My first 'speakers

[Lawrence001]

I said in my intro I would go through my experience of owning probably several dozen 'speakers (I got that apostrophe from hifi world, I love their dogged determination to remain grammatically correct in the face of rapidly declining usage of correct English). Unfortunately it took me so long to just describe my first pair and the ones that replaced them, and my fond memories of the quaint pre-Internet low-end hifi choosing process, that I've probably already said enough for one post!

JBL XE-2 - my first separate speakers I bought with my savings when I was 17 I can't remember how I got the money i must have really saved up from my evening washing up job at the local golf club restaurant! I bought them from Manders hifi in Grimsby (lovely people i went there as they had already let me borrow 2 kenwood cd players for me to decide which one I preferred [from memory a DP-2010 and a DP-3010 I think the latter had 8 times oversampling vs 4 times on the former]. Of course since I only had a cheap Aiwa hifi to play them through at the time the decision came down solely to the 20 track random selection on the better model vs 10, plus the kudos at the time of the 8 times oversampling written on the front, so the 3010 naturally stayed!). I had at this point in preparation for the purchase of a pair of speakers bought a smallish 80s pioneer silver amp from a second hand shop which in retrospect was rather grainy but did manage to make some half decent (to me at the time) sound come out of the speakers. I think I demoed them against a pair of missions (probably the 760 at that time) and maybe Celestions or JPWs but the JBLs won hands down because of their "clear" treble and "better" bass. I told the salesman and he said they didn't normally stock JBL but they had been impressed by these in a sales demo. My only reservations were that they were the most expensive (£200 but they let me have them for £185) and the what hifi ratings pages only gave them 3 or 4 stars vs probably 5 for the others. But my mind was made up by their impressive sound and money changed hands. They saw me through the rest of school, university and a few more years, and I was always happy with them. Friends would generally comment that they were very good too. After a few years when I bought my next pair they ended up in my second system at mum's house and nearly 20 years later I finally took them home to lend to a friend going through a few speaker choice issues. When I hooked them up to my system they still had the character I recalled but would now describe as a bit sharp and boomy, so I know my taste has moved towards the more relaxed side from my misspent youth! I think a lot of people go this way. I'm not pipe and slippers yet, i still like to rock but for a good listening session sharp or exaggerated treble is definitely out. It also enhances the natural sharpness of the gut strings of "authentic" period baroque strings which can be tiring. The one other thing I noticed was the boxiness, there were obvious cabinet resonances which I was blissfully unaware of in my younger days.

They were eventually replaced by a pair of Mordaunt Short MS25i pearls which RIcher Sounds had on a great deal (had they just bought out MS and taken on the stock?). I bought them without demo based on a review quoted in the ad (4*) but I remember Hyperfi had the non-pearl version for the same price and were saying in their ad that they had got a 5* review and were thus better than the pearl. I assumed that because the pearls were more expensive they had lost a * for the improvement not being worth the extra money rather than having inferior sound. (Has anyone heard both and can comment?). I was never totally satisfied with them but they saw me through a few more years of saving up for and buying my first flat. Basically they just didn't make me emotionally involved with the music. Besides the Internet, ebay and gumtree weren't around then so I didn't know much better. Buying a pair of speakers then involved going to WH smith and looking through a what hifi to compare richer sounds with the others, and if there was a special offer that needed the ad then you had to buy the magazine!

Incidentally I once made a trip to Hyperfi circa 1992 and I was very surprised that they had virtually none of the items shown in their advert. I heard later that trading standards or the ASA had later made them change their adverts to state that the price was for a single ex demo item (that they presumably had when the advert was created but often already sold by the time it went to print). They either had some more expensive non-demo ones, or would steer you towards something else, but they had got you into the shop which was their aim I guess. Needless to say I never returned. I should stress this was nearly 25 years ago and I'm sure their practice has improved since!

[Macca]

Interesting reminisences there, Lawrence. Re: Hyper Fi I used to buy quite a bit of kit from them mail order since they usually had a much better selection that Richer Sounds. I don't think there was ever once a situation where they could not supply me with the exact item advertised and at the quoted price. Delivery was always next day and I never had a faulty or damaged unit off them either. That was over a period from 1988 through about 2001, after which they stopped doing all that lovely Jap bin-end and started flogging televisions.

[Lawrence001]

Yes I should have said the things I actually wanted in my price range not literally everything advertised. And a few months before I made the trip there, I did buy a pioneer amp from them via telephone and they gave me some helpful advice. At the time I was obsessed with having a "CD direct" button so the advice was the cheapest amp with that option! It turned out to be a sideways move from the 80s silver one but a cosmetic improvement nevertheless!

[Macca]

Whatever happened to the CD Direct button? It didn't seem to make it past the mid 'Nineties, for some reason.

[Lawrence001]

It lives on in "source direct" and "tone defeat" guise but at that time the big thing was the perfection of CD as a source and so then I guess it wasn't worth defeating a tape deck or even a turntable

[Lawrence001]

Just came across this googling for info on my first speakers. Does anyone else want to tell us about their first pair of speakers (or first "proper" pair I really mean)?

[Barry]

Not sure if it qualifies as "proper" speakers, as my first speakers were home made. I made them when I was about 17.

The drive units were Wharfedale RS/8DD 8" type, and I followed the design for a ~1.5cu ft. distributed port enclosure published by Wharfedale as an application note. They were made from chipboard, with 'iron on' veneer and an open weave speaker cloth to improve the cosmetics.

I used these for about three years, when I gave them to my father and replaced them with Quad ESL-57s, which I continue to use to this day.

[Alex_UK]

A second hand pair of Wharfedale Linton XP2’s
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250418/07783457693515194fabbadc130e1679.gif

They were much better than my Sharp midi system speakers, but not particularly great from memory. I sanded them down and spray painted the cabinets black, wood speakers not being particularly fashionable in the mid 80’s…

[Puffin]

My first proper speakers were Mission 760is on a pair of stands meant for the LS35A that I got locally for £20. teamed with a Philips CD610 Mk2 and a Rotel RA930. It was our first house and a semi so listening sessions were limited to when the neighbours went out (You could hear next door putting in and taking out their 3 pin plugs). The sound was very acceptable and perhaps due to the room dimensions and/or acoustics the bass response was more than acceptable and a well balanced sound.

The property had an integral garage with an internal door in the hall. As it was on the non-attached side of the house the up and over door was bricked up behind and became my first dedicated room. It was useless as garage as the properties had been built with a non-straight entrance in to the garage so you had to reverse a car in to be able to get out again if the neighbours had parked on their drive. This was great and enabled me to experiment with new stuff and started my jourrney into DIY stuff. I never looked back. I sourced a cheap B&W Acoustitune passsive sub for the first sub I played with and it was great fun tuning this with the different length port tubes and worked well with the Missions.

[Wakefield Turntables]

First "proper" speakers were a pair of Quad 22L which I think I sold on this very forum. I used to have a friend who was a classically trained violin player who owned a full Quad 77 stack. I didn't really know that much at the time and just bought a complete copy of his system, Quad 77 CD player, preamp and two monoblocks and a Linn LP12. It all sounded very nice and to some extents I still miss them. Placement was quite important and remember having some fun and games with my newly sanded floor boards in the Victorian terrace that I owned. I later replaced them with ATC ASL50's and never really looked back!

[Wakefield Turntables]

A second hand pair of Wharfedale Linton XP2’s
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250418/07783457693515194fabbadc130e1679.gif

They were much better than my Sharp midi system speakers, but not particularly great from memory. I sanded them down and spray painted the cabinets black, wood speakers not being particularly fashionable in the mid 80’s…

I managed to find a pair of these for my mate in a Scope charity shop for £12 (I think), we partnered these with a NAD3020 amp, a Marantz CD67SE CD player and a Technics 1210 which we bought from some dodgy dude in a lock-up somewhere in Huddersfield!!!!!

[RockAddict]

Strange old world. My first pair of "proper" speakers (i.e. not part of a "system") were... also Mordaunt Short MS25i pearls. Purchased from Richer Sounds in 1998 (Watford) to go with my first proper separates setup (CDP / tuner / cassette deck / integrated amp - a second-hand T/T was added a year later for £50). Circumstances meant the MS25i pearls had to last for years and it was only when I replaced them that I understood why so many comments and reviews had indicated they just lacked "something" (depth? mid-range?). Still, wayyy better than "system / all-in-one" speakers and, for the price (£120? at the time), almost a no-brainer.

Other speakers that have come and gone...
- Q Acoustics Concept 20 (twice!)
- Monitor Audio Gold 100 (5th gen)

My current speakers (Dynaudio Special Forty) were at a "now or never" price-point and it was a gamble for which I have no regrets. With hindsight, the MAs were probably dismissed too prematurely. I thought they sounded bright - until I changed amplification and realised the MAs had (probably) been fine all along and the problem had (probably) been the amp. Just for fun, I might take the time to listen to a pair of 6th gen MA Gold 100s and compare with the Dynaudios. We will see.

[Pete The Cat]

My first speakers were a pair of Eagle International L7300s. My father was an electrical engineer and got them for me from the local wholesaler who carried Eagle products since they manufactured everything from lighting to PA systems to alarms.

The first pair that I bought myself were Celestion DL4 Series Two from Superfi on Market Street in Nottingham. I had to carry them home on the train (don't think I could manage that now). They were reasonable allrounders for the money, about £120 if I remember rightly.

[Lawrence001]

Strange old world. My first pair of "proper" speakers (i.e. not part of a "system") were... also Mordaunt Short MS25i pearls. Purchased from Richer Sounds in 1998 (Watford) to go with my first proper separates setup (CDP / tuner / cassette deck / integrated amp - a second-hand T/T was added a year later for £50). Circumstances meant the MS25i pearls had to last for years and it was only when I replaced them that I understood why so many comments and reviews had indicated they just lacked "something" (depth? mid-range?). Still, wayyy better than "system / all-in-one" speakers and, for the price (£120? at the time), almost a no-brainer.


Must have been around the same time I bought them, back then I would go through What Hifi with a fine tooth comb looking at discounts to RRP to find a bargain [emoji23]. Makes some sense when you're a poor ex student starting their first job but obviously I know now that a shop demo vs similarly priced speakers if not at home is mandatory!

The other pair I considered were those Danish Eltax that had wooden sides and a black centre as they had a bigger discount but something told me the original price was made up to make it look like they were discounted and at the time I preferred black, I would probably buy them if I was in the same boat now. This was before RS started selling lots of different budget Eltax speakers.

[Lawrence001]

These were the Eltax they were selling at the same time. Checking out reviews I think I made the right choice!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286094833166

[Macca]

I got some Fisher ST70 speakers from Richer Sounds for about £30

https://i.ibb.co/w5Jx4RC/FISHER-STE-M70-Bookshelf-Speakers-25-W-8-Ohm.webp (https://ibb.co/GzsbR0k)

But they weren't that great and soon got replaced by these Studio Power MC700 from Hyper-fi, £200 reduced from £500!

https://i.ibb.co/GvGfkfx2/s-l1600.jpg (https://ibb.co/d0Xs6sW2)

Last two pairs on internet sold for £18 and £35 so they've really held their value well...still wouldn't mind revisiting them, they weren't half bad with a beefy amp.

I sold mine to a builder who was into Van Halen.

[Barry]

Further to my post regarding my first (proper) speakers, I should add along with my Quad ESL-57s, I also acquired a pair of Bowers & Wilkins DM2A speakers in perfect condition to use with my TV. I paid £50 for them. Good samples nowadays fetch around £300 a pair.

They are powered by a Quad 520f amplifier.

[Lawrence001]

I got some Fisher ST70 speakers from Richer Sounds for about £30

https://i.ibb.co/w5Jx4RC/FISHER-STE-M70-Bookshelf-Speakers-25-W-8-Ohm.webp (https://ibb.co/GzsbR0k)

But they weren't that great and soon got replaced by these Studio Power MC700 from Hyper-fi, £200 reduced from £500!

https://i.ibb.co/GvGfkfx2/s-l1600.jpg (https://ibb.co/d0Xs6sW2)

Last two pairs on internet sold for £18 and £35 so they've really held their value well...still wouldn't mind revisiting them, they weren't half bad with a beefy amp.

I sold mine to a builder who was into Van Halen.They must be good if they are digital. Something tells me that's not quite the same thing as Meridian's digital speakers though. I bet a pair of Cerwin Vegas would have walked all over them [emoji38]

[Lawrence001]

Further to my post regarding my first (proper) speakers, I should add along with my Quad ESL-57s, I also acquired a pair of Bowers & Wilkins DM2A speakers in perfect condition to use with my TV. I paid £50 for them. Good samples nowadays fetch around £300 a pair.

They are powered by a Quad 520f amplifier.I could only have dreamed of owning electrostatic speakers when I was 20. Although I would have had to know they existed and I don't think I did until later.

I've owned 3 pairs of DM2s but this was later when eBay became popular. Before that I would look through random discarded Loots left on the tube, who remembers that? I actually sold the MS25i's through a Loot ad.

[Macca]

They must be good if they are digital. Something tells me that's not quite the same thing as Meridian's digital speakers though. I bet a pair of Cerwin Vegas would have walked all over them [emoji38]

it was 1989, everything was 'digital', even things that weren't!

Studio Power were connected to Incatech, I think. Probe Records had a pair (different model though) flown from the ceiling by chains.

[majex45]

My first pair of speakers...hmmm.
I had some ex-cinema Phillips PA towers and some RCA ex-cinema whoppers to start but the first HI-Fi speakers I bought were a wonderful pair of Bowers & Wilkins DM1 speakers.
I was in a Hi-Fi "set" at school and several of my mates were buying hi-fi. There were two brothers who bought B&W speakers (a pair of DM4 and a pair of DM1). Having heard them and on the cusp of going to university (where the ex-cinema speakers would have completely filled my room - and Mini van) I decided to get a pair of DM1s.
I contacted all the dealers near me (South Devon) and found a hi-fi shop in Plymouth (30 miles away - a long way in 1972). He had a pair but they were is own speakers in his home system and they were WHITE:eek: After a lot of persuading he agreed to sell them to me for IIRC £30 in box with papers. I used them as my main speakers for many, many years until they were superceded by a pair of Heco Superiors. They went to university in Sheffield, down to Walton-on-Thames for my first job and even to Gran Canaria for a year when I had an early mid-life crisis.
However I still have the DM1s and they are in the study system (Cambridge Audio A1, Arcam DAD tuner and Panasonic DVD used as CD player because it is so thin).
I also now have a pair of DM2 and DM2a speakers and the holy grail (at the time) - Spendor BC1s. All very similar sounding having some drivers in common. I want a pair of DM4s but cannot find a pair in SWMBO condition.

31536

[Lawrence001]

My first pair of speakers...hmmm.
I had some ex-cinema Phillips PA towers and some RCA ex-cinema whoppers to start but the first HI-Fi speakers I bought were a wonderful pair of Bowers & Wilkins DM1 speakers.
I was in a Hi-Fi "set" at school and several of my mates were buying hi-fi. There were two brothers who bought B&W speakers (a pair of DM4 and a pair of DM1). Having heard them and on the cusp of going to university (where the ex-cinema speakers would have completely filled my room - and Mini van) I decided to get a pair of DM1s.
I contacted all the dealers near me (South Devon) and found a hi-fi shop in Plymouth (30 miles away - a long way in 1972). He had a pair but they were is own speakers in his home system and they were WHITE:eek: After a lot of persuading he agreed to sell them to me for IIRC £30 in box with papers. I used them as my main speakers for many, many years until they were superceded by a pair of Heco Superiors. They went to university in Sheffield, down to Walton-on-Thames for my first job and even to Gran Canaria for a year when I had an early mid-life crisis.
However I still have the DM1s and they are in the study system (Cambridge Audio A1, Arcam DAD tuner and Panasonic DVD used as CD player because it is so thin).
I also now have a pair of DM2 and DM2a speakers and the holy grail (at the time) - Spendor BC1s. All very similar sounding having some drivers in common. I want a pair of DM4s but cannot find a pair in SWMBO condition.

31536Were the big cinema speakers horn loaded? Sort of thing you see going for thousands of pounds these days if the drivers are decent ones.

[Barry]

I trust you didn’t place your DM4s as close to one another as shown in your photograph. You wouldn't get much stereo imaging if you did. :stalks:

[Gazjam]

First pair was a set of Comet “Specials”, Solavox large bookshelves.

Had a couple of sets back in the Day.
Think I ran them with Qed 79 into an Amstrad receiver. https://theartofsound.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Remember a mate suggested rubbing boot polish into the cones and varnishing them afterwards.
Stiffens the cones...felt all hifi expert at the time haha.

“Upgraded” to a pair of Whafedale Delta 30’s then onto Wharfedale Diamonds.
These felt like “proper” speakers, at last I thought.

[Pigmy Pony]

First pair was a set of Comet “Specials”, Solavox large bookshelves.

Had a couple of sets back in the Day.
Think I ran them with Qed 79 into an Amstrad receiver. https://theartofsound.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Remember a mate suggested rubbing boot polish into the cones and varnishing them afterwards.
Stiffens the cones...felt all hifi expert at the time haha.

“Upgraded” to a pair of Whafedale Delta 30’s then onto Wharfedale Diamonds.
These felt like “proper” speakers, at last I thought.

I remember the Solavox speakers. They looked so impressive, and I would have ended up getting some to upgrade from my first speakers (Wharfedale Dentons), but before that my 21st birthday came along, and my mate brought along his Marantz 4G speakers (the ones with grilles like bars of chocolate)for my house party. They didn't cope well with the volume we were giving them and the bass cones got a bit ruined. He didn't bother taking them home the next day, so with a generous amount of parcel tape I got them to work quite well at lower volume, and they did me for another 5 years :)

https://scontent-lhr6-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/464415786_8369629249758853_1022212821084213944_n.j pg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=cf85f3&_nc_ohc=2IcBnSA7D2wQ7kNvwFelFHx&_nc_oc=AdlBzTvnjo0MeNh39diPfuta2EGV08OWS1Fgo6himBV Y5wtlhZl-7Lu-y8IDw4uTz_zXC5-kzm9LFpiJcGJUDf6A&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-2.xx&_nc_gid=7rpYBmKN2Zd0FspUCAaG4g&oh=00_AfFwkpQu-P89-H-ssiS1GnNkkZzAvylpzrFJFflbUcuUPQ&oe=680F96F8

[Barry]

Nah! If you want speakers with a foam grill sculptured to look like a chocolate bar, then you can do no better than the JBL L100 speakers. :lol:

[Pigmy Pony]

Nah! If you want speakers with a foam grill sculptured to look like a chocolate bar, then you can do no better than the JBL L100 speakers. :lol:

I think I'd rather have a chocolate bar sculpted to look like a foam grille :). Also the JBLs in 1979 would have been around £500, while the Marantz speakers were free. That sort of thing matters when you're still on the wages of a compositor's apprentice.

[Macca]

I think I'd rather have a chocolate bar sculpted to look like a foam grille :). Also the JBLs in 1979 would have been around £500, while the Marantz speakers were free. That sort of thing matters when you're still on the wages of a compositor's apprentice.

£2.5K in today's money - didn't realise they were that much back then. My mate's dad had some but he was a University lecturer and so he had a few bob.

[majex45]

I trust you didn’t place your DM4s as close to one another as shown in your photograph. You wouldn't get much stereo imaging if you did. :stalks:

You're right, I had them placed in exactly the right position on some small stands (folding stools). They are in the study system now so are only used to listen to the Archers these days.