Vintage audio - decent bookshelf speakers?

So I'm slowly building a vintage audio system. I have no aspirations to collectibility or reference quality sound, but I'm buying decent stuff at flea markets and yardsales with the goal of having a decent system to listen to. I got a minty Sansui SR-929 turntable for $25 a while back, and this weekend picked up a 1978 JVC JR-S301 receiver that seems to be fully functional. I also have two Akai reel-to-reel tape decks - a 1968 1710 model that was working until the play cam broke, and a later model that popped something electronic while I was testing it. But speakers...

Currently I'm using some bookshelf speakers that came off a late nineties boombox - they sound okay but not great and they look like hell. I'd like to pick up a decent set of older bookshelf speakers - maybe something wood cabinet that sounds good. I won't be scouring ebay or the internet for unicorns, I'll be looking for deals at yard sales and maybe the List of Craig.

Now, for all you knowledgable types, what are some brands/models that I should recognize? What should I be looking for? What should I avoid?

I'd love to keep it under $50 for the pair, and I'm willing to be patient in that regard.

I'd like to hear the answer to this too.

You are pretty limited at $50.00. Any decent brand that fits the budget; Polk, Infinity, BA, AR, EPI, Bose etc.

Polk Audio Surround Speakers/Bookshelf (Pair) - $55 (Athens, GA)

Infinity Speakers - $40 (Gwinnett)

I would save a little bit more $$$ and you can get some better vintage stuff, for instance:

Bose 901 speakers with active equalizer - $150 (fayetteville ga)

This is NOT out of personal experience, but more about talking with a guy who worked on our house....

How good at you at woodworking? This guy built his own competition car stereos, and he very much made it sound that with a decent ability to make the cabinet, you can make bad speakers sound really good. So make the box, find some good speakers that match the sound you want, and there you go.

Other than that, I got nothing. No idea what decent component speakers are, even for a car.

You might get lucky and find a set of Paradigm Atom's, or some older KEF bookshelf speakers at a yard sale, or second hand store. If you like the sound, fine, but I wouldn't buy a pair of Bose speakers without listening to them. Bose is pretty much the Fram of speaker manufacturers. Good marketing, lousy product. If you would like to build, or modify a pair, I can help with that. I've been a speaker building hobbyist for 30 years.

Watch yard sales for some Acoustic Research (AR) speakers from the 1960s.

Polk Monitor 5 speakers are good, and in your price range. That is what I'm using as my living room stereo, along with an oversized powered sub. The Polks sound good on their own, though. They are currently sitting in some bookshelves that fit them perfectly. My pair was $65, but they need to have a little work done to them.

If you can consider something as large as a Polk Monitor 7, those are also in the under $100 range if you shop saavy. I have a pair that I'd let go for $125, but I don't want to go through the trouble of properly packing vintage speakers like these Polks.

BTW, I wanted to know who you guys use as a parts supplier for your speaker building. I've been primarily using Parts Express.

I've been to the Madisound.com storefront... okay it's more like a shipping office, but the people there were great! The took me into the back, we pulled out a catalog and started pulling parts off the shelves. They were quite knowledgeable on all the parts and how they'll interact with each other.

Now I just have to actually build the speakers! I picked up stuff for a pair of Fostex Fe126En 4" full range speakers.

Parts express is good. Madisound is good, and I use Solen because I'm in Canada.

Polk Monitor series are your jam in this case. The 4s are pretty "meh." All variants of the 5 will fit the bill.

Polk 5+ series, acoustic research, Paradigm, KEF, infinity...gotcha.

I looked at some of the DIY stuff.....It's cool, but I'd rather spend my time listening than building. Also, I can see that I'd quickly be wanting to buy up-market stuff when I really don't need it. Or another hobby, for that matter. I already have to fabricate a new cam for the Akai 1710...not sure when I'll get to that....

A little out of your budget, but i have a pair of Paradigm Titan V.3s sitting around in the original box/packaging that sound great, have some minor cosmetic dings and such here and there from moving 5x over 11 years.

I'd let them go for $100 + shipping.

SWMBO might be mad about that, though... she liked having a nice little stereo setup in the bedroom. You know... to play... Justin Timberlake.

Early AR's, like the AR-4 and Boston Acoustics A40 and A60 are competent. Infinity speakers from the late 70's/early 80's were magical. I'm guessing decent examples of each should be obtainable at your budget point.

If you can't find what you want, I will join with those who suggest you build a pair of speakers. I put together a pair of the Overnight Sensations for my son, and he and I truly enjoyed both the experience and the end result. You'll undoubtedly pay more, but you will have the satisfaction of having built a remarkably nice-sounding speaker.

what city are you in?

and listening habits would help, too

Macon GA, give or take. Listening habits are....diverse. On this system I would expect classical, blues, classic rock, jazz.... anything cool you can buy on records for under $5 each.

and is the 'vintage' adjective for aesthetics? or for age? or for cost? ^_^

At work we mix on Event Opals, http://www.eventelectronics.com/opal

A bit over your budget at $3500 a pair but damn they are nice.

...ummm...yes, yes, and yes? mostly cost and aesthetics. I enjoy pillaging junk sales and such, so it's something fun to look for.

well, macon CL is a very sad place apparently, but if you use ATL CL, the metro area has a cornucopia of stuff under 100.

most bose is an accquired taste, but any of their X01 bookshelf speakers tend to be pretty acceptable.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/ele/4474652443.html

some workhorses: http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/ele/4478784912.htm

classic infinty: http://athensga.craigslist.org/ele/4400953960.html

Baby Advent, Bic Venturi, the afformentiomed KEF and Polk. Those jump to mind. Bose 201's are actually pretty good, but you might pay the Bose Tax