A lot of the best vintage speakers are heavy, and some are huge. That shapes what you buy as much as condition does, because a pair you can collect in a hatchback is a different deal from a pair that has to come by truck. Before you commit, find out what each speaker weighs, how big the box is, and whether the seller will let you pick it up. This guide gives sourced weights for common models, explains where parcel shipping ends and freight begins, and covers how most sellers pack speakers that travel.
What they weigh
These are factory figures for one speaker, unpacked unless we say otherwise. A boxed speaker weighs more.
- AR-4x. 18½ lb. A small two-way you can carry under one arm.
- AR-2ax and AR-5. 36½ lb and 39 lb.
- JBL L36 Decade. 38 lb, or 45 lb in JBL's shipping carton.
- JBL 4311. 42 lb, or 49 lb shipping.
- AR-11. 49¾ lb.
- Klipsch Heresy. 23 kilograms, about 51 lb.
- AR-3a. 53 lb.
- JBL L100. 55 lb shipping weight in 1973.
- JBL L65 Jubal. About 67 lb shipping.
- Infinity Kappa 8. 40 kilograms, about 88 lb, and about 47½ inches tall.
- Altec Valencia 846B. 99 lb, or 114 lb shipping.
- Altec 878B Santiago. 110 lb, and 123 lb for the bi-amped 2878B.
- Infinity RS 2.5. 53 kilograms, about 117 lb, and about 51 inches tall.
- Altec Model 19. 143 lb, or 166 lb shipping, in a box 39 inches tall and 30 wide.
Size matters as much as weight. The Valencia 846B is 29⅝ inches tall, 26½ wide and 20¼ deep. The Santiago is 30⅛ by 26⅝ by 18½ inches with a composition slate top. The Infinity RS III stands 1,220 mm, about 48 inches, and we couldn't confirm its weight. Nor could we confirm one for the Klipsch Cornwall or Forte, but both are large boxes, so plan for two people.
Where parcel shipping ends
Parcel carriers handle pieces under roughly 150 lb, about 68 kg. Anything heavier goes as less-than-truckload freight, usually called LTL. Each speaker ships as its own piece, so a pair of Heresys or AR-3as is two ordinary parcels by weight. The Altec Model 19 is the one on this list that crosses the line even in its factory carton, since its 166 lb shipping weight is over the ceiling. Several others sit close enough that a heavy crate could push them over.
Being under the weight limit doesn't make something a good parcel. A 110-pound Santiago in a single box gets dropped, rolled and stacked like any other package. For a box that size, local pickup or proper freight is the safer route.
How freight works
LTL carriers prefer a shipment on one pallet, stretch-wrapped into a single piece. Your speakers get handled several times on the way, often by more than one carrier, which is why they need to be strapped down and protected on every side. Liftgate service and delivery to a home address are add-on services, so check the seller's freight quote includes them if you don't have a loading dock and a forklift.
Ask who builds the pallet, too. Some sellers palletize and wrap the speakers themselves, and others drop boxes at a terminal and leave the rest to the carrier. You want the first kind. Ask for the pallet's dimensions and total weight as well, so you know exactly what's arriving.
When the truck arrives, standard freight advice is to inspect before you sign. Unwrap enough to see the speakers while the driver waits, photograph any damage, and write it on the delivery receipt. Check cones, domes, horn mouths and corners before you sign for a clean delivery.
What breaks
Every speaker has its own soft spots, and they're worth asking about before anything ships.
- Horns. The Altecs carry an 811B sectoral horn, and Klipsch mids and tweeters sit on horns. Most restorers count horn mouths among the first things to crack in transit.
- Glass and stone tops. The JBL L65 has a smoked-glass top and the Santiago a composition slate one.
- Foam grilles. The JBL L100 and the Valencia 846B have sculpted foam grilles that crush and tear.
- Rear drivers. The Kappa 8 and RS 2.5 each have a tweeter firing from the back, and the Klipsch Forte has a passive radiator there.
- Corners. Corners take the knocks in transit, which is why speakers built to travel get metal or plastic corner protectors.
How most sellers pack them
Packing a heavy speaker is mostly about stopping things from touching the drivers. Most sellers and restorers who ship regularly put each speaker in its own box, double-boxed, with foam blocks on every corner. They lay a sheet of board or panel over the front baffle so nothing can push through to a cone or dome, because a grille on its own won't stop a puncture. Loose grilles and any removable tops get wrapped and packed separately. For freight, they strap the boxed pair to a pallet and stretch-wrap it into one piece.
Ask the seller how they'll pack before you commit, and ask for a photo of the packed speakers before they go out. A seller who has shipped speakers before will have a ready answer.
When to pick up
For anything near or over the parcel limit, and for big horn speakers, local pickup is usually the better plan. You see the pair in person, you hear it play, and nothing gets dropped off a conveyor. Bring a tape measure and check that the box fits your car with the seats down. A Model 19 at 39 inches tall and 30 wide won't fit everywhere. Bring a helper, moving blankets and straps, and don't stack anything against the fronts.
If the seller will let you, listen to each driver before you load. Many buyers bring their own pair of speaker cables and a phone with a few test tracks, so they aren't relying on whatever the seller has hooked up. Our guide to checking a used pair covers what to listen for, and you can do most of it in ten minutes in someone's living room.
Questions to ask
- Weight. Ask what each speaker weighs on a scale. It should roughly match the factory figure.
- Pickup. Ask whether local pickup is possible. A yes gives you the chance to hear the pair first.
- Packing. Ask how each speaker will be packed. Double boxing, corner blocks and a board over the baffle are what good looks like.
- Freight. Ask whether the freight option includes a pallet, a liftgate and home delivery. All three should be in it.
See all the floorstanders and horn speakers, or browse everything we track.