Speakers probably considered crap, but you think are excellent?

89grand

Addicted Member
What speakers do you have or heard, that have no following, and would probably just be dismissed as crap by most here, but sound excellent to you?

My choice would be my JBL-HLS-620's. They have no connection to the historical JBL's of the past, don't really look like anything all that special, and were made during the time JBL actually did make some very average or below average speakers, and because of that are probably thought of as junk by most, even if they've never heard them.

I thought they were pretty good after I bought them on a whim from CL for $40 in excellent condition just to replace some crappy "computer speakers" I was replacing for an actual home stereo based computer audio system.

Since buying those, I've bought a few other speakers that are well regarded here thinking they'd probably be better than the JBL's since no one else seems to like them, or at least have never heard them. I've had the JBL's out of rotation for quite a while, and just today put them back in and remember again why I keep them. They are better than my old KLH 23's and Boston T-830's, both of which I sold, and are better than my Boston A-150's, and run pretty close to my DCM Time Windows.

There is a pair right now on CL and I've seen that same seller list them off and on for probably 9 months or so. I assume most people just don't realize that they are actually pretty good, and in my opinion, better than a number of vintage "sought after" speakers for less money.

OK, so what's yours?
 
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Fun thread, I'd say I have to go with the Aztec line of speakers. They were made here in Denver, Colorado for some time and get almost no love from the audio world. They are actually pretty nice considering the solid wood case, the simple connections and layout. I have a set of Cozequttes I got at a thirft store for 5 bucks and work amazing with my garage testing system. I've also seen other models that have impressive specs for the time, considering that majority of the speakers were furniture practically lol.
 
Rectilinear. Can't remember the model number but I had a pair and always got grief for owning them. Yet.... they sounded very good to me. Only reason they're gone is the cabinets had been abused (serious water damage) so they got parted out....
 
my test speakers aiwa book shelf .. they can take a hammering and sound good ... i was shocked after giving them 600 watts rms each and they still work ..well one is a bit crackly now on occasion ..but they survived i never expected it .. i never knew aiwa could make good speakers ..
 
my test speakers aiwa book shelf .. they can take a hammering and sound good ... i was shocked after giving them 600 watts rms each and they still work ..well one is a bit crackly now on occasion ..but they survived i never expected it .. i never knew aiwa could make good speakers ..

You gave an Aiwa 600 watts, was it supposed to be a sacrifice to the audio gods. :D

I had a pair of Sony U560s that looked like they were part of a rack system, they sounded pretty good and get abused daily
by my stepson who pushes them beyond safe levels every day with metal or something I dont have a word for, Im glad he lives in my basement.:D
 
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Bose 301 IIs, 501 IIs, 601 IIs.

Nothing here are my choices for critical listening, but I've admired what they can do for background listening sessions, and how one can wander around the room and still benefit from the soft but wide sweet spot.

Critical listening, I have other choices that easily do better, but for a nice secondary set for non-critical background tunes, I like 'em.
 
I have a pair of Acoustic Control Corporation model 626 I love.
 
I'd have to nominate my pair of BIC DV62si. You would not think that speakers that only cost $100 a pair could be any good. With extensive mods and sub woofer low end augmentation they kick ass! It's like the ultimate stealth system. The smallish bookshelves stay out of the way and don't attract any attention. The sub is hidden under a end table. The sound always catches people by surprise.
 
These! :music:

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JBL SVA2100, kind of a higher end version of the OP speakers. They're awesome. Not considered crap really, just not considered at all.
 

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I thought that the JBL HLS series was well regarded. Corey Greenberg wrote in both Audio and Stereo Review magazines that the HLS610 sounded better than some high-end speakers. In another issue of Stereo Review, two reviewers compared several inexpensive bookshelf speakers and judged the HLS610 to be one of the best.

I bought a pair for $200 at Best Buy and played them in my office. My boss walked in, listened to them for only a few seconds, and said, "These are the best small speakers I've heard."

But they didn't sound nearly as good as the much-maligned Bose 901's I had at home.
 
Harbeth Compact 7es3.

You know, because they were made after 1980 they must be total shite. The high end being the ripoff that it is.
 
I thought that the JBL HLS series was well regarded. Corey Greenberg wrote in both Audio and Stereo Review magazines that the HLS610 sounded better than some high-end speakers. In another issue of Stereo Review, two reviewers compared several inexpensive bookshelf speakers and judged the HLS610 to be one of the best.

I bought a pair for $200 at Best Buy and played them in my office. My boss walked in, listened to them for only a few seconds, and said, "These are the best small speakers I've heard."

You beat me to the punch! I actually went out and bought a pair of HLS-610 after reading CG's the review in Audio and still have 'em. They stay in the box most of the time but get to come out and play every once in a while.

Dave/ChairSpud
 
Magnavox S073

These are my ancient Magnavox S073's and they sound great with my Yamaha CT-800 with CA-600 set-up.
 

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You beat me to the punch! I actually went out and bought a pair of HLS-610 after reading CG's the review in Audio and still have 'em. They stay in the box most of the time but get to come out and play every once in a while.

Dave/ChairSpud

They are a really good series of JBL's, but I never hear them mentioned, and they command low prices in the used market, or don't sell at all which I've noticed before on CL.

I really like my HLS-620's.
 
Phase Linear III's, only because the OP stated speakers that I think sound excellent, and for the most part I have not seen any of the post list a speaker that I think sounds excellent. And the reason I suggest that others might think these are crap is because I have purchase them very cheaply. I just purchased a pair for 115 dollars and the pair I had already cost me not that much more, and they were in excellent shape. These were not cheap when new as they cost almost 1400 dollars back in 1976, so they were not what I consider crap, its just that not many people seem to take interest in them other than a few other AK members that I know. I have some other speakers that many people highly regard and I consider these to be almost my favorite listening speakers.

http://www.phaselinearhistory.stereomanuals.com/andromeda.htm

I was going to include pics of mine but anytime I try to attach a file from this site my PC warns me of a threat from this site and shuts and boots me off. And to top that off, I was showing my friend something on his computer at this site and he claimed the next day his PC was infected by a virus, I thought he was crazy but I wonder if anyone else has had this problem. I am using Windows 7 the 64 bit version.
 
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