Flashback67

Member
Just joined Audiokarma after lurking for a couple weeks an realizing what a wealth of information the members of this forum are.

My wife and I recently purchased a Mid Century Modern home circa 1967. The home was originally built for a newly wed couple as a gift from their wealthy families. Architecturally the home was ahead of it's time, with a big open floor plan, electric drapes, remote lighting controls, and a media room stereo speakers in every room. We would have never been able to afford a home like this built new, but because the neighborhood schools are not the best, the price was right. Sadly though the floor plan did not provide any good locations to position my Klipsch Cornwalls I had owned for 30 years or my Yamaha NS-670 monitors I had owned for 40. So I sold them for more than I paid for and started a fund to up grade the homes audio system.

In the home's custom built solid oak media center survived a visually pristine Dual 109 turn table and a Sony 250 reel to reel player. After researching forum members positive comments on this equipment I plan to rebuild the Dual, but am still undecided on the reel to reel. Sadly the rest of the home's original electronics were missing. In it's place were installed a low end receiver and CD player.

My original plan was to just keep the turn table and reel to reel and replace everything else with modern electronics starting with the speakers. At one time I had dreamed of buying a tube amp to power my Cornwalls, but priorities change. The first speakers on the list for replacing were the wall mounted speakers in the media center. Pulling off the grills I was surprised to discover a pair of coaxial 15" speakers in excellent condition. Following some research on this forum I learned the speakers were EV Wolverine LT- 15. A little more research I learned how to adjust the "Brightness" knobs and the speakers started to come alive. With a little work on the surrounds and powered by a good amp they should sound great.

After the pleasant surprise discovering the Wolverines I decided to find out what was behind the grills in the other room's ceiling speakers. What I found was both good and bad. The good was instead of finding a simple 6" speaker screwed to a hole in the ceiling I found a "small" acoustic suspension speaker. The "small" speakers measure 12' X 12' X 16', have a 6" woofer, an EV horn tweeter, and are constructed of 3/4" high grade plywood. Very heavy and painted black.

Now the bad. The woofer surrounds were literarily gone, and the cones crumbled to the touch. Even worse the woofer is installed from the back and the cabinets must have been installed in the ceiling before the plaster board, so the hole in the ceiling is smaller than the speaker making easy removal impossible.

Now my request for technical help;

1) Does anyone have an idea on what manufacture these speakers may be?

2) Is it worth trying to salvage these ceiling speakers?

3) Any suggestions for power electronics or system repair/upgrades?

Heading outside to check out the built patio speakers....
 
Just joined Audiokarma after lurking for a couple weeks an realizing what a wealth of information the members of this forum are.

My wife and I recently purchased a Mid Century Modern home circa 1967. The home was originally built for a newly wed couple as a gift from their wealthy families. Architecturally the home was ahead of it's time, with a big open floor plan, electric drapes, remote lighting controls, and a media room stereo speakers in every room. We would have never been able to afford a home like this built new, but because the neighborhood schools are not the best, the price was right. Sadly though the floor plan did not provide any good locations to position my Klipsch Cornwalls I had owned for 30 years or my Yamaha NS-670 monitors I had owned for 40. So I sold them for more than I paid for and started a fund to up grade the homes audio system.

In the home's custom built solid oak media center survived a visually pristine Dual 109 turn table and a Sony 250 reel to reel player. After researching forum members positive comments on this equipment I plan to rebuild the Dual, but am still undecided on the reel to reel. Sadly the rest of the home's original electronics were missing. In it's place were installed a low end receiver and CD player.

My original plan was to just keep the turn table and reel to reel and replace everything else with modern electronics starting with the speakers. At one time I had dreamed of buying a tube amp to power my Cornwalls, but priorities change. The first speakers on the list for replacing were the wall mounted speakers in the media center. Pulling off the grills I was surprised to discover a pair of coaxial 15" speakers in excellent condition. Following some research on this forum I learned the speakers were EV Wolverine LT- 15. A little more research I learned how to adjust the "Brightness" knobs and the speakers started to come alive. With a little work on the surrounds and powered by a good amp they should sound great.

After the pleasant surprise discovering the Wolverines I decided to find out what was behind the grills in the other room's ceiling speakers. What I found was both good and bad. The good was instead of finding a simple 6" speaker screwed to a hole in the ceiling I found a "small" acoustic suspension speaker. The "small" speakers measure 12' X 12' X 16', have a 6" woofer, an EV horn tweeter, and are constructed of 3/4" high grade plywood. Very heavy and painted black.

Now the bad. The woofer surrounds were literarily gone, and the cones crumbled to the touch. Even worse the woofer is installed from the back and the cabinets must have been installed in the ceiling before the plaster board, so the hole in the ceiling is smaller than the speaker making easy removal impossible.

Now my request for technical help;

1) Does anyone have an idea on what manufacture these speakers may be?

2) Is it worth trying to salvage these ceiling speakers?

3) Any suggestions for power electronics or system repair/upgrades?

Heading outside to check out the built patio speakers....

Vintage Ceiling Speaker.JPG Media Center.JPG EV Wolverine LT-15.JPG
 
I don't know anything about the specific drivers, so I can't help there. I will opine that if your ceiling is flat then then you'd get better dispersion with a dome rather than a horn tweeter. Now, if the ceiling is vaulted, it might work out okay with horns.
 
I don't know anything about the specific drivers, so I can't help there. I will opine that if your ceiling is flat then then you'd get better dispersion with a dome rather than a horn tweeter. Now, if the ceiling is vaulted, it might work out okay with horns.

Thanks. I am thinking that the easiest solution may be cutting out the current speakers and closing up the cabinet hole with a 6 1/2 wall speaker.
 
Sounds like inheriting someone else's headache....

But I'd go up into the attic and learn the construction process. City hall probably has the blueprints that were submitted when the improvements were made. Then replace them with modern.... I wouldn't butcher up a custom home !!
 
Sounds like inheriting someone else's headache....

But I'd go up into the attic and learn the construction process. City hall probably has the blueprints that were submitted when the improvements were made. Then replace them with modern.... I wouldn't butcher up a custom home !!

As I mentioned earlier, flat roof means no attic. Because the home was custom build and designed by a prominent architect, the house came with a full set of detailed plans. So I know what is above the ceiling structurally. But while the speakers are original to the homes construction, the plans do not cover the speaker installation. But id does cover the speaker wiring.

We have no plans to butcher this home. In fact while we are updating some systems to be more reliable and comfortable, visually the changes are imperceptible. That is why I am planning to re-install the original wood and cloth speaker grilles over any new speakers I install. The new grilles may look nice, but they are not original.

With the bad weather I will be cutting the cabinet face off to see to remove the components. After searching the internet I found some modern ceiling/wall speakers that will mount cleanly to the face of the cabinet and be fully covered by the original speaker grille. I could also rebuild close to the original by mounting the horn tweeter and a replacement woofer to a plate and mounting it to the cabinet.

However there are 12 inside speakers, so saving the old components will be a lot more work. So when I post what the old components are I can use some advice to know if they are worth saving. I would also like advice on the replacement speakers I may buy. But since this is a vintage forum perhaps this question is not appropriate.

For grins I will post a photo of the homes elevation blue print.
 
Congratulations on your beautiful MCM house!

The basket of your ceiling speakers is a very distinctive dark blue. I've see some old Italian made drivers that colour (on the web), but can't remember the make. Not sure they're anything worth restoring (x 12). I have no experience/knowledge with speaker networks. Is yours 70 volt wiring do you know?
 
Well some of the mystery is over. The speaker drivers and most likely the cabinets are Frazier Dallas! Just posted some photos of the tweeter and woofer. There are no other identifying markings on either driver than is shown in the photos. The tweeter face measures 3" X 7" and is 6.5" deep. It is also made of cast aluminum. The woofer has a 6.5" cone and is of stamped steel construction. There even appears to be a pot to adjust the tweeter treble. But the knob is facing the roof!

Just starting to search the web on Frazier speakers. Turns out the company is still in business.

Any information appreciated. Now going to try an cut the cabinet as little as possible to remove the woofer. There are what appear to be baffles in the speaker. Strange for acoustic suspension?
 
Well some of the mystery is over. The speaker drivers and most likely the cabinets are Frazier Dallas! Just posted some photos of the tweeter and woofer. There are no other identifying markings on either driver than is shown in the photos. The tweeter face measures 3" X 7" and is 6.5" deep. It is also made of cast aluminum. The woofer has a 6.5" cone and is of stamped steel construction. There even appears to be a pot to adjust the tweeter treble. But the knob is facing the roof!

Just starting to search the web on Frazier speakers. Turns out the company is still in business.

Any information appreciated. Now going to try an cut the cabinet as little as possible to remove the woofer. There are what appear to be baffles in the speaker. Strange for acoustic suspension?


Well, that's a horse of a different colour! Fraziers (US made, and "quality"), would fit with your custom built home. Maybe they're Frazier Mark V's? If so, interesting thread here:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/opinions-on-the-vintage-frazier-mk-v-anyone.360333/
 
First, welcome to the AK Crew.


WOW! Looks like you've moved into a kinda "Retro Museum" with matching audio systems.:thumbsup:

Difficult to assess without multiple photos to get the whole scene.

You've a lot of questions to ask yerself BEFORE you start making the mods, and seeking third party POV's.

Personally, I'd decide first on the audio gear, ie. floor speakers you want to keep, rework, etc. Then decide on your budget as what you want in the way of vintage power amp/receiver after you decide just what you want. If you want a different look, consider some Brit stuff which is pretty reliable/cool. Biased here, and Technics is great as well. Biased as well here.

As per modern equipment, I would tend to go the AV receiver of today with HDMI hook ups, and if you want to upgrade, Yamaha has a great series in the "Aventage" line.

Those other applications (wall/ceiling) may require a lot more pre-thought as to what you want to end up with. Depends on how much you are willing to bend in keeping with the over all Retro look and how much you want sound in EVERY room.

Then too, keep in mind if you ever decide to move, or have to move for any reason, any drastic changes or strict keeping with the past may effect a future sale. JSE?


Q
 
First, welcome to the AK Crew.


WOW! Looks like you've moved into a kinda "Retro Museum" with matching audio systems.:thumbsup:

Difficult to assess without multiple photos to get the whole scene.

You've a lot of questions to ask yerself BEFORE you start making the mods, and seeking third party POV's.

Personally, I'd decide first on the audio gear, ie. floor speakers you want to keep, rework, etc. Then decide on your budget as what you want in the way of vintage power amp/receiver after you decide just what you want. If you want a different look, consider some Brit stuff which is pretty reliable/cool. Biased here, and Technics is great as well. Biased as well here.

As per modern equipment, I would tend to go the AV receiver of today with HDMI hook ups, and if you want to upgrade, Yamaha has a great series in the "Aventage" line.

Those other applications (wall/ceiling) may require a lot more pre-thought as to what you want to end up with. Depends on how much you are willing to bend in keeping with the over all Retro look and how much you want sound in EVERY room.

Then too, keep in mind if you ever decide to move, or have to move for any reason, any drastic changes or strict keeping with the past may effect a future sale. JSE?


Q
QM2, looks like we are thinking the same as far as Yamaha electronics. But I am thinking about the R-S700 Receiver. It has good specs, phono input, and has dual zone volume control to allow me to run a separate 16 channel Niles for the house speakers. The internal amp will power the EV Wolverines. I have no plans to add any more speakers, or even change the speaker grilles. When I am done everything in the ceiling will look the same as in 1967. But hopefully sound as good or better.

Just finished cutting the face of the cabinet to remove the woofer. I can find zero information on the internet regarding a direct replacement or a new cone. Speaker repair places will charge $60 - $75 for a repair "IF" they have the parts. Trouble is the 6.5" size. Not much of a demand it seems. With shipping and a new capacitor I am looking at $100 a speaker. Plus a lot more work. All for something no one will ever see but me.

I am willing to try and salvage these Fraziers. But unless I can find a reasonable woofer replacement, I am leaning to cutting off the face of the cabinet and installing a good quality wall speaker. Less work and guaranteed results. Plus as I said, only I will know what is behind the grilles (all 16 including outside).

So if any AK members have a lead on where I can find 6.5 inch Frazier replacement woofers, let me know. I will be calling the Frazier Dallas speaker company on Monday as a long shot. No mention of and old replacement components on their site.
 
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