Vintage Speakers Bring Sweet Music to Game Room

Voice o the Theatre Speaker

Before the late 80’s brought along cube speaker systems, men were allowed (and expected!) to have giant speakers systems in the home. These glorious classic speakers typically weighed at least 50 lbs per speaker, were made out of real wood (not particle board) and typically housed several speakers within the cabinet.

These beasts were able to bring a musical experience that these cube systems simply can never match.

I realize the ladies find these giant speakers to be ugly relics from the stone age, but why do you think they call our rooms “The Man Cave?” In our space, it should be a given that we can relive the glory of the time before these horrible satellite sound systems can into play.

As long as the speakers have been cared for and have not suffered from dry rotting — you will experience sound that these newer systems simply cannot produce. Check Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and eBay regularly to look for deals. They are abundant.

With that said…here are ten recommended ultimate classic speakers for your game room, man cave, or home theater.

Pioneer HPM-100

Pioneer HPM 100 Speakers

Some say it is the most famous speaker in rock history.

This was Pioneer’s response to the famous JBL-100 and was meant to be paired with the legendary Pioneer SX-1980 receiver.

Large Advents

Large Advent Speakers

There are the original large advents and “new large advents.” Both are excellent speakers. I think the “new” did improve on the design somewhat.

What is especially cool about these is that new replacement parts are still available.

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JBL Metregon or JBL Paragon

Metregon by JBL

These speakers are like a piece of furniture. In fact, they look like a circa late 50’s/early 60’s bar. I guess that may have been the idea. Put some coasters on top and bar stools nearby — and you have yourself a pretty sweet looking vintage bar area! Not to mention that they put out very nice sound.

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DCM Time Window

DCM Time Window

Who can resist a name like “Time Window?” I know I can’t. Place these next to your Doctor Who pinball machine and see if anyone ever catches on to the joke.

With classic styling and a great soundstage — these are some unique classics. Not the best choice for bass lovers though (or just add a sub).

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Klipsch Heresy

Klipsch Heresy

Speaking of names you cannot resist. With a name like Heresy, you just have to imagine that these Klipsch speakers rock — and they do! Introduced in the late 50’s, these speakers are still being made.

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Magneplanar Tympani

Magneplanar Tympani

The Darth Vader of classic speakers — as these things are absolutely intimidating and almost look like a tie fighter. Given enough power and some tweaking — those in the know say these are one of the best sounding speakers in the universe.

Infinity IRS Beta

Infinity IRS Beta

I wanted to list the Infinity IRS V here, as it is one of the most famed vintage speakers. But considering how amazingly expensive the V’s are, the Betas seemed to be a better choice. Don’t get me wrong — these still are not cheap. On the used market, you are still looking at some serious dollars for these bad boys. But just look at them! They surely are worth it. Hopefully you have a large game room as they require some space.

Kenwood LS-1900

Kenwood LS-1900

Kenwood today has a reputation of putting out cheap stuff. But back in the 60’s and 70’s they made some very nice high-end equipment. These monsters had a retail price of around $2500 back in the late 70’s and you can see why.

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Quad ESL57

Quad ESL57

These are commonly stated as the greatest speakers EVER. Dare I say more?

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Altec Lansing A4

Altec Lansing A4

These look like something straight out of 2001: A Space Odyssey. If your game room has a futuristic vibe to it, these may be the speakers you want to seek out.

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So there you have it…there is a our list of epic vintage speakers you can add to the gameroom. These are speakers that not only can bring great sound but also add a bit of flair to your space.