Cheap But Good Speakers.

[_D_S_J_R_]

I knew the 3-10 and 3-20 and, cheaper cabs aside, thought they sounded very good (from memory). To my shame, I was carrying one of these pairs downstairs from our dem room, slipped and one of the speakers tumbled the rest of the way, denting the cabs The rep didn't seem to mind though - cough -

The MS20 was remarkably good for the money I remember and really did move the goalposts forward at a ton the pair. The Wharfedale 505 was another one...... One notable speaker design engineer moved around a lot at the time and it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't 'do' a lot of these models.

[southall-1998]

I knew the 3-10 and 3-20 and, cheaper cabs aside, thought they sounded very good (from memory). To my shame, I was carrying one of these pairs downstairs from our dem room, slipped and one of the speakers tumbled the rest of the way, denting the cabs The rep didn't seem to mind though - cough -

S.

[Lindsayt]

I agree with Andrew and DSJR. HB1's - the proper ones. The early ones with the wooden strip along the bottom, were tonally bright and lean and unextended in the bass. They do have a certain roughness to the midrange, which becomes worse at louder volumes.

So I can understand why Andrew found them not so good on vocals and uncomfortable to listen to.

And at the same time I can understand why DSJR found them pleasant enough to listen to, due to them having a nice bit of life and sparkle about them for a budget speaker. HB1's make speakers like 1983 vintage KEF Codas and 2014 B&W CM1's sound really boring to listen to.

[jammy395]

Im sure Andrew and Dave are both right in their opinions on the HB1's.
And i guess therein lies the rub - Its a taste thing, One mans Meat is another mans pud.
Hope you come back Andrew.

[_D_S_J_R_]

I agree with Andrew and DSJR. HB1's - the proper ones. The early ones with the wooden strip along the bottom, were tonally bright and lean and unextended in the bass. They do have a certain roughness to the midrange, which becomes worse at louder volumes.

So I can understand why Andrew found them not so good on vocals and uncomfortable to listen to.

And at the same time I can understand why DSJR found them pleasant enough to listen to, due to them having a nice bit of life and sparkle about them for a budget speaker. HB1's make speakers like 1983 vintage KEF Codas and 2014 B&W CM1's sound really boring to listen to.

Not sure I made myself as clear as the mud I usually do... The EARLY HB1's seemed sweeter I think, but I'm sure I'm correct in that the bass units were changed by their manufacturers and after this (around the time of the HB1 cosmetic revision), they sounded tauter but 'spikier.' By then, Mission had some half decent boxes and it was around this time we had one or two of the B&W 500 series' models. KEF went through a terrible warm-n-woolly period, but the Coda II's onwards could cope with an early but crude CD player I thought.

'Speaking' of Missions, my favourites for years were the original 700's. All surviving ones will need or have already fitted, a set of foam surrounds. Once again, amazing how big they look now, whereas at the time, they were certainly judged small in size!

[Daniel Quinn]

I agree with Andrew and DSJR. HB1's - the proper ones. The early ones with the wooden strip along the bottom, were tonally bright and lean and unextended in the bass. They do have a certain roughness to the midrange, which becomes worse at louder volumes.

So I can understand why Andrew found them not so good on vocals and uncomfortable to listen to.

And at the same time I can understand why DSJR found them pleasant enough to listen to, due to them having a nice bit of life and sparkle about them for a budget speaker. HB1's make speakers like 1983 vintage KEF Codas and 2014 B&W CM1's sound really boring to listen to.

That is how to be a peacemaker . emapthy and genuine appreciation of both sides of the fence .

[Lindsayt]

I think the most wonderful budget speakers are the ones that are "once in a lifetime opportunities". The sort of thing you read about from time to time where someone happened to be in the right place at the right time with the right knowledge.

Like the bloke I once met who had a pair of huge Vitavox horns in his back room that he got out of a Welsh cinema that was being demolished. He got them for free. Apart from the cost of getting a truck and few mates to collect them.

These are the sort of deals that make you think "You spawny git!" when you hear about them.

[oldcameraman3]

Ok some debate about cheap speakers but how about £4 for a pair of Leak Sandwich 200.In a charity shop just arrived in and the manageress was saying to a male member of staff that he could shift them somewhere out of the way as she wasn't trying to lift them again.Quickly I asked how much and a few minutes later they were mine.In my youth I remember hearing these in a Leak set up with a Lenco deck and a Sure cartridge which sounded good in these days.I got them home having safely kept the receipt so I could prove to my wife what a bargain they were,no luck on that score! I hooked them up and they were a bit mediocre,then I took them to bits renewed all the caps and removed the cotton wadding and looked around for a substitute.End result was a lining of eggshell foam from a redundant memory foam mattress topper.Hooked up again they sound very pleasant in the mid range,a moderately controlled bass, again pleasant and an adequate top end if not surprisingly pleasant.Got my Aurex SCM 15 amp and pre back after 3 months at the repairers and the speakers really suit it.So anybody out there that has modified similar I would be glad of any tips.Also took off that hideous metal grid front and got a nice transparent cloth in a retro style for £4 in John Lewis and now have seen it on the web at a greatly inflated price advertised as specifically for recovers to give that "retro"styling.Sorry for offending anybody that has a thing about the quality of Leak speakers but I am chuffed with them.

[Dr Bunsen Honeydew]

Well you have made a partial silk purse out of a sows ear, Back in the late 60's early 70's they were in the mix with Goodmans and Wharfedale and Celestion, they were definitely the poor man of that bunch. Tweeter was not! as it didn't go very high and those polystyrene bass drivers were woolly and horrible. Goodmans Magnums ruled the roost for value back then.

[Lindsayt]

I think it would be pretty cool to put together a system that cost £10 and take it to Scalford to exhibit. IE a system that cost less than the visitors entrance fee.