A Sonos thread on the Entertainment board made me realize how much that technology has changed the conversation on this topic. Back in the day, we had pretty frequent conversations on here about "traditional" home theater setups, the best speakers, the optimal way to install stuff, etc. Those threads are almost non-existent now. I can't even recall one in the past several years that wasn't just someone asking about the best sound bar or a Sonos config.

I love my Sonos...we have a Sonos Arc + Sub in our living room, an older Sonos Playbar + Sub in my office, and a Move2 which I use for the porch. However, we moved in May and I had my old Klipsch system installed in our Den / TV room in the new house. I never had it put up in last house because we just didn't have a good room for it so left it packed up in a closet.

As much as I like my Sonos, I forgot how much better sound is from a traditional A/V speaker setup (the love it or hate it takes on Klipsch aside) and I'm only running a 3.1 for now because I haven't figured out how I want to add my rears. My old school speakers are 20 years old now. I have missed them greatly and didn't realize it. Unfortunately, my Klipsch sub didn't survive the move and would not power up. It might be something minor, but luckily I had an extra MartinLogan sub lying around that I swapped in for now.

The local A/V outfit that I had install all of this when we moved in doesn't even really carry traditional speakers. Mostly TVs, Sonos and maybe 1 brand of traditional speakers that I don't recall. Really didn't even have a speaker mockup area to sit down and listen to movies / music.

Anyway, curious if most people are just moving on from the traditional setups due to the efficiencies of wireless / Bluetooth tech we have now. Bringing my Klipsch back actually makes me want to upgrade it with all new speakers!

No sound bars for me. I run a full 7.2.4 setup

Almost everyone has now abandoned traditional speakers.

Noted.

In my bedroom I have a sonos soundbar and 2 sonos ones for surround. It sounds absolutely fine and I get why so many go this way given the ease of setup.

In my home theater I have an all KEF 5.2.4 setup with 2 SVS subs and there is absolutely no comparison between the two. The sound is better than any movie theater I've been to in the last 5 years and has greatly contributed to my barely going to the theater any more. That being said, I spent 2 weeks in a hot crawlspace running cables to get it configured and there's a 10% chance any time a major storm comes through that something will stop working and I'll have to spend the next week troubleshooting.

You're not alone. Vintage speakers and vintage stereo equipment have exploded in value and new stuff of the same caliber is priced out of the reach of most mortals.

As an example, a Pioneer SX-1980, sold in the US between 1978-1980, that has been recapped and refurbished has a market value of around $8,000-$9,000. Old Klipsch Heresy speakers, the entry level in the Heritage line, are worth around $1,000/pair. New Heresies go for just shy of $3,000, I think, and new Fortes are around $4500/pair.

We just got a Sony Bravia sound bar/sub 7 for our new Sony TV. I know there are other better options out there, but I think it's supposed to be a pretty good pair for the Bravia TV. Going to be hooking it up tonight. Our living room isn't huge, so think this will be plenty for us in terms of sound.

At our very first house we had surround sound installed and I remember putting on Lone Survivor. There were scenes where it sounded like the bullets were whizzing over our heads. It was a pretty sweet setup.

I had to take over my home theater room about 8 years ago when I went fully remote. I have a complete system that I no longer use and would love to sell.

I have a Marantz SR7010 receiver, B&W CM8's with matching center and B&W surrounds in the back. I'll keep the in-wall and in ceiling speakers since they would leave a huge hole. I also have a REL S/2 Sub. I would take $2k for all of it, which seems reasonable. It's about $8k new and wasn't heavily used.

I am trying to build out a vintage setup to listen to vinyl. That stuff ain't cheap!

KingofHazor said:

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You're not alone. Vintage speakers and vintage stereo equipment have exploded in value and new stuff of the same caliber is priced out of the reach of most mortals.

As an example, a Pioneer SX-1980, sold in the US between 1978-1980, that has been recapped and refurbished has a market value of around $8,000-$9,000. Old Klipsch Heresy speakers, the entry level in the Heritage line, are worth around $1,000/pair. New Heresies go for just shy of $3,000, I think, and new Fortes are around $4500/pair.

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My neighbor has this exact setup at his house. The Pioneer SX-1980 and the Heresy speakers. It sounds amazing. I'm looking to get something along those lines as well.

AgCMT said:

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My neighbor has this exact setup at his house. The Pioneer SX-1980 and the Heresy speakers. It sounds amazing. I'm looking to get something along those lines as well.

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If you're going to spend that kind of money, get something better than the Heresies. Again, they're the entry level to the Heritage line. The reviews on them tend to describe their lack of bass, and many owners frequently end up upgrading from them. They were originally marketed and sold by Klipsch as single, center channel speakers. The Forte is a major improvement and Klipsch has even better and more expensive speakers than those.

Be careful in buying older, used speakers and equipment. Much of it is 50 years old or more, and the capacitors and other components have degraded, requiring updating.

He got lucky when he purchased the Pioneer. He even got the high end Pioneer turntable from that time frame as well. He spent more the Heresy's than the receiver. His setup does sound great though. It seems like the prices have recently gone up. He bought his setup about 5-6 years ago. Just before COVID.

I have a bot running daily searches for both the Pioneer SX-1980 and the MAC 2500 for under $4k. Will see what it comes up with.

I'll pick your brain on the speakers! You definitely sound like you've done your research.

I have a pair of Vandersteen 2ce Sigs that are easily 25 years old. They are my L/R HT and stereo loudspeakers when I drop to 2 channels. They were $2000 new back then.

The same model (of course upgraded internally over the years and they are now closer to what were Model 3s back then) go for $6500.

There isn't anything those babies can't make sound amazing.

From everything I've read, Covid is what drove prices up and they haven't really started coming down much yet. Maybe a little, but not a lot. Almost all of the buyers are old, male baby boomers like me. In another 10-20 years, this stuff will flood the market again as we all die off and our kids, who aren't really interested in old stereo equipment, dump it in estate sales.

Be careful, this "interest" can become very, very expensive, very fast. The law of diminishing returns truly applies to stereo equipment. That is, quality doesn't even begin to double for every double in price.

KingofHazor said:

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You're not alone. Vintage speakers and vintage stereo equipment have exploded in value and new stuff of the same caliber is priced out of the reach of most mortals.

As an example, a Pioneer SX-1980, sold in the US between 1978-1980, that has been recapped and refurbished has a market value of around $8,000-$9,000. Old Klipsch Heresy speakers, the entry level in the Heritage line, are worth around $1,000/pair. New Heresies go for just shy of $3,000, I think, and new Fortes are around $4500/pair.

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I think my Klipsch speakers all together (FR+FL+C+LR+RR+sub) cost $3,500 about 20 years ago. I haven't looked at what new speakers cost but that system was considered a mid-tier 5.1 system at the time, from what I recall. I assume I would be shocked at prices now just like everything else.

Which models do you have?

KingofHazor said:

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Which models do you have?

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I'll have to look it up. Give me a bit.

I still spend a lot time on Crutchfield daydreaming about my system. I had a post here a year or so ago on my potential setup in a media room. Probably a couple years out, but I'm a full traditionalist on media setups.

KingofHazor said:

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Which models do you have?

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Klipsch Icon series. I'm not sure what the model numbers are for the fronts but the two rears are Icon XB-10s. Subwoofer is a RW-12d...I think.

I think I've posted this somewhere here before, but here it is anyway. Don't have a pic of the sides or rears but the backs are wall mounted and the sides on stands against the walls. All Revel speakers except the 2 Rhythmic subs.

I'm not really happy with the bass (I'm an edm basshead) because of the room so I'm thinking about building a couple of 21" ones with pro audio drivers and amp.

The boxes on the ceiling are 4" thick free floating sound absorbers and that multicolored thing is a cool sound absorber art piece I built and hung on the back wall.

BTW, I haven't been in one of these conversations in so long I didn't know 7.2.4 was even a thing! Last setup I recall that people had started to dabble in was 7.1. I guess Atmos drove this.

What are we looking at in this picture? If your sides and rears aren't pictured, then what all is this? Are the two flat things on the wall with 3 red things on top speakers or something else?

YouBet said:

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BTW, I haven't been in one of these conversations in so long I didn't know 7.2.4 was even a thing! Last setup I recall that people had started to dabble in was 7.1. I guess Atmos drove this.

What are we looking at in this picture? If your sides and rears aren't pictured, then what all is this? Are the two flat things on the wall with 3 red things on top speakers or something else?

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Those are 2 more sound absorbers and some led candles. All of the sound absorbers are almost a necessity since I have whole house tile with very few rugs (we've got a furry dog).