View Full Version : I think I’m selling my speakers!
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This is not a sales ad. Not yet.
I hope everyone can make out this screen print from EBay. These speakers that were sold here are exactly, and I mean the same wood and everything, exactly like my own Legacy Focus’s! And I am shocked at how much they sold for. These are about 15 years old I believe, and I bought mine about 7 years ago for $2400. And the seller even included a beautiful 3m set of Legacy speaker cables, with WBT connectors and everything. I’ve tried to estimate a value on these wires, but Legacy no longer makes them, and I have never seen a used pair before.
If someone offered me $4700 for them I’d be helping them out the door with them! Heck, I’d be more than satisfied to get $3500. I could certainly find a good pair of speakers to replace them if I added a few dollars to that sum. Maybe get those Martin Logan’s I’ve been wanting for so long?
And I’ve also got a pair of speakers on the drawing board, that I have postponed building until after the holidays, and these are truly world class speakers, no brag, they really are cutting edge design. I could put more money into the drivers and crossover parts and make them a worthy replacement for these big Legacy’s.
Anyway, it’s not unusual for me to watch gear that I own, to keep informed of what they are worth. And I was shocked to see how much these speakers sold for in a relatively short time. Im certainly not into Hi Fi for the money, but I am not a wealthy man, such an opportunity doesn’t present itself every day. As much as I love these speakers, they are a bit too large for my room I think. And life is short, why not live a little and change speakers? I really had no thoughts of selling my speakers any time soon. But this sale here has brought me to serious thought. Would anyone else entertain such thoughts if they found out something in their system was worth twice what they suspected? I suppose it depends on how well it performs? And other hidden variables?
Russell
Did they sell or did the listing just end?
Also you better get in quick if you want to sell yours as other owners will be thinking the same thing and eBay will have loads on shortly ;)
They say a change is as good as a rest. For me I don't like to move the old thing on until I've lived with the replacement for a while. Keep my options open. If you can't do that then it's a bit of a leap into the dark.
They say a change is as good as a rest. For me I don't like to move the old thing on until I've lived with the replacement for a while. Keep my options open. If you can't do that then it's a bit of a leap into the dark.Sage advice there Macca.
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Yes the item sold! I saw the listing and watched it, thinking it would either never sell, or sell for much less. But, according to the “ended” listing, that is the amount it sold for.
And I too would love to set these aside while I test drive my next set of speakers. And, when I build these of my own design I’ll be able to do just that. But they are huge! And there isn’t much place to keep them that won’t be in the way.
And I guess seeing this new price for these speakers sparks my interest because I’ve already been thinking of replacing them? If I were truly ecstatic, perhaps the price wouldn’t phase me? But thinking I’ve got $5 or $6 grand to shop with, (if I add some of my own money), it really expands the list of speakers I can shop for! Money that I don’t have if I don’t sell them first.
As far as beating the rush, I’ve seen very few of these speakers for sale over the years, they don’t come up often. Perhaps they are that good? That no one wants to part with them? Which I don’t really believe, or they are just that rare to begin with? These babies are 5 feet tall and weigh 200lbs each! Which may account for their rarity?
Russell
Lawrence001
15-12-2018, 07:58
Where does it say it sold I can't see in the screen print?
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Where does it say it sold I can't see in the screen print?
Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk:)https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181215/c1e7678679629cef76c8779e5c38a633.jpg
I agree with the wisdoms expressed above.
Value can remain high or even increase as it's good reputation becomes established in the audio fraternity, but also as one becomes recognised as a poor one, value falls, and the market can be flooded with them.
You say that your current speakers are too large, but your new seem to be larger :-)
I agree with the wisdoms expressed above.
Value can remain high or even increase as it's good reputation becomes established in the audio fraternity, but also as one becomes recognised as a poor one, value falls, and the market can be flooded with them.
You say that your current speakers are too large, but your new seem to be larger :-)
These are my current speakers. I haven’t really discussed what I want to replace them with, except perhaps some Martin Logan’s. Which, are not nearly as large as these behemoths.
The pair I have designed to build are relatively small, with only one 8” woofer per side. I don’t need to get into that right now, i’ll do a full expose’ on them when they are built, but think Magico, it’s similar to some of their older designs. (But better!) really just proof of concept speakers, after I get these built, and see how they perform, I can incorporate the design into larger speakers. I’ve just got to get these built first!
I’ve got a bit of history with these Legacy Focus speakers, I bought them from a fairly motivated seller about 7 or 8 years ago, he was moving to Australia. At that time I had a Forte’ Model 3 amp, which is rated 150 to 200 watts, I’m not sure at this moment, but a nice A/B amp, that I felt pretty good about. But when I drove these speakers with it, it was lacking. It was loud enough, but lacked that emotional feeling I had with my previous system. I borrowed a new amp from the band, it was mine anyway, a Crown XLS that is a Class D amp, making 475 watts into 8 ohms. So I bi-amped. Driving the bottoms with the Crown. The Focus has three 12” woofers in the bottom! And, it definitely thickened up the bass, but I still wasn’t thrilled with the sound. It played loud, seemed impressive, but wasn’t reaching me. I was about to sell these speakers then! But, I thought I had to try one more thing, and I got this Krell FPB-300, and WOW! That woke them up! Now! Now I’ve got emotion! Visceral impact! And just the smoothest presentation, no grit, no sheen, I’m finally satisfied with the Legacy’s performance. But now I’m pulling them way out into the room, and trying to minimize the bass, (and I’m a bass player) depending on program material, it can be too much. So that’s why I’m thinking, keep the Krell, replace the Legacy’s. I’ve still got a few cables and possibly a new preamp before I’m completely finished with this system, which I may keep these speakers until that is done.
So selling them has been in the back of my mind for some time now, but seeing this pair sell for such an excellent price has motivated me to think harder about it, and possibly act sooner. These Legacy speakers are made here in the States, and have received many glowing reviews, in all the major magazines. They sold new for from $5500 to $7500, depending on finish. And were considered bargains at that price, competing with speakers costing far more. But their new speakers cost WAY more! And are far more ambitious designs. So, I think that’s what is driving the cost of these used models up, the fact that new ones cost $20K now.
Russell
There's only 2 reasons for an old speaker to get more expensive - either there's a crazy Far East cult about them or they are genuinely really good.
If I were you I'd be getting some bass traps in to sort the bass. Unless there really was some other speakers that I really, really wanted. So depends on how strongly you feel about getting the Martin Logans I suppose. On the other hand they say you regret the things you don't do.
With regard to bass quantity, my Betas are to my friend bass heavy, (flat in free field so room boosts it).
(According to Martin Colloms' book room boost starts at 80Hz, and is a sigma curve which is +7 dB at 20Hz.)
However they are so dynamic, and by that I do not mean a cliched description, what I mean is that bass quantity varies far more than it ever has before between various tracks that is. Voice is also more variable.
Having thought about this I have come to the conclusion that an underdamped woofer, which also has too lower BL factor, will exaggerate low amplitude bass levels, produce overhanging bass beyond the I/P signal's time, and not have enough BL oomph to reach the high peaks which are actually on the recording.
I have never heard such natural sounding bass, and with such attack, and it makes drums exciting, and I now believe that my previous love of polypropylene coned woofers was a sort of comfort zone with a familiar, albeit smooth, sound.
This new quality is preferable because after all it is the reality which we seek, and although it may be that the bass is excessive, I do have adjustment available.
In your position Russell I would look at altering/attenuating the O/P rather than selling a speaker I loved, with positioning and perhaps using traps though they are thought useless by the Mache designer, for the resonant frequencies, as Marco suggests.
I have curtains on walls to help with this and reflections of other frequencies.
montesquieu
15-12-2018, 23:52
There's only 2 reasons for an old speaker to get more expensive - either there's a crazy Far East cult about them or they are genuinely really good.
If I were you I'd be getting some bass traps in to sort the bass. Unless there really was some other speakers that I really, really wanted. So depends on how strongly you feel about getting the Martin Logans I suppose. On the other hand they say you regret the things you don't do.
There is a third reason which assumes a clueless muppet thought he was buying a higher-up model or otherwise got carried away with himself. Often the item then re-appears for sale again as the deal didn't go through.
There is a third reason which assumes a clueless muppet thought he was buying a higher-up model or otherwise got carried away with himself. Often the item then re-appears for sale again as the deal didn't go through.
This has occurred to me. I saw a pair sell about 4 years ago for $3000. Which I thought was good! On eBay it does happen that bidders get carried away with winning, and make bids they regret later. And I should go back and check to see if they have been relisted. I’ve even considered messaging the seller and explaining myself, I’ve talked to some very nice people through eBay in the past. As the old adage goes, “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is”.
Russell
With regard to bass quantity, my Betas are to my friend bass heavy, (flat in free field so room boosts it).
(According to Martin Colloms' book room boost starts at 80Hz, and is a sigma curve which is +7 dB at 20Hz.)
However they are so dynamic, and by that I do not mean a cliched description, what I mean is that bass quantity varies far more than it ever has before between various tracks that is. Voice is also more variable.
Having thought about this I have come to the conclusion that an underdamped woofer, which also has too lower BL factor, will exaggerate low amplitude bass levels, produce overhanging bass beyond the I/P signal's time, and not have enough BL oomph to reach the high peaks which are actually on the recording.
I have never heard such natural sounding bass, and with such attack, and it makes drums exciting, and I now believe that my previous love of polypropylene coned woofers was a sort of comfort zone with a familiar, albeit smooth, sound.
This new quality is preferable because after all it is the reality which we seek, and although it may be that the bass is excessive, I do have adjustment available.
In your position Russell I would look at altering/attenuating the O/P rather than selling a speaker I loved, with positioning and perhaps using traps though they are thought useless by the Mache designer, for the resonant frequencies, as Marco suggests.
I have curtains on walls to help with this and reflections of other frequencies.
I feel you may be right. While the initial shock of thinking my speakers were worth so much, my mind raced at the possibilities! Suddenly so many speakers are within my price range. It’s much like finding money in the street. Your first thoughts are what you can spend it on! But in the end you save it for a rainy day.
And I still may sell them, but not right away. As I mentioned earlier, there are other things I want to do, like replace the preamp, and invest in some better preamp to amp cables. I’ve made no attempts at sound deadening. And I know how to make some very nice bass traps. I recall a magazine article back in the ‘80’s that took apart a Bass Trap that was kind of pricey, and inside it was cardboard with several layers of ceiling tiles inside, with a nice burlap covering.
And you’re also right about the quality of bass. While it is too potent on certain program material, on some it is sublime. I’ve got a Uriah Heep CD that has some very extended synth bass that I’ve never heard on any other system! And I use it to demonstrate for anyone careless enough to wonder into my parlor. Legacy claims they reach 16Hz, and it’s very possible.
So now that the shock has set in, I’ll keep it in mind while I try to correct the bass, and try these system improvements. And then, after all is said and done, if it still bugs me, at least I know they’ll fetch a fair price.
And perhaps I can still have my Martin Logans one day? There’s no law that says we can’t own more than one set of speakers! Where I’ll put them? Well, I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.
Russell
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