Empire Speakers??

[cooljjay]

Ok, so I am going to try to reword this so it isn't moved again and hopefully get an answer or discussion going, no dollar figures will be used nor links to auctions or other sites.

So I am curious about empire speakers. I seen a pair at an estate sale that was going for a crazy amount, I then seen 2 sets at a salvage yard for a crazy amount. the ones I am curious about are the cylinder floor models, that seem to have extremely small speakers in the cabinet. Just what is so special about them??

 

[sealy]

Don't know about those particular models, but Empire speakers generally have down-firing woofers. Cylindrical cabinets are kind of groovy, and tend to be a lot stronger than conventional boxes. Comments on their sound have been less than enthusiastic.

 

[dshoaf]

These were offered through many of the mail order outfits of the 70s but there were not that many local dealers of Empire speakers back then.

The store where I worked had a few traded in on Bose or JBLs of the day but, frankly, the sound was not that impressive. They definitely had WAF but that's about it. They made nice end tables, IMHO.

Pass on 'em unless they're being given away. Now, an Empire turntable is a different story.....

Cheers,

David

 

[piscator]

Cooljjay,

As secretary of the AK "Empire Speaker Club" let me welcome you to the fold. There are now two of us! :lol:

Seriously, I inherited a pair of Empire 2000 "Cavalier" speakers that my grandparents bought in 1968. They are conventional two-way speakers with 10" and 4" drivers. I think they sound surprisingly good -- for their age.

I believe the speaker you're describing are the Empire 8000's. My grandparents had a pair of those as well. They were octogonal and had marble tops so they could be used as end tables. I remember the 'down-firing' woofer and a tweeter on the side. When I was fourteen I thought those sounded pretty good too.

There's not much info on the Net concerning Empire speakers. But in my searches, I have seen photos of the 8000's. They were manufactured in Garden City, NJ

Now you know everything I know. Welcome to the club!

piscator

 

[cooljjay]

yes empire turntables are nice, I found one for 5$. I was going to keep but it wasn't in the best of shape and a full restore would have taken me a while, resold it for about 100 times that.

 

[EVBoy]

The Empire speakers with the marble tops and the nice real wood cabinets are collectible and worth some money. They sound good but nothing special. I would pass on all the other models.

 

[joelongwood]

Cooljjay,
There's not much info on the Net concerning Empire speakers. But in my searches, I have seen photos of the 8000's. They were manufactured in Garden City, NJ

That would be Garden City, New York, on Long Island. I passed the Empire headquarters every day on my way to school back in the 60s.

 

[piscator]

Joe,

Of course, you are correct. Garden City, New York!

Since you were intimate with the factory, we'll make you 'Club President' :thmbsp:

There was nothing exceptional about the sound of the marble tops, but they were an interesting design and fairly attractive.

My Empire 2000 "Cavaliers" are pleasant to listen to, but again, not exceptional. Given their age, it simply surprised me that they sound as good as they do.

piscator

 

[audiodon]

I was searching on Empire Cavalier speakers and came upon this thread.
I have to say, despite the fact that there's wood in front of half of the speakers due to a series of vertical slats in the design, they image well, but don't sound that good in spite of it.
My cavaliers were given to me by a vintage audio flipper who didn't want to see them go to waste.
So, they seem to have 10" and 4" drivers, and they're in very well made boxes with good hardware, but I just couldn't get them to sing. The drivers have cloth surrounds, though, and look like they'll last forever. Pictures to follow.

 

[NealinNevada]

They were manufactured in Garden City, NJ
piscator

Weren't they built in Garden City, Long Island, NY (on the west side of the island)? I had an Empire turntable (698...don't ask where it went :tears and that is where I took it for maintenance work in the early 1970's.