Salectric,
I am sure that your 753-type system sounds terrific. I really like the drivers you are using. I recently heard a system that is still in the tuning stage of build that utilizes the 32A horn and a 302 compression driver, a 15" field-coil woofer and some kind of EV horn tweeter on top. I was wondering if you have ever thought that a tweeter might be useful way out on top (I know the 302 can go quite high on its own). I spoke with a Western Electric expert who told me that the 753 used the 713A or 713C driver, which is more extended on top than the 713B, but is not as smooth sounding, an issue which is somewhat ameliorated by the attenuation of highs from the 90 degree bend in the horn.
Almarg, Trelja, ct0517,
I totally agree that the Quad 57 remains a top competitor, provided that attaining extremely high volume and deep bass is not a major priority. That speaker really delivers something magical that is hard to explain. It is too bad someone does not try to make either a replica or a modernized version (one that does not have a tendency to arc). I recently heard, at the Capital Audiofest, a reconditioned 57 that had been put into a new frame and actively biamped (electronic crossover, two built-in EL34 amps per channel). Most of the demonstrations of that speaker were designed to show that it could play deep bass and at high volume. I could not really say if it still had that incredible midrange magic of the original, but, it certainly was very promising (this is a commercially-available speaker, not a one-of thing). Another room had a 57 with a super-tweeter on top. That system, too, sounded quite good, although the large conference room it was being shown in did not help for bass response.
In some respects, it seems that, for my taste, a lot of speaker designers, and buyers, have pursued a certain kind of sound that tends toward a lean, harmonically thin and "bloodless" sound. There are still makers who deliver an old school sound, but, they are in the minority (e.g., Audio Note, JM Reynaud, G.I.P. Laboratory, ESP). There are some extremely high end modern builders that deliver old school sound using modern updates of old drivers (Goto, Cogent). Also, while I prefer the old sound, that does not mean I don't appreciate what some very modern and completely different sounding speakers can deliver (e.g., MBL, Raidho, and YG, Soundlab).
