Advent Graduate (1980s)
Bookshelf speakers designed by Henry Kloss, featuring an 8” long-throw woofer and 3/4” soft dome tweeter in a sealed acoustic suspension enclosure.
Overview
The Advent Graduate is a bookshelf speaker made by Advent Corporation during the 1980s. Henry Kloss designed it. It sits between the Advent Prodigy and Advent Baby lines and was meant as a modernized replacement for the earlier “Smaller Advent.” Each speaker weighs about 19 lbs and has solid Pecan wood trim on the top and bottom. Frequency response is 55-21,000 Hz, and it handles 70 watts RMS at 8 ohms. It is known for clean, smooth highs and solid bass from the 8” woofer. It is described as a very enjoyable package, well suited to smaller rooms, bedrooms, offices, or use as surround speakers.
Specifications
| Woofer | 8” long-throw acoustic suspension woofer |
| Tweeter | 3/4” soft dome/polyamide tweeter |
| Enclosure type | Sealed acoustic suspension |
| Frequency response | 55–21,000 Hz (Holt Hill Audio) |
| Power handling | 70 watt RMS (Holt Hill Audio) |
| Impedance | 8 ohm (Holt Hill Audio) |
| Weight | About 19 lbs each |
| Dimensions | 18" high x 12" wide x 7.5" deep |
Design
The Graduate uses an 8” long-throw woofer in a sealed acoustic suspension enclosure. The tweeter is a 3/4” polyamide soft dome, the same one used in the Advent Baby. The design follows the acoustic suspension principles Henry Kloss pioneered. The solid Pecan trim on the top and bottom gives it a distinctive look and adds structural strength.
Context
The Graduate came out in the 'golden age' of Advent, before the company shifted to Chinese-designed models. Henry Kloss founded Advent Corporation in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1967. Jensen acquired it in 1979, and it ceased operations in 1981. The Graduate slots between the Prodigy and Baby series and was developed as an updated successor to the Smaller Advent.
Market
Woofer foam surrounds commonly degrade over time and often need refoaming. Repair kits with foam surrounds and adhesive are available. Historical sale prices include $59 for a pair in 2009 and $99 for a pair at an undated sale. A modified unit was listed for $35 plus shipping in 2022.
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