A very interesting and constructive review of some well designed speakers. I would advise anyone buying these old speakers to be careful as they may appear perfect on the surface but in fact could have been over driven in the past. My first speakers bought in 1971 were Bowers and Wilkins DM1's. They were gorgeous open sounding speakers with similar tweeters as those on your DM4's. Unfortunately the woofer was an aluminum diaphragm elliptical speaker made by EMI. This woofer's voice coil became detached (glue failure?) after about five years of fairly careful use. Brilliant speakers in their day with the supersonic tweeter but alas, as you say, you need deep pockets to get anything similar today.
I love your content and your whole approach to audio including your love of vintage gear. I'm about your age and so relate to your fondness for this golden age of audio. I lived it too and own (or have owned) many of classics from the 70s.
Watched this upload TWICE NOW … as you need to absorb this in 100 percent and the way Kelvin delivers this upload is a measure to watch … HAPPY DAYS … it’s my weekly slice of knowledgeable info…..👍😉👌☮️
Hello Kelvin.. I have Monitor Audio R352s which I had for nothing & they where going to be Skipped before & friend who is no longer here wanted to get rid of things .. So I felt as though I should try them out.. So I put them into my system in place of my Monitor Audio 9s.. & they blew my mind.. I changed the wood colour to Black vinear colour & now they are my pride & joy as the perfect sound in my system .. Respect..
Thank you Kelvin. On your recommendation I bought the Celestion Ditton 11. Small room listening to Eva Cassidy its sublime. You are right about modern speakers. Compared to what I'm used to the Celestions are a night and day difference. Thank you for your channel.
Great selection and I agree with your points as well. My choice would overwhelmingly be those gorgeous Monitor Audio MA4's. My close friend had a pair of those back in the day and they always sounded fantastic! Like you say superbly built as well.
Great Video keep em coming. The trouble with older speakers and all old equipment is that things run out of spec, capacitors in speakers especially if they are electrolytic ones dry out over time and that changes the capacitance, I got the crossovers out of a pair of Linn Index once, a pain to get out because you had to go in from the bass/mid driver and it was glued in to keep it airtight being a sealed box design, anyway when I tested the electrolytic capacitors they were way out of spec, if i remembe right they were 3rd order on the tweeter using two 18mf capacitors which I thought was a weird value for a tweeter, they measured around 27 to 29mf, way out of spec, so if I did buy a pair of vintage speakers again I would definitely look at and test the Capacitors especially if they are electrolytic types. I wonder how many people have bought a pair of vintage speakers and moved them on because they didn't sound that good but wasn't hearing them at their best because of the crossover not working as it should
After enjoying your channel for the last few months one of my speakers broke, and I had a look for a replacement and I have managed to spot a bargain using knowledge garnered from your advice, and I have to say a big thankyou! I am at present listening using Chartwell PM210 another of the BBC monitor style speakers, 1980, early use of polypropylene bass driver. Lovely sounding.
I have a pair of Kef Referance 104's swapped out two pairs of modern Kef's for these which was priced at £275 and been rebuilt and will outlast me! Paired with a high Quality valve pre and power amp and my linn the sound is awesome and i will keep these for life as ive heard many other speakers costing thousands and not even come close to the quality of my old 104's
Hi Kelvin i thought id tell you my set up which is Linn Sondek with Nirvana/Vahalla , Roksan Tabriz arm with extra weighted counterweight for Ortofon Rondo Bronze MC cartridge into Audionote AN-S2 step up transformer into Audionote M2 Phono pre-amp and Audionote P2 poweramp all with proper Audionote interconnects, Meridian GO7 CD Player, Nakamichi BX300E Cassette deck have a Akai AP10C turntable which i bought in 1978 and still working for i use with 45s and 12"singles and a Denon 3900 DVD player for SACD and DVD Audio and my KEf Reference 104's with Atlas Hyper 3.0 speaker cable , system sounds awesome esp when valves warmed up 😁
I got some b&a D5s (not DM5s) today and they were surprisingly bright, but with a good upper mid. Instrument separation and imaging isn't great, but clarity isn't bad, obviously not audiophile by today's standards. I found they sounded better running from the 4 Ohm tap on my tube amp. It helped roll off the brightness and made them sound smoother. I will probably replace the electrolytic caps for some polypropylene and oil ones. Not bad for £36 a pair delivered though! I'm going to use them for my TV. A sub will be required if you're a basshead.
Immediately back to my schooldays in the mid-late 70s....bittersweet memories. What was, was might have been etc, etc. I certainly remember the Codas and the Dittons (probably aspired to both as a kid). Anyway, my mate's dad (who turned out to be a percussionist with English National Opera, although being a council estate snot I hadn't a clue at the time) had a pair of Rogers LS3/5a in the living room of their semi in Hounslow. Ran them with a Sugden A21 Class A amp (I later bought one myself secondhand) and a Dual turntable (can't remember the precise model). He also had a UHF receiver that he could hook up to the Sugden to get a decent tv sound, pretty innovative back then. We tried a wide range of music with this setup (when his dad wasn't in). From classical through prog rock, Led Zeppelin, Queen, even punk. Overall a fairly dynamic sound (for back then), and indeed balanced upper and midrange. But of course zero bass. Madness to part with that sort of money for them. I paid a similar amount for a pair of ESL 63s about 10 years ago (they're probably available for less now) and they were (still are) way, way better value. A completely different league. But what with all the musical instruments they had dotted around the house, I guess they didn't have sufficient room for such beasts. And for a few hundred pound, I managed to pick up a pair of Linn Saras. Not quite bookshelfs but fairly small and so much more weight than the LS3/5a.
The LS3/5a became what it is today for a reason. Many people preferred them for sheer accuracy. They are said to have good bass for a little speaker though I think my JR149s improved on them. Bass is somewhat a function of the amp.
Thank you for your review! I have exactly the same KEF Coda at home. Built in 1972 and they sound wonderful. B&W DM 4 is also one of the favourites I have collected. Very nice speakers. I have more old B&W at home, including a set of white B&W DM 1 from the late 60s and a few sets of very good sounding B&W D5 ( Not DM5 ). B&W made good speakers. Recently I got my hands on a pair of LENTEK S4 sets. One of the tweeters has blown up but Falcon Acoustics has replacement parts so I will repair the Audax tweeters. The set is in almost perfect condition, I am very happy with it. ( Not much info online about the Lentek's )
Abs spot on.... I always look out for local sellers that are getting rid of OLD speakers and I've bought loads of BIG speakers for peanuts £5 Wharfedale Dovedale £5 KEF kit from Wilmslow Audio (B139 / B110 / T27 TL's) £10 LEAK Sandwich 2060 £16 Paralab 20 TL's £5 Celestion county £10 Celestion ditton 15 £20 RAM CD-20 (Small / Med) you can by so many old classic speakers for small amounts of money because people just don't seem to want to have them in their living space anymore combine this lot with my DIY jobs / multiple Celestion UL8's / Monitor audio's / Mission etc etc and the wife has gone bonkers and most are now in storage and I can't play with them!! so it has its disadvantages this 'bargain' speaker addiction, sadly
I got the Jamo Concert 8, the only great speaker they ever produced, all seas magnesium drivers, stunning sound in every way-used as a reference in stereophile for many years, but watch out for corrosion on the seas bass driver, inspect it closely at the front for white powder holes, but i have never heard a better speaker, unfortunately you cannot buy replacement drivers for it, so if you live near the sea (no pun intended) do not buy due to salty air accelerating corrosion.
I have 4 pairs of bookshelf speakers and one of them will be used with my Cambridge Audio CXA60. They are, B&W DM302, KEF Coda 7, Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 and Paradigm Atom. That's for a mid size room. The Paradigm are out of the race to me. I know eventually I will get some good new speakers like the Triangle Borea BRO3 but for now I have to choose between those I have. Which pair should I use? I know my ears have the final words but your opinion would be appreciate. Thank you.
Hello. Please let me know what do You mean when You are talking about "too small room" for MA4 mk2? Mine is 16,5 m2. This tons of bass will be unbridled? Greetings from Poland. Leszek
I just found a pair of Rogers Export Monitors. Something you wouldn't see much here in the USA. Do you have a take on those? They were at an estates sale and they sound awesome to me!
Among KEF C75, KEF C80 and B&W 220 speakers, can I ask your opinion which represent best British speaker sound? Which one deliver deep base, clarity and definition? Thanks
I bought a pair of Wharfedale Denton mk1 or at least I think that’s what they are. They sound pretty great but I have a minor issue is the wires come out of the back quite easy. The connectors are quite simple as they are just two simple screws. I tried spades but they are to wide and the left and right connectors touch. Any Tips?
30 years ago was the best time to look for vintage speakers. They were in every thrift store and for cheap. The downtown Seattle Goodwill, always had something. Now just about all and anything of value is taken up by flippers. Occasionally you can find something, but not like it was before.
Hi there great video. been given a pair of Goodmans Q60s the led doesnt light up red or green . Not sure how the front grill comes off. Any ideas? Cheers. Keep the videos coming
People in the UK don't know how lucky they are as far as second hand hifi. I've been trying to set up a vintage system for the last 2 months here in Germany. A pair of Celestion Ditton IIs I had my eye on went for 400 euros in the end. A pair of scruffy looking Castle Pemberton's are up now, starting price 360 euros. I could go on.
I had a pair of old JVC speakers that had been driven hard and the tweeters burnt out but as the cases were good I stripped them down and restained them, I then found a pair of Mordaunt Shorts on eBay that had badly damaged cases so did a swap over, the cases of the JVCs were ported and The Mordaunt Shorts were closed cabinets, When fitted together I was surprised at how wonderful they sounded.
you ever try a pair of early kef concertos 1969 i have a pair of 104ab and the early concertos sound so big like 105 and later concertos just dont sound the same like for u to reviwer them
Yes I have had concertos a really big sound I found I had to do a fair bit of tweaking with position and amps to get it sounding good but it did get very good
I had Sonys from the same era. I bough these and at first I was underwhelmed. I thought Sony was bassier and chirpier and these jbls sounded weak and muted. Now I like how flat and natural they sound. The highs and mids are delicious, and the low end is surprisingly good too. They really shine at higher levels and no specific frequency sticks out to my ears. Are modern speakers under $200, by Sony, etc., surely better?
Thanks for your videos I am learning very much and I am 63 about that stereo time what I love. What kind of speakers could you tell for classical music. I had the Magnat all Ribon 5. Today I preffer for vinyl three way speakers, because I believe it sepates better the tones. Best regards from Linz, Austria.
@@stereoreviewx Thanks for your kind answer. I see in austria under willhaben, wantohave or wantobuy, a website to buy anything, and there are a many offers about the magnat allribon series. I will go I guess for Magnat allribon 6 wich by the way at tthat time they run only with 8 Ohms. Wich kind of amplifier would your recommend to me? I have thougt about the Denon pma 920. ? Thanks and following your channel is a pleasure. By the way have you heard about a Japanese made Turntable working and reading Vinyl with laser,? there are two models and very expensive. Only possible to buy direct from the japanese company. Thanks once more...
HI hope your doing well , in your opinion whats the warmest vintage speaker, for jazz , vocal n its detail either old or new worth looking at i use a quad 303 and pre amp
My father worked on outside broadcasting for radio Nottingham and he had all sorts of hifi gear. I've ended up with most of it. Some he sold like his nagra reel to reel. His idea of what was good may come across as nonsense. But here's what I've got that still works. Turntable home made with sme tonearm and matsuhito motor off his accutrac 4000. Pioneer z series hifi . Jamo d4 speakers. Some eagle speakers full range I think. Sony es series wood slides need varnish. Home made reel to reel in chipboard case motors say revox.and loads of tapes with aluminium splice block. I would like to say most of his gear got sold after he died.
Just to add. Ive got some new monitor speakers they where only 130 pounds and they sound really good. They are the presonus 4.5s. I run my synths thru them. 303 909 808 sound good aswell.
Biggest loudspeaker bargain 2nd hand is the Jamo D830 (only great speaker they ever built), but make sure you dont get a corroded driver, but get a good one for around £600 and it will kick the ass of most sub £6000 setups period.
I have the very expensive b&w dm302 bought secondhand for 40 euro's and 2 infinity minuette subs for a total of 20 euro's and it sounds great. and that for60 euro's total ;-)
Few minutes in, liking your approach. I'm also glad to be in a different situation to most people and to have a suitable space for my big AR9 speakers. I'm sure the size was a factor in them being donated to the local recycling depot.
Hi! Very interested on vintage speakers. Can I ask for some tip? I have in mind two different speakers to complete a nikko 690 amplifier (70's). One is the b&w you show on the video (saw the complete analysis you made of it). And in the other hand I have a celestion ditton 33.. Wich do you think will fit better to the nikko? Do you recommend another one? Again thank you. Very useful all the content
I would go narrowly but definitely for the BMW curiously they have a celestion tweeter Now I did have the ditton 22s I just found it wasn’t well put together just a little unrefined like not enough love put into it
@@stereoreviewx Thank you! I'm still looking for speakers, and I found a pair of Martin Lab 38 in very good condition and good price. American speakers with Norwegian manufacture monitor studio speakers. I am in doubt again with the bowers and these that I comment on, some reviews speak wonders of them. I was asking if you've had a chance to listen them. I think both of them are a good choice..
The Rogers and all LS3/5a speakers have an elaborate filter that is obsolete nowadays....They will always sound less than todays speakers. Monitor Audio Studio line is the secret tip... don't tell anyone.
Well I’m not completely familiar but that is a later range I’m inclined to say no but I’m not fully aware If you look at the Cath website it has a museum page the range from the 70s with a concerto in it they are pretty class
The Carina II was a decent budget speaker of its time, but certainly not one of the best around. Looking at budget speakers of any age, it is wiser to stick with the more common two-way two driver arrangement than the two-way three driver layout of the Carina, since the maker has only had to split the money two ways, rather than three, plus with budget equipment the fewer complications involved, the better engineered the product should be. An eighties contemporary of the Carina II well worth considering is the Mission 700. It has gone through several generations since, all of them among the very best in class, and which look quite different but all share the comparatively rare characteristic of having the tweeter below the mid/bass unit, as well as both excellent sound quality and a value for money pricing policy. Additionally, the 700 is a much better choice in terms of future upgradeability, since not only does it partner superbly with a fine budget amplifier of the period like the NAD 3020, or alternatives including the Sansui AU-222 and Rotel RA-320, but they will also show their class powered by the best amplifiers from a class or two above, for example the A&R Cambridge A60, Musical Fidelity A1, Audiolab 8000A, or Sugden A48 MK II. For an upgrade alternative to the 700 there's the Mission 770 if you've room for a larger pair of speakers, or Linn Kan for a similar-sized model.
Maybe it's because I live in Nashville Tennessee (music city) USA but all those speakers are small to tiny 😁. I built the BBC LS3/5'S here way back in the day to spec for people who wanted them and still have a pair. They are excellent near field monitors, far superior to the standard Yamaha ns10. Of course the other standard was the JBL L100 which could provide everything one needed in the near field mode. They are used still some but sound dated mostly due to the LE 25. If I were stranded on an island I would pick the Speakerlab supper sevens, the ones that have the Electrovoice T 350 tweeters and 8HD mid horns. Hopefully I could have a big Mcintosh amp too😅. Gotta be able to scare off the predators! What do you think about the Goodmans axiom drivers of old and the first maximus speaker? I have heard those decades ago and purchased a pair of maximus 2's thinking they were similar, they are definitely not. Also are there other speakers you can get that have other drivers than keff woofers? And if so are any of them to your liking? Thanks for the tutorial.
My man, I am not going to lie, you could patent a drinking game, every time you say ‘yeah’ in your videos, someone should take a shot, easily they’ll be inebriated, I am up this late as I am on break whilst working nights 😂 good content
Well frankly it’s too much it’s much higher than it was two years ago when it would’ve been £100 or less they should sound good big sound nice tweeters as long as they’re working properly.. I mean had to guess I’d say there are unlikely to sell but who knows Good luck let us know how it works out
@@stereoreviewx I was thinking myself that it was a bit much but as you have said a lot of them try with big buy it now prices on ebay and probably stuck with them a long time
I have the B&W DM4s which I use with a Technics SL1200 MKII.....pretty happy. HOWEVER, maybe I'm looking back with rosetinted spectacles, but my Dad's Garrard SP25MkII sounded flipping immense through his Wharfdales during the 70s and 80s. Whether it was Rush, Chic or Delius everything sounded bloody marvellous. Somehow I've got it in my head that my current set-up is not as good. But hey!! Could be the amp, could be the stylus, I know. But anyway, I'm sticking with what I have as I can't afford to upgrade.
I now have B & W DM 1600 ( with metal stands!) in mint condition , all original units, and front covers, almost perfect. Paid £100 for the lot . 25-minute drive. In todays money @ £2000
I love these reviews. Wish he'd do more. Seems to be only him and the Dutch guy doing these detailed reviews and I have no idea what the Dutch guy's on about.
I cover a few continents with my choice of speakers that I bought new in the 80's and that I still own and cherrish; Celestion Ditton 66 Series II, Altec Lansing Model 14, Technics SB-L100 and Elipson Melodine Series 1 MKII on one computer and a set of Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 on another computer. Each has a different sound; Great Britain, United States, Japan, France for the Elipson and the United States for the Klipsch. They were all speakers that shine in sound reproduction when they came out; Celestion Ditton 66 Series II and Elipson Melodine Series 1 MKII for Classical, Altec Lansing Model 14 Rock and Blues, Technics SB-L100 for Techno and keyboards and wind instrument like saxophone or trumpet and the migthty Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 for movies on computers.
Stereo review X yes Radford monitor 180 quite an unusual design ,I’m just interested to see what they sound like ,and wondered if you have had the pleasure ,with this speaker :-)
In a January 1981 What Hi-fi the following prices are given Audiomaster LS3/5A £180 Chartwell LS3/5A £189 Rogers LS3/5A £180 JR149 £160 SuperWoofer LPA £207 Kef 101 £185
@@stereoreviewx Looking at purchasing power £100 in 1980 would need £431.64 in 2020. So £180 in 80/81 would be about £776 today. Rogers are asking £2750.
Sincere thanks for the kind and valuable advice. There is a point about the old speakers. Are the drivers subject to aging? if yes, how long can their useful life be? I see on sale speakers also with 50 years on the hump and experienced people who perjury for their high residual quality. I'm a little confused about this. Is there an overrun problem? thanks again and good things gino
The bookshelf speakers that interested me way back then included the JR149 - an LS3/5a but more bass and the cylinder shape make them blend into your living space well but the JR149 needs a good 60-100 Watt power amplifier, Kef 101 - small neat speakers that were more efficient than the JR149 and worked well with 30 and 40 Watt amplifiers. Going larger and delivering more bass the JR150 and Spendor BC1. This was also the time of floor standing Linn Isobarik, B&W 801, Kef 105/2, 104/2 and Meridian M1 active speakers. Many manufacturers made LS3/5A including Chartwell, Kef (94-98) and Rogers (who resumed making them for £2750 last year). Also Falcon make LS3/5A for £2500. As nice as the LS3/5A there are many competitors that deliver more for the asking price new and even second hand vintage models.
I just recently purchase a pair of KEF Coda III's. Mediocre at best. They play sound and not music. The KEF logo does not automatically guarantee good sound. I own B&W DM4's, Spendor BC1'a and BCII,s. Whatever possessed me to purchase these Coda's is a mystery to me. I must be getting senile. I think I was hoping for a somewhat similar sound to the LA3/5a's. The Coda's are available for free to the 1st person who comes by!
Yes the only good KEF range was the one with the teak veneer and the models are cadenza concerto chorale the original coda but not this code 3 basically the 70s early 70s keg rubbish by the 80s generally speaking
Goga Kerps I have a pair of Linn Kans. Placed against the wall on original stands they sound wonderful to me. There are plenty of detractors who will tell you they are rubbish . Maybe I’m missing out on some fabulous small monitors like these Rogers, but without shelling out a load of cash I’ll never know. I am thinking of trying some big boxes though for a complete change - maybe Celestion Ditton 25s.
It’s about time somebody started a vintage audio review channel.
@Maxwell Kayson fake scams
I've often wondered what happened to Tintin. I reckon he'd be in his 40s now, probably a hifi fan too.
haaa, Tin Tinn! lol. where is Milú? I hpe far away florstanding ones. XD
Idiot.
@@grahamd5418 Goose :)
With snow now
1000s of blistering barnacles
Cracked me up man
A very interesting and constructive review of some well designed speakers. I would advise anyone buying these old speakers to be careful as they may appear perfect on the surface but in fact could have been over driven in the past. My first speakers bought in 1971 were Bowers and Wilkins DM1's. They were gorgeous open sounding speakers with similar tweeters as those on your DM4's. Unfortunately the woofer was an aluminum diaphragm elliptical speaker made by EMI. This woofer's voice coil became detached (glue failure?) after about five years of fairly careful use. Brilliant speakers in their day with the supersonic tweeter but alas, as you say, you need deep pockets to get anything similar today.
I love your content and your whole approach to audio including your love of vintage gear. I'm about your age and so relate to your fondness for this golden age of audio. I lived it too and own (or have owned) many of classics from the 70s.
i love the way you compare vintage speakers and comments are fair n speak from user’s view👍👍😊😊
Watched this upload TWICE NOW … as you need to absorb this in 100 percent and the way Kelvin delivers this upload is a measure to watch … HAPPY DAYS … it’s my weekly slice of knowledgeable info…..👍😉👌☮️
Hello Kelvin.. I have Monitor Audio R352s which I had for nothing & they where going to be Skipped before & friend who is no longer here wanted to get rid of things .. So I felt as though I should try them out.. So I put them into my system in place of my Monitor Audio 9s.. & they blew my mind.. I changed the wood colour to Black vinear colour & now they are my pride & joy as the perfect sound in my system .. Respect..
Thank you Kelvin. On your recommendation I bought the Celestion Ditton 11. Small room listening to Eva Cassidy its sublime. You are right about modern speakers. Compared to what I'm used to the Celestions are a night and day difference. Thank you for your channel.
Great selection and I agree with your points as well. My choice would overwhelmingly be those gorgeous Monitor Audio MA4's. My close friend had a pair of those back in the day and they always sounded fantastic! Like you say superbly built as well.
Great Video keep em coming. The trouble with older speakers and all old equipment is that things run out of spec, capacitors in speakers especially if they are electrolytic ones dry out over time and that changes the capacitance, I got the crossovers out of a pair of Linn Index once, a pain to get out because you had to go in from the bass/mid driver and it was glued in to keep it airtight being a sealed box design, anyway when I tested the electrolytic capacitors they were way out of spec, if i remembe right they were 3rd order on the tweeter using two 18mf capacitors which I thought was a weird value for a tweeter, they measured around 27 to 29mf, way out of spec, so if I did buy a pair of vintage speakers again I would definitely look at and test the Capacitors especially if they are electrolytic types. I wonder how many people have bought a pair of vintage speakers and moved them on because they didn't sound that good but wasn't hearing them at their best because of the crossover not working as it should
Well said, most people are oblivious to this and like you say, just sell them on
After enjoying your channel for the last few months one of my speakers broke, and I had a look for a replacement and I have managed to spot a bargain using knowledge garnered from your advice, and I have to say a big thankyou! I am at present listening using Chartwell PM210 another of the BBC monitor style speakers, 1980, early use of polypropylene bass driver. Lovely sounding.
Good to hear
I have a pair of Kef Referance 104's swapped out two pairs of modern Kef's for these which was priced at £275 and been rebuilt and will outlast me! Paired with a high Quality valve pre and power amp and my linn the sound is awesome and i will keep these for life as ive heard many other speakers costing thousands and not even come close to the quality of my old 104's
Hi Kelvin i thought id tell you my set up which is Linn Sondek with Nirvana/Vahalla , Roksan Tabriz arm with extra weighted counterweight for Ortofon Rondo Bronze MC cartridge into Audionote AN-S2 step up transformer into Audionote M2 Phono pre-amp and Audionote P2 poweramp all with proper Audionote interconnects, Meridian GO7 CD Player, Nakamichi BX300E Cassette deck have a Akai AP10C turntable which i bought in 1978 and still working for i use with 45s and 12"singles and a Denon 3900 DVD player for SACD and DVD Audio and my KEf Reference 104's with Atlas Hyper 3.0 speaker cable , system sounds awesome esp when valves warmed up 😁
I got some b&a D5s (not DM5s) today and they were surprisingly bright, but with a good upper mid. Instrument separation and imaging isn't great, but clarity isn't bad, obviously not audiophile by today's standards. I found they sounded better running from the 4 Ohm tap on my tube amp. It helped roll off the brightness and made them sound smoother. I will probably replace the electrolytic caps for some polypropylene and oil ones. Not bad for £36 a pair delivered though! I'm going to use them for my TV. A sub will be required if you're a basshead.
Ruark speakers are a terrific brand to pick up secondhand.
have a old pair of mission 710 , with out the originals drivers , can you
recommend a beautyful driver for jazz vocal
Not sure I know the answer to that
@@stereoreviewx thanks , i have a pair of mark audio full range , i am looking a nice warm amp any thoughts and what i could look at?
@@stereoreviewx I am using a Nad 302 n a Rotel power amp
Immediately back to my schooldays in the mid-late 70s....bittersweet memories. What was, was might have been etc, etc. I certainly remember the Codas and the Dittons (probably aspired to both as a kid). Anyway, my mate's dad (who turned out to be a percussionist with English National Opera, although being a council estate snot I hadn't a clue at the time) had a pair of Rogers LS3/5a in the living room of their semi in Hounslow. Ran them with a Sugden A21 Class A amp (I later bought one myself secondhand) and a Dual turntable (can't remember the precise model). He also had a UHF receiver that he could hook up to the Sugden to get a decent tv sound, pretty innovative back then.
We tried a wide range of music with this setup (when his dad wasn't in). From classical through prog rock, Led Zeppelin, Queen, even punk. Overall a fairly dynamic sound (for back then), and indeed balanced upper and midrange. But of course zero bass. Madness to part with that sort of money for them. I paid a similar amount for a pair of ESL 63s about 10 years ago (they're probably available for less now) and they were (still are) way, way better value. A completely different league. But what with all the musical instruments they had dotted around the house, I guess they didn't have sufficient room for such beasts. And for a few hundred pound, I managed to pick up a pair of Linn Saras. Not quite bookshelfs but fairly small and so much more weight than the LS3/5a.
The LS3/5a became what it is today for a reason. Many people preferred them for sheer accuracy. They are said to have good bass for a little speaker though I think my JR149s improved on them. Bass is somewhat a function of the amp.
Thank you for your review! I have exactly the same KEF Coda at home. Built in 1972 and they sound wonderful. B&W DM 4 is also one of the favourites I have collected. Very nice speakers. I have more old B&W at home, including a set of white B&W DM 1 from the late 60s and a few sets of very good sounding B&W D5 ( Not DM5 ). B&W made good speakers. Recently I got my hands on a pair of LENTEK S4 sets. One of the tweeters has blown up but Falcon Acoustics has replacement parts so I will repair the Audax tweeters. The set is in almost perfect condition, I am very happy with it.
( Not much info online about the Lentek's )
Abs spot on.... I always look out for local sellers that are getting rid of OLD speakers and I've bought loads of BIG speakers for peanuts
£5 Wharfedale Dovedale
£5 KEF kit from Wilmslow Audio (B139 / B110 / T27 TL's)
£10 LEAK Sandwich 2060
£16 Paralab 20 TL's
£5 Celestion county
£10 Celestion ditton 15
£20 RAM CD-20 (Small / Med)
you can by so many old classic speakers for small amounts of money because people just don't seem to want to have them in their living space anymore
combine this lot with my DIY jobs / multiple Celestion UL8's / Monitor audio's / Mission etc etc and the wife has gone bonkers and most are now in storage and I can't play with them!! so it has its disadvantages this 'bargain' speaker addiction, sadly
I got the Jamo Concert 8, the only great speaker they ever produced, all seas magnesium drivers, stunning sound in every way-used as a reference in stereophile for many years, but watch out for corrosion on the seas bass driver, inspect it closely at the front for white powder holes, but i have never heard a better speaker, unfortunately you cannot buy replacement drivers for it, so if you live near the sea (no pun intended) do not buy due to salty air accelerating corrosion.
I have 4 pairs of bookshelf speakers and one of them will be used with my Cambridge Audio CXA60. They are, B&W DM302, KEF Coda 7, Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 and Paradigm Atom. That's for a mid size room. The Paradigm are out of the race to me. I know eventually I will get some good new speakers like the Triangle Borea BRO3 but for now I have to choose between those I have. Which pair should I use? I know my ears have the final words but your opinion would be appreciate. Thank you.
Hello.
Please let me know what do You mean when You are talking about "too small room" for MA4 mk2? Mine is 16,5 m2. This tons of bass will be unbridled?
Greetings from Poland.
Leszek
I just found a pair of Rogers Export Monitors. Something you wouldn't see much here in the USA. Do you have a take on those? They were at an estates sale and they sound awesome to me!
I think they are like the Spender BC ones which are very highly regarded
K
Among KEF C75, KEF C80 and B&W 220 speakers, can I ask your opinion which represent best British speaker sound? Which one deliver deep base, clarity and definition? Thanks
Great video. The days of DM4's at £125 are long gone sadly. People want £250+.
I bought a pair of Wharfedale Denton mk1 or at least I think that’s what they are. They sound pretty great but I have a minor issue is the wires come out of the back quite easy. The connectors are quite simple as they are just two simple screws. I tried spades but they are to wide and the left and right connectors touch. Any Tips?
30 years ago was the best time to look for vintage speakers.
They were in every thrift store and for cheap.
The downtown Seattle Goodwill, always had something.
Now just about all and anything of value is taken up by flippers.
Occasionally you can find something, but not like it was before.
Yes, I agree in England, even 10 years ago you could get incredible bargains
Not anymore, half of, that’s my fault 😝
Hi there great video. been given a pair of Goodmans Q60s the led doesnt light up red or green . Not sure how the front grill comes off. Any ideas? Cheers. Keep the videos coming
Hi! Do You know something about Celestion F1, I saw a pair at good price, but nobody has info about them. Thanks for your time.
If I lived in the UK, I would have a (much more) amazing stereo.
Aren't the Rogers what's called 'near field' monitors?
People in the UK don't know how lucky they are as far as second hand hifi. I've been trying to set up a vintage system for the last 2 months here in Germany. A pair of Celestion Ditton IIs I had my eye on went for 400 euros in the end. A pair of scruffy looking Castle Pemberton's are up now, starting price 360 euros. I could go on.
I had a pair of old JVC speakers that had been driven hard and the tweeters burnt out but as the cases were good I stripped them down and restained them, I then found a pair of Mordaunt Shorts on eBay that had badly damaged cases so did a swap over, the cases of the JVCs were ported and The Mordaunt Shorts were closed cabinets,
When fitted together I was surprised at how wonderful they sounded.
you ever try a pair of early kef concertos 1969 i have a pair of 104ab and the early concertos sound so big like 105 and later concertos just dont sound the same like for u to reviwer them
Yes I have had concertos a really big sound I found I had to do a fair bit of tweaking with position and amps to get it sounding good but it did get very good
I had Sonys from the same era. I bough these and at first I was underwhelmed. I thought Sony was bassier and chirpier and these jbls sounded weak and muted.
Now I like how flat and natural they sound. The highs and mids are delicious, and the low end is surprisingly good too. They really shine at higher levels and no specific frequency sticks out to my ears.
Are modern speakers under $200, by Sony, etc., surely better?
You should try speakers from the philips HiFi International line up from 70-80s. They are amazing!
yeah I believe you
I stay with my B&W DM14000, this set will last one life and more. Top quality, almost full spectrum down to 30Hz. Advanced project in any detail.
I use the BW DM4 as computer monitors with rel sub , that combination produces wonderful sound, better than most computer sound systems.
dude,try dm4 with turntable and good vintage amp.listening from computer,and i think,with stock audio its like drive F1 10km/h :))))
Thanks for your videos I am learning very much and I am 63 about that stereo time what I love.
What kind of speakers could you tell for classical music. I had the Magnat all Ribon 5.
Today I preffer for vinyl three way speakers, because I believe it sepates better the tones.
Best regards from Linz, Austria.
Yes A good three way is conceptually a better thing for sure .
Two ways are almost a fundamentally faulted concept
K
@@stereoreviewx Thanks for your kind answer. I see in austria under willhaben, wantohave or wantobuy, a website to buy anything, and there are a many offers about the magnat allribon series. I will go I guess for Magnat allribon 6 wich by the way at tthat time they run only with 8 Ohms. Wich kind of amplifier would your recommend to me?
I have thougt about the Denon pma 920.
?
Thanks and following your channel is a pleasure.
By the way have you heard about a Japanese made Turntable working and reading Vinyl with laser,? there are two models and very expensive. Only possible to buy direct from the japanese company.
Thanks once more...
HI hope your doing well , in your opinion whats the warmest vintage speaker, for jazz , vocal n its detail either old or new worth looking at i use a quad 303 and pre amp
Well it’s very tricky to Name one speaker fat I want to say big speakers you need the air and space in jazz big cones big boxes
@@stereoreviewx oh I understand now thanks. Like which one options ?
My father worked on outside broadcasting for radio Nottingham and he had all sorts of hifi gear. I've ended up with most of it. Some he sold like his nagra reel to reel. His idea of what was good may come across as nonsense. But here's what I've got that still works. Turntable home made with sme tonearm and matsuhito motor off his accutrac 4000. Pioneer z series hifi . Jamo d4 speakers. Some eagle speakers full range I think. Sony es series wood slides need varnish. Home made reel to reel in chipboard case motors say revox.and loads of tapes with aluminium splice block. I would like to say most of his gear got sold after he died.
Just to add. Ive got some new monitor speakers they where only 130 pounds and they sound really good. They are the presonus 4.5s. I run my synths thru them. 303 909 808 sound good aswell.
Acid
Biggest loudspeaker bargain 2nd hand is the Jamo D830 (only great speaker they ever built), but make sure you dont get a corroded driver, but get a good one for around £600 and it will kick the ass of most sub £6000 setups period.
I picked up a pair of Spendor SP 2s for £10 in BHF. The bass is incredibly lush
Have you tried the KEF 101? iF SO, What do you think of them.
I have the very expensive b&w dm302 bought secondhand for 40 euro's and 2 infinity minuette subs for a total of 20 euro's and it sounds great. and that for60 euro's total ;-)
Few minutes in, liking your approach. I'm also glad to be in a different situation to most people and to have a suitable space for my big AR9 speakers. I'm sure the size was a factor in them being donated to the local recycling depot.
Yeah me too, I will never sell my Celestion Ditton 25´s I just love the effortless way they fill the room with music!
Hi! Very interested on vintage speakers. Can I ask for some tip? I have in mind two different speakers to complete a nikko 690 amplifier (70's). One is the b&w you show on the video (saw the complete analysis you made of it). And in the other hand I have a celestion ditton 33..
Wich do you think will fit better to the nikko? Do you recommend another one?
Again thank you. Very useful all the content
I would go narrowly but definitely for the BMW curiously they have a celestion tweeter
Now I did have the ditton 22s I just found it wasn’t well put together just a little unrefined like not enough love put into it
@@stereoreviewx Thank you! I'm still looking for speakers, and I found a pair of Martin Lab 38 in very good condition and good price. American speakers with Norwegian manufacture monitor studio speakers. I am in doubt again with the bowers and these that I comment on, some reviews speak wonders of them. I was asking if you've had a chance to listen them. I think both of them are a good choice..
Hi, im wondering if you could help me find a pair of vintage speakers to buy ? im based in london
👋 THANKS KELVIN, FOR HELPING OUT THE COMMUNITY 🤗😎👍💚💚💚
Subbed very good speach on the speakers. Ive just bought some mission floor speakers for £30. Nice punchy bass.
I only look for 12" and at least 8" drivers! Just used sanded and rubbed tung oil on my '74 Pioneer CS-53...
Your number 1 in my book, Keep on :)
what's your opinion on Goodmans Mezo 3g?
The Rogers and all LS3/5a speakers have an elaborate filter that is obsolete nowadays....They will always sound less than todays speakers. Monitor Audio Studio line is the secret tip... don't tell anyone.
Dynaco A25 and A26 by SEAS are nice.
What do you think of the KEF Carina II with 2 woofers?
Nice review ! what do you think about leak 2030 speakers ? i want to buy them.
Well not sure about the leaks I doubt it sounds very refined and all those tweeters Metal I’m not sure
Do you know anything about Wharfedale W3? Would they be worth £200 for a pretty rough pair?
Where do you catch quids at.
Most of those speakers dont look familiar here in California, but great points that still apply. Thanks.
Can I asl a Question do you know anything about the Kef Carina 2 speakers are they anygood?
Well I’m not completely familiar but that is a later range I’m inclined to say no but I’m not fully aware
If you look at the Cath website it has a museum page the range from the 70s with a concerto in it they are pretty class
The Carina II was a decent budget speaker of its time, but certainly not one of the best around. Looking at budget speakers of any age, it is wiser to stick with the more common two-way two driver arrangement than the two-way three driver layout of the Carina, since the maker has only had to split the money two ways, rather than three, plus with budget equipment the fewer complications involved, the better engineered the product should be. An eighties contemporary of the Carina II well worth considering is the Mission 700. It has gone through several generations since, all of them among the very best in class, and which look quite different but all share the comparatively rare characteristic of having the tweeter below the mid/bass unit, as well as both excellent sound quality and a value for money pricing policy. Additionally, the 700 is a much better choice in terms of future upgradeability, since not only does it partner superbly with a fine budget amplifier of the period like the NAD 3020, or alternatives including the Sansui AU-222 and Rotel RA-320, but they will also show their class powered by the best amplifiers from a class or two above, for example the A&R Cambridge A60, Musical Fidelity A1, Audiolab 8000A, or Sugden A48 MK II. For an upgrade alternative to the 700 there's the Mission 770 if you've room for a larger pair of speakers, or Linn Kan for a similar-sized model.
Maybe it's because I live in Nashville Tennessee (music city) USA but all those speakers are small to tiny 😁. I built the BBC LS3/5'S here way back in the day to spec for people who wanted them and still have a pair. They are excellent near field monitors, far superior to the standard Yamaha ns10. Of course the other standard was the JBL L100 which could provide everything one needed in the near field mode. They are used still some but sound dated mostly due to the LE 25. If I were stranded on an island I would pick the Speakerlab supper sevens, the ones that have the Electrovoice T 350 tweeters and 8HD mid horns. Hopefully I could have a big Mcintosh amp too😅. Gotta be able to scare off the predators! What do you think about the Goodmans axiom drivers of old and the first maximus speaker? I have heard those decades ago and purchased a pair of maximus 2's thinking they were similar, they are definitely not. Also are there other speakers you can get that have other drivers than keff woofers? And if so are any of them to your liking? Thanks for the tutorial.
The Rogers are going for £2500 on ebay now
I bought a pair of Onkyo Sc 601 for 250 bucks, was it a good deal or not?
Not familiar
@@stereoreviewx what means 'familiar'? I'm not good in english
do you prefer bass reflex or Acoustic suspension?
If I had to choose I’d say acoustic suspension
Though ported speakers have improved a lot over time
@@stereoreviewx what do you think of Kef coda III?
Hi @Stereo review X i found Celestion DL8 Series on gumtree for £80 am i able to use it for my record player or is it a bluetooth ??
My man, I am not going to lie, you could patent a drinking game, every time you say ‘yeah’ in your videos, someone should take a shot, easily they’ll be inebriated, I am up this late as I am on break whilst working nights 😂 good content
I have been looking at some Bowers and wilkins dm3 but they are wanting £295 for them that's with delivery are they any good ?
Well frankly it’s too much it’s much higher than it was two years ago when it would’ve been £100 or less they should sound good big sound nice tweeters as long as they’re working properly..
I mean had to guess I’d say there are unlikely to sell but who knows
Good luck let us know how it works out
@@stereoreviewx I was thinking myself that it was a bit much but as you have said a lot of them try with big buy it now prices on ebay and probably stuck with them a long time
Of these speakers, the best by far are the B&W DM4s. Most overrated are (of course) the ls3/5a's.
Just bought a pair of these KEF Codas for 35€ delivered. Let's see how they sound
So how they sound?? Thxxx
The B&W looks just like a Spendor SP1, -- same midrange and tweeter.
Yes same tweeter and supertweeter different bass driver yeah
I have the B&W DM4s which I use with a Technics SL1200 MKII.....pretty happy.
HOWEVER, maybe I'm looking back with rosetinted spectacles, but my Dad's Garrard SP25MkII sounded flipping immense through his Wharfdales during the 70s and 80s. Whether it was Rush, Chic or Delius everything sounded bloody marvellous. Somehow I've got it in my head that my current set-up is not as good. But hey!! Could be the amp, could be the stylus, I know. But anyway, I'm sticking with what I have as I can't afford to upgrade.
You know it is seriously worth rotate the base driver let’s say 90° and tighten up those screws for the base driver this can be a big plus
I now have B & W DM 1600 ( with metal stands!) in mint condition , all original units, and front covers, almost perfect.
Paid £100 for the lot . 25-minute drive.
In todays money @ £2000
I love these reviews. Wish he'd do more. Seems to be only him and the Dutch guy doing these detailed reviews and I have no idea what the Dutch guy's on about.
Dutch are foul people.
I'm dutch. Do you happen to know the name of the channel?
Are the Kef Cresta mk2 any good?
Not really
I cover a few continents with my choice of speakers that I bought new in the 80's and that I still own and cherrish; Celestion Ditton 66 Series II, Altec Lansing Model 14, Technics SB-L100 and Elipson Melodine Series 1 MKII on one computer and a set of Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 on another computer. Each has a different sound; Great Britain, United States, Japan, France for the Elipson and the United States for the Klipsch. They were all speakers that shine in sound reproduction when they came out; Celestion Ditton 66 Series II and Elipson Melodine Series 1 MKII for Classical, Altec Lansing Model 14 Rock and Blues, Technics SB-L100 for Techno and keyboards and wind instrument like saxophone or trumpet and the migthty Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 for movies on computers.
Great video. Those acoustic monitors won't be a bargain on ebay now, after people have watched this.
Hi there i have two vintage Mission 710 with not the original driver and 720 do you know who may be interested
I got the B&W bigger brother the dm2. Nice big sound with these
Yes I really wanna try a pair of DM twos same tweeters but I think it’s a transmission line which is a winner I would’ve thought
A pair of Bowers & Wilkins DM 4 is listed on Ebay US now for $1950 plus $150 shipping. Crazy.
most times nobody buys these crazy prices
Saw a pair at goodwill today for $250.
Hi have you ever tried radford speakers ?
No do you mean vintage ones my understanding is that there weren’t many is that right
K
Stereo review X yes Radford monitor 180 quite an unusual design ,I’m just interested to see what they sound like ,and wondered if you have had the pleasure ,with this speaker :-)
Brilliant information, thanks
Sounds like a harry enfield character “yeh” good content
You need toi add a Ditton 15XR to the collection
Where are you pal ,
I like your take on the hobby
In a January 1981 What Hi-fi the following prices are given
Audiomaster LS3/5A £180
Chartwell LS3/5A £189
Rogers LS3/5A £180
JR149 £160
SuperWoofer LPA £207
Kef 101 £185
Wow that’s interesting shows you what happens over time .
I mean what speakers gain a reputation and what that does to the price.
Great stuff thanks
@@stereoreviewx Looking at purchasing power £100 in 1980 would need £431.64 in 2020. So £180 in 80/81 would be about £776 today. Rogers are asking £2750.
coles super tweeters on dm4 go to 35000khzr
You might want to consider mentioning prices in US dollars.
What's wrong with quids?
Sincere thanks for the kind and valuable advice. There is a point about the old speakers. Are the drivers subject to aging? if yes, how long can their useful life be? I see on sale speakers also with 50 years on the hump and experienced people who perjury for their high residual quality. I'm a little confused about this. Is there an overrun problem? thanks again and good things gino
The bookshelf speakers that interested me way back then included the JR149 - an LS3/5a but more bass and the cylinder shape make them blend into your living space well but the JR149 needs a good 60-100 Watt power amplifier, Kef 101 - small neat speakers that were more efficient than the JR149 and worked well with 30 and 40 Watt amplifiers. Going larger and delivering more bass the JR150 and Spendor BC1. This was also the time of floor standing Linn Isobarik, B&W 801, Kef 105/2, 104/2 and Meridian M1 active speakers. Many manufacturers made LS3/5A including Chartwell, Kef (94-98) and Rogers (who resumed making them for £2750 last year). Also Falcon make LS3/5A for £2500. As nice as the LS3/5A there are many competitors that deliver more for the asking price new and even second hand vintage models.
Thanks I like hearing the stories of peoples journey as they call it
Cheers K
Excellent video.
Picked up a pair of Diesis Solitaire from the late 80s for $50 on eBay. Designed by the Ruark people before Ruark became a thing. Total bargain.
Thanks very much for sharing. Greetings from James J in Limerick city Ireland
I think my B&W 601 S2 sound better than those Rogers, but I understand that’s not really the point.
No problem all information is good cheers K
I just recently purchase a pair of KEF Coda III's. Mediocre at best. They play sound and not music. The KEF logo does not automatically guarantee good sound. I own B&W DM4's, Spendor BC1'a and BCII,s. Whatever possessed me to purchase these Coda's is a mystery to me. I must be getting senile. I think I was hoping for a somewhat similar sound to the LA3/5a's. The Coda's are available for free to the 1st person who comes by!
Yes the only good KEF range was the one with the teak veneer and the models are cadenza concerto chorale the original coda but not this code 3 basically the 70s early 70s keg rubbish by the 80s generally speaking
@@stereoreviewx Cadenza and Concerto seem to be pretty similar in specs.
Hi ! need kef coda 101 linn kan ????
Goga Kerps I have a pair of Linn Kans. Placed against the wall on original stands they sound wonderful to me. There are plenty of detractors who will tell you they are rubbish . Maybe I’m missing out on some fabulous small monitors like these Rogers, but without shelling out a load of cash I’ll never know. I am thinking of trying some big boxes though for a complete change - maybe Celestion Ditton 25s.
@@richardsinger01 no
I need an island and a pair of speakers and play them loud, very load.
Sames
amazing speakers !
all prices is triple now on ebay
I know I think it’s just gone too far and it will go back down in time I am guessing
750 pounds for ls35a sounds like a solid deal to me
Yeah I made that video maybe two years ago I would say now
I own a pair of Celestion ditton 25's I just can't listen to small speakers anymore!