Buying a 10 years old loudspeaker

My JSE's are from 1986 and still perform flawlessly, I think if the tweets aren't damaged and the surrounds are OK, you are fine buying old speakers.

Replacement drivers are my only worry when I buy old speakers.

My speakers are 16 years old, and I know they will need some amount of repair some day...but the parts are there, so I don't worry about it.

Dave

Dave is right. Parts are key, considering many higher end designs (especially over the last 10-15 years) were designed with proprietary drivers. If these companies fail accessing the oem parts is a crap shoot at best.

...more My Speakers are...

My kef 104s were new in 1978. i replaced the tweeters in 1989.

My rogers studio ones were purchased in london in 1986.

They look brand new and sound like a well aged martin guitar.

there's tons of good advice here, but here's my two cents worth.

If the maker is around see if they support the model that interests you. Some stop support at five years out of production... some further. BW Nautilus went out 10 years after production... other BW models went only 5.

Check to see.

If the company isnn't around let's hope the drivers & xover parts still are and you're handy with a soldering iron and so forth.

If neither of the above are in force.... I'm pretty sure I'll pass on the whole deal.

My Phase tech two ways are 30 this year, but were 100% refitted two years ago at the Phase Tech plant. they were a gift in the first place... but I called the maker to see about the aspect of support, anyhow. two weeks of playing and one speaker died.