Goodmans Achromat 400 thoughts?

[JayW75]

Hi guys. New member here.
I’ve just been given a pair of Goodmans Achromat 400 speakers and I’m wondering if they are worth restoring? The cabs are in great shape, but missing their grills. Both mid and HF drivers work and are intact, the LF drivers have come unstuck but they look like they could be re-glued.
They actually sound really good and I’m currently listening to them using my Sony TA-f5A to drive them.
There’s not much info online about these. So do I have something worth hanging onto and spending some time and money restoring?
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tonyk]

I'd hang on to them for sure

 

[Boonaroo]

Since the woofers have become unglued I would not drive them very hard or at all at this point. You could injure or even destroy the voice coil.

Gluing rubber to a basket is not the same as foam surrounds so you will need to do some additional work on them. Rubber cement could work but someone else might chime in with a better solution for you.

They do look like quality speakers so I would keep them and get them running properly.

 

[avguytx]

If a person bought them cheap enough, why not keep them. Being that they're rather obscure might be a hard resell if that's what you're after. Fix the woofer, make some easy grills, check the crossovers and replace any old suspect caps, and call it good.

 

[JayW75]

Since the woofers have become unglued I would not drive them very hard or at all at this point. You could injure or even destroy the voice coil.

Gluing rubber to a basket is not the same as foam surrounds so you will need to do some additional work on them. Rubber cement could work but someone else might chime in with a better solution for you.

They do look like quality speakers so I would keep them and get them running properly.

I have some rubber cement so I may give that a try. I just gave them a brief test earlier to check if they worked, apparently they haven’t been used for at least two decades and were stored in the attic.

 

[JayW75]

If a person bought them cheap enough, why not keep them. Being that they're rather obscure might be a hard resell if that's what you're after. Fix the woofer, make some easy grills, check the crossovers and replace any old suspect caps, and call it good.

I’ve already got the measurements to get some grill frames made up on the CNC machine at work and will then get some cloth.

 

[avguytx]

I’ve already got the measurements to get some grill frames made up on the CNC machine at work and will then get some cloth.

Good deal. Pull those drivers out and see what their codes are on them. They look to be quite decent quality. Also curious about the crossover network; I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't use mylar caps in them. Seems to be some decent info on them with you google them. I see they were made in London.

 

[Dazaa]

Goodmans were built in Wembley, London from memory. Never understood why they don’t have the following other british brands do. Much better built cabinets than ANY of the Celestion Ditton range, cast frame drivers with huge magnets and generally very high quality crossovers. And yet they sell for close to nothing, a shame.

 

[avguytx]

Makes it better for everyone else that appreciates them! (flying under the radar)

 

[infullview]

Use contact adhesive to glue therubber surround back on. Just be careful to get it right the first time because you wont be able to pull it apart once the two surfaces are mated.

 

[JayW75]

Good deal. Pull those drivers out and see what their codes are on them. They look to be quite decent quality. Also curious about the crossover network; I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't use mylar caps in them. Seems to be some decent info on them with you google them. I see they were made in London.

I will have a look over the weekend and pull the drivers out. I’ll add some pics too as those LF drivers do look intriguing with their cast frames.

 

[JayW75]

Goodmans were built in Wembley, London from memory. Never understood why they don’t have the following other british brands do. Much better built cabinets than ANY of the Celestion Ditton range, cast frame drivers with huge magnets and generally very high quality crossovers. And yet they sell for close to nothing, a shame.

Goodmans in the 70’s appear to have made good quality hifi but from recollection their equipment took a nose dive in the 80’s when manufacturering costs were cut and they were seen to be a budget brand. I suppose that’s also true of other brands too. Even the likes of Sony and Technics/Panasonic did the same.

 

[JayW75]

Use contact adhesive to glue therubber surround back on. Just be careful to get it right the first time because you wont be able to pull it apart once the two surfaces are mated.

I did already decide contact adhesive was probably better. I have some from when I re-clothed some grills.

 

[JayW75]

I’ve just done a quick bit of research and these Goodmans appear to have the same LF drivers as the Bang & Olufsen Beovox 3800’s

 

[earphone]

I got hooked on Goodmans when I found a TS pair labelled FM Elites years ago and after much research found out they were Goodmans.
I now own three pairs. two remain in rotation. I'll never part with them.

 

[Nat]

This is way after the fact, but there is at least one Beovox that used a Goodmans woofer to get around British customs fees - I guess the wooferless speakers were imported as parts which lowered import duties.
I bought a pair from a couple who had lived in England for a long while. Apparently they (the speaker, not the exowners) are known for having more bass than regular B&Os.The Goodmans cone was heavily doped, and the added mass may have increased the bass, but they seemed muddier than I had hoped. Perhaps a very muscular amp could have gotten them moving, but my (modified) Stereo 70 didn't.

 

[earphone]

This is way after the fact, but there is at least one Beovox that used a Goodmans woofer to get around British customs fees - I guess the wooferless speakers were imported as parts which lowered import duties.
I bought a pair from a couple who had lived in England for a long while. Apparently they (the speaker, not the exowners) are known for having more bass than regular B&Os.The Goodmans cone was heavily doped, and the added mass may have increased the bass, but they seemed muddier than I had hoped. Perhaps a very muscular amp could have gotten them moving, but my (modified) Stereo 70 didn't.

The first pair of Goodmans I found at a TS were labelled FM Elite with no Goodmans badge. They sounded so good I spent months trying to figure out who made them (including past posts on this website), Since then I've acquired two other pairs, eanfing from small 2-ways to large 3-ways. The latter are paired with a 110 wpc Sherwood s110cp so maybe the "muscle" does help. The small 2-ways sounded sweet and wonderful paired with several smaller units - a Marantz 1030, Sherwoods 7010, 7100 - as well as 2 pairs now connected to an Onkyo TX-6000, which is also fairly robust.

 

[taineasy]

View attachment 1598137 View attachment 1598136 View attachment 1598135
Hi guys. New member here.
I’ve just been given a pair of Goodmans Achromat 400 speakers and I’m wondering if they are worth restoring? The cabs are in great shape, but missing their grills. Both mid and HF drivers work and are intact, the LF drivers have come unstuck but they look like they could be re-glued.
They actually sound really good and I’m currently listening to them using my Sony TA-f5A to drive them.
There’s not much info online about these. So do I have something worth hanging onto and spending some time and money restoring?
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Lovely speakers. Sound better than than Pioneer HPM60's and JBL L26's, which I have personally compared them to.