
That’s only one, and in truth it’s actually two sets of speakers (creative license, donchaknow). I just thought I’d pass this one on quickly: This is one of a pair of Advent speakers I bought a few months ago. I had another set that I’d bought from Craig’s List earlier, but I just took those down to Hawthorne Stereo on consignment (go buy them! Spend lots of money!). Why? They were really virtually identical! Close to the same years, models, condition, etc., although the ones I sent to consignment had a bit of a water/sun/something mark on the top. So why did I decide to keep one set and give away another, or even buy a second set to begin with?
Yes, I know I could have stacked them but I don’t have the room.
The answer is: $25.
That’s what I paid for the second set. I was at an estate sale and they were going unsold on the second day, so I grabbed ‘em. See, I’d been looking for a pair of these Original Large Advents in the walnut cabinet for some time. They’re not particularly rare, as they made gazillions of them, although the original walnut ones are a bit harder to find than the so-called “utility” cabinets (vinyl covered particle board). I’d always kind of wanted a pair when I was a teenager, but never got any ($$$) and by the time I could afford them, I was off at school and such and didn’t care much anymore. But when I started getting back into such things, I decided to get a nice pair of them. So I kept looking at estate sales and at Goodwill, etc., for some that needed some work that I could buy for cheap. Mostly estate sales though because they’re usually cheaper.
At any rate, I didn’t have any luck for a long time and finally saw some on Craig’s that were in great shape and decently priced, fully functional, etc. So I got em. Loved ‘em. For several weeks. Then I stumbled upon these other ones. The cabinets and cloth grilles were probably in better shape than the other ones, but these needed new foam around the woofers and one tweeter didn’t work. And $25! I probably could have gotten them for $10 but I knew the lady doing the sale.
At any rate, I took them home, reformed them and (because I am electronically illiterate) had the tweeter fixed (just a cheap electronic component), actually at the aforementioned Hawthorne Stereo. I took them home, hooked them up, and. . .they sounded the same as the other ones. Meaning excellent. L-O-V-E. And here they’ve sat for these few months.
See, even though they’re virtually identical, I kept the cheap ones because they mean more to me since I snagged them for cheap and fixed them (mostly) myself. They’re my “find”. And I love that! I found them by chance just sitting in some guy’s basement at his estate sale, probably forgotten for 20 years, but still in good condition. It’s just not the same as buying them all ready to go that someone is selling to make money at. Plus I got the satisfaction of bringing them bad to life (mostly) myself.
I wouldn’t say they’re my favorites. I have a pair of Smaller Advents that I adore, partly because they were the first classic speaker I bought and refurbished (at an estate sale for $25!) and I love the sound and the design which is far more interesting than the big ones. And there are my bought-new 1980 Genesis’ that I think sound better in most respects, besides being my oldest pair. But these are in my home office and I probably listen to them more than the others just because I’m in here more often. And I can listen to them for hours without getting tired of them (that can happen, btw).
So remember that next time you see some old object at a Goodwill or a garage sale or something. Ask the owner about it. He or she will more often than not probably have a good story to tell you about it, and if you buy it, you’ll have become part of the object’s history.