a/D/s L710 with no fuse - should I be concerned?

[supergimp]

Hi. Long time listener, first time caller.

I have an opportunity to get a pair of very good condition L710's for a decent price. From my research they seem to be early models with square corners, cloth grills, a/D/s logo, thumbscrew terminals, butyl (rubber) surrounds and no tweeter fuses. Most of the models I have seen comments on have the tweeter fuses on the back plate. Are there any fundamental design or construction differences in the lineage of the L710 that I should be concerned about? As I understand it they went from Braun to a/D/s (no fuse) to ADS (beveled cabinet and fuses). Perhaps there were other subtle differences along the way?

But what I'd really like to know is if any of these differences, especially in the ones I am looking at, indicate any significant effect in the design or construction that I should be concerned about?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Blue Shadow]

One of the subtle differences was the addition of a fuse holder in the square cornered ADS L710. The chamfered corners and metal grille came later

If you want to upgrade your speakers, throw a fuse holder on the back of the tweeter and fuse the speaker with the proper 1.6A fuse.

It is this style fuse holder:

 

[davidb1]

I don't have fuses on my 710s. I am just careful not to crank it too much. In fact, when I started out with 810s new back in the day they had no fuses. I did add some and could actually hear them in the system.
Anyway, 810s or bigger are a better choice to really rock out like I did 40 yrs ago.

 

[whoaru99]

I don't have fuses on my 710s. I am just careful not to crank it too much. In fact, when I started out with 810s new back in the day they had no fuses. I did add some and could actually hear them in the system.

If you have the volume up and it doesn't sound good then turn it down. That very simple rule pretty much negates the need for fuses.

 

[kirk57]

^^^^what he said.

 

[Porkloin]

It may put your mind at ease if you pull one of the crossovers out and look for one of these:


I've never seen these associated with a 710, but a DIY'r out there may very well have done it.

 

[Porkloin]

If you have the volume up and it doesn't sound good then turn it down. That very simple rule pretty much negates the need for fuses.

I listen to audio equipment like I drive my cars: Total old man. But like cars, audio equipment sometimes rebels, like the power amp that suddenly went berserk right in the middle of a Diana Krall song and popped both of my tweeter fuses like it weren't nothing.
Nothing negates fuses, unless you got a whole bunch of money and live with the delusion that you can hear the difference with and without.

 

[whoaru99]

Nothing negates fuses, unless you got a whole bunch of money and live with the delusion that you can hear the difference with and without.

If anything, it'd be more like the former than latter. But, primarily, it's probably because in roughly 40 years of dinking around with stereo gear I've never personally seen an amp go nuclear and take out a speaker. Maybe if it ever happens in my lifetime I'll see it differently.

That is not to say I've never blown a speaker fuse...I've blown my share back in the day of Cerwin D9s. However, I upped to the max fuse size and that pretty much stopped happening, and I still have the speakers today, fully functional, albeit dust covered and feeling neglected.

 

[supergimp]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies. I'm not so concerned about the fuse itself. I just want to feel comfortable that the lack of a fuse doesn't indicate some other design or construction difference from the later models that I should be aware of.

It sounds like I don't have much to worry about if the speaker seems legit.

 

[Porkloin]

If anything, it'd be more like the former than latter. But, primarily, it's probably because in roughly 40 years of dinking around with stereo gear I've never personally seen an amp go nuclear and take out a speaker. Maybe if it ever happens in my lifetime I'll see it differently.

That is not to say I've never blown a speaker fuse...I've blown my share back in the day of Cerwin D9s. However, I upped to the max fuse size and that pretty much stopped happening, and I still have the speakers today, fully functional, albeit dust covered and feeling neglected.

I've spent a long time driving automobiles and have never caused a car wreck, and yet I know they happen, which is why I'd never be smug with anyone who purchases liability insurance. Come to think of it, I've had more amps (car and home) go whiggy than times I've been hit by insured motorists.
I don't think I'm a particularly freakish statistical anomaly.

 

[tubed]

The early ADS l710/810, ADS still had not deemed it best designed with separate woofer enclosures, YMMV.

 

[whoaru99]

I don't think I'm a particularly freakish statistical anomaly.

Hard to say. Some people seem to draw the short straw more often than others. Maybe it's (bad) luck or karma or maybe it's simply a matter of choices they make. The latter, mostly, in my opinion.

Your experience guides you, mine guides me. Statistically, however, either by themselves are insignificant. My guess is that amps going nuclear and taking out speakers is a pretty low occurrence in the big picture; although probably a more frequent occurrence with certain types of gear.

 

[davidb1]

I listen to audio equipment like I drive my cars: Total old man. But like cars, audio equipment sometimes rebels, like the power amp that suddenly went berserk right in the middle of a Diana Krall song and popped both of my tweeter fuses like it weren't nothing.
Nothing negates fuses, unless you got a whole bunch of money and live with the delusion that you can hear the difference with and without.

Adding a fuse holder and fuse where there was none before is a modification of a circuit. It was not a huge difference to me, but slightly audible.
Now REMOVING a fuse is something I would never do.
"Delusion" is a rather ugly comment. All audio and no attitude is the mantra here.

 

[Porkloin]

Adding a fuse holder and fuse where there was none before is a modification of a circuit. It was not a huge difference to me, but slightly audible.
Now REMOVING a fuse is something I would never do.
"Delusion" is a rather ugly comment. All audio and no attitude is the mantra here.

I've blind tested many many delicate ears on my pet peeves of grill cloth removal and overpriced speaker wire. If you're ever up in my neck of the woods, I'd be happy to do the same thing with an inline fuse. I already know what the results will be, both before and after the liquor.

 

[soundmotor]

I

In fact, when I started out with 810s new back in the day they had no fuses. I did add some and could actually hear them in the system.

Were they bumping into things, talking too loud, clinking bottles; what exactly did they sound like?

 

[davidb1]

Were they bumping into things, talking too loud, clinking bottles; what exactly did they sound like?

LOL

 

[jdurbin1]

In my experience, fuses emit more of a hissing or spitting kind of sound...

John

 

[Old Guy8]

I've added tweeter fuse holders to my NL Advents. Was likely waste of time for how I play. I turn down volume before dropping stylus. If you have tweeters that are rare.

 

[Porkloin]

I've added tweeter fuse holders to my NL Advents. Was likely waste of time for how I play. I turn down volume before dropping stylus. If you have tweeters that are rare.

"Dropping" the stylus conjures up images of my daughter clunking that tonearm down by hand no how matter how much I tried to teach her the virtues of the cueing lever.

 

[jtucker]

I have owned ADS L710 (round corners / metal grills) for over 35 years. I do not recall ever blowing a tweeter fuse. On my old Infinity RSII, I had to buy the tweeter fuses in bulk. I can't ount how many times I did have to replace them.