Mitsubishi MS-40 Speakers

[Crosman]

I'm new here and have decided to set up my old Mitsubishi Micro System I purchased back in 1982. I have the MS40 speakers that I purchased with this system and have always wondered how they "stack up" against other speakers out there, both new and vintage.

Any takers?

Thanks

Mike

 

[MunkeyQ]

I can't find any information about them online - have you got any photos?

If they were packaged with a mini system in the 80's however, I have a gut feeling they're probably bottom of the pile though.

 

[Crosman]

I can't find any information about them online - have you got any photos?

If they were packaged with a mini system in the 80's however, I have a gut feeling they're probably bottom of the pile though.

Sorry for the late response. Well, back in '81 I paid I believe $600 each for these. They were the top of the line Mitsu back then. I'll post pic's up soon as I can.

 

[kermit z]

I heard somewhere those are "King of all Speakers". But I could be wrong j/k

Post a picture if you could

 

[MunkeyQ]

$600 is a fair old amount for them, especially back in the 80s. Maybe they aren't too bad...

 

[ratskins]

MS-40 literature

:thmbsp:
I happen to own an original Mitsubishi sales brochure that has about two pages devoted to the MS-40 speakers. The brochure also covers the MS-30 (which I own), the MS-20, and the MS-10 models. I would be willing to scan the pages if anyone had an interest, but I'm not sure what to do with the scans.

I've got one of my MS-30's out to a repair shop right now. There is some distortion in the mid range speaker. Hopefully it is a failed capacitor on the crossover. Seems to me it was working OK a few days ago. These speakers have a built-in circuit breaker so hopefully the drivers are somewhat protected. There are about a million components in the crossover. These are excellent speakers, although it is something of a shock to A/B them with my Magnepans.

 

[Rex Everything]

Supposed to be an excellent speaker. I'd sure like to have a pair to go with my TOTL Mitsu DA system.

Pics would be great if you have time. :thmbsp:

(just noticed this post is a few months old but pics would still be nice )

 

[persept]

ratskins, it'd be great if you could post the scanned brochure. I actually just bought some Mitsubishi MS-40's and I have to say the sound is wonderful. I'm very curious at what the sales brochure looks like.

 

[ratskins]

MS-40 scanned brochures now available!

Per your request I have uploaded four pages from the Mitsubishi brochure on honeycomb speakers. If anyone is interested, I could also upload two pages that give details and reasoning behind their speaker designs. I also have a page comparing performance spex for four models (MS10, MS20, MS30, and MS40). If interested please send me a private message!

 

[shimniok]

Huh, just saw a set of mitsu speakers in the thrift... didnt really pay attention to model... maybe I better go back and look

 

[karlo]

never seen any serious attempts from MB before.

just dep't store type tower-boxed cone-tweeter specials.

 

[dc270]

Thanks Ratskins- I have a pair of those same 12" woofers coming next week- good to see some information on them. They are one of the best kept woofer secrets left around. The cones are essentially the same thing as Eaton woofers with the Honeycomb design! I was told that Eaton bought their patents and then improved on it!

I have used a 10" version of that woofer before in a custom desing and they are very good- the mid bass is incredible to hear as is the low end!

I consider those speakers every bit as good as the Yammie 690's!! To bad they were lost to time, Mitsubishi did make a marvelous product at one time that is for sure!
DC

 

[redcoates7]

Like most of the Japanese companies, Mistubishi designed some very high quality speakers over the years but most of them were sold in their domestic market. Check out some of the Mits-built Diatone speakers on AK and elsewhere if you need some proof...

As for the MS-40, I've got to believe it could run with most of the NS-1000 type speakers from this era...best advice I could give is to go out and have a listen to some more modern designs and see shat sounds good to you...$1200 was a lot of money in the earlu 80s, and I've got to believe there are better modern speakers out there for in that price range...although I'll be the first one to tell you that collecting vintage is really about enjoying classic products...not necessarily about finding the best available technology...

Enjoy!

 

[ratskins]

looking for cabinet ideas

OK. So I received my 12 inch raw honeycomb woofers. They are beautiful just to look at! I am planning to make my own dream speakers with them. Does anyone have any suggestions for where to locate cabinets that would fit speakers of this size? I am thinking about picking up fabric dome midrange speakers and fabric dome tweeters from partsexpress along with crossovers and attenuators. Or maybe I should get ribbon tweeters or Heil air-motion transformers. Those would be excellent transient response and might complement the honeycombs. Your ideas?

 

[picky1]

I have acquired them recently. Weird thing about them is that the round perforation in the middle of the woofer is white in the right speaker. Left speaker woofer is all black. Other than that the woofers are identical with identical sound and wear/tear.

May I trouble someone for the pictures of stand and grill/net of MS-40? I just got them but they are missing stands and the nets. I want to fabricate them. The speakers are cosmetically far from good(A dent and some scratches).

Thanks for the brochure ratskins.I wonder what is the sensitivity rating for the speaker.

 

[ratskins]

sensitivity

I'll have to double check the scanned brochure I posted, but off the top of my head I believe the MS-40 gives you 91db at 1 meter with a 1 watt input.

I now own 4 pairs of Mitsubishi speakers. The sound varies wildly but I have to tell you that the MS-40s are spectacular for imaging. They may even be better than my Magneplanars, which I also think are excellent. Maybe it is just my room placement and luck.

 

[vinylisfinal]

i have a pair of ss-106's. anyone have any comments on these?

 

[nick12345]

That's the most complicated crossover I've EVER seen. Can it make waffles? :yes::thmbsp:

 

[HiFiAaron]

Like most of the Japanese companies, Mistubishi designed some very high quality speakers over the years but most of them were sold in their domestic market. Check out some of the Mits-built Diatone speakers on AK and elsewhere if you need some proof...

As for the MS-40, I've got to believe it could run with most of the NS-1000 type speakers from this era...

I know this is old but just to clear the air for future people reading this information the MS line(MS-10,MS-20,Ms-30,MS-40) are all Diatone speakers. These are from Mitsubishi's high end old school stuff, and they will hold their own against other speakers coming in around a $1000 USD.

 

[gdmoore28]

Thanks, Aaron. I kept yearning for a pic of these mysterious speakers. Are these the ones?

GeeDeeEmm