A Speaker Story

Pastor Bill

Way back in the late 1970s, I was employed at General Motors and living at home. Thus, I had quite a fair amount of discretionary income, even after tuition costs and a pittance for room and board. Long story short, I determined to put together a nice two channel stereo system. The area where I lived in Michigan had quite a few electronics and appliance centers within easy driving distance...Absolute Sound, Alma's High Fi and Stereo Center especially stick in my mind because those shops are where I first heard the Polk Audio Monitor 7 and 10.

I'm quite sure that I nearly wore out my welcome at those shops auditioning different speakers and components. I had finally narrowed it down to the Polk Monitor 7 and the Fried Model Q...but unfortunately, they weren't available at the same store to audition side by side. After finding out that one of the salesmen at Absolute Sound was the nephew of the doctor that delivered me...I was allowed to take a pair of Polk 7s to the competing store, with the promise that they would be run on the same electronics and compensated for any difference in efficiency when auditioning them. Plus, I had to promise that if I liked the Polks, I would return them to Absolute Sound and buy them on the spot from that fellow. This was promised and I was allowed to initiate this most unusual experiment.

I carefully carted them off to the other store (whose name escapes me now) and explained to that salesman what I wanted to do. He hooked both sets up using identical receivers and then "balanced" them as to loudness. I gave him some of my favorite cassettes and records to use and sat down in a strategically located chair to compare the two speaker sets.

Both were quite good...but I felt the Frieds were superior to the Polks in accuracy, dynamic quality and clarity. The bass seemed cleaner and tighter. The difference between loud and soft sounds was more apparent with the Frieds. Everything seemed just a "touch" better and the sound was less "warm" than the Polks. The Frieds were cheaper (I think) but not by much. The Frieds won out and I carted the Polks back to their store and explained in great detail what I had done, listened to and my final decision to a greatly disappointed salesman. I heartily thanked him and assured him that I would continue to patronize the store, especially since he had gone out on a limb for me.

Those are the Frieds that I still have today...albeit not quite all original. Still have an affection for them, though they are starting to show their age. I consider that time the "golden age" of stereophonics for me...not at all like today. That's why I'm glad I found this forum.

Nightfall

You prefer a sound signature that "clinical" vs "warm"?

Pastor Bill

(see following edit)

Pastor Bill

Maybe my choice of word isn't quite accurate...I prefer to hear just sound and not the speaker or any coloration introduced by it. I don't like speakers with "in your face" type sound. I prefer the "british" type sound.

cnh

Interesting story. Actually I've seen but never heard the Fried speakers. So can't comment. From what I understand the cabinet design is sometimes compared to, although not exactly the same principle as, the Dynaco A25 aperiodic principle of bass loading.

There's someone up my way directly north from you almost as far as you can go before you cross the border, lol, who is selling a pair of Frieds, but they need refoaming and the PRICE is NOT right.

The Monitor 7s are definitely on the warm side. And I do LOVE warm! But I understand what you're saying. A while back at a Polk Fest a small pair of Rogers Monitors (bookies) drew quite a crowd that included yours truly. They were very very very good for a smallish speaker.

I'm sure Mr. Hardy has heard Frieds, because I don't think I can name a vintage speaker he does NOT know, and the boy is younger than I? lol Of course, I came to knowledge of good audio late because I spent the majority of my early life quite cash poor, eating peas out of a can with some tuna and mayo for a lot of my dinners as a student and grad student. Those were the days!

Probably explains why I'm developing a bit of a vintage obsession now? No longer poor but still cheap?

cnh

WLDock

Pastor Bill wrote: »

The area where I lived in Michigan had quite a few electronics and appliance centers within easy driving distance...Absolute Sound, Alma's High Fi and Stereo Center especially stick in my mind because those shops are where I first heard the Polk Audio Monitor 7 and 10.

I remember those days as well in Metro Detroit in the 80's - 90's....six to eight or more mid to high end stores within a 30 min drive. I'm the son of an autoworker myself, born and raised in Detroit.

Pastor Bill

Cnh:

Those were probably the Rogers LS53a reference monitors. Made by many different companies over the years and still highly sought after. I auditioned them, loved them and almost passed out when quoted the price. Now, they are selling for 3 times that on Ebay.

scottyboy76

Love those storys from the golden age, thanks for sharing.

chungasrevenge

I owned a pair of studio 4's that I wish I still had. the sound stage was massive and 3 dimensional. I like my 2b studios, but they are nothing like those fried speakers.

mhardy6647

Actually (and FWIW), I have more experience with the UK-made IMF (whose name comes from "Irving M [Bud] Fried" -- although he really didn't have anything to do with them) loudspeakers than the actual Fried brand :-P I owned a pair fo IMF SuperCompact IIs (courtesy, of course, of my erstwhile favorite local emporium) and they were absolutely superb little loudspeakers.