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Addicted to Normans

undergroundr

undergroundr

Active Member
I've brought my third pair home today, :smoke: and please understand that I'm not an longtime vintage audio afficionado. These are Model Sevens, and although the veneer isn't that great, the drivers look magnificent. Anybody know if that's the original 12"?

IMG_20110410_150953.jpg


Since they're bookshelf speakers, I put them on some. But I'm frankly concerned for the bookshelves. The good news is that I don't need the loudness switch on my Marantz 2220B any more. I was expecting some zing from the look of those tight-looking tweeters, but these are smooth and warm as anything I've ever heard. I'm sure some would find them dull, but they're exactly what I like.

I'm looking for info on Norman Labs speakers. There are great brochures on another AK thread, but they don't have the 7 or the 121. I did find this on the net from a 1974 Billboard Mag.

BillboardJune151974.jpg


My other two pair are Model 121 and Model Ten.

IMG_20110410_151109.jpg


IMG_20110410_151142.jpg


I presume my Tens are very early, since they don't have the finished wood under the grill like all the other photos I've seen on the net. Here's the back of one, with a screwed up binding post.

IMG_20110410_151302.jpg


The Model Tens are hooked to a Kenwood M2 amp. Moog Taurus pedals are something else.

The 10" drivers in the 121's were there when I bought them. They sound very good, so I haven't bothered to track down something more authentic. I haven't been able to find ANY reference to a Norman Laboratories Model 121 anywhere on the internet. I'd appreciate any information about them.
 
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Those look pretty nice. - I was vaguely familiar with the name Norman Laboratories. Now I've come across them multiple times just this weekend alone.
Any ideas on the Norman model 8's? I ask because saw a pair at a music shop locally in great condition but didn't have time to investigate further. - They looked pretty solid though. Budget wise , the price seemed fair just on build quality alone. (roughly the cost of a few 12 packs of Sam Adams ). :)
 
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undergroundr
Your Norman Lab 10s are identical to mine...including the busted speaker terminal. :D
Someone else mentioned the "JBC" as "just be cool"
martin
 
Nice speakers. First time i've heard of or seen any of those. Whats the story on that manufacturer?
 
pochejp said:
Nice speakers. First time i've heard of or seen any of those. Whats the story on that manufacturer?
Click to expand...

Here's something I found at classicspeakerpages.net:

"I can provide the information you are looking for because I was one of the founders of Norman Labs. The company was started in 1971 by myself and Leonard Bernstein (not the former music director of the New York Philharmonic). I was an engineerng graduate of the University of Oklahoma but was not a student at the time we started the company. I graduated in 1965 and worked in the audio field for a few years, including a stint with Altec, before we formed Norman Laboratories. I handled the engineering and production and Leonard Bernstein handled sales and marketing. We sold the company to an investment group from Ft. Worth, Texas, in about 1981 and I left the company in about 1984. Until I left the company I did all of the design work (including the Model 10 that was mentioned above). The company was sold again a few years later and was closed down about 8 or 10 years ago.

Jim Long "


Based on my experience with the Model 10, that man is a genius.

There's a lot more detail about the company at http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?showtopic=673
 
http://i1014.photobucket.com/albums...aboratories Model 121/IMG_20110410_151302.jpg

Do you really use this cheesy speaker wires with your nice speakers? I don't mean to be critical but I recently picked up a a pair of speakers from a guy on CL that I had heard rave reviews of and they came with this exact same speaker wires. When I hooked up the RSL 3300s I was dismayed at their sound. I swapped out the wires for some low voltage outdoor lighting wire from Lowes and the speakers are living up to their reputation. It made a world of difference.

If you really want to hear your Normans sing treat yourself to some heavier guage speaker cable. It really will make a difference across the whole audio spectrum.

Eric
 
I appreciate your concern. I haven't yet experienced dismay at the sound coming out of the Model 10's. Thanks for the Lowe's tip. But I'm afraid that if they sounded any better it would cause a rip in the spacetime continuum. :)
 
Here's a very early iteration of the Model 7's I picked up a few years ago, and later sent the electronics to BasicBlues (don't know if you can tell but the cabinets were pretty water-damaged). He was able to I.D. the woofers as being Credence, Normans' woofer of choice, as the 1st 3 digits are 117.
That's the only time they used a 12" woofer, iirc.
To be honest, you lucked out- the ones you picked up were built about when they figured out their X-overs and dialed in their true NL sound.
The set I picked up & sent to BB sounded like ass, tbh. You can't tell from that pic, but their stain finish on the cabs was also very amateurish.
I know, I worked for them around then in 1974 or so.

Again, BasicBlues would be the guy with any info on your 121's. I'm pretty sure he's had a pair or 2..:D
Norman_Labs_Model7009.jpg
 
John30_30 said:
Here's a very early iteration of the Model 7's I picked up a few years ago, and later sent the electronics to BasicBlues (don't know if you can tell but the cabinets were pretty water-damaged). He was able to I.D. the woofers as being Credence, Normans' woofer of choice, as the 1st 3 digits are 117.
That's the only time they used a 12" woofer, iirc.
To be honest, you lucked out- the ones you picked up were built about when they figured out their X-overs and dialed in their true NL sound.
Click to expand...

Wow. That's great to hear.

Your woofer dustcap is certainly not the same size as mine.

I've seen BasicBlues' Norman Labs family photo elsewhere. If only my abode could accomodate such a thing. With my three pair, we're stuffed to the ceiling.
 
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marloubow said:
undergroundr
Your Norman Lab 10s are identical to mine...including the busted speaker terminal. :D
Someone else mentioned the "JBC" as "just be cool"
martin
Click to expand...

I have a pair of 15" drivers that are labeled "JBC - Just Be Cool - Los Angeles, CA" I have no clue where they came from or anything about them except they're new and I picked them up for pocket change. Does anyone know anything about these or maybe point me at a thread?
 
I'm really curious about the JBC driver too. Last time I tried about a year ago, somebody speculated it might be car audio, but it looks like they're pretty obscure.
 
I have a NL passive 8" sub that I have used for years in the bedroom. It is for music, not for HT thump, and I like it a lot.

Thatch
 
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Norman Labs speakers turn up all the time in my neck of the woods. It's usually the smaller models for sale, though.
 
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