In the 70s and 80s, many speakers were built in high quality and extravagant design. Not only do they look iconic, they often sound fantastic too.
I am a passionate collector of these old vintage loudspeakers and present a few highlights from my collection here.
If you’re looking for vintage speakers for your living room, it’s best to regularly check eBay classifieds or your local flea market. You often have to be very quick, as there are many collectors and dealers out and about who like to get a bargain.
If you have found any old speakers in the cellar and need an expert opinion on their value, please send me a message with photos and information. I’ll be happy to help you free of charge.
Grundig Audiorama spherical speakers
The beautiful Audiorama omnidirectional speakers from Grundig are definitely among the most legendary vintage loudspeakers.
They were sold in the 70s and are still in great demand today. The sound is spacious, but lacks a bit of bass.
They are available on stylish chrome stands or on chains hanging from the ceiling.
Examples in good condition are rare to find, often the metal baskets have dents or the chrome-plated decorative ring is missing.
You can buy various used Audiorama models on the Internet. The series are called 4000, 5000, 7000 and 8000 and differ in size and speaker configuration.
Prices on eBay start at around 300 euros. The 9000 series is a new edition, but sales have also been discontinued in the meantime.
Infinity RS 6b for the bookshelf
The perfect addition to your bookshelf in the living room: the Infinity RS 6b.
Apart from the beautiful sound, these speakers have transparent membranes and the famous ribbon tweeters.
For a used pair, you’ll easily have to put down 300 euros. If you can’t find this model, keep an eye out on eBay for similar models, e.g. the RS 4b.
Pay attention to the rubber edge of the membrane, the so-called beading. These are often porous and crumble. A loudspeaker specialist can replace the beads.
Vintage XXL: Empire Jupiter 6500
Let’s be clear right away: These speakers look great, but they don’t sound any better than your kitchen radio. And that’s despite the fact that a fat woofer is built into the base.
The retro boxes were manufactured by Empire in New York at the end of the 1960s, but the company has long since ceased to exist.
Back then, they were advertised in newspapers as garden speakers for summer cocktail parties. They were supposed to withstand a little summer rain without damage.
But if you are looking for a design piece from the 60s, you might be happy with the Empire Jupiters.
Grundig Super HiFi Box 850
For most collectors, Grundig stands for the legendary Audiorama omnidirectional speakers that I described above.
But the manufacturer built many other high-quality speakers in the 70s and 80s, including the “Super HiFi Box” Professional in various sizes.
The 850a has perfect dimensions and fits well on sideboards or in larger bookshelves.
The sound is surprisingly clear and balanced and is underestimated by many. Well-preserved examples are hard to find and highly sought after worldwide. Especially in China, Grundig stands for good, German quality, where top prices are paid for these speakers.
High-end vintage: Technics SB-6000
Do you live in a large warehouse and have enough space? Then get these legendary top speakers from the 80s.
Technics produced a lot of high-quality hi-fi devices back then: Top-class amplifiers, the legendary 1210 MKII record player and what many people don’t know – loudspeakers too.
The design certainly takes some getting used to, but the sound will win you over immediately. Second-hand prices are relatively good at the moment, with prices on eBay starting at around 350 euros per pair.
Yamaha NR9191 Vintage Loudspeaker
These boxes are reminiscent of rap videos from the 90s… Boom! Unfortunately, the huge Yamaha speakers don’t sound as fat as they look. But they definitely bring ghetto blaster style to your living room.
The woofers are bigger than medicine balls. And the best thing is that there is a level meter at the top. Colored LEDs dance to the beat of the music.
Unfortunately, Yamaha NR-9191s are rare to find and can easily cost several hundred euros.
Heco P7302 studio monitor
In the 70s, Heco P7302s were used in radio studios. The requirement was that they had to sound absolutely neutral, i.e. reproduce speech or music without distortion.
Rather unpopular with many as hi-fi loudspeakers, but for the ambitious musician with a home studio, it is absolutely top class.
These speakers are active speakers, so no separate amplifier is required.
The power amplifiers are located in the rear of the Hecos and can be pulled out in a few simple steps.
There is an illuminated power switch on the front as well as settings for treble, mid-range and bass.
The giants: Electro-Voice Baron
The Baron of Electro-Voice is harder to find than the Amber Room. And once you’ve found some, you’ll need at least one station wagon for transportation.
The boxes were manufactured in Nidau (Switzerland) at the time. Legend has it that the factory burned down and production was discontinued.
Today, prices for a pair in good condition range from 800 to 1200 euros. The Electro-Voice company still exists today and mainly manufactures microphones and professional loudspeakers for clubs and theaters.
Vintage classic Bose 901 II
Today, as then, Bose stands for high-quality speakers and good sound. The sound of these legendary speakers from the 70s is intended to be directed backwards against a wall and reflected into the room from there.
Eight small speakers are installed at the rear. Another speaker is directed towards the front.
Modern speakers with Dolby Atmos, such as the Sonos Era 300, work according to this principle.
The fact is that these speakers really packed a punch and sounded great at many parties back then. There were even larger clubs that equipped their dance floors with these speakers.
However, a solid amplifier with sufficient power is important: at the time, Bose recommended the 1801 amplifier with a weight of 37 kilos and an output of 2x 400 watts.
The speakers also need the matching Bose equalizer, which was offered especially for these speakers at the time.
So nothing stands in the way of the next party in your living room. Provided you can get hold of a cheap pair of Bose 901s.
Kirksaeter monitor 100
Extremely rare and hard to find in good condition: The Monitor 100 from Kirksaeter.
The company from Düsseldorf built these speakers in the 80s and no longer exists today. The sound can still keep up with modern monitors today.
The special features are the setting options on the front and visible fuses to protect against overloading.
With the matching front cover, the pieces are an absolute eye-catcher in any living room.
Sony SA-20 Falcon active loudspeaker
Not even as big as a milk carton but as heavy as seven of them… The SA-20 from Sony are active speakers that were sold at the end of the 70s together with other hi-fi components from the same series.
This also includes a preamplifier, the TAE-20, but even without this preamplifier, the mini speakers are perfect for listening to music.
The design was intended to be reminiscent of US fighter jets, which is why the series was also called “Falcon”.
What are old speakers worth?
Do you still have a few old speakers lying around and want to know their value? The value of old speakers is often either overestimated or underestimated.
For example, there are loudspeakers from the prestigious Marantz brand that are not even worth 100 euros. In contrast, there are little-known loudspeakers such as the Baron from Electro-Voice, which can quickly fetch several thousand euros. Feel free to comment this article and I’ll give you a free assessment.
Lars Grudzinski has been working as a sound and lighting technician since the 90s, was a DJ for electronic music, has a large collection of vintage speakers, and has been working for various radio stations in Germany for 20 years. At home, he enjoys high-quality home theater products such as soundbars and projectors and has installed an extensive Sonos system in his own home.