Radio Shack Minimus-1

ra.ra

Super Member
Am just seeking opinions-advice-information about this very-cool-but-not-very-common speaker model made by Radio Shack in the mid-to-late 60's in response, I think, to the popular Goodman's Maximus-1 from England. These speakers are truly tiny, but the aesthetics, drivers, crossover and build quality are very impressive, and I am about to embark on some minor restorative efforts. Hence am seeking help.

Informational pics are attached, but my curiosity centers around two issues: woofer cone repair and getting some understanding of this crossover. On both woofers, the adhesive connection between the cone and spider (both paper, I think) has become detached, and am curious about a proper adhesive to use - - I am thinking about a simple white glue (Aleene's, SOBO, Elmer's....). Comments, thoughts?

minimus-1.3.jpg view, rear.jpg front + front.jpg drivers.jpg spider-cone.jpg
 
The crossover is far more complex (7 components) than what I would have expected, and since these speakers are nearly fifty years old I had been considering a simple re-cap before re-assembly. First, the NPE caps themselves have values that may not be easy to replace - - one each at 1.5uF-30V; 2uF-50V; and 4uF-20V - - there is very little room on the PCB or inside these cabinets so I'd be looking for physically small replacements.

Now, how to decipher this rear strap for "hard" or "soft" rooms? I am lost trying to understand this.The center post (light blue wire) connects to the 2uF cap which is in series with the 4uF cap, and that already throws me before I even attempt to track the PCB circuit. What's going on here?

backsides.jpg terminals, cap.jpg crossover.jpg board rear.jpg
 
Nice little speakers. The "soft room" is a room with rugs, curtains, plush couches and chairs. The tweeter output should be greater to compensate for the energy being absorbed by all of the "soft" furnishings. A "hard room" would have little furniture, hard floors, untreated windows and walls. The tweeter output would be less on the "hard room" setting. :thumbsup:
 
To Oozure: as far as the strap goes, I do understand the difference between "hard" and "soft" rooms relative to tweeter output. I have a small collection of 60's and 70's AR speakers, and all of those sound better in my home environment with the pots or switches boosted for extra high-end ooomph. What I do not fully understand is the wiring and cap/resistor/PCB arrangement on the inside of the box that makes this happen.

About the woofer, check out the size of the magnet.

magnet.jpg minimus-1 RS ad.jpg
 
To Oozure: as far as the strap goes, I do understand the difference between "hard" and "soft" rooms relative to tweeter output. I have a small collection of 60's and 70's AR speakers, and all of those sound better in my home environment with the pots or switches boosted for extra high-end ooomph. What I do not fully understand is the wiring and cap/resistor/PCB arrangement on the inside of the box that makes this happen.

Sorry about that. I misunderstood the particulars of your question. :confused: Not the first time this has happened to me. It's a daily occurance. :):thumbsup:

With alnico magnets like those, they meant business! Those little boogers cost quite a bit in 1960's dollars.
 
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Just giving my thread a little bump here. I think I have located some inexpensive and physically small film caps in same values that I can probably use to re-cap, but wondering if anyone has further thoughts on this strap connection or an appropriate glue to use for woofer repair.
Thanks.
 
Doing some research on these speakers and came upon this thread.

@hjames if we could modify ra.ra's handle to show he has passed it would be appreciated.

He's on the remembrance wall thread. He helped so many of us.

RIP, ra.ra.

Thank you.
 
Am just seeking opinions-advice-information about this very-cool-but-not-very-common speaker model made by Radio Shack in the mid-to-late 60's in response, I think, to the popular Goodman's Maximus-1 from England. These speakers are truly tiny, but the aesthetics, drivers, crossover and build quality are very impressive, and I am about to embark on some minor restorative efforts. Hence am seeking help.

Informational pics are attached, but my curiosity centers around two issues: woofer cone repair and getting some understanding of this crossover. On both woofers, the adhesive connection between the cone and spider (both paper, I think) has become detached, and am curious about a proper adhesive to use - - I am thinking about a simple white glue (Aleene's, SOBO, Elmer's....). Comments, thoughts?

View attachment 654163 View attachment 654166 View attachment 654168 View attachment 654173 View attachment 654174
What exactly is the appeal of a speaker like this? I'm genuinely curious because by modern standards, it can only sound terrible compared to even a low end contemporary bookshelf speaker.
 
You'd be surprised. I have a pair, uncapped, so not as good as they might be, and they still sound fine. And they look an awful lot better than most inexpensive modern speakers with their ubiquitous black plastic fake wood veneer.
I will admit that when I saw them from afar at a tag sale, I though they might be LS 35as, and the disappointment was palpable.
 
You'd be surprised. I have a pair, uncapped, so not as good as they might be, and they still sound fine. And they look an awful lot better than most inexpensive modern speakers with their ubiquitous black plastic fake wood veneer.
I will admit that when I saw them from afar at a tag sale, I though they might be LS 35as, and the disappointment was palpable.


You have to keep in mind that a lot of speaker builders intentionally avoid using wood. Instead, many manufacturers opt for high-quality composites, which doesn’t always indicate a lower-quality speaker. The appeal of something unique and vintage is completely understandable, though. I once spoke with a seller of vintage speakers who explained that their appeal isn’t about superior sound quality. Rather, people are drawn to them for their distinct sound that evokes nostalgia, reminding them of earlier times in their lives.

I personally have a fondness for what many would consider vintage gear, such as older Boston Acoustics speakers and plasma TVs. In some instances, certain vintage items can outperform their modern equivalents. For example, there are plasma TVs that can outshine almost any LCD in a dark room environment, and they can arguably even surpass OLED TVs in several critical aspects.

It’s the unique older gems that I actively seek out, as they can often be found for an incredibly low price on the used market. This approach allows you to get something that performs exceptionally well for just a fraction of its original cost. That's why I always tell budget-conscious people to consider buying used. You might be able to purchase flagship gear that's perhaps 10 years old for only 15% of its original retail value on the used market. In the end you can assemble a complete home theater for just a few hundred dollars—a setup that would otherwise cost you thousands if you were to opt for contemporary equipment, and it would sound just as impressive.
 
"Back-in-the-day" when I sold these...or tried not to sell these...I thought they sounded terrible...but they were a "real" speaker with a woofer, tweeter and a real crossover network (not just a blocking cap). I would like to hear a pair today, sure to have a different opinion!

I do have a sadly single Minimus II, which is rather nice, and a pair of Optimus 1's. As I remember, the Mini-I had the Optimus tweeter, but maybe that changed with the "Ia" ???
 
I can't think of any reason to use black plastic fake wood rather than actual wood veneer other than cost. Certainly there are other materials than MDF and particle board (and if memory serves, the Minimus Is are plywood under the veneer), but I find it hard to believe that all those manufacturers of inexpensive speakers are all doing rigorous testing and discovering that black plastic veneer is better than any alternative.
Anyway, I wasn't really commenting on the sonic virtues of the cabinets - just that the laquered (I believe) surface of the Minimus I have appeal to me.
 
What exactly is the appeal of a speaker like this? I'm genuinely curious because by modern standards, it can only sound terrible compared to even a low end contemporary bookshelf speaker.

You actually have to spend a fair bit of money to get a decent contemporary speaker. Lower end modern speakers often have pumped up bass and treble to give the impression of strength and detail, but can be quite irritating to listen to after a sustained time.

Vintage speakers certainly did not and do not all sound good, but the friendly price and ability to get for nearly free, the tonal balance of another era, the compatibility with lower powered equipment, and the retro appearance all can appeal to some people. In the case of something like this, it's also nostalgia for Radio Shack, which was the store that made an electronics hobby accessible to many people. This particular model is also interesting and innovative, because it is a mini speaker from the era when mini speakers were very unusual, and was in a way ahead of its time. I'd certainly pick up a pair if I came across them, but probably wouldn't cross the road to get half price on a pair of modern $1000 bookshelf speakers.
 
You actually have to spend a fair bit of money to get a decent contemporary speaker. Lower end modern speakers often have pumped up bass and treble to give the impression of strength and detail, but can be quite irritating to listen to after a sustained time.

Vintage speakers certainly did not and do not all sound good, but the friendly price and ability to get for nearly free, the tonal balance of another era, the compatibility with lower powered equipment, and the retro appearance all can appeal to some people. In the case of something like this, it's also nostalgia for Radio Shack, which was the store that made an electronics hobby accessible to many people. This particular model is also interesting and innovative, because it is a mini speaker from the era when mini speakers were very unusual, and was in a way ahead of its time. I'd certainly pick up a pair if I came across them, but probably wouldn't cross the road to get half price on a pair of modern $1000 bookshelf speakers.
The thing I remember most about Radio Shack is how unfriendly they were to kids in their stores. That was like a known thing back in the '80s!
 
The thing I remember most about Radio Shack is how unfriendly they were to kids in their stores. That was like a known thing back in the '80s!

Up here in Canada I suppose it was different, to me it was the only part of the mall I could stand when I got dragged on family outings. I especially liked the $10 surprise packs.
 
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