If you own speakers purchased before 1986
they are in all likelihood worth far more than you realize. Please
approach the decision to scrap them with caution. Speaker technology
has not advanced much since 1950, and mass produced cabinet quality
seems to have gone down hill ever since that time.
And that my friend is really the problem...
cabinet quality. QUALITY in general. Go and pick up your old speakers
to get a feel for the weight. Knock on the cabinet sides and top and
listen to the pitch. Then go out and apply the same test to a similar
sized pair at your favorite stereo store.
In my experience it almost always means
spending over a thousand dollars on a pair of speakers to find quality
similar to your old (real-wood-veneer) jewels at home. And that is a
conservative figure.
I realize that most of these companies either
no longer exist, or parts are not available, so you feel pressure to
buy new ones. Far and away your most cost effective option would be to
have your speakers restored, or even re-built. The end result will be
better sound for the money spent.
For every dollar you invest in restoration
the net yield seems to be around $9.00 on the retail market.
Cats are a speaker salesman's best friend....