ADS models, an impromptu rollcall
- Thread starter thedelihaus
- Start date
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
Thanks for posting pictures. I believe those are very early ADS speakers from their original factory. The 520's would have been the successor to the 500's.
soundmotor
super modified
hedrick said:
Pretty cool. I've never seen those before. I would be very curious if the woofer & tweeter carry ADS part numbers as they look to be Braun produced.
BHamm
The pendulum swings.
L-810s
Hope this post is in the right location. I picked up a pair of ADS L810s recently, s/n: 015482 and 015769. The woofers are the 206-0317. I also got a pair of woofers presumably from another L-810, although I cannot find any numbers on the back side. The magnets are bigger and the rear basket is bare metal, not painted black (see pics). Any idea what their original applications was?
Hope this post is in the right location. I picked up a pair of ADS L810s recently, s/n: 015482 and 015769. The woofers are the 206-0317. I also got a pair of woofers presumably from another L-810, although I cannot find any numbers on the back side. The magnets are bigger and the rear basket is bare metal, not painted black (see pics). Any idea what their original applications was?
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If the 6 ohm is the measurement with a meter, that's normal. Nominal impedance is different than DCR (DC resistance).
On the L810 driver question, assuming they are in fact ADS drivers, check the back of the cones for a 4 digit number handwritten in white. Put "206-" in front of it to get the factory p/n. Your attached image links aren't working so I could only see the thumbnails. Might try editing your post to fix the link.
John
On the L810 driver question, assuming they are in fact ADS drivers, check the back of the cones for a 4 digit number handwritten in white. Put "206-" in front of it to get the factory p/n. Your attached image links aren't working so I could only see the thumbnails. Might try editing your post to fix the link.
John
soundmotor
super modified
Sometimes. More practiced in later years than earlier ones.
True some drivers do not have the cone markings... if they were replacement parts though, they almost always do. I had NIB examples of drivers for the 2001 and 2002 systems at one point and the cones were marked. And later stuff almost always will.
I was guessing that these unpainted baskets were more likely to have been replacement parts than OEM installed ones, but that was just a guess. I've never actually seen a steel basket ADS driver that wasn't painted, just the die-cast ones.
I would also guess that the cone marking scheme became a requirement after the first couple of years as the total number of driver models started to grow exponentially.
All those parts pretty much look the same, otherwise!
John
I was guessing that these unpainted baskets were more likely to have been replacement parts than OEM installed ones, but that was just a guess. I've never actually seen a steel basket ADS driver that wasn't painted, just the die-cast ones.
I would also guess that the cone marking scheme became a requirement after the first couple of years as the total number of driver models started to grow exponentially.
All those parts pretty much look the same, otherwise!
John
NeverEnough
MI Member
Still searching for that small speaker!
Hello gentlemen,
After dropping in and reading your forum off & on for years now I finally had to join! I wondered if someone familiar with the CM6 and CM7 could offer some advice on what they sound like? To put it into perspective I have owned multiple pairs of the little 300's from the car speakers, L300s I think, 300i, 315i, 320i, (and one 200 box), L810's, L880's, M15's but I've never owned a 400 or 500 series. My latest purchase was the CM60. Well I was looking for a small bookshelf speaker about the size of the L400's or CM60 to use as surrounds. Pretty disappointing. I suppose not so much if you consider them a $150 speaker instead of an a/d/s but by comparison my 13-year old son has a cheap pair of HK bookshelf's which seem to do just about everything better.
So, can anyone comment on the sound of the CM6/7 with respect to the older 2-1/2" mid+1" tweeter combo or the newer M9/12/15 mid/high sound? Or perhaps recommend something you feel sounds as good or better but is easier to obtain? I would like to stay away from any of the older paper drivers & foam surrounds for obvious reasons.
As a side note I've read a fair bit about the comparison of the Unison speakers to the older L810,1090,1290,1590, etc, here and on other forums. And if I may add my humble opinion, the M12, M15, & M20's do everything better than their predecessors did. In many a/b comparisons between the L1590 & M15, the M15 (with the newer crossover) produced deeper base albeit perhaps not quite as much. And the mids effortlessly produced nuances you wouldn't even notice on the L1590 unless you heard them on the M15 first. I owned L810's from 1980 (I think!) until 1991 when I bought the M15's. I had a good friend with the L1590's which was my motivation to have a pair of the 15 series. I ran the L810s with a pair of HK Citation amps of the same vintage. If memory serves they produced somewhere around 330w each at the nominal 6ohms of the L810. I sold all of that to my brother and purchased an Atelier system along with the M15's. To be honest the electronics were a step backward except for that remote control!!! But we spent many an evening listening to all three pairs back to back and the older mid/tweeter can't even come close to producing the nuances the M15 does.
Also had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with the M20 (became good friends with an a/d/s dealer who owned a pair!) Seemed to me that the mid/highs were exactly the same as the M15 but seemed less forward due to the much increased bass output of the M20. Driven hard the M20 produced more bass than anything I had ever heard then with perhaps the exception of the B&W 801. But the M20 was still tight unlike the wild 801. And those were driven with a pair of Levinson mono blocks. I don't know which model as I new I could never afford them so I didn't bother to look.
Anyway, after living with the M15's for 17 years I thought I'd throw my humble opinion in there. If you find a Unison speaker they often sell cheap because few know what they are. I promise you won't be disappointed if you pick up a pair. But don't expect miracles without good electronics. I do believe my M15's sounded noticeably better on my brothers HK electronics with a bunch of power where his L810's don't seem to sound any different on my Atelier stuff.
Hello gentlemen,
After dropping in and reading your forum off & on for years now I finally had to join! I wondered if someone familiar with the CM6 and CM7 could offer some advice on what they sound like? To put it into perspective I have owned multiple pairs of the little 300's from the car speakers, L300s I think, 300i, 315i, 320i, (and one 200 box), L810's, L880's, M15's but I've never owned a 400 or 500 series. My latest purchase was the CM60. Well I was looking for a small bookshelf speaker about the size of the L400's or CM60 to use as surrounds. Pretty disappointing. I suppose not so much if you consider them a $150 speaker instead of an a/d/s but by comparison my 13-year old son has a cheap pair of HK bookshelf's which seem to do just about everything better.
So, can anyone comment on the sound of the CM6/7 with respect to the older 2-1/2" mid+1" tweeter combo or the newer M9/12/15 mid/high sound? Or perhaps recommend something you feel sounds as good or better but is easier to obtain? I would like to stay away from any of the older paper drivers & foam surrounds for obvious reasons.
As a side note I've read a fair bit about the comparison of the Unison speakers to the older L810,1090,1290,1590, etc, here and on other forums. And if I may add my humble opinion, the M12, M15, & M20's do everything better than their predecessors did. In many a/b comparisons between the L1590 & M15, the M15 (with the newer crossover) produced deeper base albeit perhaps not quite as much. And the mids effortlessly produced nuances you wouldn't even notice on the L1590 unless you heard them on the M15 first. I owned L810's from 1980 (I think!) until 1991 when I bought the M15's. I had a good friend with the L1590's which was my motivation to have a pair of the 15 series. I ran the L810s with a pair of HK Citation amps of the same vintage. If memory serves they produced somewhere around 330w each at the nominal 6ohms of the L810. I sold all of that to my brother and purchased an Atelier system along with the M15's. To be honest the electronics were a step backward except for that remote control!!! But we spent many an evening listening to all three pairs back to back and the older mid/tweeter can't even come close to producing the nuances the M15 does.
Also had the opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with the M20 (became good friends with an a/d/s dealer who owned a pair!) Seemed to me that the mid/highs were exactly the same as the M15 but seemed less forward due to the much increased bass output of the M20. Driven hard the M20 produced more bass than anything I had ever heard then with perhaps the exception of the B&W 801. But the M20 was still tight unlike the wild 801. And those were driven with a pair of Levinson mono blocks. I don't know which model as I new I could never afford them so I didn't bother to look.
Anyway, after living with the M15's for 17 years I thought I'd throw my humble opinion in there. If you find a Unison speaker they often sell cheap because few know what they are. I promise you won't be disappointed if you pick up a pair. But don't expect miracles without good electronics. I do believe my M15's sounded noticeably better on my brothers HK electronics with a bunch of power where his L810's don't seem to sound any different on my Atelier stuff.
BSUfbfan
Member
Wow, interesting opinions for sure.... I have never heard an "M" series speaker that could touch the older stuff, but I was never able to A/B back and forth as you were. I'm interested to hear others opinions on this, because I can't imagine the "M" series mids and tweeters being that much better than the "sticky" domes.
Duffinator
Spin The Black Circle
From my experience the ADS speakers I've owned got better as time went on. My S700's have the non sticky dome tweeter, it may be the same or similar to the one's used in the M series, and it's better than any of the stickey domes I've owned. More transparent and open sounding. I've owned:
L710's, early 1975 versions that originally came with foam surrounds. The most durable grill cloth you'll ever find.
L810's, last version with bronze grills from 1981, beautiful cabinets that almost no other speaker can touch.
L420's, also with bronze metal grills from 1981 era. These bottom of the line speakers sound terrific and are my personal favorite. For $100 or less they are hard to beat.
L1090's, from 1983, they delivered everything the L710's and L810's promised and then some. Much better balance from top to bottom.
S700, 1991? two way bookshelf that originally retailed for around $1,300. Very nice bass for a small bookshelf, great highs, excellent imaging and well balanced. Solid cabinet construction but painted black and didn't match their performance or the nicer looking cabinets from the 80's.
soundmotor
super modified
Duffinator said:
IIRC the first time they were shown was CES '94 but they did not ship until fall of that year.
In '91 the SAT5, 6, & 7 were on the assembly line.
NeverEnough
MI Member
M-series comparable to the L880
BSUfbfan, I believe the M9 is probably the closest physically. Or maybe the CM7. That being said I've never heard either of those. But I do still have the L880s. Listen to them all the time as they are the front speakers in my surround system. It's hard for me to believe that either of these wouldn't sound better as my L880 upper mids & highs sound like they have a blanket over them and the bass sounds boomy and is missing the bottom octave when compared to the 810's or M15's. Maybe it's just mine but I think they sound pretty similar to other a/d/s mid-size speakers of that era. But Soundmotor noted that people either love or hate the CM7 so maybe that's a gamble. I'm still itching to audition a pair. Sorry for setting that bug
.
BSUfbfan, I believe the M9 is probably the closest physically. Or maybe the CM7. That being said I've never heard either of those. But I do still have the L880s. Listen to them all the time as they are the front speakers in my surround system. It's hard for me to believe that either of these wouldn't sound better as my L880 upper mids & highs sound like they have a blanket over them and the bass sounds boomy and is missing the bottom octave when compared to the 810's or M15's. Maybe it's just mine but I think they sound pretty similar to other a/d/s mid-size speakers of that era. But Soundmotor noted that people either love or hate the CM7 so maybe that's a gamble. I'm still itching to audition a pair. Sorry for setting that bug
.
BSUfbfan
Member
I have to agree here... while the newer series may be better, There is no way the high end of the L-880's "sound like there is a blanket over them". In fact, the last person who used a similar description for the high-end of the older ADS speakers was the original owner of my 880's as I handed him the $125 he was asking for them. I took them home, replaced the tweeter fuse... and VIOLA!!