Excellent bass, smooth extended range

Not particularly efficient

I bought my original Advents about 30 years ago from an audio store in Berkely California, and I recall at that time how impressive these speakers were in comparison to anything else the high-end store had to compare them to. Now, in the year 2000 I'm still listening to them and enjoying them. Several years ago I bought a pair of JBL L80t3's, thinking that the Advents were seriously oudated. I was pleasantly surprised to hear how the old speakers held up in comparison. I've thought to check the surrounds, but have them mounted in a hard to access place in a log house vaulted ceiling, and since they still sound great I figure "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"! These speakers truly are classics, and they were such a bargain at $250/pair that the cost of listening per year is peanuts!

Similar Products Used:

JBL L80t3's, AR-2a's, KLH

Excellent bass, smooth warm sound, fantastic value.

The surrounds will need replacements as the speakers age. Advent does stock them for a reasonable price of around $50.00

I strongly disagree with anyone who really feels that they can upgrade the sound of these classic loudspeakers by simply putting in a new updated driver. The sound will differ but I doubt if it really sounds more natural. When a manufacture designs a loudspeaker especially one that sounds as wonderful as the Advent Loudspeaker, the cabinets were manufactured to work specifically with the drives that were produced. Advent was one of the few companies that actually manufactured their own drivers. I’m sure that they spend many hours and dollars in research to find the best possible marriage for driver and enclosure. Do yourself a favor and replace the woofers directly from Advent. Upgrade your sound, by giving them tons for good power (100 wpc minimal), with a good source, and some good cables in your system. When you are all done with the following, find another pair and stack them in parallel. Your impedance with drop to four ohms, your amp will increase in output and you will achieve a huge natural soundstage. The Advent Loudspeakers are one of the best Hi FI values ever.

Current system:

Thiel 22
MIT speaker cables
David Hafler DH200
Jeff Rowland Coherance
Straightwire Maestro interconnects
CAL Audio Delta transport
CAL Audio Alpha DAC
Transparent balance interconnect

Similar Products Used:

KLH, Bose 901's, Advent Loudspeaker, Advent New Loadspeaker, Thiel 22

In reply to some questions below...

There are several versions of "large Advent" speakers, and the "Advent 5002" has a slightly larger front dimension upon which a 12" woofer can be mounted. If you have other than the 5002's, you can't fit a 12" woofer. You can still buy an aftermarket MODERN woofer and get hugely improved sound vs the original Advents. I did have to rout the speaker openings to be 1/2 cm larger all around to fit the new drivers.

When you pull the old drivers out, look at them - pressed metal construction - CHEAP design. These won in the market because they were among the first acoustic suspension designs and they were cheap compared to others. They had "great bass" - something that's easy in acoustic suspension, but try to add detailed midrange and then you gotta improve the drivers.

A poster below noted the midrange as a problem? Problem gone when you dump that crappy woofer. This is a two-way design, and the midrange is dominated by that woofer. Newer technology woofers are IMMENSELY better performers. I used VIFA drivers, and had to alter the crossover to add a shelving network and rebalance the midrange/tweeter freq curve. I ported the cabinets in the back with a 3" diameter tuned port.

You can't replace that foam surround without fundamentally changing the woofer cone resonance - a parameter that dominates the enclosure calculations of the design. Being an acoustic suspension design, this is critical.

I haven't touched the tweeters on my pair. I probably will do that soon. The 5002's at least have dome tweeters, but I suspect they too are near the low end of the quality curve when compared to today's technology.

I'm giving 4 stars so my rating don't corrupt the average too much, since I did previously review.

Enclosure construction

Technologically dead 15 years ago

Look, when the foam surrounds disintegrate on these suckers, you've got to realize those woofers are, in today's technology, complete junk. I ripped mine out and replaced with some top of the line 12 inch woofers and ported the enclosure to match. A few crossover tweaks later and these renewed advents are efficient, lively, detailed, clean with powerful bass. For $250 (canadian) in upgrade parts, you can't buy a better pair of speakers for less than $1500.

And give up on the foam replacement scam - it doesn't and can't compete with decent woofers. The cost of the foam is worth more than those junk advent woofers.

But keep those enclosures, they don't make em like that anymore

Similar Products Used:

Canton Fonum 200's

Clean Smooth Sound

None

I remember auditioning these speakers with my father in the late 70's in my early teens. We chose the Advents over a pair of AR speakers. He still has the speakers to this day in his home and does not plan on getting a new pair anytime soon. Now that I am oler and have my own systems. . . with B&W and Wharfdale spekers. I still love going over to his place and firing up his system and listening to the sweet sound of those Advents. When he finally does get tired of them I will make room for them at my place with no regrets 20 plus years old or not. For the money these speakers were a steal in their time. Great sound, great constuction, great value.

Similar Products Used:

B&W
Wharfdale
Polk
Kef

DE from Lake Bluff seems to be fixated on "crap" and one may be forgiven in asking if he might have had some in his ears when he listened to large Advents and then used that term to describe what he heard. Either that or he did recognize that he was listening to a broken set of speakers.
I've had a pair of large Advents since 1970 (I used to have stacked Advents, but foolishly sold one pair). I have had to put new woofer surrounds on because of because of foam rot once. A common problem.

I have several other (newer) speakers and and I enjoy them all. I have listened to numerous other speakers in salons and in friends homes. However, with the single exception of a slightly rolled off extreme high end, the large Advents are as enjoyable as any of them when driven by a powerful amp. They are power hungry and need at least 50 watts of high current amp capacity to really come to life, in my opinion. (They really are very revealing of electronics quality.) With something like a 200 watt a side Dyna amp and good software they never fail to (forgive the cliche) make my soul leap with joy when I listen.

These things are absolute jewels and well deserve their status as classics. If you have a good amp and can get a well kept pair for a good price you would be doing your ears a big favor to buy them.

Rating 4.5 stars (5 if you don't mind the slight high frequency roll off).

I remember the first Advent speaker system, (designed by Henry Kloss....a laKLH and, earlier, of AR fame in the late 50's). This was back in the days when I worked for an audio dealer in Houston at the end of my University days. We had just bought (about 6 months before) the very best test equipment that you could buy at the time, a B&K SPL meter and a White Instruments 1/3 octave band pink noise generator. We had set about making response curves of everything in the shop.

That included K-horns, Altec A-7's Bozak Symphony (and B-410 Concert Grand) as
well as all sorts of AR's, KLH's, EPI's and a bunch of other stuff that reps would bring in for us to test. The curves on all of these were just that 'curves', pretty good in some cases.

All that changed when Advent shipped us their first product (had no model number). It was a sealed acoustic suspension sys. about the same exact size as the old original AR-3 bookshelf speaker (which Kloss and Villchur both did design work on). The change I am referring to was pretty monumental; no curve.....it was pancake flat in response even way back farther away than the standard 1 meter mesasuring point. We had never seen anything like it. It had frequency reponse that looked more like an amplifier than a speaker.
Of course there are other attributes to consider....but that one astounding charactereistic....THE PANCAKE FLAT FREQUENCY RESPONSE really set them apart.
Of course, other systems that are just as flat in response have been developed since then....but this was THE VERY FIRST. The test equipment is not subjective at all and does not lie!

Subjectively, they are extremely neutral and chameleon-like, in that, tehy seem to change somewhat with everything you play with vitually no character of their own.

4 weeks ago I was at a garage sale in North Dallas and I spotted a really beat up pair of these in their original real walnut finish. The greilles were so tattered they looked like someone had set of a grenade nearby. The woofers had not a shred of suspension edge left. I ended up buying these for $10.00 for the pair. One had been setting on the floor apparently when something overflowed and the bottom mst have gotten wet for some time. It caused a separation in the bottom along the edge where the bottom and side wood box panels met. This in turn caused a slight warp where the two pieces meet leaving a 1/16" or less gap along that edge where air can leak through. Real basket cases.

My old Simpson volt/ohmmeter proved that all teh voice coils were still intact and at artound 6.2 ohms, probably the approximate value you would expect for this 8 ohm impedance system.

I cleaned out the remnants of all the old rotted foam suspension This is a very unusual 10" woofer cone on a 12 inch frame with flanges that dip in really a lot to get down to the equivalent 10" frame size on the inside diameter.
I cut a piece of 1/2 inch automotive 'heater-hose' to the correct lngth to insert around the edge where teh suspensiion 'edges' had been on this woofer.
THis will be used as a 'form' to shape a new suspension. I then wrapped the cut apart pillow case linen around the woofer streching it tightly over teh face of teh woofer then placed it back in the box with no screws (box, face-up on the
floor is easier). Then with the fabric still pulled tightly over the woofer face (with the rubber heater hose now under the fabric, I started applying GE
silastic II (which a rubbery caulking type material also made originally by Corning I think) generously to the srface of the fabric along the circle directly over where the hose is below and about 1/2 to 3/4 inch either die of the the hose area. This gives you something the right size to be able to bear down against. After a generous coating, let it dry for at least 1-2 hours until no longer 'tacky' to the touch. Then you can remove the woofer and cloth from the box again, tehn take the cloth off the woofer and then remove the hose from between the cone and teh frame. Then take sharp scissors and cut an inside hole along the edge of the silastic area and tehn cut along the outer line that is the limit of where the silatic was applied. Then you migh have to make some of your cut edge a little smoother. Then take an exacto knife or sharp razor blade and very carefully cut the dust cap in teh center of the cone off the speaker being sure you are ony cutting paper cap, not cone or lead wires. The cap comes off easily, then place two thin business cards (or teh card stock from the back of a book of checks is pretty good) down in the space between the center magnet pole piece and the inside diameter of the voice coil form. with the second card in place on the opposite side from the forst one. This keeps teh voic coil aligned and straight while you install teh new suspension.

Then take Elmers regular white glue or Elmers aliphatic 'carpenters glue' and place a fairly generous coating on the inside diameter flange of teh woofer frame where you remove what was left of the old suspension. Then place a layer of glue on the outer 1/w inch perimeter of the woofer cone.

Along the inside dia. of the fabric suspension make 8 evenly spaced cuts with the scissors. Each cut is about 7/16- 1/2 inch long. This allows teh matereial to expand and follow the shape of the cone without 'ripples' or 'puckers'.

Lay the newly formed suspension over the frame and cone so that it is evenly adhered to the glued area all the way around. Then, a layer of glue must be placed along the area whre teh outside diua. of the suspension meets the frame and also along the area where the inside dia. of the suspension meets the cone. You may take you finger and make slight indentation in the fabric all along center line of the suspension diameter to allow some slack for flexing. Allow this to dry for 24 hours. Aftrer 24 hours, remove pieces of card stock from between the coil form and the magnet poll. Move the cone back and forth with you fingers and feel/listen for dragging/misaligned. If you feel any rubbing
at all then you will ahve to completely do the entire procedure over again,
other wise, glue the dust cap back into place on the center of the woofer cone
and rempount teh woofer taqking care to rehoof teh wires back to the same location that they originally went to insure they will be in phase.

Repeat all the above for the other speaker system.

Typicall the resonant frequency will be just as low or lower than it was with the original foam. An added plus: THESE DON'T WEAR OUT. The foam replacements that advertized speak reconers use don't last any longer than the original trashy foam suspension that the factory installed years ago. The fabric suspension, on the other hand, will likely outlast you.

I can gaurantee you that you will like the results of this teqnique better tahtn replaceing you woofers with aftermarket replacements cause it will actually sound the same as it did before. No surprises!

I filled in the air leak along the botom with silastic and then they were ready to play. Wow!...just like I remeber them....still extremely tough to beat.

If any one would like to confer with me by phone before attempting anything like this, then call avid L. Winebrenner at 972-277-3097 from 8-5PM Mon.-Fri., at work and I can clarify anything that may seem vague. This is a dirt cheap technique and it works GREAT!. I'll bet I have the very best sounding $10.00/pair of speaker systems anywhere in the country! Coming soon: new grills!

natural sound

not very efficient

I have a pair of new Advent loudspeakers (real walnut finish)since 1978.
I have only recentely changed the suspensions of the woofers.
I have changed amplifier,cd player,vinil player,cartridge, but I really do not know if I will ever change my new advent.(may be only if I will be able to afford Sonus Faber Guarneri speakers)
They still give a very very good and natural sound.
I doubt that today they make so longlasting projects.

Similar Products Used:

sonus faber electa

Smooth, clear sound. Solid base. BEST sound available in 1978 for under $500. Still sound great vs modern speakers.

Woofer suspension rotted out after 20 years use. Not much of a weakenss!!

These are still great speakers. I am still using these speakers with myold Pioneer SX838 receiver and Thorens turntable. It was my dream system back "in the day", and still is hard to beat.

Back in '78 (man, I was actually young then) the Advents were amazing, even without considering cost. Yet there was plenty of Audiophile controversy even then. I think it was jealousy, having spent more money and gotten less sound. They did have a particular sound though, one I still love. Totally clean and musical.

Sad part is that my woofers have lost the foam suspension. Does anybody have any info on replacing the speakers with "originals" or replacing the surround?

By the way

Thanks .....Kevin

Similar Products Used:

Klipsch, JBL's, etc..

Strong, clear sound. Heavy construction. Audiophile excellence from a time past.

More mid range would be nice.

I read many if not all of the reviews on this page. I agree with most, but I disagree with some on the quality of these speakers and compatability of new foam surrounds.

I recieved my first set of Advent/1 speakers in the mid-80's. I got them third-hand from my brother as a gift. In the mid-90's the foam surrounds rotted and had to be replaced. I ran saw and ad for a place in Clearwater, FL., "Simply Speakers", and ordered the foam surround rebuild kit and replaced the surrounds myself. The sound of the speakers was totally rejuvenated and sound good as new to this day. A couple of years later I ran across a guy that was about to throw a pair of Advent/1's in the trash and got them in the nick of time. I let them sit unused until moving to the Clearwater area and remembered "Simply Speakers" from my past rebuild venture. I picked up another set of surrounds and completely resurrected these speakers as well. I now have all four of my Advent/1's as the main speakers in my home entertainment system. They sound phenomenal and look incredibly new.

If you are needing foam surrounds for your Advents try Simply Speakers (www.simplyspeakers.com). They are a Factory Authorized service center for Advent so I don't expect they will do you wrong (sorry for the blatent advertising). This is why I feel refoaming will not always effect the tonal quality or original specification of your speakers. I noticed no change in the quality of sound reproduced by my speakers after the refoaming. If the changes are not detectible to the human ear then what difference does it make. As a DIYer these refoam kits are money well spent. I find my 25-year-old speakers sound as good or better than some of the speakers I've experienced at many of the audio equipment showrooms.

Finally, I now have an Advent center channel speaker as well and am only missing a nice powered subwoofer to put out the lows my Advents are missing (if any).

The technology might be old and replaced, but the quality of sound put out by these ancient artifacts is still top-notch and unmatched by many. Don't let bad or ambiguous reviews convince you otherwise. Let you ears be the judge.