I visit vintage stereo forums quite a bit and I am always reading how people pick up mint condition gear for $10 or $20. But whenever I stop by the local thrift store or a garage sale there's never anything worth buying. I lucked out yesterday though.
There I was, driving into town on an errand and I happened to pass a garage sale in the neighborhood. On a whim I pulled over and had a look. Over in the back corner behind the old mugs, book, mirrors, and horrible artwork I saw a stack of stereo equipment. They had four B&O separates, all of which had seen better days, but underneath this stack sat two ADS L520 speakers in great condition [except for the sticky residue on the veneer]. I thought these might be worth picking up, but wasn't sure so I came home and did some Internet research.
The consensus seems to be that these are very nice two-way bookshelf speakers, so I decided to go back and see how much they were selling for. Because it was late in the day I figured I would be getting a good deal, but when the seller said $20 for the pair I paid without hesitation. That's a great deal as these regularly go for around $100 on eBay plus $50 shipping. Other than the sticky residue on the veneer these are in great shape - drivers all intact, no scratches or dings, and no rips in screens. Score!
When I got them home I went to work with Pledge furniture polish and managed to get off all of the black sticky residue. No idea what that was other than basement detritus. Now they really shine and look great. At 22 inches high these are pretty large and heavy speakers so calling them "bookshelf" is probably a stretch. I'll definitely need to invest in some speaker stands in the near future.
Sound wise, I am very impressed - and for only $20 they represent exceptional value. These are indeed nice two-way speakers with tight, controlled bass, great midrange and a sweet treble that is crisp and clear. They are a good example of the classic New England sound - neutral, relaxed and with good detail and sharp imaging. Due to the limitations of their size and design, bass is not as deep as I personally like but that really is a minor gripe. I'll definitely be adding these to my vintage speaker rotation.
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If you can snag a pair of ADS 810's series II.. You will be blown away. They still sound better than most of the new "Big Kids in town" including Martin Logan 10's and the upper end B% W's.
ReplyDeleteThe series II had better power handling cap... and is nearly ruler flat from 35 to 23K and at +/- 5 DB... will go from 23 to 27K.
Musically, they blow away Polks, Klips, and Energy out of the water anywhere near the same price range.
How, can I make these claims? I own a mint pair.
Some times, technological changes aren't always for the better.
If you are ever in Edina, Mn. Drop by and I will give you a demo won't soon forget.
-Mark-
Hey, a question, Tone Warrior. I have a local opportunity to get some very clean ADS L520s for $70. I am wondering how much amp power these need to truly sound their best. I have one or two amps over 50 wpc but most of mine are in the 18 - 50 range. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteUnlike some of the 60s speakers (ARs) that need a lot of power, the 520s are quite efficient. 50 wps is more than enough. I sometimes run mine with a Fisher 500c tube amp which is about 30 wpc and they sound great. $70 is a good deal for a speaker of this quality if the woofer surrounds are good.
DeleteI still have my L520s, purchased new in 1979. Love 'em still. Found some 810s on eBay and purchased them in 2004
ReplyDelete