One Off Stuart Chapman monsters from the 70s

[Primergy]

Came across these locally in an ad with fuzzy pictures.
Made out a front of JBL speakers and decided to jump on them to make some (currently much needed) profit.

Upon arrival big surprises! They looked a good third larger than anticipated and my car choked to swallow them safely - but it all worked out.
They have some history! According to seller, he was the original owner, collaborating with Stuart Chapman on the design and requirements, making them a one-off model.

Speakers consist of nine chassis each:
1x 18in Gauss Woofer, sprayed cone (weighed down?)
2x JBL mids, aluminum dust cap (not sure of model yet, look like they came from a Cabaret series?)
4x JBL LE5-2
1x JBL 2402H
1x JBL 2405H

26in wide x 47.5in high x 16.5in deep
Weight: ~200-250lbs ea

Finally found time to manhandle them into place and hook them up.
At first only lower mids and big woofer worked. Fiddling with the gummed up pots, I found near neutral, working positions for all the rest and started listening.
Amazing sound. Compared to my XPL-200, there are some minor tonal shortcomings and the metal diaphragms of the bullet horns are really after your eardrums at higher volumes - I have to get the pots working!
For now a small rag is taming them down. In terms of sheer entertainment value, they blow my main speakers out of the water. Absolutely enjoyable. Also, my living room is too small!

Enjoy the pictures.

 

[djnagle]

WOW! Amazing speakers. Mirror image too.

 

[bd1886]

Chapmans are one incredible speaker! Both myself and a friend have found pairs locally here in the Seattle area. (One set mirror imaged and rare as hen's teeth.) Quality speaks being made to this day....if you can spend a few grand!

 

[Finjima]

love to see more pic's plus pic's of the cross overs. after cleaning a set of ar-3 pots i can say to take them apart if you can to clean them or upgrade them. Those speakers are just to cool, I would spend time restoring them and the wow factor is pretty good, looks like you need a nice amp to drive them too.

 

[Primergy]

Thanks for the praise.
I will at least open up the top part and evaluate the crossovers, clean the pots, make some more pictures.

As mentioned, I am not really in a position to keep these. No room right now, could use the money, already have another pair of main speakers.
Bad timing, we are in the final stages of buying a house, which will eat up project money and project time on the foreseeable future.
Upside: I get to leave behind that fugly rental carpet in the pictures and droning interior walls with zero insulation.

 

[Primergy]

OT:
The amp is a B&K AVR307 - super everyday amp. I have no surround setup but has very versatile configuration, using the 7x 150W at 8Ohm in many ways.
Even bi-amping is possible with some fiddling. For the quality and horsepower, they tend to be rather cheap. I've seen a number with issues on the power control board but can be fixed easily.

 

[Vintage999]

Wow, that is so different from what I associate with Stuart Chapman speakers.

 

[Finjima]

Then become a member and list it here! so who buys it stays in the family and then we can bother them with questions too!

 

[Gibsonian]

Wow, nice speaks with some pedigree and history. I wouldn't be selling those, I'd fix em up!

 

[turboyam]

You should sell those complete, do not part them off please!!!

 

[Drugolf]

Put them up on BT first, There are plenty of members here in the Seattle Area and beyond that would be delighted to take it from here if you can't right now.

 

[zebra03]

I like those speakers and their history .

 

[Vaughn]

These look amazing! I have to agree they seem atypical for a Chapman design. They seem almost like a PA speaker for small venues

 

[Tom Brennan]

To me they seem well built curiosities, I see a number of theoretical problems and odd decisions. I assume they play very loud with low distortion. And yeah, that JBL bullet tweeter is thermonuclear.

 

[Primergy]

Nice score!!! I'd consider keeping these and move your other main.....depending on what they are of course...

My mains are white lacqeur JBL XPL-200. They look petite compared to the Chapman's.
It has been a hassle to find a good pair and I cannot see myself (yet?) selling those instead.

Put them up on BT first, There are plenty of members here in the Seattle Area and beyond that would be delighted to take it from here if you can't right now.

I'll look into BT, thanks. The home buying project got hit with another curveball this morning, maybe I'll hang on to them until I know for sure whether the new living room will be a good fit for them, or not.

These look amazing! I have to agree they seem atypical for a Chapman design. They seem almost like a PA speaker for small venues

Looking at the older Chapman designs, there are models with multiple drivers that resemble the approach this one. (According to the seller, he also had a word on the design process. I should run this model by Mr. Chapman himself for a comment.)

I'll have more time for replies this evening. Plan to take a look behind the fronts next weekend.

 

[c-atle-79bay]

Absolutely give Chapman a call, very nice person. I have a set of mini monitors b250 that are my absolute favorite speaker, find my self sitting at my computer ot listen to music more so that my main setup. I lust after t7s.

Do you have the photos from the ad? Trying to decide if I poopooped those good catch.

 

[c-atle-79bay]

Chapmans are one incredible speaker! Both myself and a friend have found pairs locally here in the Seattle area. (One set mirror imaged and rare as hen's teeth.) Quality speaks being made to this day....if you can spend a few grand!

Any photos of your custom chapman score?

 

[GD70]

Came across these locally in an ad with fuzzy pictures.
Made out a front of JBL speakers and decided to jump on them to make some (currently much needed) profit.

Upon arrival big surprises! They looked a good third larger than anticipated and my car choked to swallow them safely - but it all worked out.
They have some history! According to seller, he was the original owner, collaborating with Stuart Chapman on the design and requirements, making them a one-off model.

Speakers consist of nine chassis each:
1x 18in Gauss Woofer, sprayed cone (weighed down?)
2x JBL mids, aluminum dust cap (not sure of model yet, look like they came from a Cabaret series?)
4x JBL LE5-2
1x JBL 2402H
1x JBL 2405H

26in wide x 47.5in high x 16.5in deep
Weight: ~200-250lbs ea

Finally found time to manhandle them into place and hook them up.
At first only lower mids and big woofer worked. Fiddling with the gummed up pots, I found near neutral, working positions for all the rest and started listening.
Amazing sound. Compared to my XPL-200, there are some minor tonal shortcomings and the metal diaphragms of the bullet horns are really after your eardrums at higher volumes - I have to get the pots working!
For now a small rag is taming them down. In terms of sheer entertainment value, they blow my main speakers out of the water. Absolutely enjoyable. Also, my living room is too small!

Enjoy the pictures.

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Oh Damn! Those are a score and seem extremely rare one off's!
Your JBL XPL-200's are no slouches, but..... Maybe sell them and keep the Chapman's for the new place?
Sonically, how do they compare?

Congrats either way.
Glenn

 

[allhartfidelity]

To make some much needed profit you say?
Make some profit off me if you are close enough. I live in the Seattle area.
Charles

 

[Primergy]

Oh Damn! Those are a score and seem extremely rare one off's!
Your JBL XPL-200's are no slouches, but..... Maybe sell them and keep the Chapman's for the new place?
Sonically, how do they compare?

Congrats either way.
Glenn

Looking at my living room picture, a side-by side is hard to accomplish.
You could easily entertain a small rock concert with the Chapman's - and that is the feel they give.
It takes some volume for the woofer to wake up and all drivers singing in harmony (minus the bullet, that thing is way too pronounced around neutral). I can't go much past said volume before the small living room is at it's limit and your ears had enough after 15-20minutes.
Ok, maybe I am exaggerating. Point is, they get better the more watts you feed them and maybe I should unbox my power-amp setup to see if that gets a better handle on the woofer.

18inches look mighty but the Gauss speaker is likely the weakest link here. The XPL-250 are more accurate and balanced but lack the lack sensation, i

To make some much needed profit you say?
Make some profit off me if you are close enough. I live in the Seattle area.
Charles

I decided to keep them at least until we have moved and I experimented with them in the new living room. For now, I am out some cash, the budget for some repairs and renovations on the new property has to come from other sources.
Close enough: We live between Snohomish and Lk Stevens now, will likely move to the Lk Goodwin area, close to Warm Beach & Kayak Point.