ads L780's

mhardy6647

Lunatic Member
OK, don't start with me! :) I have a "how much are they worth?" question.

Someone at work is selling a pair of ads L780 speakers in "good condition" for $85. I've always liked the ads/Braun sound, but never owned a pair, and I am not expert on the line. If they are indeed in good shape, are they 85 smackers' worth?

Thanks!
 
Absolutely! Buy them. That is an excellent price; no shipping either. Great sound.

From Orion:

A/D/S L-780 Black or Walnut

3-way, 8.25-in woofer
2-inch mid
3/4-inch tweeter
Years made: '84--/87
MSRP = $700/pair
 
I know I would buy them at that price, and I've seen them selling for a heck of a lot more. Paid $50 for a set of L 620's
 
Anyone got a handy photo of this model?
Are the woofer surrounds foam or rubber?

Sorry... so many questions...
 
mhardy6647 said:
Anyone got a handy photo of this model?
Are the woofer surrounds foam or rubber?

Sorry... so many questions...

ADS_L880-2_Speakers_web.jpg


An L780 is ~3/4 of the above L880.

The L780 woofer has a pincushion style flange.
 
I did pick these up. Cosmetically very good, although the grille of one is quite dented.
They sound pretty good, but to tell you the truth, not as good as I remembered. I think I am getting jaded. I like the Allison Ones better.
 
mhardy6647 said:
I did pick these up. Cosmetically very good, although the grille of one is quite dented.
They sound pretty good, but to tell you the truth, not as good as I remembered. I think I am getting jaded. I like the Allison Ones better.

Feel free to ship those crappy speakers to me :D
 
mhardy6647 said:
They sound pretty good, but to tell you the truth, not as good as I remembered. I think I am getting jaded. I like the Allison Ones better.
i think thats a natural reaction to the Allison I. i used to have a pair of ADS L-730's and they were outstanding. i would expect the same from the 780, but neither is in the same class as the Allison I.
 
dingus said:
Kelly, if you are really hard up, there are a pair of L-810's up here on craigs for $500.

Thanks but I need a bargain, if I was to spend $500 it would be on some more maggies, subs or amps.
 
Allison Ones, not a fair fight. Very high end prestige speakers.

Not to take anything away from the 780s. You're lucky to have both. By the way how efficient are those Allisons? What are you driving them with?
 
Tried them with the same CR-2020 that I use with the Allisons. The ads's seem moderately efficient (mid/upper 80's? I am guessing). They just seemed a little -- distant.
 
Isn't there an L780s and a L780II. I have a pair of the L780II. I think the main difference is the woofers. The woofers in the IIs are not a good as the ones used in the earlier L780. Still damn good speakers. The cabinets on my look like teak and they are beautiful.

- Pete
 
mhardy6647 said:
I did pick these up. Cosmetically very good, although the grille of one is quite dented.
They sound pretty good, but to tell you the truth, not as good as I remembered. I think I am getting jaded. I like the Allison Ones better.
Thats a hellava speaker you are compareing them to!
 
These are unsuffixed. I'll pull them out this weekend, snap a photo or two, and give another listen. Might try 'em on the Fisher 500C.
 
I’m basing it on some research I did a few years ago. I bough my L-780s on ebay. The glue that was supposed to hold the butyl surrounds down to the basket, had corroded the lip of the steel baskets to the point the surrounds separated from the baskets. (Almost all the L-780IIs or L-590IIs I see on Ebay have some degree of the corrosion.)

Looking for information, I found that the woofers on the series I were 206-0324 and the series II have 206-0355. I haven’t seen the 0324s myself but I was under the impression they have cast baskets while the 0355s have stamped steel baskets. I also don’t think the 0324 are likely to get the glue corrosion that are the curse of the 0355s. As far as the sound quality goes, I haven’t heard the series I but I like my series IIs but they don’t sound as good as my L880s.

- Pete
 
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