Speakers in the wild: What have you come across?edit: can be the ‘wilds’ of your own collection.

[Ds2000]

So I thought this may be fun. Post pics of speakers which catch your eye in the various establishments you visit.
For starters, this pair in a coffee shop in Brooklyn today.
I feel compelled to write them about the virtues of re-capping and DOT-3 brake fluidl for the surrounds.

 

[Wolverine]

Cool idea!
I hope to have some pics to add soon!

 

[GD70]

So I thought this may be fun. Post pics of speakers which catch your eye in the various establishments you visit.
For starters, this pair in a coffee shop in Brooklyn today.
I feel compelled to write them about the virtues of re-capping and DOT-3 brake fluidl for the surrounds.
View attachment 749012

Cool! Were they playing, and if so how did they sound?
Looks like the surrounds may be doped fabric, or rubber.
Glenn

 

[Ds2000]

Cool! Were they playing, and if so how did they sound?
Looks like the surrounds may be doped fabric, or rubber.
Glenn

They were playing, but the sound was THIN. With the size of the cabinet, and apparent age (I'd guess 35+yrs), my mind went to a possible stiff surround (you're correct, inverted doped cloth) and maybe old caps.
I almost want to go back and check 'em out for them.

 

[alteclipsch]

Lots of Chipotle restaurants have klipsch Heresy speakers mounted high on their walls. Saw some last week.

 

[drbiggles]

Thems is Sansui SP-1500's, need smaller area, need new caps. I like mine.

Neat!

Biggles

 

[Johnny_Law]

Here you can see the pair of AR-3a's in The Mill coffee shop in San Francisco.

https://goo.gl/maps/xvxU2oETGuE2

The barista was absolutely 100% not interested in talking about them when I asked

 

[Ds2000]

Here you can see the pair of AR-3a's in The Mill coffee shop in San Francisco.

https://goo.gl/maps/xvxU2oETGuE2

The barista was absolutely 100% not interested in talking about them when I asked

They look to be in good shape.

 

[Johnny_Law]

They look to be in good shape.

Yes they were in superb condition, on the outside, but they weren't on at the time so I couldn't hear how they sounded.

 

[wmgwizard]

Those old Kabuki speakers were designed to impress you with driver count not sound quality.

Typically light on bass with a stiff woofer in an undersized enclosure and glaring mids & highs. Imaging is weak with multiple drivers spread out in all directions.

Where they shine is efficiency, typically in the mid to high 90db range, they can tear the paint off the walls with just a few watts. I believe some models were advertised at 98 to 100db efficient, insane.

Used for background music or as party speakers they will do well; critical listening, not so much.

 

[alteclipsch]

Coastside Books store in Half Moon Bay, CA, has a pristine pair of KLH Twenty Threes up near the ceiling on shelves. Neat place, too.

 

[wmgwizard]

I have owned several pair over the years from Kenwood and Sansui, and listened to several others, so no I'm not just "spouting off".

I'm glad you were satisfied with what you heard, but I doubt our definitions of "decent or exceptional" are the same.

That's one of the great things about this hobby, there is something for everyone. I like my coffee with cream and sugar, you may not; it doesn't mean either one of us is wrong, just different.

 

[bakes]

Next time I am at City Steam Brewing in Hartford I'll get a pic of whatever the huge speakers are that they have in the bar area. No idea what they are but the brewer says that they crank.

 

[kirk57]

No pics, but 2nd Hand Tunes is Evanston, IL (now closed) had little Design Acoustics PS10 filling up that 20' x 30' space quite nicely.

 

[soundmotor]

I will admit to checking out store/bar audio when I notice it. Now with a camera always at hand I might get the more interesting ones. I only recall one from the past but no pics. Such odd ducks to see in a retail setting they stuck with me. There used to be a quirky bike shop in metrowest MA with a set of black/metal grate Sequerra Met 7s in there. Tried to buy them repeatedly but never got the owner to budge; smart man. He had them off to the side on a table flanking a small receiver for background music.

 

[Ds2000]

Thems is Sansui SP-1500's, need smaller area, need new caps. I like mine.

Neat!

Biggles

I may go back and check them out for a free coffee or sumthin. I'm sure the bass can be improved, the rest of the spectrum seemed good. Filled the room nicely.

 

[drbiggles]

I may go back and check them out for a free coffee or sumthin. I'm sure the bass can be improved, the rest of the spectrum seemed good. Filled the room nicely.

Keep in mind, when those speakers were being produced the music didn't dig nearly as deep as it does today. Of course I'm speaking in generalities here. I have a small living room, 12x14. In my living room, powered by a 17 watt tube amp or solid state, I found them to be quite enjoyable. Bluegrass, Johnny Cash, early Jazz, you get the idea.

Biggles

 

[jim t]

A Better smog auto repair a pair of "Acoustic Monitor's" white van made in Vegas, blasting out power rock!

 

[wmgwizard]

Keep in mind, when those speakers were being produced the music didn't dig nearly as deep as it does today.

Have you ever listened to the heartbeat on DSOTM , some of the organ tones & bass notes of ELP "Still...", the bass line on Paul Simon's "Mother & Child Rerunion"?

There are countless other examples of bass that we never knew was there because of the speakers or gear we were using.

 

[drbiggles]

Have you ever listened to the heartbeat on DSOTM , some of the organ tones & bass notes of ELP "Still...", the bass line on Paul Simon's "Mother & Child Rerunion"?

There are countless other examples of bass that we never knew was there because of the speakers or gear we were using.

Which is why I clearly stated, "I'm speaking in generalities".