Mach One 4024, 4024A, 4029 Information and Upgrades!

Raddek

Member
Alright.. After becoming a bit frustrated over searching countless threads from here and other websites, I STILL Cannot find the Information I'm looking for. So, if you all could kindly please post Any and All information you have about the different versions of Realistic Mach One Speakers including the Original 4024, 4024A, and later 4029 Category Numbers, that would be fantastic (Pictures even better!). This will help me out a lot and also I'm sure many others out there, too, trying to figure out if their speakers are the better ones. Ok, here it goes.

Number One, The Surrounds. I've read from plenty of places that people say the 4024 versions had Rubber surrounds, others say they have the hard foam-like/styrofoam-like surrounds as the 4024A's have (that do not rot as easily). If there is Truly a difference with the surrounds of the 4024 and 4024A's, someone please confirm it here. :)

Next, The Drivers... I already know the 4029 models have the 6ohm woofers, but do the original 4024 and the 4024A's use the exact same 8ohm woofer? I have the 4024A version and they have the 8ohm woofer, along with an 8ohm SH-2 Tweeter and 8ohm SH-1 Mid Range (all Japanese made). I've looked around on the internet and noticed there are 7ohm Tweeters, too.. Were these used in the 4029 versions?

Now, the Crossovers. I guess this is really where having the most precise information is key.... Probably the biggest question I have out of this entire post is, are the crossovers for the original 4024 and 4024A versions the same? I have found no pictures or information anywhere of the original 4024 versions, But I will be so kind as to post pictures of two different 4024A Crossovers I have. The first notable difference is the layout. Now, both of these are 4024A versions, but one has a slightly larger plate. I looked them over very carefully and found no differences with values or numbers whatsoever. I will go ahead and post a picture showing what a 4029 Crossover looks like, but It's not mine and I do not own it. Picture only being used for referencing.

4024A-1.jpg


Above: 4024A Crossover


4024A-2.jpg


Above: 4024A Crossover with larger plate, and slightly different layout

4029.jpg


Above: 4029 Crossover


Please! If anyone has a picture of the original 4024 (no A) Crossover, can you post it? Thanks a bunch!

Now I suppose we can move on to the visuals... Yea, they all look the same.. Except for, of course, the woofer surround material (compared to the 4029), the L-Pads, and the printed information on the crossover plate. ALSO... I've read and noticed that somewhere along the lines in production, the 4024A versions had the bottom of the cabinets switched from being all veneer to being plainly Painted. The internet (after much digging through countless forums of different sites) has told me that this may be caused by cheaper costs of production. If this is true, then wouldn't there also be a difference and shift within the quality of the 4024A models during the time they were being manufactured? I suppose this would explain why the two 4024A crossovers I have look different. With all of that said, this raises more questions... Would this mean that these "cheaper and maybe more inferior" later-produced 4024A versions may Not be of the same quality of the earlier produced 4024A versions with the full veneer cabinets, and even more so Not be the same quality of the original 4024's? Would this cheaper line of 4024A's being produced, would that put them in the same category as the inferior 4029's? ... So, with this being known, does that mean there are actually 4 different versions of the Mach One Speakers ?!?!?!?! Has anyone ever thought of this? Maybe the 4024A's are not at all like the 4024's? Maybe I'll win the lottery tomorrow?

Yes, I know there are many, many different threads out there about these speakers, but I'm still so full of questions and finally broke down to post a thread about it to hear about the specifics. Hopefully everyone with Realistic Mach One experience can post the true facts about these speakers to finally, once and for all, put the question of 'quality issues' to rest. I'd ever so greatly like to hear any replies to the information I have posted, or any New information that could help! Again, if anyone has more photos of specific differences, please post them, Especially a picture of the original 4024 crossover. Thanks a million!
 
Last edited:
I do remember when I first saw the Realistic Mach Ones on display at my local RS...a big sign hung on them stating that they came w/a lifetime warranty. It was probably about 5 or 6 years when that warranty window was reduced to 5 years. Now if this is one of the indicators between 40-4024 & 4024A is my first guess....
 
Last edited:
Here's some information

I am converting a pair of gutted 4024a'as to Econowaves.

While the drivers were not in the cabinet, the crossovers looked like your first example. Right down to the nasty brown glue. My cabinets are full veneer, but that veneer covers the nastiest cheap particle board. They did do a good job in that the front baffle and rear baffles are a full inch thick.

Frankly, none of them seem to be great speakers and I'm not surprised that there were changes in various production lots. These speakers were certainly built with the low bid components.
 
I have the 40-4024A's and the bottom of the cabinets are veneered. They just seem to be a different veneer than the stuff that is on the other sides. I put some oil on it, and it didn't go shiny, it stayed dull. The surrounds around the woofers on mine aren't rubber, but they aren't the light duty foam either. They are in perfect condition still.

I looked at the crossovers on mine, and they look like the ones you have, although they look a bit cleaner built. I'd post pictures, but I didn't take them when I had it out. There's a lot of fiberglass in there, and last time I got itchy as hell lol

My woofers are both 8 Ohm, the tweeters I'm not sure of, nor the midranges.
 
I have the 40-4024A's and the bottom of the cabinets are veneered. They just seem to be a different veneer than the stuff that is on the other sides. I put some oil on it, and it didn't go shiny, it stayed dull. The surrounds around the woofers on mine aren't rubber, but they aren't the light duty foam either. They are in perfect condition still.

I looked at the crossovers on mine, and they look like the ones you have, although they look a bit cleaner built.

I'm starting to wonder now if there really isn't a difference in the crossovers, only the placement of the components on the Plate. Everything has the same value, so yea. If the crossovers on the 4024 have the same values also, then I suppose they are all really the 'same', excluding the 4029, which as you can see in the picture have obvious changes in values.

I'm replacing the capacitors (22uf 50v and 10uf 50v)with all the same values, but using Nichicon MUSE ES Bi-Polar Audio Grade Caps (electrolytic). I'm not really doing this as an upgrade or anything, but there is an obvious flaw within the highs as they sound a bit harsh sometimes and break up. The POTS are fine so this leads me to believe the caps needing replaced. There is quite a difference in physical size but should do the job just fine with the same values.

Oh, one more thing I'd like to share.. I noticed that there are air leaks within the tweeter on both cabinets (like if i were to push in on the woofer, air would come out of the tweeter!). It seems they aren't properly sealed so I may have to use something to re-glue around the horn of the tweeter (where the horn is connected and seperated between the diaphragm and cabinet).
 
You know - have you heard them? Some of the best speakers I have heard were built with 'low bid components'. I am not saying they are the best but if you havent heard them you can't judge.

I have a set of Altec Segovias, now they are also particle board cabinets. Also most of the early KLH's, the early Advents, EPI's, and others all have the same type of cabinet. Does that mean they are bad too? You really do like to throw blanket statements out that have no basis in anything but your own bias.

I agree:thmbsp: They do sound pretty nice. They are rock speakers and enjoy playing loud, but I find them to be alot of fun and can shake a floor with very litle motivation:yes:
 
There is a pair of Mach Ones for sale on E-bay right now. One is 4024 and the other is 4024A. That seller might be able to shed some light on any differences between the two. Also, one of his has a puncture through the surround and he has a close-up photo. You can see cells in the foam. I'd say definitely not rubber. Check it out.
 
I have a single Mach 1. I am unsure of the series, but I know it has foam surrounds. They are quite thick surrounds, but most definitely foam. Its rotted out, and I am probably going to sell it.

When I get home, I'll yank the woofer and see if I can get a pic of the xover for you.
 
All the early Mach Ones I have seen have had the foamish semi-hard type of surround.
And my buddy bought a pair of these brand new when they were introduced and they had this type of surround.
Curiously, his are 4024A. And like I said, he bought these at our local Rat Shack when they were introduced. They are veneered on the bottom.
And it cost him all he could save from his paper route! I still remember going with him and his dad who drove us there in a huge Ford LTD.
I have two pairs. Both say 4024A and both have the same type of surround. One pair is veneered on the bottom and both sound the same.
 
Raddek
The Guy on eBay in Brookville, OH has both the 4024 and 4024A he would be the one to talk to especially for the suround comparison.

Borus
 
Some pics of my 40-4029, laminated bottom.

If you want pics of anything else, lemme know! No, I won't do any sexy, greasy, sweaty posing.
 

Attachments

  • Mach + 005.jpg
    Mach + 005.jpg
    52.8 KB · Views: 1,201
  • Mach + 006.jpg
    Mach + 006.jpg
    86 KB · Views: 1,313
  • Mach + 012.jpg
    Mach + 012.jpg
    85.3 KB · Views: 1,170
Some pics of my 40-4029, laminated bottom.

If you want pics of anything else, lemme know! No, I won't do any sexy, greasy, sweaty posing.

Great! Awesome pics. My goal here is to hopefully gather up all the information about the differences within the Mach One designs and stick them all in one place. Some information is already scattered everywhere throughout the internet but still can't find it all. Now, all we need are close-ups and details of the original 4024 (no A). Thanks so far for everyone's replies.
 
Great! Awesome pics. My goal here is to hopefully gather up all the information about the differences within the Mach One designs and stick them all in one place. Some information is already scattered everywhere throughout the internet but still can't find it all. Now, all we need are close-ups and details of the original 4024 (no A). Thanks so far for everyone's replies.

No problem!

Let me know if you need any other pics, or if you want the full resolution versions.
 
What was the catalog number for the Optimus Mach Three? 4040 perhaps?

And they changed the surround material's density when they decided to use the Bass-Reflex cabinet. The 1st generation woofer surrounds were for acoustic suspension cabinet of that time.
Index to Radio Shack Speaker Systems and Components

The Mach 3 was actually branded with the name Optimus. The catalog number was 40-4039. They had two revisions from what I can tell, but the main difference between the different revisions was placement of the ports and horn tweeter.

I have a pair of Realistic Mach 5000 speakers. They aren't branded Optimus. I have a feeling these speakers may have been a Canadian only speaker as they were made in Canada.

Realistic Mach 5000:

2 X Bullet Tweeters
1 X 5" Cone Midrange
1 X 15" Polypropylene Cone Woofer, Foam Surrounds

Cat Number: 40-8032

Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz
Power Handling: 100 Watt RMS/160 Watt Peak
Efficiency: 91dB 1Watt/1Meter

Digital Ready, Auto Reset Breaker

Rear ported bass reflex design. Removable face grill. No controls for any drivers.

Pictures:

Nameplate on the front:


Compared to my Mach 1 (40-4024A)
 
Not a problem. I'd get even more info on it (crossover and individual speaker specs) but I'd rather not take the drivers out. The cabinets are mint, so I don't want to scratch them.
 
Hope the set you got comes in safe and is in good shape. I don't think you'll be disappointed with them. :music:
 
Here's a question. How do the Mach I & Mach II stack up against each other? As noted in another post I just picked up some near mint Mach I 4024A. I had a set of Mach II's several years ago and sold them. I've regretted that ever since, but that's a different story :tears:.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom