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Calling all RTR 280-DR owners past and present. Help!

D

downinmexico

New Member
Hello everyone. I recently acquired a set of RTR 280-dr's and want to restore or improve them. If anyone has any kind of information on these speakers like brochures, schematics, owners manual, reviews, etc, I would be extremely thankful if you could share that info with me. Also, if anyone has made upgrades or improvements, I would love to see photos and know what you did.
Sincerely,
Ryan Maness
Hurricane Creek Community
"back side of nowhere Misipi"
 
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What are you driving them with and how do they sound now? IMHO - The best improvement you can make with these is to drive them with a clean high power amp/receiver with good records or another good sound source. They like clean high powered amplification.
 
I haven't hooked them up in my house yet. They are still in my workshop - I am in the process of refinishing the cabinets. After I finish re-finishing them I want to re-cap the crossovers. I will be using a Pioneer SX-1080, a Denon AVR-4800 and a Carver M-500t Magnetic Field Power Amplifier.

Ryan Maness
Hurricane Creek Community
"back side of nowhere Misipi"

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Wall2

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This is my present system. Its a work in progress. I recently added the Pioneer SX-1080 for...
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Wall3

My current turntable is a Technics SL-1710. I use a Suniko Pearl cartridge and a Pickering XV...
 
Thank y'all I for the replies and compliments. I didn't mention the ESR-15s because I had asked about them in a previous thread. (http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?conversations/rtr-280-dr-speakers.849725/) I was able to find a manual and schematic for them. If anyone needs the manual just let me know.
Does anyone know if all 280-DR's came with the one piezo tweeter located on the upper front panels? Mine doesn't have the piezos or the peerless tweeters. Evidently they have all been replaced with phenolic ring tweeters which do sound surprisingly good. Are there any improvements I can make to better protect the ESR-15s?

Ryan Maness
Hurricane Creek Community
"back side of nowhere Misipi"
 
I had the earlier 280's that did not have the peizo tweeter - no worries they still sound great. Hey dude, you have the ESL's so don't worry about the tweaters.
 
downinmexico said:
Thank y'all I for the replies and compliments. I didn't mention the ESR-15s because I had asked about them in a previous thread. (http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?conversations/rtr-280-dr-speakers.849725/) I was able to find a manual and schematic for them. If anyone needs the manual just let me know.
Does anyone know if all 280-DR's came with the one piezo tweeter located on the upper front panels? Mine doesn't have the piezos or the peerless tweeters. Evidently they have all been replaced with phenolic ring tweeters which do sound surprisingly good. Are there any improvements I can make to better protect the ESR-15s?

Ryan Maness
Hurricane Creek Community
"back side of nowhere Misipi"
Click to expand...

Hi Ryan,
I'd appreciate a copy of the RTR 290 DR manual and schematic.
I'm about to breathe new life into a pair, but haven't been able to locate any documentation

howardgable@internode.on.net
 
Hi Ryan, I have a pair of the RDR 280-DR's that was passed down from my father that I'm looking to restore. I'd love to get a copy of the manual and schematic if you have them. Any other tips would also be appreciated.
 
I'm still banging my head for not grabbing a pair of these in my local SA for like 14.99 each! Their size is what made me hesitate. Found some info on AK, went back an hour later, they were gone!
They didn't have the tweeter array.
Congrats on yours! Keep us posted on how they sound!
Glenn
 
Which phenolic ring tweeters are the replacement tweeters in your 280-DR's? My pair doesn't have the piezo tweeter, nor do I have the electrostatics. I'm wondering if replacing the tweets would improve the sound. Did you also do a recap? If so, which caps did you use? Was it hard to get access to the crossover?

I know these beasts like clean power, but will they also be satisfied with, say, 25 amps from a vintage Scott tube amp? I'd like to avoid having to get another, more efficient, pair of speakers just because I was compelled to get a vintage tube amp. Though maybe I should use it as an excuse to splurge on some Klipsch Forte II's. None of my speakers are very efficient -- I also have large advents, KLH model 6 and 32, and Vandersteen model 1 (probably my most efficient pair).
 
Howard Gable said:
Hi Ryan,
I'd appreciate a copy of the RTR 290 DR manual and schematic.
I'm about to breathe new life into a pair, but haven't been able to locate any documentation

howardgable@internode.on.net
Click to expand...
I would also appreciate any help locating a Manuel and schematic. I just picked up a pair of these with original subs but not 10 tweeters. I do have the cones though. The thing is whoever had them didn’t document the wiring’s.
 
downinmexico said:
Thank y'all I for the replies and compliments. I didn't mention the ESR-15s because I had asked about them in a previous thread. (http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?conversations/rtr-280-dr-speakers.849725/) I was able to find a manual and schematic for them. If anyone needs the manual just let me know.
Does anyone know if all 280-DR's came with the one piezo tweeter located on the upper front panels? Mine doesn't have the piezos or the peerless tweeters. Evidently they have all been replaced with phenolic ring tweeters which do sound surprisingly good. Are there any improvements I can make to better protect the ESR-15s?

Ryan Maness
Hurricane Creek Community
"back side of nowhere Misipi"
Click to expand...
I would love to have a copy of the manual or schematics for the ESR-15’s if you still have it. I’ve got a pair that need work and it’s tough to find anything on them. If you could email it to patrickkane777@gmail.com - I would be incredibly grateful.
 
downinmexico said:
Thank y'all I for the replies and compliments. I didn't mention the ESR-15s because I had asked about them in a previous thread. (http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?conversations/rtr-280-dr-speakers.849725/) I was able to find a manual and schematic for them. If anyone needs the manual just let me know.
Does anyone know if all 280-DR's came with the one piezo tweeter located on the upper front panels? Mine doesn't have the piezos or the peerless tweeters. Evidently they have all been replaced with phenolic ring tweeters which do sound surprisingly good. Are there any improvements I can make to better protect the ESR-15s?

Ryan Maness
Hurricane Creek Community
"back side of nowhere Misipi"
Click to expand...
Those phonelic ring tweeters are original. You have the earliest version RTR made. Yeah, I'm a little late to the party.
 
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