Trying to find high-quality speakers with a discerning ear can be difficult. With so many brands and styles available, it is easy for things to get expensive quickly, especially when searching for vintage speakers.
It is easy to assume buying on a budget means you will have to sacrifice quality. However, that is not always the case. Searching for deals on vintage products can be a real hassle, but we are here to help! Even if you can only get speakers in the style of vintage classics, you can still satiate your need for quality on a budget.
The good news is that the community surrounding vintage audio is very much alive. There are many enthusiasts and services out there, and we’re here to help you sort through them. Our goal is to help you find the ideal vintage-style speakers for a good price.
We will start with five of the best vintage speakers under $500. By the end of this article, you should have everything you need to make an informed buying decision, or at least have some ideas to work with. Let’s get started!
Table could not be displayed.
The 5 Best Vintage-Style Speakers on a Budget
The following are five of the best vintage or vintage-style speakers out there. Although they are numbered, this is not a ranking system, with the reviews presented in no specific order of quality or recommendation.
1. Klipsch R-41M Home Speaker Set
No products found.
These main speakers combine manageable size with significant versatility for your home audio environment. These speakers are suitable for use with any of your normal entertainment center’s appliances from a trusted American brand, like computers and televisions. The 2-way speaker design is a simple classic for any listener to enjoy.
Features 1” Aluminum LTS tweeters, 90×90 Tractrix Horns, 4” Spun-Copper IMG Woofers, Bass-Reflex via Rear-Firing Port, and a strong, flexible and removable magnetic grille for easy access and customizability. The speakers are housed in reinforced MDF cabinets with scratch-resistant, textured wood grain vinyl.
These great-looking passive speakers fit well with any home audio setup. Each speaker produces a clear and detailed high range, with a solid mid and bass response. They feature a durable finish for the true vintage connoisseur. The high availability of these units also helps them act as flex speakers if rarer options on your wish list are unavailable.
Pros
- Sleek Design
- Custom TractrixⓇ Horn Technology
- Easy to clean
- Compact Size
- Easy to set up
Cons
- The bass extension can be lacking for a 4” Woofer
- No built-in preamp
- Best when accenting other systems
2. Wharfedale Diamond Speaker
No products found.
A pair of speakers with rich and filling sound comes from a classic brand that has stood the test of time. The fine teak finish has a great nostalgic quality to it, especially when coupled with the black grille and brown grille cloth.
With a similar type design and sound profile to the much more pricey Linton Heritage, it’s easy to see how this affordable pair combines the best of vintage design and a realistic budget. The vintage speakers have an impedance of 8 Ohms nominal and a Frequency Response of 45 Hz—20,000 Hz ±3dB.
These are for the earnest vintage audiophile looking for a classic set of speakers and willing to accept superb quality at the units’ high weight and set-up time. Make sure you have proper space for them, and they will give you great sound in return.
Pros
- Solid and durable construction
- Classic design
- Features the famous soft dome tweeters
- Rare functional collector’s pieces
Cons
- They are cumbersome
- Difficult to find outside of resellers
- Hard to set up
3. Kenwood LSK-01S Wood Vintage Communications Speaker
No products found.
A pair of truly vintage three-way speakers straight from the early ‘90s. From another time-tested company, these Kenwoods make an excellent center for the home audio setup of your dreams. The huge size of these two speakers can be intimidating but pays for its cumbersome nature in raw output.
With beautiful wood grain design around the massive units, it would be hard to ignore these in any home, and that is before you even turn them on! The 10” woofers back up the size of the speakers, producing amazing, high-quality sound with all the power you’d expect when looking at them.
These classic speakers are capable of producing huge sounds without distortion. They are rated at 140 Watt input and 8 Ohm impedance. The depth of sound presented in these speakers is the highest of any on this list, but much like the Wharfedale Linton 2 Kit, you will need to provide ample room for them to do their job.
Pros
- High powered woofers
- Larger-than-life sound
- Main piece in an audio setup
Cons
- Difficult to find outside of resellers
- Used listing
4. Marshall Acton M-ACCS-10126 Acton Speaker
No products found.
This modern addition to Marshall’s storied catalog of quality speakers represents a modern take on a classic design. This ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker is suitable for a variety of home and on-the-go audio environments. Despite its size, the overall sound quality still competes with larger models.
The Acton model’s custom three analog interaction knobs allow you to strictly fine-tune your listening experience. The Acton is a good fit for any discerning ear, from clear midrange and extended highs to the deceptively large bass sound.
On top of that, the Acton speaker still holds on to timeless Marshall design details, like the classy logo on the beautiful frontal grille. Despite not coming from the vintage era of speakers, this little workhorse may surprise you.
Pros
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Classic vintage design
- Extremely portable
- Surprisingly powerful low end, despite its size
- Custom three analog interaction knobs
Cons
- Only vintage in appearance
- Bluetooth functionality has a short lifespan
- A Lithium-Ion battery is required to use
5. Polk Audio TSi400 Floorstanding Speaker
No products found.
A standing speaker that brings a modern flair to a quality vintage design. This sturdy model boasts a floor-standing frame that is easy to move to accommodate any audio setup. The TSi400 delivers on high-quality sound for the affordability Polk is known for.
This speaker features a Dynamic Balance system that is proprietary to Polk Audio technology, allowing for wide sound to propagate with smooth response and low distortion. The design utilizes a Klippel Distortion Analyzer to squeeze the best possible listening experience from even the highest volume levels.
What’s more, you can enjoy the unit as a free-standing speaker or take advantage of the Wall-Mount template for easy customizability. Plus, it comes with a wood grain vinyl finish with a piano-black top plate.
Pros
- Extremely highly-reviewed
- Easy to move
- Beautiful vintage appearance
Cons
- Only vintage in appearance
- No built-in powered sub
- Bass can lack compared to mid and high ranges
Conclusion
While it can get hard not to splurge on a truly vintage audio setup at home, using these five speakers as a guide for affordable and quality environments should help keep things under a decent budget. These models range from true classics to modern takes on the vintage style, but either way, you will not be compromising on sound quality.