(early 90's)  $300

In excellent cosmetic condition, completely original and perfectly operational, this pair of A/D/S L400e were first released in 1992.  They were introduced as the last version of their highly regarded L400 series and called it the L400E.  

These are the end-state (smaller version) of the largest model of the classic a/d/s/ mini-monitor line.  They feature 1" co-polymer dome tweeters and 6.5" "Stifflite" woofers and steep crossover slopes.  On the rear are excellent five-way binding posts.  Essentially, the A/D/S L400E are best described as studio mini monitors.

They do that trick that mini-monitors do, with very focused imaging and a sweet but accurate mid-band. These speakers have a particularly "nice" sounding tweeter, with a little dip around 4k and a little peak around 13k resulting in a "sparkly" sound, very accurate and very musical.

The A/D/S L400 series was originally designed by Dieter Rams, a highly respected audio engineer.  Probably the biggest reason to seek out these models today is because they are simply beautiful. The solid-walnut enclosures with the radius edges match the very expensive styling of the Danish dressers and nightstands of the same era, referred to as Danish "Komfort" designed furniture.  The wood covers the entire sealed-metal box construction.  As with all of the later versions of ADS models, they feature the perforated black metal grills.  

Specs:
Frequency response: 60-20,000 Hz ± 3 dB.
Sensitivity: 88 dB SPL
Power: 35 watts minimum
Crossover: 2 kHz
Dimensions: 12"H x 7.5"W x 7.5"D 
Weight: 9.5 lbs each
Original MSRP: $600/pair

About A/D/S/Braun...
As best as can be learned from varied details, A/D/S (Analog & Digital Systems) was the American importer's company label. Braun was the original German company which built the raw drivers and to some extent had a small, popular line of (fairly conventional) Braun speakers, tape decks and amplifiers for sale in Europe. The most common link to the A/D/S/Braun line was a Dr. Gunther who wished to import the products and traveled around to dealers trying to stir interest in the late '70's when Germany was not yet on the US audiophile map beyond Dual (from the Black Forest area) and a by then less well known Blaupunkt. (Studer and Revox were both Swiss companies distributed originally through German lines.)

Eventually, enough dealers signed on to a commitment and Gunther established A/D/S as the "manufacturer" of the speakers in the US. This was fair at the time as many companies were using drivers sourced from various manufacturers around the world and subsequently designing and building their own systems with either off the shelf drivers or custom modified drivers from a larger company. 

At A/D/S, Gunther hired a designer (some say it was Michael Kelly) to build finished speakers around the Braun drivers.  Another company built cabinets here in the US to A/D/S' specifications. Kelly managed some fairly industrious and unique designs for A/D/S which drew significant attention to the A/D/S line. As the A/D/S line grew in stature and sales, Braun took notice and thought they could do just as well or better under their own name by trading on the popularity, reputation and success of the A/D/S line. The problems started with the issue of Braun having to import entire speaker systems which meant fairly heavy cabinets were being shipped across the sea incurring added expense not seen in the A/D/S line who had only been shipping raw drivers. A/D/S and Braun existed for a time as distinct lines with only passing similarities yet in discrete dealerships which led to many conflicts of interest and many awkward questions for everyone concerned. Braun's answer to this pricing issue was to cut off A/D/S's access to many of their most successful drivers. Suddenly A/D/S was in danger of being put out of business without a product line along with not having any backup drivers for repairs. Promises to dealers were being broken on a daily schedule as both revenues and resources dried up. Many of Kelly's designs were difficult to drive and required high power yet the Braun drivers were not meant for high power handling. This led to numerous repairs being done by dealers. Day by day, many dealer's repair facilities were stacking full of broken A/D/S speakers waiting for parts that never came.

There was a short compromise where A/D/S/Braun speakers existed as one line but Braun soon found themselves under commitment to repair existing A/D/S/Kelly designed speakers while not having the benefit of using all of Kelly's designs - many of which Braun disapproved of due to their reliability issues and their not being "perfect" examples of Braun design skills (which were not of the type desired by the average US audiophile of the day). 

New dealers had been established for the A/D/S/Braun line separate from the original A/D/S and Braun dealerships, many original A/D/S dealers were left out in the cold without any factory backup and new Braun dealers were expected to use their own resources to fulfill A/D/S's commitments to parts and service. Court battles quickly and seemingly endlessly ensued. Eventually A/D/S was subsumed and then ceased to exist as a distinct company. Braun speakers went on in the US for a few years without most of the innovation of the A/D/S/Kelly designs and eventually faded ingloriously from the US market. Memories from customers ranging from fond to highly upset and generally hard feelings from dealers who stuck it out too long or hoped to make a quick buck off someone else's efforts were all that were left...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

('02-'06)  $450

*Why bother with frequencies that only your dog can hear?

In absolutely pristine cosmetic and operating condition, this pair of Tannoy Sensys 1 are rarely seen in the wild.

With the introduction of Sensys, Tannoy has combined the core element of sound quality with the other equally essential ingredients, cutting edge technology, clean aesthetic design and affordability, to produce a class leading range of exceptional loudspeakers. Avoiding visual tricks that often cause designs to quickly date, the refreshingly uncluttered appearance of Sensys is as reassuringly unpretentious as it is timeless.

The Tannoy Sensys 1 features Tannoy's Wideband technology and follows a minimalist signal path by virtue of the inherently simple crossover.  This simplicity is needed as the drivers are in a naturally phase correct alignment and the integrated design allows for a seamless frequency transition. Sensys 1's high power handling capabilities and high efficiency make for one extremely dynamic package that became a classic and a favorite of audiophiles. 

With a 7” cast chassis mid bass driver and 1" WideBand high frequency unit this is a bi-wireable stand-mount speaker of immense ability. Combining tremendous bass weight and impact with natural open voicing and sound staging.

Specs:
Enclosure Type:2-way bass reflex
Recommended Amplifier:20 - 100 Watts
Power Handling (RMS):75 Watts Peak
Power Handling:225 Watts
Frequency Response: 49Hz - 51kHz
Crossover Frequency: 2.7kHz
Crossover type 2nd order  /  LF, 3rd order
HF Sensitivity: 88dB
Nominal Impedance:8 Ohms
Drivers: (each enclosure)
~1" 25-micron titanium dome, neodymium magnet system
~7" Multi-fibrer paper pulp cone
Dimensions:8.3"W x 13.8"H x 11.5"D
Weight: 15 lbs each

About Tannoy's WideBand technology...
Tannoy has pioneered wide bandwidth audio reproduction in its high-end loudspeaker designs. The undisputed benefits of extended high frequency performance have been recognised by audio enthusiasts and recording industry professionals worldwide. Tannoy has received many international awards for products utilising Wideband technology. Although developed in parallel with the emerging technologies of extended bandwidth SACD and DVDA players, their engineers have long since recognized the improvement that a Wideband Tannoy SuperTweeter can make to a system, even when using bandwidth limited conventional analogue or digital recorded software.

The key element to understand first of all is that Wideband performance drive units are not there simply to increase the amount of high frequency information you perceive, the acoustic benefit is much more subtle than that. It is the enhancement of the frequencies within the accepted audible band that makes this technology so special.

'Why bother with frequencies only your dog can hear?' This question, often asked, took them to the very heart of what Tannoy Wideband™ technology is all about: Musical instruments produce considerable energy above 20kHz and, with effects of harmonics and overtones, achieve frequencies well beyond what might generally be considered as the limit of human hearing. For instance, the over 20kHz energy of a trumpet, fitted with a particular type of mute, does not drop into the noise floor until 100kHz. Violin and oboe exhibit energy above 40kHz, while sibilants in speech can also be shown to have energy above 40kHz. Research has shown, through the measurement of brain wave activity, that humans do perceive ultrasonic components within music. Concluding that the mechanism of ultrasound transmission is through bone conduction, probably via an organ in the inner ear, called the saccule, to the cochlea, the organ responsible for hearing.

In addition, Wideband technology reduces phase error and significantly improves transient performance below 20kHz. This leads to increased tonal accuracy throughout the whole frequency range, even bass information is faster and tighter, effectively enhancing the total listening experience. Music, speech and soundtrack effects have an increased immediacy, airiness and impact, providing a performance that sounds more natural and true to life. Extreme physical demands are placed on the high frequency unit when performing at such extended bandwidth levels. The need to achieve completely consistent constructional and acoustic quality has led Tannoy to design and produce its own titanium dome driver at its Scottish based manufacturing facility.

About Tannoy...
Tannoy is a British manufacturer of speakers and PA systems.  Founded by Guy Fountain in London in 1926 as the Tulsemere Manufacturing Company, today the company is part of the Music Tribe group of brands.  They eventually moved to Coatbridge Scotland in the '70s.

Tannoy's image is particularly linked to both studio monitors as well as its Prestige range of home speakers. Prestige speakers use Dual Concentric cone speakers and are easily recognized by their "vintage" design. Tannoy is notable for its 'Dual Concentric' speaker design, which places the tweeter behind the center of the medium or bass driver. "Dual Concentric" is a trademark although Tannoy is not the only speaker manufacturer to design coaxial speakers.

In 2002, Tannoy was acquired by TC Group and TC Group was subsequently acquired by Music Group in 2015. Following the Music Group acquisition, it was suggested that the Coatbridge facility would be closed and all related activities would be relocated to Manchester England. In 2016, however, Music Group confirmed that Tannoy loudspeaker manufacturing would continue in Scotland, with a brand new manufacturing facility planned.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(mid 80's)  $500 (firm)  uber rare

This incredibly rare set of Siefert Research Maxim III-H speakers have been part of our personal collection for many years.  This matched set is in pristine cosmetic condition, completely original and operating perfectly.
As of this post (to our knowledge) this is the only pair of Siefert Research speakers available for sale in the USA.

The Maxim III-H is best described as being just one of the pure audiophile level Siefert Research models.   Regardless of which model was produced, all of them are extremely rare since they were never mass produced.  Each pair was hand-built in Malibu CA during the late 80's.

In our humble opinion...the Maxim III-H model fits our own personal definition of the "perfect" bookshelf speaker.  These were 100% made in the USA (Malibu CA) and easily rivaled (and surpassed?) the acknowledged high quality of famous German/American/European speakers like Canton, Braun, ADS, Sonus Faber, etc.

The original designer, Dan Siefert (see his bio below) described the Maxim III-H as his last and best configuration of a two-way, front-ported, compact system featuring 40-Hz resonance woofers, low IM distortion, low group delay and high power handling capability (safe for use with amplifiers of up to 250 watts power capability). 

The cabernet oak veneer enclosures are substantially heavy with radius corners and the highest quality construction combined with the best components available at the time.  

The back story:  
It was several years ago (2014) when we first discovered Siefert's speakers.  We came across a pair that was unknown to us (at the time).  After being blown away during a test, we were intrigued enough to spend quite some time online to track down and email the designer, Dan Siefert. (see his bio below).  He was kind enough to reply with a wealth of inside information way beyond what was available online.  He also sent us a package with original spec sheets, sales sheets and technical design information about the Maxim lineup.  Here is his explanation as to what the "H" meant on these Maxim III-H speakers:

Dan's reply:  "With the Maxim III-H, you have what I consider the best series of Maxims. The "H" stands for hybrid. Looking at the tweeter you will notice that the dome is aluminum but the surround (outer edge) is not.  It's known that 99.9% of all dome tweeters are a single piece construction.  So, if you have an aluminum dome (high stiffness), the surround would also be aluminum. Aluminum makes a great diaphragm but a lousy surround (where you want high compliance, not high stiffness).  In the '80s there were almost no hybrid construction tweeters.  Today they are somewhat more common. Bottom line: my hybrid tweeters combined the high stiffness of an aluminum dome with the high compliance of a polyamid surround made a very good speaker even better."

Stereophile magazine 1985:  "There are very few loudspeaker systems of any price that don't make a critical listener accurately unhappy when he or she returns from a live concert to put on a recording. The Maxim is, amazingly, one that doesn't. In fact, of all the speakers in this price class that I have heard. I would say that Siefert's Maxim III is probably the most successful design of all. Mated with a suitable power amplifier, and not pushed too high a listening level, it is one of a small handful of moderately priced speaker systems that can make most audiophiles (and practically all music lovers) quite happy for an indefinite period of time. Recommended."  ~J. Gordon Holt 
https://www.stereophile.com/content/siefert-maxim-iii-loudspeaker

SPECS:  
Two-way, reflex-loaded stand-mounted loudspeaker system. 
Drive-units: 1" hybrid dome tweeters and 6.5" woofers.
Frequency response: 46Hz–32kHz ±2dB
Nominal impedance: 8 ohms.
Sensitivity: 86dB/W/m.
Minimum amplifier power: 25W. Max: 250W  
Dimensions: 13" H by 9" W by 12" D. 
Weight: 18 lbs each

About Siefert Research...
*Dan Siefert began his engineering career in 1975 at Great American Sound Company, designing high-end solid-state audio pre-amplifiers and power amplifiers. In 1983, Dan founded Siefert Research, designing, manufacturing and marketing high performance loudspeakers.

In 1986 Dan joined Harman International Industries, Inc . as a Senior Systems Design Engineer. While at Harman, Dan brought several speakers to Market for professional, consumer and computer/multi-media applications. While at Harman, Dan was assigned to the Research and Development department, reporting to Dr. Floyd Toole. Dan then focused his attention on measurement technologies and contributed to the development of Harman's advanced subjective and objective measurement techniques. 
In 1996, Dan founded One on One Technical Products, Inc. currently providing engineering services to the Consumer Electronics Industry.  He is also a senior partner at Infinite Environments.
Dan is a member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) and the Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) . Dan is also a certified THX Home Theater Products developer.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Compression Guide (1991)   $400

In excellent cosmetic and operating condition, this pair RSL CG6 speakers are rarely seen on the East Coast.   These are a 2-way studio monitor system internally wired with monster cable.  The CG-6 was first introduced in 1991 and was manufactured through an alliance between RSL and Klipsch until 1992. 

The beautiful oak cabinets have RSL's "red line" distinctive grills and unique brass badges; a knuckle rap on the enclosures reveals the very solid, heavily braced construction.  They weigh 20 lbs each. 

If you look at the cutaway view in the photo above you can see how the narrow horizontal front-facing ports allow the CG-6 to pump out an impressive amount of air that eventually winds its way through the interior maze design referred to as the "compression guide" technology.

While no longer in production, CG-6 speakers are still owned and listened to by RSL fans around the world as part of two-channel audio and/or home theater surround sound systems.

Rogers used their proprietary Compression Guide (CG) technology as they recognized that resonance inside a speaker enclosure can create havoc for your ears.  The compression guide system is kind of like a cattle shoot for air within the speakers. Air will travel throughout the speaker enclosure from areas of high compression to areas of low compression in an attempt to prevent internal resonances from mucking up what the woofers and tweeters are trying to accomplish. Rather than just letting the air bounce around inside the cabinet until it’s worn itself out or escaped through the port (in vented styles), CG directs the air along a calculated route. The purpose is to create very clean, accurate sounding speakers.

Specs:
Frequency response: 50 Hz to 22 kHz (±2.5dB) 
Impedance:4 ohms
Tweeters 1"
Woofers: 6.5" 
Dimensions: 8 3/4"W x 14"H x 11 1/2"D  
Weight: 20 lbs. 8 oz. each
Finish: light oak  

About RogerSound Labs (RSL)...
In the ‘70s and ‘80s Howard Rodgers owned a series of hi-fi stores in Southern California called Rogersound Labs. He was (and still is) an icon in the San Fernando Valley, CA who had built himself a reputation for manufacturing the highest quality speakers possible for the money. They sold direct to the consumer to avoid high retail markups and put most of the savings back into the quality of their builds. In the 80's, RSL Speakers were industry-standard in many recording studios throughout Southern California. Howard started off in a small shop in North Hollywood, building speakers one at a time by hand. He later moved the business to a larger facility in Canoga Park where he really gave JBL a run for their money.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

('82-'84)  $650 

Handsome and unique in design, this pair of Bose 601 Series II speakers are highly respected...even by some of those who love to hate Bose products.  These were originally purchased in 1983 at one of the American military PX facilities in Germany and then transported back to the states. 
All interior and exterior components have been thoroughly cleaned, inspected and tested.

All four original woofers have been replaced using correct drivers with the same values and specs of the originals; all eight of the original tweeters are working perfectly.  The original factory grill cloth and frames are in excellent condition as well.   If you blur your vision a little bit, they "sort of" resemble R2-D2 from Star Wars (actually you have to blur your vision a lot...)

Externally, the Model 601 Series II resembles a conventional floor-standing speaker except for the split top design. Its front and top are covered by an attractive dark-brown textured grille cloth. The top section is surrounded on the top and three sides by the grill and louvered plastic panels.
The top section of the grills are hinged at the front and when lifted reveals an 8" woofer (tilted about 30 degrees forward of the vertical) and four unbaffled 3" cone tweeters angled to the sides and rear. Pulling off the front grill (which is integral with the top and is retained by sturdy plastic pins), reveals a second 8" forward-facing woofer on the front of the speaker cabinet.

The two rear-facing tweeters are angled slightly upward, radiating across the front of the top woofer and outward toward the wall behind the speaker at a horizontal angle of about 30 degrees.
The front tweeters are angled outward at almost 45 degrees and are nearly horizontal. The woofers are in separate internal sub-enclosures, which are ported individually into the main volume of the cabinet and from there to the outside through a single opening on the top.

Although they are (nominally) rated at 8 ohms, we discovered that by measuring resistance at the speaker connection terminals, they both read exactly 11.2 ohms.  The crossovers do their job with all 6 drivers (per cabinet) and, in the end, are an easy-to-drive 8 ohms.  They do just fine with amplifiers rated from 20 to more than 150 watts output.  However, we feel that a minimum 60 watts (and up) each brings out their true form.

Some have found the spatial properties (or the physical appearance) of the Bose 901 speakers were just too unconventional for their tastes so they were strongly advised to investigate the 601 Series II.  These are clearly close relatives of the 901 series but with considerable refinement in ease of installation and use, and a greater adaptability to different listening environments. The 601 Series II speakers are some of the best models to come out of Bose laboratories.

In 1982, Hi Fi Classic magazine did an extensive review (and thorough test) of the "radical" Bose 601 Series II. 
Without going into lengthy details of their review, the summary stated:  "Our initial reaction to hearing the Bose Model 601 Series II in our familiar surroundings was that it had a superbly balanced octave-to-octave response, with an effortless smoothness that ranked with some of the finest speakers we have ever used. The bass was very powerful, yet without boom or any undue emphasis in the upper bass or lower midrange, where so many dynamic speakers suffer from coloration. The highs were silky and free from brightness or harshness. The midrange smoothly connected the two ends of the spectrum."

Specs:
Type: 2 way, 6 driver loudspeaker system
Frequency Response: 35Hz to 16kHz
Crossover Frequency: 1500/2500Hz
Impedance: Nominal 8 ohms (lab test 17.9 ohms)
Sensitivity: 87dB
Bass: two 8" (per cabinet)
Tweeter: four 3" (per cabinet)
Enclosure: bass reflex
Finish: walnut veneer
Dimensions: 29.5"H x 14"D x 13"W
Weight: 36 lbs each
Original MSRP: $890 (1982)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

monitors ('05-'07)  $175

In very good cosmetic condition, completely original and fully operational, this pair of Aperion Intimus 532-LR monitors feature 5.25" mid-bass drivers, 1" coated-fabric dome tweeters and a new crossover technology called HD-X3.  

The beautiful enclosures have a high gloss laminate teak finish that are a mere 11.5" tall.  They are fabricated from rock-solid, 1" thick high-density fiberboard and weigh a substantial 12.6 pounds each.  There is a 1.25" bass port on the rear of each so placement nearer or farther a wall will affect the bass output.

The newly upgraded system produces better sound, greater efficiency, and an easier load for amplifiers than the crossovers used in previous generations of Aperion speakers (that is, the now-extinct 522s). The new HD-X3 models work with a wider range of receivers. Solid brass binding posts provide a secure connection with speaker cables.

Specs:
Type: 2 way, 2 driver loudspeaker system
Frequency Response: 80Hz to 20kHz
Recommended Amplifier: 50 to 150W
Impedance: 8Ω
Dimensions: 11.5 x 7.33 x 8 inches
Weight: 12.6 lbs each

About Aperion Audio...
Aperion is an internet-direct company headquartered in the U.S. in Wilsonville, Oregon, and has been in operation since 1999. Aperion Audio designs, manufactures and sells a wide range of speakers, electronics, and accessories.  As a matter of business philosophy, they sell direct to the consumer thus avoiding retail dealer and additional shipping costs.

Their philosophy was clear from the start: heavy investment in research and development, including product components. This challenging concept allows them to offer speakers with unparalleled performance.

When it comes to technology, only the best is good enough. Aperion Audio has proven its leadership in innovative technologies. The patented ASR (Axially Stabilized Radiator) tweeter, used in the third generation Verus series, is an example. This super tweeter significantly increases the width and depth of the soundstage. It also comes from the laboratory in Portland, Oregon.

Throughout its history, Aperion Audio has brought many technologically leading speakers and subwoofers to market. In the United States, the company gained an early reputation for offering first-class products with superior technology and the best price-performance ratio. As a new chapter in their history, they are expanding into Europe. Hi-Fi enthusiasts in this region should be able to enjoy the unique potential of carefully developed speakers and subwoofers.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++