• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Anybody own AAL speakers?

M

mdross1

Active Member
All the years we did mobile DJ work our speaker of choice were AAL's pro speakers. Our first pair were their Disco Towers which we eventually sold and installed at a local roller skating rink. The next pair were the Super Jocks these were in a word Incredible! They could handle 1000 watts a spl level 135db.
Since we are now empty nesters and our big stereo can be used again the thought came to mind and wondered if anyone on this site has any of AAL speakers.
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
No but I used to sell them back in the early 80s. I worked for a company that had stores in NE Ohio/NW Pa and they were our biggest seller - mainly because they were the most profitable line for the company, and thus, the salesmen. But we all thought they were crap. But they were exclusive to our company - we had a good relationship with the owner, Lloyd Ivey, and he wouldn't sell them to our competition. He went on to grow his company (MiTek) into a real powerhouse and eventually acquired some better brands, but the line that really made him successful was MTX (which eventually subsumed the branding of the AAL line) and they were pretty pedestrian.
 
I owned a set of AAL 3 way 12' back in 1979 and they weren't too bad, I did however upgrade them with radio shack dome tweeters and dome mid ranges and crossovers, and then they sounded great !!!
 
I sold them, too, back in the mid to late 80's. I loved selling them because we made great commission on them but they weren't something I wanted to buy on purpose....even at the stupid low employee purchase price.
 
I never listened to their bookshelf speakers was more interested in hearing about the heavy stuff. Many years ago I met Lloyd and his wife at a dealers private party I still have the limited edition AAL belt buckle he gave to me.
 
botrytis said:
People and speakers being heavy - doesn't mean anything. Some White Van speakers have bricks in them to make them heavy........
Click to expand...

I built 3 sets of the Super Jocks using the same materials and drivers in the end they weighed 150lbs plus each,just because of there size.High density particle board and I believe the plywood was 7 ply again very heavy wood sure added the weight up fast.

These speakers were meant for big halls or outdoors work still they were incredible inside when equalized. At first the horn hurt the wifes ears,so I redid the wiring to make switching off the horn for home use bearable. These speakers were used mostly for the DJ work. Will always miss not having them.

Our LaScala bases with Heresys and super tweeters are equally as amazing to listen to.
 
Back in the early 1980s in Madison, WI, American TV used to push AALs like nobody's business. One time I went in with a friend who was interested in buying some speakers and I told him the first thing they'll show him would be AALs. Bingo.

That said, I still have fond memories of the Matrecs speakers I got there (another house brand they pushed a lot). I'm sure even then they weren't great, but they were my first component speakers (as opposed to cabinet stereos and junk) so they have a nostalgic glow about them.
 
I was born in the 80's and I can remember seeing lots of AAL speakers in stores and at friends houses. Had no idea about them back then but do now. I currently own three pairs, One pair I got just for the white woofers, paid 25 bucks for them. I inherited a pair of Apollo 2915 ( just took these out of commission replaced with Jensen's) and a pair of American Acoustic Labs D5550's. The D5550's are in use but planning on replacing them. These are before they became just AAL (American Acoustic Labs). Not super impressed with any of the AAL speakers except the D5550's. I stuff all my speakers with poly fill (those that need it) and it improves the low end especially in ported speakers. None of the AAl's had any fill in them. Horrible! I also put weather stripping behind the speakers on all my speakers to make a tight seal. All the AAL's except the D5550's sound the same all have boomy bass; harsh highs...Not good! Those speakers are party speakers lol. The Apollo 2915's went for $600 in the 80's apparently.
 
Sound World in Appleton, WI sold lot`s of them back in the late `70`s & early `80`s. They used to package the AAL 15" 3 way`s along with a Harmon/Kardon receiver and a turntable and they called the system " The Big Mama ". It was a very popular system during those years. A couple of my buddies bought those Big Mama systems and they were OK, but I liked the JBL L112`s the salesman at Sound World showed me, so I ended up buying them instead.
 
Had a pair of Disco Ones in 79-80,paired with a Fisher RS-2015.
For me at that time it was all about load,and they DEFINITELY were.
Some will call them party speakers,and that's exactly what they were used for,LOTS of partying and they sounded awesome.

ALL DISCO ONE.JPG

AAL 2 CROP.jpg
 
Last edited:
Does selling white van speakers from a storefront legitimize them?
 
Lol big mamma...I bet the name alone brought it sales. The AAL's with the 15's in them could sound better but all the AAL speakers are not deep enough. Every pair I own seems to be the exact depth. Just wider on the 15's. They do great though for filling room with loud music for events and parties and such. So for that since I have a pool, I have lots of pool parties or get togethers. I needed some speakers for my cabana room; I guess the AAL's will do just fine.
 
I only heard the pair that i had, but i assume the other models from that LINE sounded similar and were the same quality.
They did NOT lack bass,far from it ,or midrange or highs.

They were in a room in my basement,about 25 X 12'.
It had a suspended ceiling,4' X 2' FIBERGLASS panels.
A couple times the whole ceiling was breathing with the music,and they didn't sound horrible doing it.

I only had them 2-3 years,sold them to a friend who used them for a couple years before one of the woofers crapped out.

He dropped the cabinet off somewhere in chicago,i assume in was the factory,but not sure if they did the repair there.

They replaced the woofer with no questions asked,for FREE.
Try getting that service with a WHITE VAN company.

I'm not trying to compare them with JBL,Altec or any OTHER manufacture at that time,and i'm sure they couldn't compete with some.

But they were not JUNK,and weren't any more white van then any other house brand or small manufacture at that time.

aal ad CROP.jpg

I have no idea if LATER model construction or driver quality was cheapened,that's a possibility,only judging by the disco one pair that i owned.
 
Last edited:
There were worse speakers than AALs but they were low on the pecking order. They sold because they had a lot of bass and commissions made salespeople push them. I worked with a guy who always pushed them. He made a lot of money doing so. Could basically double your commission on a sale instead of selling something higher quality. The markup was 50-60 points.
 
AAL's don't have a lack of bass; that's not what I was referring to when I said not deep enough. They are not deep enough cabinets for speakers of those sizes; especially the 15 inchers. I own three pairs of AAL speakers and each of them are the exact cabinet depth, on the fifteen inch model the cabinet is only wider, not deeper. They have boomy bass and shreaky highs. For sure have tons of volume and boomy bass. I'm replacing all ported speakers (except the JBL ND310's) with acoustic suspended speakers. Acoustically suspended speakers have deeper bass.
 
I don't know how deep the cabinets on my pair were,but guessing about 15-16''.

As far as being STEERED toward buying them,there is a good chance that happened,but at that time i couldn't tell JBL from AAL,so maybe they saw me coming.:D
The only other brand i remember them selling was Fisher,i bought a pair of those at the same time,don't remember the model,only that they had 15's.

It wouldn't have took much arm twisting to get me to buy the AAL's,i wanted the CONCERT speakers,the salesman might not have been able to talk me out of it.
 
Despite all however, I still will keep my AAL speakers lol. They do make really good party speakers and they aren't that bad of a looking speakers either. especially the white woofer ones.

Never heard of the disco line of AAL speakers but they look big and powerful, although all those horns lol....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom