I was expecting them to generate a lot of interest, because 2 pairs in Barrie (in initially better visual shape than these) sold for $300 each pair last week. I was looking forward to spending some time with them, as I really like the HPM-60s (and thought enough of them to refinish them in real walnut veneer). Also,I'd brought home a pair of HPM-40s 2 weeks ago, and when someone came to my office/home/listening space/junkyard looking for a pair of inexpensive speakers that were good at a lot, after I'd spent 10 minutes checking them out, they were perfect for him and he bought them (they sounded very nice, a bit like JBL L26s).
So when the guy who bought the JBL L36s that I missed so much called less than 2 hours after I posted here about the arrival of (finally!) my pair of HPM-100s, and offered to trade for the JBLs straight up what was I to do? I wanted to really hear the 100s for a bit. They were the sane person's top of the line , and I haven't had a 12 inch woofer speaker in here in a long time (I had some insane VIVID obelisks for a while with a ten and a twelve in each, but they sounded better out on the porch than in my little room!), and not a good one. Anyone who considers the 58 pound 100s bookshelf speakers, as Pioneer says they are, has bigger shelves than I've ever seen!
I woke up early yesterday morning took the 100s, which I stayed up late enjoying the night before, out on the porch, sanded them, oiled them, and traded straight up for my L36s. The Pioneers didn't need any driver work (those pleated, oiled cloth surrounds are terrific!). I got my best taste yet of how cool an experience audio could be for the average consumer in the seventies (I drove them mostly using the Marantz 1070 preamp section feeding the 130 watt/channel Carver Magnetic Field Receiver power amp section). They are magically authoritative on classic rock & small group jazz. The guy who got them knows a capacitor modification for the crossover that he knows will make them sound even sweeter (and has the skill to do it). They have made me even more anxious to hear a set of JBL 4311s &/or L100s (which many consider the HPM-100 to be an update of, both designed by Bart Locanthi
I'm sorry for myself, and anyone who was going to contact me and come over and here them, that they weren't here longer.
e-mail me.
2 comments:
got the hpm 100s home hooked them up and wow so clean clear and truthful to the music got up this morning and got to work recovering the grills used a black burlap that i had left over from another project it was very hard to work with on the corners but a little time and effort
and they came out great very happy with the resalts sound and looks
next i'll order some caps and tare into the crossover
thanks lloyd
These are one of my all time fave speaker, i have the 40s,60s & 100s and find my self listening to the 40s most of the time. However when i want to crank up the rock and roll i bust the 100s out. The HPMs are a little bright sounding but all I do is set the high range adjustment to minus -3dB.
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