I've been thinking about getting a Supraphonic or Acrolite as well.
I haven't seen too many offers over here, but I happened to see to 3 older Acrolites for sale:
http://www.mijnwebwinkel.nl/winkel/...=article&categoryID=429832&articleID=20756063
http://www.mijnwebwinkel.nl/winkel/...=article&categoryID=429832&articleID=20757922
I know listening would be best and I will, but would you prefer one of these over a new one?
Also, can anyone tell which heads come with a new one?
Eric, your question about new vs old is straight up based on personal preferences so you may get differening opinions, all would be "right answers" since it all depends on what sound a person might prefer, tight, or a more open sound.....
Over the last couple of years I've sold seven of my Acrolites and have kept only one, which is similar to the one in your bottom link, the one with the 1960's Keystone Badge. The Acro in your top link looks to be from the 1970's so essentially the two in your links would sound the same, that is if both had the same heads, strainers, etc....
Here's why I, personally, prefer the older anondized shells over the later (mid 80's & later) powder coated versions. The powder coating tightens up the sound since it doesn't allow the shell to vibrate as freely as those of the earlier 404's, now, I can always tighten up the sound on a anondized shell any number of ways, heads, tuning, rims, moon-gel, etc. but I can only open up the sound of a powder coated Acro so far due to the limitations put on me by the coating.
The above also applies to the difference between a Supra-Phonic & a non-powder coated Acrolite, only in the case of the Supra the sound is tightened up by the fact that the Supra-Phonic has 10 Lugs & the Acrolite only 8. For all intents & purposes the shells on the two are the same, they only differ when it comes to coatings & the number (and style) of Lugs. That, and the fact that all Acrolites have internal tone controls and some Supra-Phonics do not.
One last thing, if the Rims on the two Acros in your links are original to those two drums they will be thinner than the Rims you would find on a new Acrolite. Yet another thing that would help tighten up the sound.
For me, and once again this is only my personal preference, I would buy either of the two in your links before I would buy a new one, or any powder coated Acro for that matter.
As far as I know all new Acrolites would come with "Ludwig" Heads. When I recondition a vintage Ludwig Snare for re-sale in my friends Drum Shop we always put Ludwig Heads on them simply because that's what most people expect to see on a Ludwig Drum. On my personal drums, as well as my friend's, we run Remo's. We've tried many other brands looking for that "magic sound" but always came back around to the Remo's. Like the sound of the shell itself, heads are another case of personal preference so there will be many "right answers" out there.
LVDC