Week 9: 1940's Speakers

The Western Electric 757A was designed as a monitor speaker for radio stations and recording studios in the late 1940s. It was never produced in large quantities, so few prime specimens survive today, and the status of the design among the cognoscenti is legendary. Since the speaker was introduced before stereo became the standard format, most 757A speakers were sold one at a time, so stereo pairs are extremely rare. When singles go on the market they sell for big bucks, and pairs go for a lot more, so when High End Audio Auctions' Adam Wexler came upon a well-cared-for pair in the possession of the original owner, he could hardly believe his good luck! He found a buyer just a few days later, but before he shipped them Wexler invited me over to his shop to listen.

757As aren't beauties, the grilles covering the woofers aren't original, but I'd say the speakers are in remarkably good condition for their age. The 757A is 20 inches (508mm) high and 30 inches (762mm) wide; it's a two-way design with a 12-inch (305mm) woofer and a cast aluminum horn-loaded tweeter. It was originally finished in gray enamel paint and has sound absorbing material affixed to the front baffle. The 757As are clear, open, and very lively. Stereo imaging was diffuse, but there was a nice sense of spatial depth.

Modern high-end speakers are more transparent, have deeper bass, and more detailed treble, but this 68-year-old speaker design isn't that far behind the best of today's high-end speakers. Sadly, few audiophiles will ever get a chance to hear a pair of 757A speakers, but it's sadder still that despite all the advances in technology, the sound quality of today's Bluetooth speakers is downright pitiful. The promise of ever-improving technology hasn't been fulfilled, so many people today are satisfied with the "good enough" sound of Bluetooth speakers.

For anyone interested in enjoying better sound at home on a tight budget, I recommend the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR or SP-FS52 speakers, paired with an Onkyo TX-8020 stereo receiver; that combination would be a massive sonic upgrade over similarly priced Bluetooth speakers.