Question - is new always better than old?

[The Dali]

As I work down my speaker journey I started to think about the value of NEW speakers vs older speakers. It feels like high quality speakers from 10 to 15 years ago might be a better option (value?) than new speakers that can be had at the same price. In other words... is there anything wrong with looking for 20 year-old Paradigm speakers for $250 instead of buying a $250 set of new speakers?

I guess the idea is that the older speakers at the current price were "made better" or were "higher quality" at the same price point of the new version? Do speakers wear out considerably? Like over 15 - 20 years? Just wondering the best approach, since I have seen lots of discussion about "buying used' over new.

Thoughts?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Two answers:
a) Betteridge's law of headlines
b) It depends. Many speakers are often created to cost - ie: maximize profits. See the vast majority of Klipsch and Martin Logan speakers. While others fall into two categories and the goal for both is to maximize audio quality. First, one is built to a price, maximizing performance as possible (limited by price) and accepting some compromises (Kali Audio) and the latter isn't limited by price nor compromises (many of RBH, TAD, ATC, and PMC, etc..)
New developments in math, physics, measuring equipment, and computing, allow for much lower investment to maximize new speaker performance, but it's NOY a hard rule. Like I said some new speakers are simply built to price without much actual sound development - just pick some cheap components, slap a cheap piano finish, and call it a day.

 

[davidscott]

I currently own a pair of 12-year-old Infinity P363 floor standers as well as a pair of P163 bookshelves. (currently in storage). I wouldn't even consider buying new at anywhere near their original price. I would have to go much higher on today's list price for comparable performance. So yes, I would consider10 to 12-year-old speakers. JMHO of course.

 

[The Dali]

I guess to follow-up... do speakers have a limited lifespan? Would a high-end set of speakers from 1995 but were treated well and cared-for still be a viable option vs a lower cost set of mid-tier speakers manufactured in 2020?

We have a similar discussion about guitars... the technology hasn't changed in 70 years so is a 1970 guitar really worse than a 2024 guitar?

Speakers are different, I know, but the amount of tech in speakers is much lower than TVs or AVRs... so in theory they should have a much longer lifespan (and relevancy), provided the materials don't wear-out.

 

[isolar8001]

I guess to follow-up... do speakers have a limited lifespan? Would a high-end set of speakers from 1995 but were treated well and cared-for still be a viable option vs a lower cost set of mid-tier speakers manufactured in 2020?

We have a similar discussion about guitars... the technology hasn't changed in 70 years so is a 1970 guitar really worse than a 2024 guitar?

Speakers are different, I know, but the amount of tech in speakers is much lower than TVs or AVRs... so in theory they should have a much longer lifespan (and relevancy), provided the materials don't wear-out.

As a worst case scenario, the foam surrounds on woofers' maybe mids are the primary concern.
I picked up this pair of Advents (that had just been refoamed) and did new grill cloth and changed the caps.
Total investment 100 bucks.

Buffed up the cabinets with Howard's Restor-A-Finish and Feed-N-Wax . (don't have any pics of how they came out) They look practically brand new.
These were 250 a pair in 1970, which is 2000 today.
They sound as good as new and will hold up to many new speakers.

Advent Score !!

This would probably be a better post on Audiokarma, but Im so damn thrilled. Scored these Large Advents today... The cabinets are perfect for an easy refinish...zero scratches, corners are perfect. Woofers have been refoamed...correctly with surrounds inverted. Grills are pretty soiled...If I...

forums.audioholics.com

 

[j_garcia]

IMO, it is more about your sound preference. Different generations of speakers from a given manufacturer can sound different, even in the same lineup. But in agreement with what the others said, nothing wrong with an older speaker as long as you know what to look for and/or fix to ensure they are in working order.

 

[Mikado463]

so many 'what if' possibilities, but............. in the world of electrostatics, panel degradation over time is a real concern.

Now, when it comes to conventional 'box' speakers and IMO, when a mfg comes out with a update of a current well regarded speaker and you know there's always someone who has to have the latest and greatest, that's when you want to pounce !!

 

[The Dali]

Well... point-in-case... I had asked the question because I started to look at some older Paradigm speakers (circa 2008-2010) and pulled the trigger on a set because they are MINT. Sadly, the center channel has something wrong with it... the dialogue is "woofy" and "choppy", almost distorted when compared to a working center... I was watching the Bourne Identity last night to test out the new speakers and I couldn't get over the dialogue just being slightly "off"... I was chalking it up to being a 25 year old movie, but it WAS the UHD version... I swapped the center with a known working center and the dialogue cleaned right up... grrrr.... I think I may just stick with new going forward.

 

[Mikado463]

Obviously they were NOT mint ! Bummer, hope you didn't pay too much, any recourse with the seller ? Repairable ?

Regardless, lesson learned..........listen first, then purchase.

 

[The Dali]

Well, they LOOK mint LOL

Yeah, no chance to listen first, but I didn't pay much at ALL so I'm not worried (received 4 other Paradigm speakers which all work well)

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

You should pull out a driver and make sure the tweeter is hooked up.

 

[trochetier]

Some brands are likely better built than others and can last very long time given they are treated and cared for properly. The issue at least with me is our musical tastes change, our hearing change hence with time we prefer different sounding speakers than when we were young. In my twenties I like the AR9s and Klipsch LaScalas, in my thirties and forties the KEF 5.1(?), later Magenepan 3.5s, now downsized to 1.6s.

 

[davidscott]

I hear you. In my 20s I had Advents and Allisons. In my 30s Polk's then DCM Time Windows for a long time. Now the Infinity P363s just seem to work for me combining some of the best attributes of the rest.

 

[Bobby Bass]

Speakers are the one piece of equipment that show the most signs of age in my experience. I have a couple of pair of older speakers and they don’t sound as good as the ones I’ve purchased in the last few years. I’m Not handy enough to make repairs to keep old equipment current but some people do and they are happy with the sound. Hope you can get your center channel fixed up.

 

[davidscott]

Speakers are the one piece of equipment that show the most signs of age in my experience. I have a couple of pair of older speakers and they don’t sound as good as the ones I’ve purchased in the last few years. I’m Not handy enough to make repairs to keep old equipment current but some people do and they are happy with the sound. Hope you can get your center channel fixed up.

Respectfully disagree. In my experience mechanical devices like cassette decks seem to need maintenance way more than speakers. Heck, I had my DCM Time Windows for 25 years or so.

 

[Bobby Bass]

Respectfully disagree. In my experience mechanical devices like cassette decks seem to need maintenance way more than speakers. Heck, I had my DCM Time Windows for 25 years or so.

Good to hear. Just sharing my experience with equipment. My biggest issue is with powered speakers. They’ve had the most issues and shortest time before needing repairs in my experience but others have had good experiences over time. As they say, your mileage may vary.

 

[dolynick]

I have a pair of large Paradigm floorstanders that were purchased around spring of 2000. They're still in active use. I checked the surrounds of the woofers a couple times recently and fortunately, I see no obvious signs of trouble. I do keep the grills on these (they just look better in this case, usually it's the opposite) and I have avoided direct sunlight on them as much as possible. They sound pretty fine to me these days, possibly better than ever with recent associated equipment changes.

I am thinking of possibly replacing them in the next while though, if I can afford it. Not because they are disappointing me in any way suddenly but more because I expect after 25 years something will eventually go or start to fail on them. Luckily, it doesn't seem to be a pressing matter yet.