How about changing "improve on" to "come close to"? Otherwise, people have already answered (in the negative).
I cannot "improve on" even just the ones I have owned, in their areas of excellence. I think nothing today beats those "vintage" hugely powerful magnets (and still remain musical and remotely affordable). Axiom80 (not with me presently), Supravox215, Wharfedale8, and Graetz/Loewe/Goodmans/etc large radio ovals... though none of them will "disco".
To come somewhat close (sound reminds me of...) costs very little here in Beijing. For example, I just ordered a spare pair 5.5 "English drum paper" FR during pre-singles-day-sale for $70 originally $90 (considered premium). In my oak 10L 1.3m TLonken, it beats my Monitor Audio Studio 10(L) and is almost as fast and dynamically responsive (articulate) as my big alnico magnets, with solid bass to boot.
I cannot "improve on" even just the ones I have owned, in their areas of excellence. I think nothing today beats those "vintage" hugely powerful magnets (and still remain musical and remotely affordable). Axiom80 (not with me presently), Supravox215, Wharfedale8, and Graetz/Loewe/Goodmans/etc large radio ovals... though none of them will "disco".
To come somewhat close (sound reminds me of...) costs very little here in Beijing. For example, I just ordered a spare pair 5.5 "English drum paper" FR during pre-singles-day-sale for $70 originally $90 (considered premium). In my oak 10L 1.3m TLonken, it beats my Monitor Audio Studio 10(L) and is almost as fast and dynamically responsive (articulate) as my big alnico magnets, with solid bass to boot.
Some of them really are. And a huge variety made by many to fill the niche represented by the FE103A
dave
Anything out of field coil radios and their direct replacement AlNiCo drivers, though of course 'full-range' meant anywhere between AM, FM radio BWs of the times, so ~80-12.5 kHz tops. RCA, Foster (Fostex), Lafayette, Coral, and their inexpensive USA made clones were my only 'modern' options I remember ATM.
Dunno, find some vintage prices and adjust for inflation, though you'll find that they are serious bargains in comparison due to much advanced materials, manufacturing, etc.. Recommend using as a guideline for bargain hunting anything used/vintage.
Again, you'l have to define 'improve' and ignoring purely technical improvements and concentrating on its performance and how much it 'moves'/whatever you, don't believe any modern ones can do more than ~match them at best and even then only if driven with a period correct SET or similar tube system; so if I were to decide to somehow 'recapture' my youth it would start with those in a typical huge open back floor model mono radio cab since some of the best stereo I've been exposed to is a mono corner loaded cab.
FWIW when I switched to stereo it was with a pair of SET tube driven DIYed Altec A7-500 small theater horn system as the best overall of the options I had. That said, had I been forced to limit size it would have been my buddy's Acoustic Research AR-1 speakers with its W.E./Lansing/Altec 755 tri-ax, arguably the best overall performing wide range yet made.
Maybe it has to do with Covid 🙁 but those vintage radios/speakers/drivers are coming into China from EU/UK by the shiploads; supply far exceeds demand on idlefish (eBay-like). I hope they don't one day become landfill. This must be a great time to start a collection, if one were on location (Europe). With one exception (Supravox), I've only picked at the cheapies whose audio-clips I really, really liked.