[Vintage-Audio] H.H. Scott Rocks With Paradigm Monitor 9!

Wed Feb 5 10:28:00 2003

-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Lefever [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, February 04, 2003 5:21 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] H.H. Scott Rocks With Paradigm Monitor 9!

Phil said:

Don't listen to them too long before getting the vintage speakers! You
won't what to listen to the older speakers after you have spent time
with modern high quality speakers like these ;)

I full well expect to be flamed for a comment like this on a vintage =
list
but the one component I dislike are old speakers. Quality modern designs
work very well and the aging components of older speakers aren't getting
any better with time. Of course this is _my opinion_ and others may =
differ!

Phil, Duane, et. al.:

My two cents worth on the subject of modern vs. vintage speakers... it's =
been a rare thing in my experience to find vintage bass comparable to =
today's speakers unless you move into some pretty large units, and even =
then it has to be a very special design (Klipsch Cornwalls, for =
instance, Or Altec Voice of the Theatres) to have the ability to control =
bass with authority rather than just blurt it out. Now, before you set =
me aflame, there are many very nice models I am leaving out. These are =
just a couple I've had the pleasure to audition myself.

However, i must observe the reverse as well: it is rare to find a modern =
speaker that does not deliver the very fine highs and midrange of many =
vintage speakers, at least to my ears, without spending a big, big wad =
of dough. The exceptions to that in my mind would be a few model of =
paradigms (I do not have your discriminating ears, Duane, but I have =
experienced some lovely midrange emanating from the lowly Paradigm =
Titans) and B&Ws like the DM-302. OK, The KEF Cresta 2 has pretty =
repectable midrange, too. But I have experienced the most ecstatic =
midrange by coupling small vintage speakers (my venerated KLH satellites =
with full-range drivers are my current favorite) with modern bi-ampable =
bass experts such as Paradigm. I simply amp the satellites and the bass =
of the paradigms and (the crossover points of the models I have are =
sympathetic enough) get very nice results. smooth, creamy, vibrant, =
alive.

Just another opinion! If I had a lot more money to spend on my hobby my =
results could be very different indeed.

Michael Salmons