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In Reply to: RE: Vintage speaker for classical that does it all? posted by ph5y on April 09, 2017 at 13:25:55
I have owned quite a few loudspeakers in my time including two Klipsch models (Cornwalls and Klipschorns). My experience with the Klipsch speakers is that they are quite colored. Horn colorations that make orchestral strings screechy and that obscure delicate timbral differences in orchestral instruments. If you want a high-efficiency speaker, used, at a reasonable price, I would recommend Altec Lansing Model 19s. I owned a pair of these on two different occasions and found them less colored and harsh than Klipsch's products. I bought one pair for $1,800 and another for $1,200. Current listings on e-Bay asking $4,000 + are way too high, which would explain why they haven't sold despite being on offer for months.
For dynamic speakers, I have enjoyed PSB products. I used to have Stratus Golds which I thought excellent, so much so that when I went looking for a pair of small speakers for a second system, I went for Stratus Minis--a really nice little stand-mounted two-way.
Currently, I have B&W Matrix 801 Series II which are, by a fairly significant margin the best dynamic speakers I have heard. Clean, detailed and articulate with excellent bass, I think for a used price of about $2,000-$2,500, you could do a lot worse.
In the planar area, I have owned Magnepan 1.6s, which were very nice speakers, but my final vote would go for Quad ESL-63s, which play plenty loudly enough for me, even on big classical works like those of Mahler or Bruckner, have quite acceptable bass, and are extremely free of colorations. The diaphragms in these are so large and light that they respond nearly instantly to the starts and stops of musical sounds. Transients are thus so naturally reproduced that they are uncannily real. Ravishing orchestral string tone, no squealing tenors and sopranos, no listener fatigue.
Hope this helps.
Follow Ups:
Thanks for input! I have always wanted to own Quads, but even used they are pricey, and expensive to ship. Do you find them reliable? I imagine repairs are very expensive. How do you find the detailing on PSBs?
It's never too late to turn back the clock.
The glue used to attach the stator's to the grid frames deteriorates over time. Besides for re-glueing, my experience is that augmenting them with a sub and crossing them over at few hundred Hz relieves a lot of the stress, increasing reliability.
I paid $1,800 for my first pair of Quads (ESL-63) and $1,300 for the second pair--those I have presently. I spent about $600-800 on the second pair because, though they were working, I wanted them gone over and some minor problems resolved. I do not consider that excessive. I think maybe the best strategy is to buy a pair cheap ($800 or so) that are in decent cosmetic condition but aren't playing, and have them fully restored--often ca. $2-3K depending on what needs to be done. Anything can break--foam driver surrounds rot, crossovers go out of spec., etc.
Quads are not for arena-rock volumes--they will break, but at reasonable listening levels, I would consider them reliable. One thing I would be cautious about is buying one of the newer Quads (Made in China). I believe there are genuine quality control problems with them, and they are not substantially different from the ESL-63s, so I'd stick with the older ones. Otherwise, I found them pretty reliable. The first pair I had for about eight years. Regrettably I sold them. The present owner is very pleased with them, "magical" he said, and they are still going strong. For example:
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/planars-quad-esl-63-fully-refurbished-2013-by-electrostatic-solutions-2017-04-04-speakers-63017-town-and-country-mo
I really think PSBs are excellent. If I were looking for a full range dynamic speaker used, at ca. $800 a pair, I would probably buy a pair of Stratus Gold i. Nice looking, smooth, low coloration speakers with robust bass. Paul Barton builds really outstanding-sounding speakers at bargain prices.
Thanks for the info! Can't yet afford Quads but there is a PSB dealer nearby!
It's never too late to turn back the clock.
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