Searching for the ideal vintage bookshelf speakers.


Greetings Gentlemen. I am looking for the ideal pair of vintage bookshelf speakers. My "listening room" doubles as library and design studio. It is approximately 12 x 30 x 8 feet with wood floors, one small rug, several wooden cases lining the walls, and no drapes.

The speakers will sit horizontally atop two bookcases which are against one of the 12-foot wide walls. Maximum speaker dimensions: 31h x 16w x 12d inches. I will not be buying a subwoofer, so I want speakers that can deliver the broadest and clearest dynamic range possible.

My preference is for sealed box or front vented three-way speakers. I have selected the following prospects: Altec 874A Segovia, Acoustic Research 11, Harbeth Super HL5, KLH Model 5, Rogers Export Monitor, Allison Four and Spendor SP-1.

If you have direct experience with these speakers, I would highly value your thoughts regarding 1) quality of cabinet construction 2) clarity and naturalness of sound 3) warmth vs brightness of tones 4) open vs tight sonic image 5) listener fatigue value and 6) speaker preference for tube or solid state amplification.

I listen to a wide variety of music: medieval, renaissance, swing, beebop, blues, Scandinavian folk, Celtic, organ, opera and orchestral, and a good helping of classic rock.

Many thanks for your ideas. Best wishes.
unclechoppy
i don't think that jensen drivers are cheap and don't think that speakers with jensen drivers cheaply built. "cheaply made for masses" simply implies that "masses" had substantially better consumer ability to afford.

Unclechoppy,
I'd suggest you ask this same question over on the audiokarma forums where there is a much broader, and experienced knowledgebase regarding vintage equipment. The regular contributors there would also be able to assist with required maintenance for speakers on your wish list. Something like the Harbeth SHL-5 would be easier to own, since its still in production, than something like the Allison where replacement parts could be hard to find. Foam surrounds are easily replaced, but you would want to make sure proper sized surrounds are still available before committing. 

From your list, the Harbeths and Spendors would present the lowest risk in that they're generally respected, and could be easily resold if they weren't to your liking. But, I'm not sure how well each of those would work in a near wall environment. I understand Harbeths need a bit of room to keep the bass under control. 

Best of luck with your selection and let us know what you end up with.
Can't comment on all - but I do own and continue to use a pair of Spendor SP1 in my second system.  I recently set them up after a number of years in storage.

They are absolutely wonderful.  A full, rich musical presentation that I can listen to for hours on end. I have them on small stands, and they perform well with all types of music. Never any fatigue.

In my main system I alternate between Dynaudio C1, and believe it or not rebuilt Quad ESL57.  While a case could be made for newer technology, I just can't imagine any more enjoyment than I get from my "vintage" speakers.
Honestly, this thread makes me laugh. It's like you're asking "Which old, rare, finicky sports car should I buy to drive only in bumper-to-bumper traffic at 20 mph?" Then all the discussion of the nuanced differences between the Lambo, the Ferrari & the Lotus.

If your criteria includes "speakers will sit horizontally atop two bookcases", your in room performance will be so compromised that the list of 6 issues seems really over the top. You need to setup most monitors on proper stands somewhat away from the wall behind them to get anywhere near their capabilities. 

OP's list of concerns indicates a fairly high bar of what he's hoping to achieve. Perhaps if lifestyle issues preclude proper setup, consider a nice set of headphones instead.  Sorry, not trying to be Debbie Downer, here. Cheers,
Spencer