Watkins woofers- what's so special about them?

I don't understand the technicalities of what makes a watkins woofer special but I do know hearing is believing. My quantum 3's bass easily bests my dual 12'' m+k sub for quality. Makes me wonder sometimes what a watkins sub would sound like.
 
I have 2 sets of WSC-1As made by Mr Watkins on my Yammy & wouldn't have anything else. One set was racooned about 10 yrs ago, I bought the 2nd set reconditioned from Mr Watkins. He & his son, Bill, are really nice guys, "Hard-to-get-away from" types when you go & see them...
 
Kencat,

I'm pretty sure the patent has expired on those. I think Negotiableterms mentioned someone else was building them, and (if I recall correctly) he commented that the patent was expired, which would be right if they were in production in 1976.

David

:stupid: yeah you're right. It doesn't seem like all that long ago though :sigh:

The original question why no others use the technology is interesting. It doesn't seem too difficult a task to put two different windings on a former. It adds a bit to the crossover circuit. Perhaps there is more to incorporating the concept into the entire speaker design than most companies are willing to put into it?

Or there is not enough of a knowledgeable customer base who like awesome low frequency response to make it profitable. :yes:that's it :D

However, as mentioned already, the amplification requirements could be a large negative for many potential speaker manufacturers and customers. But there are many other "hi-power" type speakers out there is there not?

Any other thoughts? It's a good speculative type discussion to be had here.
 
I'm now very eager to listen to this wonderful woofer.

Maybe with some of those neat EMIt style tweets?

Thanks for all the great info, fellas.
 
Yes, talk about dual voice coils and such...but what really makes those woofers special is the SOUND, man...the sound! :yes: ...:smoke:

One or two Watkins woofers per side in vintage Infinity speakers gives a very nice :music: in your living room (My favorites, although only for serious listening with well-recorded sources: too revealing for poorer recordings). Very little on the planet ever comes close to a line array of Watkins in a proper Infinity IRS V set-up ... just the memory of hearing it haunts me! :D

IF the patent just expired on these, I think we'll see more clones coming out soon - just as more units are starting to come out now based on the Heil AMT technology. Like those, it will probably start with the higher-end units on the market. If not, it will be because the mass market wants "thump-thump" flabby bass that jiggles their guts, not tight, realistic bass that they feel tickling their spines, so not enough sell to warrant the extra cost. :no: Still, I'll be surprised if someone doesn't revive the technology for the high-end, where price matters less. Then in twenty more years, I'll get some of the new ones used, as "vintage"! :D
 
I now have 3 sets of those installed that were refurbed, 2sets in Q3's and 1 set in Q5's... what a difference now with all original speakers working.

I still have 3 sets that need refoamed etc... hmmmm :scratch2: more speakers

John
 
Watkins liscensed the woofers to Infinity, and when that expired he went into business for himself somewhere in east Tennessee. Perhaps Watkins asked too much $$$?
While the woofer has 2 voice coils, t is not "dual" as the colis have different impedances. It is crossover design and cost that makes these very expensive to build.
 
Vito

Very cool of you to offer this to us, it's up to you who you share the white paper with, I too would like to read it.

If you post it, I would gladly sticky the thread and then close it as an info thread.

Your call if you want to share it with all of us and the lookie loo's
Scott

Scoot ,
Absolutely. Good idea. I actually have the QRS and QLS white papers. Just back from a business trip. Once I get them scanned in I will send them out and also post here for a sticky. Kewl Deal.

Vito
 
Watkins Stereo is very much in business about 45 miles away from me in Kingsport, Tennessee...
 
Sorry... My mistake.

Montana speakers use McCauly woofers, not Watkins.

Equally good woofers, though:thmbsp:

Any Montana loudspeaker will kick you like a mule:yes: I have heard them all, and the "WAS" model is, well, exactly what they say about it... "Can move air with Galactic force":yes:
 
Sorry... My mistake.

Montana speakers use McCauly woofers, not Watkins.

Equally good woofers, though:thmbsp:

Any Montana loudspeaker will kick you like a mule:yes: I have heard them all, and the "WAS" model is, well, exactly what they say about it... "Can move air with Galactic force":yes:

No problem. I was checking out that WAS......looks like one kickass speaker for sure :D I'll need to win tonight's Lottary though to ever be able to get near one :sigh:
 
Well, I would need to win the lottery myself. Not only to buy the "WAS", but to buy a house with a room big enough to do them justice! :thmbsp:

Maybe some new Krells to drive 'em, too... (Even though they don't require arc welder amps).

Dreams are still free:banana:
 
Watkins

I have owned many different brands, mostly the common mans, (ie) JBL,KLH,ADVENT,OHM,PARADIGM,ETC.., In my experience, there is nothing that provides an equivalent bass response as a working pair of 12" Watkins. I mean in stereo, my ears just melt.
 
Last edited:
Hi Ibanez 59er, maybe you should just look into buying a full pair of Watkins speakers. they make some astounding systems. for me the amazing infinity thing has always been the mids and highs, the bass is, well, it's bass, and from my experience is something that is much more about design choices than magic. but with options like planar/ribbon tweets and small dome mids, I quite prefer the high end of my infinities and can't quite replicate that sound with other speakers.

But Watkins woofers are quite possibly best of breed - now or in the past, and you really love them, so you should probably check with Watkins about their full stereo setups. I bet they're amazing - I've read great reviews of their old famous speaker system back in the day... but apparently virtually impossible to find used these days.

cheers,
Don
 
Uhhh... Holy crap!

"We have 49 years experience, including the design of the Infinity-Watkins woofers, which we have in stock..."

$350 USD for a pair.

http://www.watkinsstereo.com/

I apologize if this is common knowledge. It's been a a long time since I looked at the Watkins website and they didn't offer replacements. I emailed them and it was weeks, maybe months by the time someone discovered my email and replied. That was probably well over a decade ago.

EDIT: It's known by some here and they're beautiful in black poly. I can imagine a set of these in my RS 1.5. The second set in images in a recent post by cdfac in the Watkins white paper thread:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=3400132&postcount=44
 
Last edited:
Watkins woofer/vintage Infinity Speakers

Here is a picture of my modified Vintage Infinity's
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0301.jpg
    IMG_0301.jpg
    75 KB · Views: 191
  • IMG_0302.jpg
    IMG_0302.jpg
    61.3 KB · Views: 151
  • IMG_0303.jpg
    IMG_0303.jpg
    83.1 KB · Views: 151
I'm inclined to believe what you guys are going on about though. Since I recently snagged an immaculate pair of Reference Ones at Hope Chest for 10 buck *ho ho I'm still feeling rather smug about that even now* I've fallen in LOVE with Infinity speakers. Listening to the True Lies score right now, with them not two feet from my head on top of my desk, and wow. Those 6.5 inch poly/graphite fiber cones are nice. And I like those polycell dome tweeters. What's wrong with Infinity's midrangees and tweeters? I must have more Infinity equipment, ha ha! How were these things wired etc? Were the voice coils wired in series? I can see how these would be a pain to power. Exactly how did the whole package in the old enclosures work? As an electronics person I MUST find out how the circuitry and amplification worked.
 
Back
Top Bottom