Vintage Speakers....no one talks about this?

[mixsit]

On a crappy screen here, can't even tell, so what did you done..?

 

[Seafroggys]

Bought a pair of JBL 4410's for $200 in good condition. Ordered a power amp on ebay, so should have it all hooked up next week.

My problem is that they were bigger than I was expecting. I am not sure where I'm gonna place them in my studio.

 

[witzendoz]

My problem is that they were bigger than I was expecting. I am not sure where I'm gonna place them in my studio.

LOL, this happened to me back in the 1990's when I bought a new console without looking at the dimensions and it would not fit in the control room, ended up building a new studio.

Alan.

 

[mixsit]

LOL, this happened to me back in the 1990's when I bought a new console without looking at the dimensions and it would not fit in the control room, ended up building a new studio.

Alan.

Ouch (or not
"Measure twice cut once

 

[witzendoz]

Ouch (or not
"Measure twice cut once

Without trying to get the thread too far off track, there is a story behind this.

I knew of the model of console from reviews and photos, I always wanted to buy one. I was at a trade show talking to a sales rep and we got onto the subject of consoles and I told him what I wanted to get and was looking for a second hand one (the model was no longer current). He told me that they had a new old stock console at the warehouse that was ordered in on a deposit for a client that then went bankrupt. They offered it to me at 1/3rd the retail if I bought it there & then. I said yes immediately while in the back of my mind working out if the bank would lend me the money to pay for it, never even thought about the size. I never looked back, still use it today.

Alan.

 

[Seafroggys]

And this might necessitate me having to actually treat the studio, its a pretty big room (about the size of a 2 car garage) and I've never had issues, but if I'm now going through around powerful speakers may have to put a few traps on the ceiling. Next project down the line!

 

[bouldersoundguy]

And this might necessitate me having to actually treat the studio, its a pretty big room (about the size of a 2 car garage) and I've never had issues, but if I'm now going through around powerful speakers may have to put a few traps on the ceiling. Next project down the line!

The direct sound from the speakers and the reflected sound from the will always stay in proportion. Room sound won't be any more noticeable with bigger, louder speakers.

 

[Seafroggys]

So update....I put them where I have my RP-6's, turned them on, and.....

.....way too close. I'm close enough to where the imaging on the speaker is off, I can actually hear a frequency gap between the woofer and mid, and the tweeter can barely be heard. I have to sit on my drum throne in order to be far enough away to get the proper image.

Unfortunately there's really no place behind where I can mount them. So I may have to put them on the other end of the recording space, behind the mixing chair and where the PA speakers are. Which means I have to build more stands.....urg!

But damn do they sound amazing!

 

[Lt. Bob]

So update....I put them where I have my RP-6's, turned them on, and.....

.....way too close. I'm close enough to where the imaging on the speaker is off, I can actually hear a frequency gap between the woofer and mid, and the tweeter can barely be heard. I have to sit on my drum throne in order to be far enough away to get the proper image.

Unfortunately there's really no place behind where I can mount them. So I may have to put them on the other end of the recording space, behind the mixing chair and where the PA speakers are. Which means I have to build more stands.....urg!

But damn do they sound amazing!

you could hang them ..... or put them in another room with a different reference system. But hanging them might be a good way to go.

 

[Seafroggys]

Yeah I thought of that. My studio is the back of my parents' garage. I don't know how much longer I'll be using that space....may be 6 months, may be another 10 years, so I hesistate to do anything permanent. I'll talk with my dad and see what options we have.

 

[Lt. Bob]

Yeah I thought of that. My studio is the back of my parents' garage. I don't know how much longer I'll be using that space....may be 6 months, may be another 10 years, so I hesistate to do anything permanent. I'll talk with my dad and see what options we have.

well ..... hanging them wouldn't leave anything but a few holes in the joists which could easily be filled once you left.

 

[drtechno]

So we all want nice vintage microphones, and preamps, and hardware compressors and EQs and console boards. The price of these devices are freakishly expensive.

But no one talks about vintage studio monitors and/or amplifiers. Why is this?

My experience is that vintage hi-fi speakers and amps are really REALLY cheap, I've built my stereo system that pretty much blows everyone I know out of the water for $150, the speakers are 30 years old and the amp is 40. Perfect working order, sounds gorgeous and beautiful.

Would vintage studio monitors be similar? Since the demand is so low, wouldn't a high quality unit be inexpensive and be better than the prosumer stuff that's out there now?

What are some good speakers to look at? And yes, I understand that if we're talking vintage (I'm talking pre early 1980's) nearfields are nonexistent, so it would probably be some midfield unit.

EDIT: Craigslist has some JBL 4311's in good condition for $600. Apparently these were *the* near fields of the 1970's. 12" woofers though? Woof! I'm assuming these would be superior to my KRK RP6's by a long shot?

With old monitors you have to give them TLC. Usually people will get rid of there monitors when they stop revealing the mix the way they is was.

I always recommend recapping old monitors. I baught a pair of 4312's and all I did is recap them and the tweeters and mids back to life.

I don't know about the hype with the self powered monitors. I haven't ran across any I like so far. It seems they go cheap on the amp.