar
baranyi
717 posts
 
Good news! Rick Beveridge is about to get back in the business if rebuilding transducers . He was able to get back his original mer stretching equipment. This should make Beveridge's able to be repaired to last another 40 years!
kevinkwann
85 posts
 
The Beveridge speakers were hardly world beaters when they came out, to say nothing of how they'd stack up to the best now. Original, yes. Great, no. Let it, and them, go.
baranyi's avatar
baranyi
717 posts
 
You are entitled to your opinion but there are many audiophiles that would disagree with your assessment of the Beveridges.
lacee
811 posts
 
Many years ago I heard a pair of the large Beveridge tower stats driven with a modest HK Citation 11 tube amp that my friend sold to the fellow with the Beveridges.
At that time I had only heard Acoustat 3's,so my experience with stats was still limited.

I remember being very impressed with the sound,but that could be due to the fact that the amp was sold for 75 bucks,my friend had never even tried the Citation with his rig for fear it would self destruct.He got it for about 25 bucks.

I think it's worth the effort.
There's something about stat sound that time doesn't diminish.
You have to spend some big bucks to get close to this type of sound with cones.
Ever notice how many comparisons are made to Quad 57 from cone speaker manufacturers and reviewers?
Also, you can upgrade them with better parts than they had available back then.
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