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Any insight as to Mirage speakers?

mhardy6647

mhardy6647

Lunatic Member
Hello:

For a few weeks, I've had an as-found pair of Mirage two-way speakers, model SM-1 (IIRC), sitting in the garage. I believe these date from the time when the kids were little and I wasn't paying any attention to hi-fi. I remember the Mirage name, but I really don't know anything about the brand. The woofers need to be refoamed... the question is: would they be worth rescuing? Or shall I return them to their point of origin (the swap pile at the town 'transfer station').

Cosmetics are quite good, FWIW.
 
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I have Mirage FRX 5s speakers,I love them!Mirage,Energy,Athenas are all Canadian speakers

Alan
 
The SM-1 was their first product from the early 80s. A very good speaker at the time, worth restoring IMHO.
 
I have a set of 360s that need refoaming, and sold another last year

I listened to them a bit, and found them to be one of a myriad of very pleasing 8" 2 ways, ala EPI 100s, BA A60s, Small Advents, Dynaco A-25s, etc. Save them or suffer the punishment below!

Returning them to the transfer station would be a sin punishable by prolonged listening to Alvin and the Chipmunks "Witch Doctor" on the Yorx system of my choice!!

OOH EE OOH AW AW TING TANG WALLA WALLA BING BANG!

OOH EE OOH AW AW TING TANG WALLA WALLA BING BANG!
 
Pre-API Mirages were nice speakers. Those little guys of yours were very well reviewed (for the price) by TAS in the early 80's. Been searching for a set of Mirage 750's myself for a while...
 
Found a pair of SM1s at the dump, unfornately after they had been rained on. Surprisingly the rain didn't hurt them at all, but one woofer and one tweeter had been blown. I haven't bothered refoaming the other woofer, but the speakers look better than your average bear -- handsome cabinets, braced, and doped cone woofer (makes it waterproof), and clearly a good deal of though put into them -- the grill has a disc of felt glued infront of the tweeter location to even out dispersion pattern. If you need any parts let me know. I haven't decided whether to try to rescutate mine, but I 've got other projects that are nearer the front burner.
 
Thanks for all the info too. Actually I also have a pair of small Mirages (SM-4, IIRC), which were given to me by a friend. Sadly, the foamrotted woofers had been replaced with a pair of the Radio Shack polypropylene woofers.
 
Just noticed your theatening to take the SM1s to the dump -- don't, please. If you don't want to resuscitate them I might be interested.
 
Spoke to the people at API today. Well, it appears that they do not support any of the pre-API Mirage stuff at all. No parts of any kind available. :(
After a long period of extended butt kissing, I did find out that there is ONE person still left from the pre-API days. Trying to find out from him if he has any specs on the drivers, so that we could find some usable replacements for them. Will let you know what I find out...
Erik
 
I am going to refoam the SM-1's.... someday. The cabinets are quite nice.

Not sure what to do with the SM-4's. The woofer isn't right for the box; they don't sound 'right.' Since they were given to me by a friend, I am loath to send 'em to the dump (although they are small and cute, so someone like me'd probably rescue them). If anyone would like 'em, as is, PM me.
 
I just bought a pair of SM-1s from the local Goodwill, $15! Woofers and tweeters still intact, nice grilles, no dents and just a few small scratches on the cases. I'm very satisfied with the sound, I'll have to compare them to the Advent Babys I have in the mail once they arrive :D This is my first score since getting into the vintage hobby, and I have to say it's quite an addictive feeling!
 
Nat said:
Found a pair of SM1s at the dump, unfornately after they had been rained on. Surprisingly the rain didn't hurt them at all, but one woofer and one tweeter had been blown. I haven't bothered refoaming the other woofer, but the speakers look better than your average bear -- handsome cabinets, braced, and doped cone woofer (makes it waterproof), and clearly a good deal of though put into them -- the grill has a disc of felt glued infront of the tweeter location to even out dispersion pattern. If you need any parts let me know. I haven't decided whether to try to rescutate mine, but I 've got other projects that are nearer the front burner.
Click to expand...

Post a pic of the bad woofer- I THINK I've got one here...

The tweeter, IIRC, is a Philips... I may also have one of those...

Overall, I agree with the assessment- old Mirage good, new Mirage so-so. SM1s and SM2s were quite good speakers...

Regards,
Gordon.
 
I had the Mirage M3 si's in the ninty's and really liked them, I know that it API now but am not sure if it was API when that model was in production.
Looked similar to the DT speaker of not too long ago but the drivers were located on the wide side and not the narrow.
Piano black gloss finish at the top and bottom caps with a screen "sleeve" of black screen cloth.
I liked them. They retailed for around $3000.00- $3500.00 at the time
RC
 
drug up an old thread

but anyways....the old mirage are very nice. Erik did find a pair of 750 and he likes em. I have a set of 750 cabs here if anyone happens to be looking. Free to anyone who wants to pay shipping. I also have a set of mids out of the 750. They look excellent but don't work, again free if you pay shipping. I can't stand to junk them becasue one day someone will need em and be able to fix em.
IMHO the older mirage remind me a bit of the boston acoustic stuff. Both sound great too. IIRC the surround on the woofer is kind of an odd shape.
 
I have had a pair of Mirage SM-.5 small Monitors for a while. I refoamed them and recovered the grills. I have so many speakers that I have got to get rid of some! I have listed these beauties on Ebay twice with no takers. I have had 1 bid in the 2 times they were listed. It was for $25 but I had my reserve at $50. They are not cheapo's and I will keep them and enjoy them I suppose...Or find someone local that could use them. I have more than $25 in the labor and material !

These are actually great little speakers! They won't blow you away but they are very sweet and mellow sounding! They are well made and heavily constructed! I got that old "maybe I shouldn't sell them" feeling after I put them on Ebay. I guess I won't sell them...... because nobody wants them! I've included a picture of them. They have a nice heavy coated woofer and a hard dome tweeter that sounds great! I am sure the SM1's are nice too. The big brothers to the SM-.5's. The .5's are about 18 inches tall with a nice 8 inch woofer. Check them out.........Best! Franksta
 
Very spacious and detailed. Good bass for two 61/2's. Best of all they'll take everything my G7700 can give them in stride.

mac
thunderbird3370 said:
Macaltec---how do those new omni lineup sound? the bird
Click to expand...
 
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