ADS Opinions Sought...

[GD70]

I never made it to the factory that was doing a/d/s/ drivers & assembly. We had other folks handling that, so my China factory experience is limited to the ones that I worked with for earlier car audio projects. I did visit the ADST production facility in AZ a few times, but cruising through like a tourist snapping pics would have gone over badly at that point; that was pre-smartphone also.

John

I guess I'm thinking archive photos, like factory pics of JBL's from back in the day for example. Videos showing woofer cone assemblies being made etc... Would be cool to see.

 

[Spiceman50]

Yes yes .... I've really enjoyed this too fellas. Really very much appreciate you guys taking the time to document some history here for us.

 

[soundmotor]

I really love reading all this historical insight. Invaluable and fascinating! We're there any pics from those days of any manufacturing processes at the factories?
Glenn

Yes, folders full of 8x10s used for early marketing and publicity. All went in the dumpster. There was a mezzanine where filing cabinets and folios were crammed full of that material. ~1992 and he whose name I won't speak said "Get that crap outta here!" and to the dumpster it went. Some was saved but a teeny fraction of it. Same thing happened later with gear set aside for the in-house museum. That's how I got my L980s and can uneqivocally state they were the absolutely last set to leave the factory as an inventory item. Unfortunately I lost touch with Larry Daywitt many years ago. He did the marketing early on and likely kept material. Sadly, he passed several years back. He was a very cool cat. Way outside chance something shows up again from that era from an unlikely source.

 

[GD70]

Yes, folders full of 8x10s used for early marketing and publicity. All went in the dumpster. There was a mezzanine where filing cabinets and folios were crammed full of that material. ~1992 and he whose name I won't speak said "Get that crap outta here!" and to the dumpster it went. Some was saved but a teeny fraction of it. Same thing happened later with gear set aside for the in-house museum. That's how I got my L980s and can uneqivocally state they were the absolutely last set to leave the factory as an inventory item. Unfortunately I lost touch with Larry Daywitt many years ago. He did the marketing early on and likely kept material. Sadly, he passed several years back. He was a very cool cat. Way outside chance something shows up again from that era from an unlikely source.

Thanks! Your 980's are worth quite a bit to the ADS collector. Very cool!
How long was the production run on them, and what are your serial numbers?
Here's mine.
Glenn

 

[Spiceman50]

Thanks! Your 980's are worth quite a bit to the ADS collector. Very cool!
How long was the production run on them, and what are your serial numbers?
Here's mine.
Glenn
View attachment 1144592 View attachment 1144593

Hah, interesting ... I really never looked too closely at the 980's until now (although I have seen your awesome vids of them). I see there were two series. Barring any changes to the crossover it looks like the only speaker changes were the tweeters. But interesting I see they are 8ohm. Maybe not so strange, but seems like everything I've looked at were 6 or less.

 

[PabloX]

There's a pair of L1290s on my local CL. They appear to be in very nice condition. I'd be buying them myself if it weren't for complete lack of WAF.

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ele/d/ads-l1290/6557727417.html

 

[GD70]

There's a pair of L1290s on my local CL. They appear to be in very nice condition. I'd be buying them myself if it weren't for complete lack of WAF.

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ele/d/ads-l1290/6557727417.html

Those are very nice and they have the built in power amps. You may want to promise all kinds of shit to your wife to go get them.

 

[PabloX]

Those are very nice and they have the built in power amps. You may want to promise all kinds of shit to your wife to go get them.

I didn't realize they had built in amps. Any link to the specs?

For whatever reason, my wife *hates* tower speakers. From the aspect of pleasing the wife and having speakers that work well with my 1250, the L980s are pretty much perfect.

 

[GD70]

I didn't realize they had built in amps. Any link to the specs?

For whatever reason, my wife *hates* tower speakers. From the aspect of pleasing the wife and having speakers that work well with my 1250, the L980s are pretty much perfect.

Found this. Some info on the PA1 built in amps.
http://www.hifi-classic.net/review/ads-l1290-393.html

 

[smoke-libr8r]

I didn't realize they had built in amps. Any link to the specs?

It doesn't appear that the speakers in the CL ad include the PA1 amps. However, they have the cutouts where one would install the amps.

There are a couple of things to consider about this particular pair of speakers... The wood covers for the amp openings appear to be missing. I assume that if they were available they would be installed. The finish on the cabinets appears to be crazing. Aside from that, they seem to be a nice pair of L1290/2's.

 

[Dswankey]

I noticed there was no price listed and the speakers appear to in a room full of other audio related gear. My guess is the seller will be looking for top dollar but not get it as the listing is several days old already.

 

[GD70]

It doesn't appear that the speakers in the CL ad include the PA1 amps. However, they have the cutouts where one would install the amps.

There are a couple of things to consider about this particular pair of speakers... The wood covers for the amp openings appear to be missing. I assume that if they were available they would be installed. The finish on the cabinets appears to be crazing. Aside from that, they seem to be a nice pair of L1290/2's.

It doesn't appear that the speakers in the CL ad include the PA1 amps. However, they have the cutouts where one would install the amps.

There are a couple of things to consider about this particular pair of speakers... The wood covers for the amp openings appear to be missing. I assume that if they were available they would be installed. The finish on the cabinets appears to be crazing. Aside from that, they seem to be a nice pair of L1290/2's.

There is definitely a plate there, just the regular binding posts then? Sorry if I was mistakin!

 

[BigElCat]

It doesn't appear that the speakers in the CL ad include the PA1 amps. However, they have the cutouts where one would install the amps.

There are a couple of things to consider about this particular pair of speakers... The wood covers for the amp openings appear to be missing. I assume that if they were available they would be installed. The finish on the cabinets appears to be crazing. Aside from that, they seem to be a nice pair of L1290/2's.

They're first series. 2's don't have the amp cut out. The binding posts are on the bottom of the speakers for the second series.

 

[PabloX]

I noticed there was no price listed and the speakers appear to in a room full of other audio related gear. My guess is the seller will be looking for top dollar but not get it as the listing is several days old already.

I already emailed him and he's asking $800. Coincidently, there's another pair of 1290s in the same area on CL, also asking $800.

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/ele/d/ads-l1290-speakers/6562404348.html

 

[smoke-libr8r]

They're first series. 2's don't have the amp cut out. The binding posts are on the bottom of the speakers for the second series.

Some L1290/2 do have the cutouts. I know this for sure since I have a pair of them. I've heard a few explanations for the existence of this combination. The first is that the early L1290/2 had the cutout due to extra L1290/1 cabinets being available during the transition. The second is that the cutouts were a special order on the L1290/2.

I think the CL ones are L1290/2 based on the woofer dust cap size. The L1290/1 had big dustcaps, the L1290/2 has small dustcaps. The attached picture shows the size difference.

 

[Spiceman50]

See in Denver CL, some guy is selling what looks to be a nice set of L1290's for $150. This is at 10:43 Central time.
https://denver.craigslist.org/ele/d/ads-l1290-speakers-and-other/6568420627.html

 

[Yodathedog]

If only I lived in Colorado Springs...

 

[soundmotor]

They're first series. 2's don't have the amp cut out. The binding posts are on the bottom of the speakers for the second series.

Some do. Leftover cabs were used for the series 2 at the beginning of the run.

 

[soundmotor]

Thanks! Your 980's are worth quite a bit to the ADS collector. Very cool!
How long was the production run on them, and what are your serial numbers?

I don't know what the the actual run for both series. Not more than 4 years ('83-'86) and not a huge amount of production even then.

I will get the SNs at some point. They are not in a convenient viewing spot at the moment.

 

[PabloX]

Been building a collection of ADS speakers for some time now, so far:
aDs 400
a/d/s - L 300c
aDs - L 300
ADS - L400
ADS - L520
ADS - L620
ADS - L880
ADS - L980
ADS - M12

I really don't need this many sets, yet I can't see selling any for a while.
As for the sound, each has their merits in certain settings. For more critical listening, I have the 980 and 880 stacked, and they sound wonderful, play together nicely.
If my curiosity keeps me looking, I might add a L series tower to the list: 1290/1590 perhaps.
i just love their sound, they make most music sound great.

When you stack them, how are they wired?