Bozak Questions

[senna87]

Over the weekend, I finally found a set of Bozak's locally. They were sold to me as a pair of B-302A Urbans, but, I'm not sure they both qualify as being such. FYI, both are in the same exact cabinets.

Here's the info off the speakers-

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"Left Speaker"

Model- B302A Urban
Serial #- E20861
Code- 6611

Mid Driver- Serial- E21146/6611

Woofer- B207B

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"Right Speaker"

Model- Unreadable
Serial- C14084
Code- Unreadable

Mid Driver- Serial C16266/G45

Woofer- B207A

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So my questions are-

1. Do both actually qualify as being B-302A Urbans?

2. Although the drivers in each cabinets do not have the same numbers, are these basically the same drivers and don't need replacing to make each side sound the same?

2. If not, what drivers will I need to acquire to make them both true Urbans (and where is the best place to look for said drivers)?

3. I would like to acquire the matching center console at some point. From what I've read, Bozak produced more than one style of speaker and center console. Exact which "style" of center console will I be looking for?

Thanks in advance gentlemen

 

[Rybeam]

If you have a pair of tweeters in front of both woofers your good to go, I think. There is a Yahoo Bozak group that has real experts, I am just a listener and owner of 3 pair of Bozaks. There great speakers !

 

[Saint Johnny]

It can't quite see the date codes on the drivers.
One looks as if it says 68, and the other may by 64 or 66?:scratch2:
Can you post them?
That may explain the discrepancy?:scratch2:
Bozak frequently made, and then also named, the same exact configurations by totally differently designations for some unknown reason. And they also sold 'kits' of the same exact configurations by different names/model numbers.

For instance: If you bought the cabinets that are pictured, 'new' from Bozak in the 1960's they could be either 300E's or 302A's depending entirely on what drivers you choose at the time of purchase. Or you if you bought them as a self assembled 'kit' instead of factory pre-built cabinets or a factory built complete system, be it mono or stereo, they were known as something else entirely.

Way too confusing and probably one of the reasons Bozak's never sold in the quantities their quality suggested they should've.

 

[Brian]

They are 302a systems as they have midrange drivers. The 300 does not have the midrange. The code 6611 indicates the 1 system is a 1966. The Bozak crowd on Yahoo can help decipher the codes. With a A series woofer and B series woofer, the owner may have had a mono sysem and then in 1966 bought another 302 to convert to stereo. I think the A series may be alnico and have paper tweeters and midrange while the 1966 probably has the aluminum cone tweeters and midrange but not sure - just a WAG.

 

[Saint Johnny]

They are 302a systems as they have midrange drivers. The 300 does not have the midrange. The code 6611 indicates the 1 system is a 1966. The Bozak crowd on Yahoo can help decipher the codes. With a A series woofer and B series woofer, the owner may have had a mono sysem and then in 1966 bought another 302 to convert to stereo. I think the A series may be alnico and have paper tweeters and midrange while the 1966 probably has the aluminum cone tweeters and midrange but not sure - just a WAG.

Basically, I was thinking the exact same thing.:yes:

Maybe one cabinet started life as a mono 300E without the mid B209 driver and then a couple of years later, the original owner upgraded the single mono, 300E to 302A with the addition of a new mid driver and purchased a single new, complete 302A to make the 'system' a stereo 302A stereo pair? :scratch2:

 

[senna87]

Thanks for the information gentlemen.

Tonight, I was able to get in my first listen to these speakers. I was using a late 70's Sony STR-V35 receiver (all tone controls flat), and an early 90's Kenwood DP-R4440 cd player to provide source material.

I was only able to listen to two tracks before the family came home and volume had to be reduced. The first song was off Telarc's "The Great Fantasy Adventure Album" featuring the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra- track 10, The Abyss: End Titles. The second song, also a Telarc recording, was off Vivaldi's "the Four Seasons" featuring the Boston Symphony Orchestra- track 1, La Primavera, Concerto No. 1 in E Major.

Room size 20' x 25', various room furniture, no acoustic specific modifications. Speakers placed 4 feet from edges, 12" from rear wall. Listen point was roughly 15 feet from speakers.

Growing up, my father had owned a set of larger Bozak's, but were rarely used, and I don't actually remember listening to them before he sold them. So basically, this was my first listen to any Bozak speakers.

After only my short listen today, I have to say they sound Amazing. Speakers made before I was born (late 60's) should not have the ability to sound like what I heard today. The tonal quality and transient speed of the Bozak's could put many an "elite" modern speaker to shame. I very much look forward to getting in more time with these, and lastly, these are definitely "keepers" for as long as I have room to keep a pair.

 

[senna87]

One more quick note- it is nearly impossible to hear any sound from these speakers if you are behind them. Initially, I thought they were blown because I simply could not hear them as I hooked up the wires. I've never heard a set of speakers so silent from the rear before.

 

[Johncan]

Welcome to the Bozak club! You got some great speakers.

Where do you live? I have an empty Bozak center console that could use a good home.

John

 

[bozak ron]

Can't beat the sound of Bozaks. Classical, jazz, the blues, classic rock all sound great on a pair. Enjoy them for a long time.

 

[Brian]

My 302 pair is only behind my Symphonys as favorites and tied with a pair of Wharfedale W70s though the Wharfedales seem a bit harsh on the top end giving the edge to the 302s. Congrats and if you can, try to get the cabinet from John. My pair came with the cabinet and I'm going to populate it with newer units but still period pieces.

 

[senna87]

I live in the St. Louis metro area, sounds like I may need to rent a mini-van some weekend and make the trip to Hotlanta.

 

[Johncan]

I have family in central Illinois and I may be driving there in August. I am sure we can figure something out.

John

 

[senna87]

John- sounds good to me, keep in touch.

b3_racer at yahoo dot com

 

[tensleep]

Congratulations on your "new" Bozaks! I've had mine for about 4 months now and absolutely love them. The wife likes their looks, too, as well as the sound. That is a first! Here's a link to some piccies:

http://www.micksmothers.net/gallery2/v/Billy/Stereo+Gear/Bozak+Speakers/

I have a couple of other speaker pairs that I am going to work on, refoaming, redoing/replacing the crossovers, refinishing the cabinets. With what I learn, I intend to work over the Bozaks very throughly, including the component cabinet.

Good luck with yours!

 

[senna87]

I did get in a bit more listening to the Urban's tonight.

I broke out a disc that I've listened to on more "reference" level systems than any other, Mark Cohn's self titled album (the one known for "Walking in Memphis"). Now I thought I'd heard everything there was to hear on that disc from nearly two decades of sampling on high end systems. But I actually think I may have heard something new on track 10 "Perfect Love". The way the snaps sounded was slightly different than I remembered before. Perhaps there is a problem with one of the drivers or crossovers, or they revealed something new tonight. I need to re-listen to the track on my primary system to confirm which it is. Any which way, they were very enjoyable on all tracks, they simply bring a huge smile to the face.