Infinity RS5 from early 80s

McBru6177

One Way or Another
New addition to my small listening room. Really enjoying the clarity and high/mid notes. Slightly more detailed than my KEF 103.2s. Must be the EMITs!

The woofers have been re-foamed/re-coned by a previous owner, albeit not with the original looking cones. Looks like a decent job but without the consistent grey/silver colour scheme as the EMIT and Polydome.

I have a few questions and I am hoping this is the best place for answers.

1. Any specs on the RS5 model?
2. I am guessing they are rated in the range of 4-8 ohms, but can they be driven safely by a Pioneer SX-950 (85 wpc into 8 ohms and 110 into 4 ohms)? Fyi, the Pioneer is fully restored and, to date, has hardly broken a sweat driving the RS5s at moderate volume levels. Keeping in mind my listening room is small (15' by 8').
3. Is it worth it to open the RS5s up and clean/deoxit the tweeter/mid-range controls?
4. Since I plan to keep them, are there any tips as to where to find the Infinity logo badge for the grills?

I already posted some pics in another thread:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/new-speaker-addition-infinity-rs-5-1982.775127/
but I added a few here so it's clear what RS5 model I have.

Infinity-1.JPG

Infinity-3.JPG

Infinity-5.JPG
 
Congrats on your nice find. They look to be in great condition and nice set up. I don't have the Infinitys you have but sure someone will chime in soon.
 
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http://www.infinity-classics.de/models/Reference-series-1+b-2-10+A+B-1981-86/index-Reference.htm

Info for your speakers there ^


Edit--Oooops guess I should have looked at your other thread before posting.

The Infinity badges show up from time to time on ebay, I think there was a pair there last week in fact. Yup but gone now. Keep checking there.
If you were an AK subscriber ($25) you could put a WTB ad in BarterTown.

Thanks for the tips. And yes, I already found the Infinity Classics site, but the technical manual listed for the RS5 is for the RS5/B. I was just curious if anyone had the official tech sheet for the RS5.

I was also looking on ebay and was wondering if the logo/badge for this early 80s RS5 model is the infinity (math) symbol or the symbol with the name Infinity?

And I was a BarterTown subscriber for a few years. Good idea about re-joining.
 
Congrats on your nice find. They look to be in great condition and nice set up. I don't have the Infinitys you have but sure someone will chime in soon.

Thanks. While the RS5s aren't very high in the RS series, they seem to fit the bill for my small listening room. The cabinets are actually in very good condition, even better with a single coat of Howard's Restore a Finish--the lazy man's way to wood refinishing.
 
Thanks for the tips. And yes, I already found the Infinity Classics site, but the technical manual listed for the RS5 is for the RS5/B. I was just curious if anyone had the official tech sheet for the RS5.

I was also looking on ebay and was wondering if the logo/badge for this early 80s RS5 model is the infinity (math) symbol or the symbol with the name Infinity?

And I was a BarterTown subscriber for a few years. Good idea about re-joining.



Very confusing, the RS5 tech sheet at Klaus' SEEMS to be for the RS5 but says 2 6 inch woofers. I would think they are more like at least 8 inch woofers?
EDIT--SP states below they are indeed 6 inch woofers.
The RS5b is a single woofer model so that should distinguish the two models as far as vintage RS5's. Klaus' site also has a schematic for those. There may have been a later model as Infinity did reuse model names and numbers over the years.
As for badges, almost every picture (and most are with the grilles off) in Google images shows the math symbol, one image shows a badge with both the word and symbol.
 
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Two 6 inch woofers are correct for original rs5. RS4 had 8" woofers and slightly larger cabinet. Great pair of speakers, my RS4 of the same era had "infinity" spelled out. I had to check for a photo as I no longer own them, it's not a great pick but you can see it.
IMG_0059.JPG
 
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Thanks for the tips. And yes, I already found the Infinity Classics site, but the technical manual listed for the RS5 is for the RS5/B. I was just curious if anyone had the official tech sheet for the RS5.

I was also looking on ebay and was wondering if the logo/badge for this early 80s RS5 model is the infinity (math) symbol or the symbol with the name Infinity?

And I was a BarterTown subscriber for a few years. Good idea about re-joining.
Two 6 inch woofers are correct for original rs5. RS4 had 8" woofers and slightly larger cabinet. Great pair of speakers, my RS4 of the same era had "infinity" spelled out. I had to check for a photo as I no longer own them, it's not a great pick but you can see it.
View attachment 952691


I did a lot of Googling, is it possible the 4's had the word spelled out and the 5's used the math symbol?
As mentioned, most images had the grilles off but a few did show the grilles on and the math symbol was pictured more.
Here's one example from AK, math symbol, but no idea if they are original.
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/proud-new-owner-of-a-pair-of-infinity-rs5s.539826/
 
Appreciate all the kinds words and for looking into the mystery of the specific tech specs and the original badge.

I took another look at the Infinity Classics site and the link to tech sheet (http://www.infinity-classics.de/technik/manuals/RS_5B_technical_sheet.pdf) seems to be correct. The dimensions are spot on, and the woofers are 6", not 8". But the sheet says RS 5/B which is confusing because of the RS 5(B) model which has a shorter cabinet with one 8" woofer instead of the two 6" woofers.

So, assuming the tech sheet is correct for my RS 5, they are 4 to 8 ohms which is likely a more accurate way of stating a single figure such as 6 ohms. I'll take a leap of faith and say that my Pioneer SX-950 can drive the RS5s safely. The Pioneer never gets hot or very warm driving the RS 5.

As for the logo, I agree with you goodolpg that the RS 5 seems to have had the math infinity symbol, while other models had the combined symbol with the name Infinity. Perhaps I am being too picky on this aspect. I should be so lucky that I am searching for a pair of plastic badges as opposed to a pair of drivers or EMITs!
 
Appreciate all the kinds words and for looking into the mystery of the specific tech specs and the original badge.

I took another look at the Infinity Classics site and the link to tech sheet (http://www.infinity-classics.de/technik/manuals/RS_5B_technical_sheet.pdf) seems to be correct. The dimensions are spot on, and the woofers are 6", not 8". But the sheet says RS 5/B which is confusing because of the RS 5(B) model which has a shorter cabinet with one 8" woofer instead of the two 6" woofers.

So, assuming the tech sheet is correct for my RS 5, they are 4 to 8 ohms which is likely a more accurate way of stating a single figure such as 6 ohms. I'll take a leap of faith and say that my Pioneer SX-950 can drive the RS5s safely. The Pioneer never gets hot or very warm driving the RS 5.

As for the logo, I agree with you goodolpg that the RS 5 seems to have had the math infinity symbol, while other models had the combined symbol with the name Infinity. Perhaps I am being too picky on this aspect. I should be so lucky that I am searching for a pair of plastic badges as opposed to a pair of drivers or EMITs!

Someone on AK, just yesterday or the day before asked about speakers with 4-8 ohm rating, the answer was GREAT, something about 4 being nominal and 8 being RMS or something like that (wish I could find it now), but darned if I can find it now.
Anyways, the Pioneer SX 950 is a pretty stout receiver, and does have a 4 ohm rating.
If you hear distortion or the Pioneer starts running hot then you may need to consider a change.
 

Exactly what I was searching for! The brochure answers many of my questions. So my speakers are from 1982; are 4 to 8 ohms; can be driven with a receiver (my SX-950 should be fine--great sound and hardly any heat); the grill badge is simply the infinity symbol with no name; and the optional stand from the brochure even looks similar in height and style to what came with my pair. Thank you!!!

Someone on AK, just yesterday or the day before asked about speakers with 4-8 ohm rating, the answer was GREAT, something about 4 being nominal and 8 being RMS or something like that (wish I could find it now), but darned if I can find it now.
Anyways, the Pioneer SX 950 is a pretty stout receiver, and does have a 4 ohm rating.
If you hear distortion or the Pioneer starts running hot then you may need to consider a change.

Good advice. So far, there is hardly any heat, at least nothing out of the ordinary. I think I am in the clear. I'll search later for the thread about the 4-8 ohm range rating.

Yamaha R-S700 receiver, sounds great :)

Good to hear of a receiver driving Infinity's. The R-S700 would be on my short list if I was looking for a modern receiver.
 
I ran my RSM's for many years using receivers. 90 wpc Lafayette LR-9090, 120 wpc Lafayette LR-120DB, 125 wpc MCS 3125.
Like your RS5's they have a 4-8 ohm rating, similar low end wpc rating (either 30 or 35 wpc depending on source, both from Klaus' site, one from the RSM home page, the other from the schematic page, odd).
The only receiver I wasn't comfortable using was a Denon DRA-635 (80 wpc) that was not 4 ohm rated. Might have been just fine but I decided against using it strictly because of no 4 ohm rating.
 
Just for reference I used to drive RS-IIIa's (RS-5's big brother) with Onkyo TX-8522 2-channel receiver (clean 100 wpc at 8 Ohm), and it was less than optimal. The bass was muted and the receiver simply could not breath the speakers to life. Onkyo A-9070 (clean 145 wpc at 4 Ohm) integrated on the other hand was an excellent match for these speakers.
 
Thanks for the tips. And yes, I already found the Infinity Classics site, but the technical manual listed for the RS5 is for the RS5/B. I was just curious if anyone had the official tech sheet for the RS5.

I was also looking on ebay and was wondering if the logo/badge for this early 80s RS5 model is the infinity (math) symbol or the symbol with the name Infinity?

And I was a BarterTown subscriber for a few years. Good idea about re-joining.
I have a set of IIIAs, IIIBs & 4Bs and they all have the Infinity name. It would probably be the smaller of the two badges (metal) with a black plastic backer for the other side of the grill cloth & the two press on retainers. They are a dark grey with polished letters. I'm at work, but I believe they have the math logo to the left of the name.
 
QUOTE="cemerson, post: 10663295, member: 216709"]I have a set of IIIAs, IIIBs & 4Bs and they all have the Infinity name. It would probably be the smaller of the two badges (metal) with a black plastic backer for the other side of the grill cloth & the two press on retainers. They are a dark grey with polished letters. I'm at work, but I believe they have the math logo to the left of the name.[/QUOTE]

The 1982 brochure shared by Seppo shows the RS-5 with the math logo. I am guessing Infinity switched to the logo with the name and symbol shortly after 1982 and before 1984.

In any event, I just received today a pair of badges. I know they are just pieces of plastic but they do add a nice touch to the look of the RS-5.

IMG_0073.JPG

IMG_0072.JPG

IMG_0070.JPG
 
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