Vintage vs modern speakers - what's your take?

saw one Heybrook in Lelong last time, asking for few hundred..put there long time also cannot sell. nowadays these "oldies" has been forgotten. some even dun heard the name Goodmans, Jensen, Bozak, Isophon....sigh

Yeah if there's anyone out there come across Heybrook HB1 OR HB2 give them a listen. Fact is they'll probably be cheap due to non exposure in Malaysia then. These were exceptional lower mid price speakers in the 70s, so were Dean Altos but don't think you'll ever get these brought here.

During my college days i very much like the sound from Mordaunt Short Pageant 2. Saw one in Ebay singapore selling for $480. The front end is an Ariston TT + rega arm cartridge with Crimson Elektrik 500 pre/power amp. What happen to Crimson Elektrik?

Mordaunt Short, yeah they used to have great speakers too, Pegeant inc.

Hmm what happened to Crimson Electric? I still have the 501/502 pre/power. Great little amps driving a pair of dean Altos with my Linn Sondek front end during me college days in England in the late 70s early 80s. Unique looking amps. Pre is battery powered, mine with mm/mc on board. Need some repairs, will do it one day.

Wan Azami,
In the late 70's/early 80's do you remember a speaker with the name 'videotone' or something like that? Which is always the minimum recommendation to buy speakers..

Hmm... Videotone, does ring an old bell, can't remember the model. Default budget recommendation those days include AR 18 then a bit later those cute Wharfedale Diamond babies.

Wan,
I think(after a really hard thinking! ) it's 'Minimax'.. a friend of mine had it.. pretty good actually driven by the infamous NAD 3020... The source is also the infamous Dual CS505... Oh I do remembered the AR18 and later the AR18S..

Ah yes Minimax that's it. And you're right, The Dual, NAD and AR trio set ups filled every student's digs and bedsits in my Varsity years in England.

Hey guys, I prefer vintage speaker cos most of them have high sensivity.
This allow me to play with 300b single ended amp.

There is up and down between modern and vintage speaker

Mid-fi modern speaker nowadays mostly built in China or other asia countries, resulting slightly lower built quality compare to vintage speaker.

But the downside for vintage spks are lower technology and expensive compare to modern speaker with similar spec and sound

deng8895 wrote:There is up and down between modern and vintage speaker

Mid-fi modern speaker nowadays mostly built in China or other asia countries, resulting slightly lower built quality compare to vintage speaker.

But the downside for vintage spks are lower technology and expensive compare to modern speaker with similar spec and sound

These days china did produce hi end n hi sensitive speaker with vintage component
like western eletric, tad

jazzy939 wrote:Wan,
I think(after a really hard thinking! ) it's 'Minimax'.. a friend of mine had it.. pretty good actually driven by the infamous NAD 3020... The source is also the infamous Dual CS505... Oh I do remembered the AR18 and later the AR18S..

Darn, i just totally trashed and ripped apart an old Dual CS505 TT last week!

The motor had quit already so i was damn keen to look at the automatic mechanism inside.

Still got the A&R Cambridge C77 cartridge that i salvaged from the tonearm. But not too sure if the stylus is still good or chipped because it looks suspiciously flat.
Free giveaway! Any takers?

mugenfoo,
any remnants left out of the CS505?
What are you, a TT Terminator? LOL!
If the stylus looks flat you can be sure that the diamond tip is gone..
Have not seen(heard) the C77 for a long time! Don't think can get the replacement stylus for it now...

Hi, I have been keen to try another cartridge on my entry level rega p1 which came with stock cartridge (Ortofon om5e i think). Do you know if the C77 will fit into the p1? If so I will be interested. Also, can check the stylus with 10x magnifying eyepiece (similar to those used by our elderly watch repairer gentleman)...
Kind regards
Cham TS

But the downside for vintage spks are lower technology and expensive compare to modern speaker with similar spec and sound

Deng, not really. if you visit Audiofest 2008 and listen to Coral setup in Diyparadise room, you will be amazed by the "older than you" speaker. a modern full range with similiar price only smell the smoke oh

chamts1,
The C77 should be useable on your setup. Personally I think you would like the C77 over your current ortofon. Just grab the cartridge(no cost) and get a new stylus..

My take on this (inflation and corresponding cost of living considered):

1. Technology always on the advance hence modern stuff tends to be better esp with longstanding known manufacturer who builds on their experience to improve their products. Therefore I dream of a top end B&W monitors.
2. Some manufacturers sought to improve on their successful formulas with gradual but minor important improvements, read Quads, Harbeths, Spendors and some horns. Therefore the early models become classics and collectibles and still relevant today.
3. I personally would like to have two systems, one vintage and one modern. Play older music on the former and new stuff on the latter. Relevant according to music and relative recording techniques of the times.

Hi Fi is a hobby, music listening is a passion. As long as you achieve both goals, it doest matter how you journey them. Cheers

Wan Azami,
FYI, all B & W Speakers are Now manufactured in their Factory in China under licence from their parent company in England. Except if you still can find a willing seller who still has the Original England Made for sale.

Hi Antak,

How's my good man? I've nothing against MIC made Western products even actual Chinese brands for that matter. I've a MIC Takamine EG360SC acoustic guitar made to strict Japanese luthier QC. Superb workmanship and sound. I have high respect for Shanling, Eastern Electric, Melody etc.

Happy New Year Antak. Cheers

antaklugom wrote:Wan Azami,
FYI, all B & W Speakers are Now manufactured in their Factory in China under licence from their parent company in England. Except if you still can find a willing seller who still has the Original England Made for sale.

That Summit USJ shop has a pair of old rectangularish B&W and a pair of Wharfy Delta 30.1, paper cones and all.

For all lovers of such gear, do go grab 'em while they're there !

When I was in secondary school there were these huge Living Audio speakers which I thought sounded fabulous. Belonged to one of my teachers and he'd used them during our school concert.
No clue of this brand when I grew up in hi fi. when

Living Audio. The speaker brand of Chrysler Electric, Japan.

Very popular in the 70s. Somehow, faded into obscurity in the 80s onwards.