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Owning the speakers you dreamed of 20 years ago

Does speaker technology really change that much?  As I'm listening to my Klipsch Heresy's in a bedroom setup, I decided to look up to see what $3k or so could buy me today used and was shocked to see the speakers I used to drool over, when I was done looking at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition ;), were available for a quarter or less of the money.

Revel Ultima
Sonus Faber
JM Lab Mezzo 

And more, are all available to buy used.

Seriously these were speakers I would daydream about.  How do they sound today compared to a speaker that you would spend $3k on new or even a few years old?  How could these $10k speakers from a time I can still remember, really sound like a $3k speaker?  My Klipsch's remind me that speakers even older and cheaper are irreplaceable to me, so why wouldn't I spend $3k for one of my old heroes?

What am I missing here?



blkwrxwgn
secretguy
1,612 posts
 
 How could anyone say speakers haven't changed?? They are so much better now.
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
over the past year, despite having a couple enduring faves on hand for many years (the spendor sp1/2e as well as the harbeth shl5+) i went out and found nice condition pairs of the spendor bc1 as well as the original sp1, just to compare and contrast - these being seminal/original 2 cubic ft bbc heritage designs by spencer and derek hughes

it has been thoroughly enjoyable lightly rehabbing and enjoy these wonderful wonderful speakers again... yes they have their weaknesses (easily sidestepped, btw) but their enormous strengths in midrange tonal purity, natural unfatiguing presentation of bass and treble, and overall tactility have been just a pleasure to experience again, after so many years
blkwrxwgn OP
240 posts
 
secretguy, in which way are they better?

Computer measurements?  

I kind of like the days of getting a designer's "taste" coming thru in their speakers, the only thing that made sense to me on how speakers varied in sound.

Has driver technology gotten better?

Back to the Klipsch's, a few years ago I found some Cornwalls I with the vertical horn and rebuilt the crossovers and the horn gaskets and WOW did that speaker perform, liked them better than my Spatial M3 Triode Masters I have now BUT the wife factor of the cornwalls.........yikes. ;)

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guy-incognito's avatar
guy-incognito
169 posts
 
My biggest concern about older speakers has been availability of replacement parts/drivers. I have seen multiple pairs of gen 1 Revel Salons with a blown rear tweeter for sale. Have also seen people hunting the used market for that same replacement tweeter as you can't get it from Harman anymore. 
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