Best 1970's Vintage Speakers for $200 or less
- Thread starter Jon1964
- Start date
hrballenger
Well-Known Member
DCM Time Frames have a pretty good reputation and good condition ones ( TF400,600,700, etc ) can be found in the price range stated.
similost
Rockin and Rollin....
The question is kind of moot.
Anything can be had for under $200... Just depends on what the seller is asking.. Some speakers may not be worth $200, and they could sell them for $400..
I picked up a nice very good condition Klipsch Cornwalls for well under $200 from the 70's. I've also picked up other normally expensive speakers for under $200.
You just need to look around and be diligant in your search.. .
Anything can be had for under $200... Just depends on what the seller is asking.. Some speakers may not be worth $200, and they could sell them for $400..
I picked up a nice very good condition Klipsch Cornwalls for well under $200 from the 70's. I've also picked up other normally expensive speakers for under $200.
You just need to look around and be diligant in your search.. .
lunchmeat
Cannabinoid
Right
bluesky
Addicted Member
One thing, whichever speakers you get, use speaker stands, at least 6 inches high. Get the tweeters up to ear level in your sitting position. It helps dramatically.
At least get them off the floor for sure. The speakers will sound dramatically better. Common knowledge.
One other thing about 1970 vintage speakers...you don't really need a sub woofer, unless you 'hooked' on em. Plenty of bass comes out of the old vintage box speakers. If all is working fine.
At least get them off the floor for sure. The speakers will sound dramatically better. Common knowledge.
One other thing about 1970 vintage speakers...you don't really need a sub woofer, unless you 'hooked' on em. Plenty of bass comes out of the old vintage box speakers. If all is working fine.
Last edited:
tom3
Super Member
When I first bought speakers back in 69 I spent a couple hours in the stereo shop, tried out about all they had, a lot. Best to my ears were the Sansui SP-200s. Some guys like the SP-2000 but they were too boxy for me, the 200s had a nice smooth bass and clear highs. Recently got a pair of Sansui SP-1700s and have to admit they sound a bit better than the old 200s. Very nice looking speakers too. Find these around for around $100 or so.
Ones I have heard and liked include:
Wharfedale W-70D MK II. I've also heard W-70 and they weren't as good as these. Real wood veneer, vintage look, cloth and rubber surrounds.
KLH Model Five and Model Seventeen. These are awesome, but would probably appreciate a little more power than you plan. Real wood veneer and cloth surrounds.
Realistic Optimus Model Five and Nova Model Eight. Similar to the KLH Model Five above. NIce wood veneer and cloth surrounds. The later "B" version has treated foam surrounds that won't have rotted yet, if they ever do.
Realistic Optimus One and Nova Seven. Similar to KLH Seventeen above. Nice wood veneer and cloth surround. Also had a "B" version with non rotting foam surrounds.
Realistic Mach Ones. If you get the early versions marked 4024 or 4024A they will have non rotting surrounds. If you get the later 4029 they will probably have been refoamed or will need it. Wood veneer and able to play loud with your receiver, but sound more refined with more power.
DCM Time Windows. They would like more power, but could live with your plans. Rubber surrounds.
Early HPM speakers like HPM 100s. They have nice wood veneer, (at least the larger ones do) and pleated accordian style surrounds. The later HPMs have foam surrounds so you probably won't want them.
Some of the JBLs like L100s have an accordian surround and nice veneer. Lots of them have foam surrounds, so look out for that.
Plenty of these might average over $200, but you wanted to know what to look out for; maybe you will find a bargain, it happens. With speakers this old, the capacitors may well be out of spec even if they don't have rotting foam surrounds. It isn't impossible for that to cause you to fry your tweeters, so be careful. Also speakers this old may need cosmetic work to be acceptable in the living room. New grill cloth and some oil on the wood are jobs within the reach of almost anyone, so don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. I was very apprehensive before doing my first refoam and put it off for a couple of years before taking the plunge.
Wharfedale W-70D MK II. I've also heard W-70 and they weren't as good as these. Real wood veneer, vintage look, cloth and rubber surrounds.
KLH Model Five and Model Seventeen. These are awesome, but would probably appreciate a little more power than you plan. Real wood veneer and cloth surrounds.
Realistic Optimus Model Five and Nova Model Eight. Similar to the KLH Model Five above. NIce wood veneer and cloth surrounds. The later "B" version has treated foam surrounds that won't have rotted yet, if they ever do.
Realistic Optimus One and Nova Seven. Similar to KLH Seventeen above. Nice wood veneer and cloth surround. Also had a "B" version with non rotting foam surrounds.
Realistic Mach Ones. If you get the early versions marked 4024 or 4024A they will have non rotting surrounds. If you get the later 4029 they will probably have been refoamed or will need it. Wood veneer and able to play loud with your receiver, but sound more refined with more power.
DCM Time Windows. They would like more power, but could live with your plans. Rubber surrounds.
Early HPM speakers like HPM 100s. They have nice wood veneer, (at least the larger ones do) and pleated accordian style surrounds. The later HPMs have foam surrounds so you probably won't want them.
Some of the JBLs like L100s have an accordian surround and nice veneer. Lots of them have foam surrounds, so look out for that.
Plenty of these might average over $200, but you wanted to know what to look out for; maybe you will find a bargain, it happens. With speakers this old, the capacitors may well be out of spec even if they don't have rotting foam surrounds. It isn't impossible for that to cause you to fry your tweeters, so be careful. Also speakers this old may need cosmetic work to be acceptable in the living room. New grill cloth and some oil on the wood are jobs within the reach of almost anyone, so don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. I was very apprehensive before doing my first refoam and put it off for a couple of years before taking the plunge.
haromaster87
Active Member
Yes, I forgot to mention this. They do sound better with more power. I first hooked them up to my 40wpc Technics receiver, and while they got pretty loud, they didn't sound as good as they could. The amp wasn't clipping or anything, it just didn't sound as full. That prompted me to want to restore the STA-2000 receiver I had. That's rated at 75wpc, and I swear I've read they bench test around 100wpc, but don't quote me on that. Either way, they really enjoy some power.
zombie1210
Well-Known Member
Large Advents.
daviddeep
Well-Known Member
I second the above. These are all really great speakers.
I'd also add the Dahlquist DQM-9 which would probably prefer being on small stands but verges on being a floor stander. I guess these are technically from the early 1980s, but look like 1970s speakers. The M-907 and M-909 are nice too including the requisite real wood veneer, but they're also from the early to mid-80s.
AnalogDigit
Realistic fan.
Realistic Nova 6, 7B, 8B have the foam surrounds that won't rot. There usually under the radar and sound pretty good.
jhaan92
A Work In Progress...
I am an ADS fanatic. Dad originally auditioned a set of 710's against the famed Ohm Walsh 2's, and he said that it was a real toss between the two, including the pricetag. In the end, he bought the Ohm's.
I went down the other path and bought the 710's from an AK'er for a great price, but they can be had for under 200 bucks if you know where to look. Dad referenced that they were commonly referred to as "image monsters" due to their extremely accurate sound stage. Everything about these speakers has been engineered to the hilt. I own the second edition of these speakers, and they put real thought into them. Butyl rubber surrounds, metal film caps, and they didn't use that crummy door bell wiring either. Also, the speakers grilles are rounded on the inside (they meet flush with the front baffle and arc up to meet with the grill cloth) to reduce diffraction. The woofer cones are made out of something that ADS called "Stifflite" which is a specialty designed cone that is actually made out of paper pulp, but is just as rigid as a plastic cone (less distortion at higher volumes), but has all the warmth and movement as a flimsy paper cone. Killer ideas-I want to know what they were smokin' when they came up with these speakers...
I know that it sounds corny, but I'm tellin' ya', these things were well thought out, and the quality in sound sure shows. One note to these speakers though, if ANY of the dome drivers are pushed in, pass. While they say that they still play fine, these are dome drivers for a REASON....they are designed to emit sounds a full 180 degrees in front of the cabinet, and when the driver gets pushed in, you affect the dispersion pattern.
Each speaker utilizes dual 7" woofers, wired in parallel, so the ohm load is 6 ohms. I know that it sounds strange, but they are very efficient, and will max out on 125w, and the RMS is 75w-but from my experience, they are just SCREAMIN' loud at 75w. They also don't fall apart at louder volumes either, which is a sign of a well designed speaker.
Here is a picture of mine:
Best of luck hunting, and I hope that you go the same route I did!
-Jason
The only other pair that are desi
I went down the other path and bought the 710's from an AK'er for a great price, but they can be had for under 200 bucks if you know where to look. Dad referenced that they were commonly referred to as "image monsters" due to their extremely accurate sound stage. Everything about these speakers has been engineered to the hilt. I own the second edition of these speakers, and they put real thought into them. Butyl rubber surrounds, metal film caps, and they didn't use that crummy door bell wiring either. Also, the speakers grilles are rounded on the inside (they meet flush with the front baffle and arc up to meet with the grill cloth) to reduce diffraction. The woofer cones are made out of something that ADS called "Stifflite" which is a specialty designed cone that is actually made out of paper pulp, but is just as rigid as a plastic cone (less distortion at higher volumes), but has all the warmth and movement as a flimsy paper cone. Killer ideas-I want to know what they were smokin' when they came up with these speakers...
I know that it sounds corny, but I'm tellin' ya', these things were well thought out, and the quality in sound sure shows. One note to these speakers though, if ANY of the dome drivers are pushed in, pass. While they say that they still play fine, these are dome drivers for a REASON....they are designed to emit sounds a full 180 degrees in front of the cabinet, and when the driver gets pushed in, you affect the dispersion pattern.
Each speaker utilizes dual 7" woofers, wired in parallel, so the ohm load is 6 ohms. I know that it sounds strange, but they are very efficient, and will max out on 125w, and the RMS is 75w-but from my experience, they are just SCREAMIN' loud at 75w. They also don't fall apart at louder volumes either, which is a sign of a well designed speaker.
Here is a picture of mine:
Best of luck hunting, and I hope that you go the same route I did!
-Jason
The only other pair that are desi
Robint
Super Member
I would suggest hitting the thrifts. At the moment I am listening to a pair of walnut large Advents I picked up for $18 already re-foamed. I also have a pair of Polk Monitor 5 which I paid $12.50. The capper is a pair of Monitor 7A's for $5 the pair, labelled tweeters burnt out. Just needed to replace the fuses in the tweeter circuit, they were missing.
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