At a given price point, better to go late vintage or modern?
This would be for a vacation house. The main listening area in the vacation house. I set a budget for under $2,000 for a pair of speakers and was thinking I was going to purchase either some dahlquists, Thiels or vandersteens. What I've discovered shopping locally is that a pair of Thiel 3.6's and a golden ear Triton model 2 are essentially the same price somewhere in the mid teens.
As a reference point my main home system has ar9 speakers while the smaller home theater room has the Andrew Jones pioneer home theater set. The Andrew Jones Pioneers amaze me but then again they are a 30-year newer design.
Is it folly for me to think that the Thielss can compete with the newer goldenears?
Thanks
I have heard these in person… https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/march_audio_sointuva/ They have an Olive score of 6.7, I don’t think you can go too wrong with either. |
OP, I think in your speaker case almost no question that the older speakers would sound better… assuming they were of the same sound family (so you are not deciding on a different kind of sound). Construction is very important in speaker implementation and $6K vs $2K is a whole different category.
If you get into audiophile equipment, they are so well designed and constructed they are going to far outperform mid-fi stuff almost forever. I bought a top of the line Onkyo (mid-fi) tape deck in 1980… After a while I took home a first generation Nakamichi (first of the cassette decks ever made)… it was 8 years old (ancient in the rapidly evolving new tape deck market). The Nakamichi was so much better than the incredibly well reviewed and celebrated Onkyo it was as if it was a completely different technology. This is largely the reason that high end equipment has no new model every years… thoughtful designs with outstanding components. A twenty year gap is too big, but under ten, older high end will likely best new, in expensive. |
The technology of drivers has advanced so much that new is ALWAYS better if its a properly designed speaker. There are a lot of price oriented product, as people always want a deal, always want better for less, but there are very high end drivers out there at the top of the market. ATC, Manger, a lot more. |
I would Ike to think so, but many speakers use the chest drivers that they can, and also have resonances etc. So “ALWAYS” seems like it is possibly too stronger of a word. Generally I agree that the speakers should be better now, and the older amplifiers should be fine. |
There have been so many great speakers made in the past, and it is tempting to go that route. I do know that if I were in your situation, a good quality kit would also make an impression. I have built many speakers over the decades and damned glad that I did. Even a knock down kit might a way to consider. Yes, and just like anything else out there for sale, new or used, a chance is taken that it won't meet your expectations. At your price level though, it is certainly worth a look. |
