How old are your speakers?

finfan

I was on another thread and someone suggested to me that I should upgrade my speakers. However I have never even considered upgrading my speakers. I love the sound that comes out of my Polks when watching bluray movies.

Really the only thing I want to upgrade all the time is my receiver. Just curious if there is anyone else that has older speakers. How long is too long to keep them? I bought my speakers back in 1999.

JGM411

My oldest speakers are Monitor 7's. I bought them new in 1980, while in college at the UofI. They still sound great.

finfan

JGM411 wrote: »

My oldest speakers are Monitor 7's. I bought them new in 1980, while in college at the UofI. They still sound great.

Yeah I am not sure why that person suggested I get all new speakers. I invested enough money with all the speakers I have now. When I watch movies I still get all the right sounds coming from all the speakers.

cfrizz

My Polk RTA-8Ts are 21 years old. I got them 2/6/90. I will most likely keep them til they die on their own.

Tony M

Yep,
If the sound you hear is fine, there is no need to spend money. What usually happens is some one hears some one elses speakers and hears more bass or detail. That's what happened to me to. I heard ESS AMT 1D's and knew right then, my fishers were inadequate.

Erik Tracy

Isn't there a concern though with 'older' foam surrond speakers that the foam deterioates over time and needs to b replaced? (Hence all of the questions on Audiokarma about refoaming 'vintage' speakers)

Joe08867

I guess the foam surrounds could be an issue on speakers with them. Advents are notorious for this issue, but most of Polk's speakers have rubber surrounds so it really limits that issue.

My speakers are for the early 80's and I have owned them since 1990 or so and don't plan on getting rid of them ever.

TECHNOKID

Erik Tracy wrote: »

Isn't there a concern though with 'older' foam surrond speakers that the foam deterioates over time and needs to b replaced? (Hence all of the questions on Audiokarma about refoaming 'vintage' speakers)

I have a pair of speakers that are over 30 years and are still very functional. IMHO, if you own old speakers that are still adequate for the job you would be silly to waste your hard earned money on newer products that are more likely manufactured in China. Speaker technology has not changed in many years so if you maintain what you have you are better off than simply dishin where you do not need to. As far as the foam on speakers well, if you bought quality right from start this issue will not happen. I had a damage mid driver on my speakers and could not find the original and had to settle with Parts Express Pioneer driver which has foam surround and I would not be surprise that crap to fail before any of the other drivers. Let's face it, we are in the era of throw away technology so unless it is behong repair or obsolete, why would one replace proven quality with chinese throw away manufactured goods???

cristo

My Polk 10A Monitors are almost 30 years old and going strong.
The caps and resistors in the crossovers have been recently upgraded,
and the fuses have been recently replaced, however.
I'm not shopping for new speakers in the forseeable future.

rooftop59

My NHT super zeros were made in 96, still sound very good.

That is my favorite line of newer (post sda/classic monitor) polks other than the Lsis. Love the tri-lam tweeter in those, and they are very dynamic for home theater. No reason to upgrade unless you just have the itch.

Peace,
Paul

mhardy6647

finfan wrote: »

I was on another thread and someone suggested to me that I should upgrade my speakers. However I have never even considered upgrading my speakers. I love the sound that comes out of my Polks when watching bluray movies.

Really the only thing I want to upgrade all the time is my receiver. Just curious if there is anyone else that has older speakers. How long is too long to keep them? I bought my speakers back in 1999.

in terms of daily drivers:

The real hifi in the living room has a pair of Altec 604E Duplex drivers that were probably made in the early to mid 1960s. Crossovers (MasteringLabs) are somewhat newer; the cabinets they're in were built last year.



My college-era hifi is in our family room. Speakers are a pair of Polk Audio Monitor Series Model 7A bought in 1978.



The oldest speakers in the house are a pair of Altec 604Bs or a single Altec 603B... or a single Stephens TruSonic 106AX coax (all from the very early 1950s).



The coaxial speakers are all exceptionally good sounding; the 603B is so-so (but it is pretty cool).

BlueFox

For the two channel, PSB Synchrony Ones are now 3 years old, and I am looking at upgrades. The two channel speakers will move into the HT to replace the 10 year old LSi15 fronts. I am a firm believer that speakers are mechanical entities and degrade over time. Like it or not, but it happens. Just as they break-in at first, they continue to break-in, and wear out. I suspect that while we might think they still sound good it is because we have grown accustomed to the sound and do not notice the degradation.

Anyway, do whatever you want. Its your money.

apphd

Erik Tracy wrote: »

Isn't there a concern though with 'older' foam surrond speakers that the foam deterioates over time and needs to b replaced? (Hence all of the questions on Audiokarma about refoaming 'vintage' speakers)

+1 You may see about 20 yrs on foam surrounds, before needing replacement (not too hard to do), and depending on components used in the XO's maybe about the same time before refreshing those.

1 pr Genesis 320's bought new sometime in the 80's so about 30 years old.
1 pr Genesis II's bought used, manufactured in the mid 70's. All surrounds have been replaced.

mhardy6647

Re-surrounding speakers is easy and inexpensive. I've picked up some nice, cast-off loud speakers with rotted foam surrounds (e.g., an otherwise nice pair of Allison Ones, from the freebie "swap pile" at our town transfer station). One may have it done professionally if one prefers. The sad corollary is that many otherwise fine loudspeakers ended up in landfills due to the eminently correctable problem of decomposed polyurethane foam surrounds :-(

finfan

tony millard wrote: »

Yep,
If the sound you hear is fine, there is no need to spend money. What usually happens is some one hears some one elses speakers and hears more bass or detail. That's what happened to me to. I heard ESS AMT 1D's and knew right then, my fishers were inadequate.

That's funny you say Fishers. When I was in the Navy that was the first pair of speakers I bought. Fishers sounded great to me and looked good too. Sold that pair a long time ago. Its been a long time since I heard the word Fisher.

ajanzalone

since 1977 .... love my Polk monitor 10's

finfan

cfrizz wrote: »

My Polk RTA-8Ts are 21 years old. I got them 2/6/90. I will most likely keep them til they die on their own.

How are those Sunfire products holding up for you? I think the next purchase for me will either be TGR-401 or TGA-7201. The only bummer is I noticed that the TGR -401 doesn't have an input for phono? So does that mean I can't hook up my turntable?

Also I wonder if my polks can handle this much power.

DON73

I guess some of my Advents are over 40yrs old and my ARs are maybe older. All have/will require refoaming and maybe crossover upgrading. Those that have been refoamed sound very good. I play my Polk Monitor 7s a lot but my B&Ws from the 80s are my favorites.

mhardy6647

finfan wrote: »

That's funny you say Fishers. When I was in the Navy that was the first pair of speakers I bought. Fishers sounded great to me and looked good too. Sold that pair a long time ago. Its been a long time since I heard the word Fisher.

FWIW: When I think of "Fisher" (hi-fi), I don't think of speakers; it was not Avery T. and Company's strong suit (or is that suite?):





(in the interest of disclosure; the X-100 isn't mine; it's one I rehab'bed for a local)

cfrizz

I love my Sunfires. They aren't the latest & greatest but they do everything I need them to do.

The speakers will only take the power that they need to operate to their full potential. What's important, is that the power is there when they need it. So your speakers will be just fine.

finfan wrote: »

How are those Sunfire products holding up for you? I think the next purchase for me will either be TGR-401 or TGA-7201. The only bummer is I noticed that the TGR -401 doesn't have an input for phono? So does that mean I can't hook up my turntable?

Also I wonder if my polks can handle this much power.

leftwinger57

I have 2nd owner refoamed Infinitys SM112s probably from the mid 80s.No problems whatsoever and after reading some old reviews I have to disagree that it lacks the bottom end.I think the bass is fine.

BeefJerky

finfan wrote: »

The only bummer is I noticed that the TGR -401 doesn't have an input for phono? So does that mean I can't hook up my turntable?

You can use a separate phono stage, which will likely be better than an integrated one anyway.

I personally recommend the Cambridge Audio Azur 640p, which handles both MM and MC cartridges. It is an absolute steal for its regular retail price ($179). Used ones occasionally pop up on Audiogon, but they tend to go very quickly.

The sound quality on these units trounce anything in its price class, as well as equipment that is at a much higher price point. There are quite a few reviews around the web that confirm my observations.

Timothy Smith

My Dahlquist DQ-10's are somewhere between 30 and 35 years old.

zingo

My Klipsch Fortes are from the 80's, and the combination of rubber surround woofers and horn mids and tweeters means no maintenance!

madmax

Age and sound quality are not related.

cnh

A significant number of members here have some 'used' speakers in their tool kit. If you own a set of Vintage Polks (Monitors or SDAs) then your speakers are over a couple of decades old in all likelihood!

Others own Vintage stock from other well-known companies as well. So I don't quite get the question.

I own more speakers than I need. Some LSIs (relatively new), some Energy RC-10s (new), Monitor 5As (old), SDA 2Bs (old), JBL lts mid to late 80s, etc.

I like both the old and the new! Different speakers have different temperaments and personalities and can be appreciated for those qualities.

cnh

gudnoyez

Both pair of my Ar's are 27 years old and both pair have had the surrounds refoamed a few years back still sound great, the Cerwin Vegas are around 15 years old or so and still original and still rock the house my garage 301's are at least 20 years old and still sound good, the polks are a few months old and I'am loving my Rti's I hope they hold out as long as my other speakers do.

Rivrrat

I bought my 10b's in 85 and they're still going strong as my HT mains.

pstrev

I just replaced all my speakers with my set up below within the last 3 months. Does anybody keep the boxes the speakers come in- just in case they must go back??? I now have alot of big boxes ready for the attic.

Pat

adcomcyclone

My SDA SRS are dated 1985, so they are 25+ years old. I have only had them a few months, but they were pretty beat up when I got them. With a little TLC (actually a lot) and a few new midbass drivers, due to apparent lack of care from prior owner, they sound wonderful now. Crossovers probably could use an upgrade. I don't think for the $1600 or so that I have invested in them that I could get nearly as much from a new speaker.

cubdog

My Klipsch RF7 IIs are about a month old. Everything else for 2 channel is being sold.

cubdog