The cabinets could certainly be better. But one thing that many do not realize about working with old veneered loudspeakers like this, is that you can improve their appearance an enormous amount by hitting them with brown Kiwi shoe wax. Wipe it on. Wait 5 minutes, then wipe it off. Kiwi shoe wax is just pigmented wax and it does a remarkable job on a set of used loudspeakers. Fills in dings, brings back something very much like that original walnut color, all for a few bucks and about 15 minutes of your time.
They don't look like new, but they will give you a truly satisfactory WAF rating.
There is a pair for $1400 up in Canada, but then shipping costs may well do you in.
If that's what you have to have, then patience will eventually bring you a pair. But in this price range, there are a number of excellent loudspeakers worth taking a serious listen to. Thiel went out of business a few years ago, so their loudspeakers are always priced much lower than they would otherwise. The late 70's and early 80's KEF loudspeakers are also much lower priced than their performance would otherwise expect. The KEF Cantata and 104ab can be had for something about $500/pair or so. Put them with a great tube amp like you're building and you can make some real magic.
The SEAS Thor uses the Millennium line of SEAS drivers, which are well worth the very high price they sell for. Those tweeters retail for $322 each and people happily pay that for them. The SEAS Thor can be built for about $2500/pair, just for the cost of drivers and cabinet materials. The only commercial equivalent is the Joseph Audio pair I pointed you at, which retail for $13,000 and show up on the used market for about half that much. To get them for all of $900 is insane. Because the seller is not willing to ship, the market of people willing to buy is very small, which is why he's unloading them at a crazy price. It would be a day's drive for you to go listen, but I have little doubt you'd come away impressed.
I run a set of Linkwitz Orion loudspeakers, which use the same tweeter and a little larger mid-bass driver. They are exceptional on voices and acoustic instruments. Just amazing. Few visitors leave my home without envy.
Good luck in your search.
They don't look like new, but they will give you a truly satisfactory WAF rating.
There is a pair for $1400 up in Canada, but then shipping costs may well do you in.
If that's what you have to have, then patience will eventually bring you a pair. But in this price range, there are a number of excellent loudspeakers worth taking a serious listen to. Thiel went out of business a few years ago, so their loudspeakers are always priced much lower than they would otherwise. The late 70's and early 80's KEF loudspeakers are also much lower priced than their performance would otherwise expect. The KEF Cantata and 104ab can be had for something about $500/pair or so. Put them with a great tube amp like you're building and you can make some real magic.
The SEAS Thor uses the Millennium line of SEAS drivers, which are well worth the very high price they sell for. Those tweeters retail for $322 each and people happily pay that for them. The SEAS Thor can be built for about $2500/pair, just for the cost of drivers and cabinet materials. The only commercial equivalent is the Joseph Audio pair I pointed you at, which retail for $13,000 and show up on the used market for about half that much. To get them for all of $900 is insane. Because the seller is not willing to ship, the market of people willing to buy is very small, which is why he's unloading them at a crazy price. It would be a day's drive for you to go listen, but I have little doubt you'd come away impressed.
I run a set of Linkwitz Orion loudspeakers, which use the same tweeter and a little larger mid-bass driver. They are exceptional on voices and acoustic instruments. Just amazing. Few visitors leave my home without envy.
Good luck in your search.