I signed on as a seller at this weekend's Kutztown radio/vintage audio meet, and I guess I priced my stuff too low... Not long after I pulled in Friday early AM I had sold pretty much everything I brought. So there I was with an empty car and a pocketful of money when the guy two booths down rolled up to set up his area. A small crowd gathered to watch each piece he brought out. He unloaded silver-faced four channel receivers, some old Zenith radios, and then... one ginormous speaker. I jumped over the end of my booth and inspected the goods, climbing up in the van to help unload speaker #2. After making a conditional offer on the spot, I made him wait long enough for me to measure my car to ensure they could fit for the four hour drive home. Then I paid him his asking price no questions asked. I may have overpaid but at this point I don't care.
I believe these are Model Eighteens, though there's not very much information about them on the web beyond the catalog page in the Library here. I know they each have a 604-8-H, dual-control crossovers, and what looks like a 620b oak veneered particle board cabinet. These are real nice aged oak, in fantastic shape, though the tops show the inevitable water rings from houseplant display. The grilles are nearly perfect and the speakers look great in the living room. Physically they remind me of my old Cornwalls. But oh my word do they sound better.
For now they have replaced the Model Nineteens in our living room, and are being run on my restored Fisher 500c. The new 604's sound holy moley good, way better than I expected. I am really impressed, especially by the bass - way better than my Nineteens in that department. Also, it may just be the rumored response spike around 9Khz doing it, but music has a "live" edge I don't hear on the Nineteens. It may get too edgy for long term use, but for now I'm loving it.
I will leave these new ones in place for a month before I decide to sell my precious Nineteens. Right now though I am loving the difference.
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