Audio Lab AL 5

[bhairst]

I have a pair of these but know nothing about them. Really like how they sound and wouldn't mind a third to use as a center channel. Anyone have experience with these?

Regards,

Ben

 

[larryderouin]

Suggest you ask a moderator to move this to the Speaker Forum.

 

[bhairst]

Hi Larry,

Thanks, will do. It's a Fisher brand, so I thought I'd try here first.

 

[larryderouin]

Never heard of them. Can you take some pictures of the speakers, with close up's of the identifying information? Probably SANYO / FISHER made sometime between 1975 and 2012 when FISHER and SANYO got bought by Panasonic and then liquidated the Co.'s. So FISHER no longer exists as a Co.

 

[bhairst]

Here you go, one pic of the speaker front, and another of the info tag on the back.



Thanks for the info. I have seen other Fisher speakers that had the same 'AL' logo on the info tag. That was my evidence of the brand.

 

[larryderouin]

Fisher and FISHER/SANYO usually identified their speakers with the Co. name and location. Magnets in the corners are unusual for a "Fisher" product, as they either nailed the grill down or used hook and loop tape. This has neither, so I'm really hesitant to brand it a FISHER PRODUCT.
Looks like it's a mid 70's unit from the phenolic tweeter.

 

[larryderouin]

Google Audio Lab. They are a retailer since 1958. Bets are these are a house brand speaker.

 

[bhairst]

Those are indeed hook and loop fasteners in the corners. Came across an Ebay listing for another Audio Lab 206 speaker that was manufactured by the Fisher corporation, and like you said, this was identified by company name and location as well. I will do more digging. Thanks very much for the help.

 

[larryderouin]

Interesting. I looked at the 206 listing. These were made by SANYO/Fisher during the late 70's. No idea on how good they sound. Cabinets look like 1/2" to 5/8 pressboard (usual stuff for the era unless you were buying hi priced stuff), no stiffeners in the boxes, minimal if any insulation, and basic drivers. They may have come as part of a pre-arranged system.

 

[bhairst]

5/8" pressboard, some insulation, not a lot, and these drivers do appear pretty basic, the only one with any info is the tweeter which is from Taiwan.

Wondering if these were a later version (as the speaker connects were red and black spring clips).

If I recall there was a pioneer amp as well, but, I don't know if that constituted a set, or was just part of what was purchased back then...

 

[bhairst]

I also came across the Unitronex company which had a brand of speakers called Audio Lab and later Audio Lab Consort, a polish company that imported to the states for a time, but these speakers look nothing like what I have, and appear to be much higher in quality so I hesitate to say it's them and not Sanyo/Fisher...