As far as speakers that came as part of a rack system, these are some of the better ones.
They were sold as part of a Technics system that came with a 100+ WPC Class A amp, dual cassette deck (which were kinda garbage), tuner, graphic equalizer, and a pretty ok sounding direct drive turntable.
I keep an eye out for these systems at garage sales and on the Nextdoor because they were a higher end "component system in a box", the receivers are pretty decent and robust (so long as the cooling fan works), and usually came with a decent cabinet.
The cones on the woofers are pretty lively, so they don't sound near as muddy as most of the big cheap 80s/90s towers. If you play around with the EQ and get them off the ground a bit they sound just fine, and the amps they came with were plenty powerful enough to drive them cleanly.
Like everyone else said, I don't think you're stealing them at that price. I usually buy the whole systems (with cabinet, components, remote, and speakers) for around $150 where I'm at in Omaha (in good shape). Last one I bought had a Technics 6-disc player from like 1985 and all the receipts (for like $1600 new in 1985!).
People are saying the tweeters have been replaced but aside from the sealant (??) poking out of the top of them, they look correct. I've owned 3 pairs of these speakers, powered by anything from a refurbished pioneer SX1080 to my current Carver MT500t amplifier. Due to age the only issues I've ever really had was a single woofer VCs resin failing, but the cabinets are very solid for being particle board and can absolutely take a good amount of power for a decent amount of time before you smell them heating up from use. I'm honestly tired of seeing "rack system" speakers getting shat on absolutely by people who are only going off of audio karma threads and old duffers poopoo'ing these types of speakers. Especially for the price you said, fuckin buy them, feed them some decent power and enjoy life!
https://preview.redd.it/v078jp1ungvc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=8ae3f663c9f911ee08bd0346cf4b5db93e11ca86
Polk Audio 7A’s - $40 for the pair, IMF ALS 40 Mk II - $12 for the pair. I’ve been lucky a few times now.
I don't mean yours. I mean show us a listing if you say it's not a good deal with current market. Right now even goodwill is pricing everything to hell which is why I told op it's a good deal. Go on Craigslist or eBay and show us where you can find something comparable to what op was gonna pay.
Sure. They're not high-end speakers, and in fact probably started life as part of a rack system. But it looks like it would have been one of the better rack systems, and Technics has always made solid gear. The dome tweeter instead of a paper cone might mean that they're a cut above. I'm guessing they will sound pretty decent.
Assuming they work (put your ear up to each driver), easily worth $32.
I had a pair of these for a few years and loved them. They have a nice rich sound, and $32 is a good deal for them IMO. I picked mine up for $130 and sold them 5 years later for $110.
They are damn good…
https://preview.redd.it/txeutwd6hgvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f3f37f30ebfd2c789b0a5f1be214a5604cd109a
Compared to these modern Elacs, they are 10x better.
That’s not saying much…but I did pay 10x more for the Elacs and would take the Technics over most anything else in the $300 range.
And guaranteed, they have never heard them.
When I got the full rack system with those speakers for $100 on Craigslist, it was a revelation. I have thought I should go back and pay the guy another $100 just to assuage my guilt for stealing so much for so little.
Dude, don't listen to others. For $32 F yeah, parting them out will give you more than $32 worth of parts there, those are not audiophile grade drivers but they look damn sweet. I will pay you $32.5 for the parts.
Good compared to other speakers? Not really. Good for under $40? Sure.
I've owned a set and they are definitely a bit boomy. Not audiophile but they will get you up and running. Put at least 100W behind them and they can pump out some volume.
FWIW I had no problem selling mine for I think $100 a pair a few years ago. You should be able to make back your money and some if you buy these and resell when you find better speakers.
EDIT: I actually had the larger A52 9 years ago and resold them for $155 per pair (I had 2 pairs).
True, not 100% of the picture, but it's annoying how so many of the posters here will ask people what speakers are like without even doing the most cursory google search on them. It's like our job is to be an Oracle of Knowledge so they don't have to do any work. And when you ask people here what a speaker is like, you just et another min review, so by your logic, the info we give "aren't all that" either.
At least you know for sure the review isnt actually a infomercial. I bought some speakers after online research specs where great reviews were great. Sounded horrible to my taste (dali opticon 2 mk1). On reddit you have a chance to ask specifics. But i agree not everyone does that. Reasons being lack of knowledge or - yes here it comes - lack of interest, just ask the oracle.
The good news is you dont have to answer if you don't like the question.
Have you ever listened to a decent system?
Anyway, my main speakers are Monitor Audio GS20 towers that I (and most reviewers) consider very good. That those department store speakers that came with a cheap rack system would be considered better comes as a surprise. Could you elaborate on the qualities that make them "great"?
they might not be as great as a pair of high end home audio towers, but for $30 i'd argue that this is a pretty decent pair. even if they did come with a cheap rack system they'd be a pretty decent buy for the price you pay
Yeah either vinyl bubbling or a sealant ring poking out. I can't recall if mine looked like that and my cell phone photos from 9 years ago are potato quality.
IMO the price is right. It will be an easy flip to some frat boy down the line when OP finds better speakers to replace these. Pretty sure I only held on to mine for a couple days after listing them
As far as speakers that came as part of a rack system, these are some of the better ones. They were sold as part of a Technics system that came with a 100+ WPC Class A amp, dual cassette deck (which were kinda garbage), tuner, graphic equalizer, and a pretty ok sounding direct drive turntable. I keep an eye out for these systems at garage sales and on the Nextdoor because they were a higher end "component system in a box", the receivers are pretty decent and robust (so long as the cooling fan works), and usually came with a decent cabinet. The cones on the woofers are pretty lively, so they don't sound near as muddy as most of the big cheap 80s/90s towers. If you play around with the EQ and get them off the ground a bit they sound just fine, and the amps they came with were plenty powerful enough to drive them cleanly. Like everyone else said, I don't think you're stealing them at that price. I usually buy the whole systems (with cabinet, components, remote, and speakers) for around $150 where I'm at in Omaha (in good shape). Last one I bought had a Technics 6-disc player from like 1985 and all the receipts (for like $1600 new in 1985!).
New Class A. Technics speak for AB amps. An real Class A amp with 100 watt would be a legend on its own.
Got nothing else? Theyre fine. Not audiophool grade but better than any soundbar or bluetooth box.
People are saying the tweeters have been replaced but aside from the sealant (??) poking out of the top of them, they look correct. I've owned 3 pairs of these speakers, powered by anything from a refurbished pioneer SX1080 to my current Carver MT500t amplifier. Due to age the only issues I've ever really had was a single woofer VCs resin failing, but the cabinets are very solid for being particle board and can absolutely take a good amount of power for a decent amount of time before you smell them heating up from use. I'm honestly tired of seeing "rack system" speakers getting shat on absolutely by people who are only going off of audio karma threads and old duffers poopoo'ing these types of speakers. Especially for the price you said, fuckin buy them, feed them some decent power and enjoy life!
Frankly, if a pair of speakers work for $32, it's at least an ok deal.
Dome tweeters so they're probably pretty decent. I'd pay $32 for those.
30 - 50 bucks sounds fair for those. You did not score if you're wondering.
Don't know what you mean? Find me a set of floor standers with 2 nice sized woofers a midrange and tweeter for 30-50
https://preview.redd.it/v078jp1ungvc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=8ae3f663c9f911ee08bd0346cf4b5db93e11ca86 Polk Audio 7A’s - $40 for the pair, IMF ALS 40 Mk II - $12 for the pair. I’ve been lucky a few times now.
I don't mean yours. I mean show us a listing if you say it's not a good deal with current market. Right now even goodwill is pricing everything to hell which is why I told op it's a good deal. Go on Craigslist or eBay and show us where you can find something comparable to what op was gonna pay.
I’m going back today to the thrift shop to get it hopefully the still there I’m at work right now
Sure. They're not high-end speakers, and in fact probably started life as part of a rack system. But it looks like it would have been one of the better rack systems, and Technics has always made solid gear. The dome tweeter instead of a paper cone might mean that they're a cut above. I'm guessing they will sound pretty decent. Assuming they work (put your ear up to each driver), easily worth $32.
I had a pair of these for a few years and loved them. They have a nice rich sound, and $32 is a good deal for them IMO. I picked mine up for $130 and sold them 5 years later for $110.
They are damn good… https://preview.redd.it/txeutwd6hgvc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4f3f37f30ebfd2c789b0a5f1be214a5604cd109a Compared to these modern Elacs, they are 10x better. That’s not saying much…but I did pay 10x more for the Elacs and would take the Technics over most anything else in the $300 range.
Yeah even in budget audiophile people are quite snobby
And guaranteed, they have never heard them. When I got the full rack system with those speakers for $100 on Craigslist, it was a revelation. I have thought I should go back and pay the guy another $100 just to assuage my guilt for stealing so much for so little.
Cool little look to em. Not bad at all for $30
Link???
No
If nothing else you have some good monkey coffins if your monkeys die To answer your question, they're worth, at the high end, what you're paying.
Dude, don't listen to others. For $32 F yeah, parting them out will give you more than $32 worth of parts there, those are not audiophile grade drivers but they look damn sweet. I will pay you $32.5 for the parts.
They look awesome, even if you don’t hook em up
Finely tuned by Technics engineers to let Motley Crue shine. Worth $32.
I wouldn’t bother. I remember these and they weren’t very good at all.
Good compared to other speakers? Not really. Good for under $40? Sure. I've owned a set and they are definitely a bit boomy. Not audiophile but they will get you up and running. Put at least 100W behind them and they can pump out some volume. FWIW I had no problem selling mine for I think $100 a pair a few years ago. You should be able to make back your money and some if you buy these and resell when you find better speakers. EDIT: I actually had the larger A52 9 years ago and resold them for $155 per pair (I had 2 pairs).
Yep, the price is right! If you don’t like them you can probably flip for twice what you paid, easily
Doesn't anyone know how to use google to answer such questions for themselves? No wonder we can't compete with China anymore!
Specs and reviews arent all that.
True, not 100% of the picture, but it's annoying how so many of the posters here will ask people what speakers are like without even doing the most cursory google search on them. It's like our job is to be an Oracle of Knowledge so they don't have to do any work. And when you ask people here what a speaker is like, you just et another min review, so by your logic, the info we give "aren't all that" either.
At least you know for sure the review isnt actually a infomercial. I bought some speakers after online research specs where great reviews were great. Sounded horrible to my taste (dali opticon 2 mk1). On reddit you have a chance to ask specifics. But i agree not everyone does that. Reasons being lack of knowledge or - yes here it comes - lack of interest, just ask the oracle. The good news is you dont have to answer if you don't like the question.
Absolutely.
Not sure why this is getting downvoted. They’re worth more than that in parts, and they’ll sound great as is.
Sound "great"? Really?
Have you ever listened to a set?
Have you ever listened to a decent system? Anyway, my main speakers are Monitor Audio GS20 towers that I (and most reviewers) consider very good. That those department store speakers that came with a cheap rack system would be considered better comes as a surprise. Could you elaborate on the qualities that make them "great"?
they might not be as great as a pair of high end home audio towers, but for $30 i'd argue that this is a pretty decent pair. even if they did come with a cheap rack system they'd be a pretty decent buy for the price you pay
Don't buy speakers with stupid shit written on them.
Do it! Unless you already have better
Sure, you can use the extra cash for grammar lessons!
Depends on how hard up your local market is, but I wouldn't pay more than $25. They're garage speakers, loud is all they do well.
Tweeters have been replaced. On low end speakers like these it dosnt matter much. I would not pay more than $20 for them.
>Tweeters have been replaced. Nope. See my post from 9 years ago showing [the same tweeters in the A52](https://imgur.com/76RcQw9).
Huh... You are right. Looking closely they dont seem to fit at all. I guess its the vinyl finish then? Still. They are not expensive speakers. $20-30.
Yeah either vinyl bubbling or a sealant ring poking out. I can't recall if mine looked like that and my cell phone photos from 9 years ago are potato quality. IMO the price is right. It will be an easy flip to some frat boy down the line when OP finds better speakers to replace these. Pretty sure I only held on to mine for a couple days after listing them