Advent Legacy (Circa 1986–92)

Floor-standing two-way acoustic suspension speaker system designed by Henry Kloss, marketed as a “digital ready” successor to the Large Advent.

Overview

The Advent Legacy is a floor-standing two-way acoustic suspension speaker made by Advent Corporation. Henry Kloss founded the company in 1967 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Kloss designed the Legacy, and it came out circa 1986 as a “digital ready” successor to the original Large Advent from 1968. It belongs to its own model line, separate from the earlier Large and Small Advents, and is a later step in the Advent Loudspeaker series. The sound is the “New England” kind - strong bass, natural highs with a slight roll-off at the extreme top end. It is smooth and easy to listen to, with a trace of upper-bass heaviness. Owners report strong, crisp bass, non-fatiguing sound and good accuracy. Some note boxiness on male voices. Some also note trouble at the woofer-to-tweeter crossover, which comes from putting a large 10-inch woofer in a two-way design.

Specifications

Frequency Response	42 to 23,000 Hz ±3 dB
Sensitivity	88 dB SPL at 1 meter on-axis with 1-watt input
Nominal Impedance	8 ohms (selectable between 6 or 8 ohms via rear toggle switch)
Minimum Impedance	6 ohms
Power Handling (Continuous)	100 watts
Power Handling (Peak)	500 watts
Woofer	10-inch long-throw acoustic suspension, paper cone, foam surround, dual voice coil, 1-1/2-inch voice coil with copper-clad aluminum wire, 50 Hz ±5 Hz resonant frequency
Tweeter	1-inch ferrofluid-filled soft-dome
Crossover Frequency	2,500 Hz
Enclosure Type	Sealed
Cabinet Construction	3/4-inch particle board with black textured-vinyl coating on sides and back, solid pecan top plate and base trim
Dimensions	28-1/4 inches high, 16 inches wide, 9-3/4 inches deep
Weight	46-1/2 pounds
Grille	Removable black cloth grille
Input Connectors	Spring clips

Design

The Legacy is a two-way acoustic suspension design in a sealed enclosure. The woofer sits in the center and the tweeter is above it, near the top of the front panel. There are no external level or balance adjustments. Impedance is set with a toggle switch on the rear panel, between 6 or 8 ohms. Bass response is tuned by placement relative to walls. The cabinet is 3/4-inch particle board with a black textured-vinyl finish on the sides and back, plus a solid pecan top plate and base trim. The 10-inch long-throw woofer has a dual voice coil wound with copper-clad aluminum wire, and a foam surround. The 1-inch soft-dome tweeter is ferrofluid-damped.

Context

Advent positioned the Legacy as a later evolution of the famous Advent Loudspeaker series, and marketed it as a “digital ready” successor to the Large Advent introduced in 1968. It sits in a lineage of 2-way Advent models that includes the Smaller Advent, "New" Advent, Advent/2, Advent/3, and the 4000 and 5000 series. The company, founded in 1967, had ceased operations by 1981. The Legacy was produced circa 1986-92 under later ownership. The cabinet is attractively styled, with rounded edges and wood trim. The speaker is noted for excellent value and a neutral, accurate, slightly warm “east coast” sound.

Market

Foam woofer surrounds commonly disintegrate with age and need refoaming. DIY kits cost about $35. Professional refoaming costs $100 - $150 per pair. As of 2004, used pairs were priced between $20 and $75. Replacement drivers and repair kits remain available.