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Looking for a pair of Avid 103 or 105


Guest Martin G.

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Guest Martin G.

Owned Avid 103s in college and have an itch to get back into a pair. Wouldn't mind finding a pair of 105s either, though the 105s actually sounded less alive than the less expensive 103s. Live in the Midwest, Illinois actually.

Marty

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Martin G.
Owned Avid 103s in college and have an itch to get back into a pair. Wouldn't mind finding a pair of 105s either, though the 105s actually sounded less alive than the less expensive 103s. Live in the Midwest, Illinois actually.

Marty

Looks like I'm talking to myself in this instance, but I'll share anyway. I've always liked the sound of the 103, just never knew why. Had an opportunity to see photos of a 103 crossover and I think I see the reason for my delight. The crossover looked to be 1st order - as simple as one can get. A couple of caps, a couple of inductors, a couple of L-pads - not a resistor in sight (at least from what I could tell from the less than HD photo I saw). After all, the superior sound didn't result from the fancy (LOL) drivers involved - all good, but very generic.

Explains Avid's advertising campaign in the middle 70's emphasizing correct phase loudspeakers - something they were on to well before the other guys and I'm not just talking low diffraction. They were talking about phase correct crossovers before it was a fad.

Marty

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Guest Martin G.
Looks like I'm talking to myself in this instance, but I'll share anyway. I've always liked the sound of the 103, just never knew why. Had an opportunity to see photos of a 103 crossover and I think I see the reason for my delight. The crossover looked to be 1st order - as simple as one can get. A couple of caps, a couple of inductors, a couple of L-pads - not a resistor in sight (at least from what I could tell from the less than HD photo I saw). After all, the superior sound didn't result from the fancy (LOL) drivers involved - all good, but very generic.

Explains Avid's advertising campaign in the middle 70's emphasizing correct phase loudspeakers - something they were on to well before the other guys and I'm not just talking low diffraction. They were talking about phase correct crossovers before it was a fad.

Marty

Perseverance has indeed paid off. Yesterday I came home with a pair of Avid 103s in pretty decent condition. Couldn't wait to hook them up - they didn't disappoint. All the drivers work... and they sounded good. I've cleaned them now and I'm considering getting into the crossover and recapping it... should be interesting.

Marty

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Perseverance has indeed paid off. Yesterday I came home with a pair of Avid 103s in pretty decent condition. Couldn't wait to hook them up - they didn't disappoint. All the drivers work... and they sounded good. I've cleaned them now and I'm considering getting into the crossover and recapping it... should be interesting.

Marty

You're not talking to yourself. I remember the Avids well, and always liked the 103 very much. A good, no-nonsense speaker.

I'm not familiar with the 105, however. I knew the 100, 102 and 103, and then I knew the 230, 330 series. What was the 105?

Steve F.

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I still have my 103's that I bought in the military PX in Germany in 1975. Everyone who hear them are always impressed with their sound quality. I found a pair of 102's in a second hand store about 6 months ago. I felt compelled to buy them to keep my 103's company.

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I still have my 103's that I bought new in the early 70's. i love the sound and have them hooked up to an old Carver M-400 and a preamp. I play my cable box through them. the vinyl covering has suffered a bit but the speakers are still in great shape. While moving in the 80's a friend dropped one down the stairs with enough force to rip a woofer loose. I rotated the speaker a few degrees and screwed it back in. Great speakers, I'll never part with them.

I still have my 103's that I bought in the military PX in Germany in 1975. Everyone who hear them are always impressed with their sound quality. I found a pair of 102's in a second hand store about 6 months ago. I felt compelled to buy them to keep my 103's company.

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Wow, Avid discussion is a little sparse. I have a pair of Avid 105s stored in boxes. Seems to me they are a 4-way design. They have sizable, very solid cabinets. They intrigued me enough that I have held onto them. If someone is interested, I will unpack them and post some pix.

Thanks ... bill

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Perseverance has indeed paid off. Yesterday I came home with a pair of Avid 103s in pretty decent condition. Couldn't wait to hook them up - they didn't disappoint. All the drivers work... and they sounded good. I've cleaned them now and I'm considering getting into the crossover and recapping it... should be interesting.

Marty

Hi Marty

Congrats! It may not be necessary to recap them. I put a set of Avid 100 drivers & xo in my AR4x cabinets and the original Avid xo used a film cap, so no need to replace.

BTW--that mod was done with the help of RoyC. The Avid drivers are newer and probably better than the ARs but the Avids, like other speakers of that era, have the abominable "wood grain vinyl" clad cabinets. ARs have nice walnut veneer. The cabinet volume is the same for the 2 speakers and the Avid drivers are perfect drop-in replacements for the AR.

Here is a shot of the Avid xo installed in the AR4x. The single film cap is attached to the level control. Fits perfectly in the spot previously occupied by the Aetna-Pollock pot.

Happy listening.

Kent

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