ProSoundWeb Community

Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => LAB: The Classic Live Audio Board => Topic started by: Curtis H List (Too Tall) on August 07, 2011, 12:20:41 PM

Title: Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers
Post by: Curtis H List (Too Tall) on August 07, 2011, 12:20:41 PM
What did these go for back in the 1950s when they were new?
What should they go for now compared to modern compression drivers?

Are they exceptionally great sounding?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers-Speakers-S-2-/110722799703?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item19c797d857
Title: Re: Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers
Post by: Ivan Beaver on August 07, 2011, 03:32:26 PM
What did these go for back in the 1950s when they were new?
What should they go for now compared to modern compression drivers?

Are they exceptionally great sounding?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers-Speakers-S-2-/110722799703?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item19c797d857
Some of the "hi fi" guys believe that the older stuff is better-whether or not it actually is.

It is amazing what prices are paid for some of the old stuff.

I have no idea about the product in question.

Just because it is old does not make it better.
Title: Re: Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers
Post by: Tom Young on August 07, 2011, 05:56:04 PM
What did these go for back in the 1950s when they were new?
What should they go for now compared to modern compression drivers?

Are they exceptionally great sounding?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers-Speakers-S-2-/110722799703?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item19c797d857

Too Tall-

I see nothing about these drivers that indicate superior, or even equal, performance when compared to present day drivers.

If you google on the driver, the specs are probably not as good as the Ebay seller indicates.

I know some folks who think the Altec 802 drivers are "wonderful". While I think they sound quite good, they do not go high enough and one must be careful how much power is applied to them.  I do not think they sound as good as some present day technology drivers. Based on the specs, this also may be the case for the Vita drivers.

And whatever driver one loves, the sound quality is very much affected by the specific horn it is used with. I know you know this.

FWIW
Title: Re: Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers
Post by: Jim McKeveny on August 08, 2011, 02:57:45 PM
Items like this are aimed at the high-end hobbyist, rather than the audio professional. Think of the performance of "vintage" MG's and the like: a base Hyundai Accent can go/stop/turn better...but it lacks the nostalgia component that some are willing to pay for.
Title: Re: Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers
Post by: Kent Elliott on August 09, 2011, 06:39:05 PM
  I don't know about the original pricing on the VitaVox-- they were rare outside of Europe, where they were considered the competitor to the Altec 288.

I've owned/used a wide range of drivers from 1940's to current models. The truth is that the technology has not changed significantly, unless you consider power handling.
  I once tested a large format Jensen driver (I think from the late 1940's) against Gauss & TAD drivers that were current at the time.  The Jensen outperformed both in some aspects.  (notably high-frequency extension, and was very smooth sounding.)
  I have a group of friends (HiFi nuts) who tested a wide range of drivers from vintage field-coil drivers to modern PA.  They picked a vintage RCA field coil as the best of the lot, with the second best being a relatively recent model (now discontinued by the manufacturer).  I wasn't there for the test. 
  The cachet enters into the value of these old drivers, as does the rarity.  It's not all smoke & mirrors, though.  I've listened to vintage RCA's from the 40's, Altecs from the 50's thru their demise, JBL's from the 60's, etc.  With the right set of criteria (for example, low-frequency extension, sensitivity, and yes, sound quality), I might well pay a premium for some of the vintage drivers. 
  Kent Elliott
Title: Re: Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers
Post by: Peter Morris on August 10, 2011, 09:38:35 AM
Some of the "hi fi" guys believe that the older stuff is better-whether or not it actually is.

It is amazing what prices are paid for some of the old stuff.

I have no idea about the product in question.

Just because it is old does not make it better.

This may help ...

http://www.vitavoxhifi.com/main.php

http://www.vitavoxhifi.com/products.php?page=pressure_units

http://www.acoustic-horn.com/news/index.php?published-max=2009-11-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=hug&m=22633

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=hug&m=83427

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=hug&m=63929

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=hug&m=14406

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=hug&m=105963

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=hug&m=98706

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=hug&m=101889

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=hug&m=46784

http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=hug&m=110061

http://www.audioasylum.com/scripts/t.pl?f=hug&m=46784


Peter

Title: Re: Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers
Post by: Iain.Macdonald on August 10, 2011, 12:30:57 PM
What did these go for back in the 1950s when they were new?
What should they go for now compared to modern compression drivers?

Are they exceptionally great sounding?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vitavox-Vintage-S2-Compression-Drivers-Speakers-S-2-/110722799703?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item19c797d857

Hi,

No idea what they cost back then. I have only heard the S5 and S6 used in PA systems. They sounded really nice. The only conversation I had with them, was dominated by their insistence that very low distortion was one of their primary aims, and exactly why it was important. 

This link (http://website.lineone.net/~empson/S2.html) will give you more information. Please note this comment:The S2 was originally designed for use with the 220 horns and when used thus the correct exponential expansion from all point of the diaphragm to the mouth of the horn are retained. Something that most folks forget. Also check out the surround.

Iain.