Is it all worth it?


So this week I re-foamed a pair of Boston Acoustics a40 series ii speakers I bought 30 years ago for not very much at all by audiophile standards. Put them in my 12x12 sunroom running of my main system which has very good source and amplification and these things are blowing me away. You could find a pair online or at your local thrift shop for around $50. Why bother spending the big bucks?   Really makes one think.
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I too did a refoam on a pair of a40's about ten years ago. Before the refoam, I had the speakers for about 30 years.  So, how do a pair of 40 year old speakers sound? Not great.  Driver technology has come a long way in the past 40 years, producing sound that is 'more lively', with the bass extension firmer.  Also to be remembered is that your own hearing ability changes, so what you heard 40 years ago, you cannot hear today.  So much for 'speaker memory'.  If you are not changing your audio system every ten years or so, you are not growing your audio experience. My first speaker, 60 years ago was a Tannoy, my current lust is for a pair of Tannoy F8's.  Soon, very soon.

Spot on, mapman. Reminds me of one of my favorite marketing taglines of all time. From Infinity, circa 1980's, when Arnie Nudell was at the helm:

“We get you back to what it's all about. Music”.

‘nuff said.

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It's not nostalgia.   I 
aways thought these pretty good for the size and cost but no special attachment. 

But they are very involving speakers and very easy on the ear as long as you don't push them too hard.    It would make me question spending up to $1000 or so for a new pair of small monitors.  Good quality new small monitors these days are very small. 

It it just reinforces to me that very good sound for a music lover need not cost a fortune these days.  Some might actually prefer the sound of these to other popular modern contenders.   You just never know. 




They knew how to make speakers a long time ago, so it's no surprise that you like those monitors.  I remember the old 15" Altec coaxial studio monitors were great, as were the old JBL Paragons and others.  One of the reasons I like my Trenner & Friedl speakers is because they remind me of the older speakers I grew up with.  Nostalgic?  Who knows.  They sound good and I leave it at that.