[radosuaf]

The problem is I have absolutely no clue about passive old speakers... Can you please have a look and make some suggestions?
 
http://allegro.pl/stereo-kolumny-podstawkowe-20073?order=dd&price_enabled=1&price_to=500&buyUsed=1
 
Prices are in PLN, USD ones you'll get by dividing them by 3.73. I'd really appreciate some help .
 
 
As far as the amp goes, I would rather go for TP21, due to space issues, but maybe you will find something interesting here:
 
http://allegro.pl/wzmacniacze-i-pokrewne-wzmacniacze-20120?price_to=300&price_enabled=1
 
 
Please remember these are to be very nearfield .

 

[GREQ]

 

+1
Speakers just keep going for decades.

Just make sure the 'foam surrounds' are not foam, but rubber. 

I've been through a bunch of vintage and less vintage speakers until I found a set I really liked, since they're so cheap to pick up and you lose next to nothing selling them on again. 
Well, some I got so cheap I gave them away to friends.

The only trouble I ever had with old speakers was one set of 1980's Jamo's I got for free, I had to spend 20 euros repairing the rotten foam surrounds.
Totally worth it though, used them for about 3 years without a hiccup but now they're looking for a new home. 

Only problem is finding space for an amp 

 (some 80's amps are so cheap, when they die, you just buy a new one)

I think that was mainly a problem with foam and rubber surrounds in the 70s and 80s, wasn't it? That's why I suggested 10 year old speakers. I think the mainstream manufacturers stopped using the surround materials that were liable to rot out, but I could be wrong.

I think this is a problem largely relevant to 70's and 80's speakers, since the 90's speakers with foam are still in good shape for another 5-10 years 

 

 

[cel4145]

I think this is a problem largely relevant to 70's and 80's speakers, since the 90's speakers with foam are still in good shape for another 5-10 years   

Maybe I'm wrong. I thought the foam usage had largely stopped during the 90s. Well, except for in really cheap crap. (lol)

 

[GREQ]

Maybe I'm wrong. I thought the foam usage had largely stopped during the 90s. Well, except for in really cheap crap. (lol)

I thought most of the cheap crap did away with surrounds altogether
But yeah, I'm only guessing that anything left with foam from the 90's will perish soon enough.

 

[KT66]

My 1988 Rogers LS5/9s do not suffer from this.
Its heating and radiators that dry out foam and cones, don't put speakers near radiators is my tip.

 

[radosuaf]

Honestly, having looked through the used equipment, didn't find anything interesting... Would the Wharfedale Diamond 10.0 + TP21 combo sound better than the AV40s?

 

[cel4145]

Honestly, having looked through the used equipment, didn't find anything interesting... Would the Wharfedale Diamond 10.0 + TP21 combo sound better than the AV40s?

The Wharfdale Diamonds are generally considered a higher tier of speakers than the M-Audio AV series.

 

[radosuaf]

The 9.1/10.1s get rave reviews, but the 10.0 not much so. On the other hand 9.1s or 10.1s are a bit too big for my liking...

 

[cel4145]

The 10.0s are still a higher speaker model than the AV40s. That's M-Audios budget powered speaker line.

 

[radosuaf]

Cool. Always wanted to have some Wharfedales . Will they be OK for nearfield?
 
And a tricky question - would used Tannoy M1s be significantly better?

 

[cel4145]

Yes. They should be fine for nearfield.

I don't know much about the Tannoys. Not very popular over here where I am. Different pricing, availability, and all

 

[radosuaf]

Yes. They should be fine for nearfield.

 
 
Hmmm... Couldn't find the manual for Diamond 10.0, but the manual for Diamond 100 series says:
 

 
So it seems I have to go back to nearfield monitors...

 

[cel4145]

Hmmm... Couldn't find the manual for Diamond 10.0, but the manual for Diamond 100 series says:




So it seems I have to go back to nearfield monitors...

What?

Plenty off people use Wharfedales for computer speakers.

What, to you, defines a "nearfield" monitor other than the label?

 

[radosuaf]

Distance between drivers for example... Taking this to extremes:
 

 
These supposedly do not sound well from less than 1 metre . I guess construction details might be different... There must be a reason why 2 - 4 metres are pointed out.

 

[cel4145]

The Wharfedale 10.0s have one driver and one tweeter, like most monitors. Like I said. I've heard of many people using the 10.1s (9.1s as well) for desktop setups. Mostly, IME, you want to avoid speakers for nearfield use that are overly fatiguing (e.g. Klipsch), and that's not the Wharfedales.