Ancient speaker connections

[dannysan]

Hello Friends, my son just picked up a pair of old Wharfdales. The tag on the back says, “Hong Kong” and the speaker connector looks like a jack plug. I’ll try to post a picture but I’ve never been successful getting one to stick…
I know at least a few of you will know what the heck this is and if you can find the unicorn or if an update is in line.
Thanks for your help, IT WORKED!,,,
Dan

 

[Dswankey]

So what you have there is the "The Radio People Ltd" speakers.

They had a licensing agreement to distribute in the Asian markets for primarily Wharfedale, using Wharfedale products. Hong Kong at the time was a British colony.

If I'm not mistaken they manufactured or had manufactured the cabinets to Wharfedales specs

Lowther, another British firm used them, I wanna say there was another British speaker entity that used them too but I can't think of if right now.

https://www.itishifi.com/archives//2010/02/lowther-hegerman-teak-1950-1951-pair.html




To connect the speakers you will need something like this

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...le-motorola-plug-options.708735/#post-9520989

 

[dannysan]

I knew you all would know. Many thanks!
DW

 

[Dswankey]

If you're so inclined take some pictures of the speakers and post them here to get a model identification.

Some good reads here if you care to learn more about them

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/wharfedale-w70-the-radio-people-hong-kong.898451/

 

[Nat]

I had a pair of KEF speakers that were assembled by The Radio People of Hong Kong. I think they were Crestas but the original model, with a B139 and and the big early dome tweeter (T 30?) in a way too small cabinet - it did produce more low bass than expected, which was the marketing hook, but they didn't sound lively at all.

 

[petehall347]

looks like a car radio antenna plug that fits it

 

[w3jn]

^ Indeed, it's a Motorola plug. I have a set of W70s from The Radio People with that exact connector. Available from Parts Express and others; soldering required.

 

[Bill Ferris]

^ Indeed, it's a Motorola plug. I have a set of W70s from The Radio People with that exact connector. Available from Parts Express and others; soldering required.

Not a very high current connector that was chosen for that low impedance environment power transfer !

 

[w3jn]

I dunno, Bill, there's a fair amount of metal contact. They're about like an RCA connector, in fact I think an RCA could fit inside the female on the speaker if the ears weren't too thick. In any event, it's an unusual speaker connector and certainly wouldn't be my first choice.

 

[Bill Ferris]

I dunno, Bill, there's a fair amount of metal contact. They're about like an RCA connector, in fact I think an RCA could fit inside the female on the speaker if the ears weren't too thick. In any event, it's an unusual speaker connector and certainly wouldn't be my first choice.

Would you pulse cyclic 8 ohms impedance current of a reasonable wattage through a low power and thin walled RF connector that`s commonly used in the microvolt antenna receiving levels environment, and not expect low I/R losses across it.

Yes, a rather unusual connector type for low impedance moderate wattage transfer !

 

[rothwellaudio]

Would you pulse cyclic 8 ohms impedance current of a reasonable wattage through a low power and thin walled RF connector that`s commonly used in the microvolt antenna receiving levels environment, and not expect low I/R losses across it.

Yes, a rather unusual connector type for low impedance moderate wattage transfer !

I'm guessing 15 watts was considered a decent amount of power when those speakers were made. 15 watts and eight ohms requires not much over an amp. More like 1.4 amps. I wouldn't be overly concerned about that much metal being asked to carry 1.4 amps. I don't think they're any worse than something like this:

 

[dannysan]

This place blows my mind…the amount of knowledge and experience here is incredible! Thank you all.

 

[w3jn]

There's probably as much contact area in that Motorola plug as there are in banana plugs, although the center pin might be kind of questionable. For 30W or so it's fine but I wouldn't be running AR9s through something like that.

 

[Bill Ferris]

There's probably as much contact area in that Motorola plug as there are in banana plugs, although the center pin might be kind of questionable. For 30W or so it's fine but I wouldn't be running AR9s through something like that.

I suspect Motorola, developed/manufactured that low power RF connector, to facilitate the connection of the antenna in their mobile installed radios in automobiles that they were becoming very popular getting into in ~late twenties ?

That type connector, seems to be found on every single mobile radio that I`ve ever seen since the mid sixties when I started getting into trouble shooting mobile radio music systems, no matter the manufacture.

 

[w3jn]

Yep, every car radio from the early fifties to somewhat recently. I've seen car radios from the 1930s have them but I had a '47 Packard that did not have that connector.

 

[gadget73]

GM started using different stuff by the mid 90s. I remember my S10 needed an adapter to plug into the aftermarket radio. Not sure what the goal was, unless it was just to be annoying.