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EMI DLS-626 speakers Opinions?

anytune

anytune

Super Member
Came upon an unusual set of EMI speakers at a thrift today. Didn't have my camera with me, but I will do my best to describe: 10-inch black, oval, vertical-mounted woofer and two brown/gray, papercone tweeters mounted side by side above. Cabinet measures about 22 inches high, walnut veneer, cloth grill with silver metal trim around the inside edge. Quite heavy. On the back plate it says Benjamin Electronics Sound, Farmingdale, N.Y.
I found a few previous threads about EMI speakers -- some made in England, some imported -- but nothing specifically about the DLS-626. I was able to listen to one speaker, and it sounded pretty good, though a bit bottom heavy. Anyone have any info or thoughts on EMI 626's?
 
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This seems like one the EMI 13x8" units, there were diferent models ranging from budget to high quality, tiny magnets to quite massive ones, small voice coils or larger, palin paper cone to cones using fibreglass/aluminium/ paper.

There was also a 10x6" model shown here in my B&W DM1. The 13x8" was used in the B&W DM3.

Te EMI tweeters were OK, but not of the quality of those used in the B&W DM1 and DM3.


http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=209066
 
Thanks Rad, I appreciate the response. The woofer was not a 13 x 8 (it was about the same length as my size 11 shoe). As mentioned, these were very interesting speakers, the first of that make I've seen. And a very cool 60's retro look to them. But I wasn't "amazed" by the sound. I'm passing on them for now, but who knows...
 
I've had a couple of EMIs, and use a singleton DLS (Dangerous Loud Speaker) as a nightstand. Dangerous or not, they aren't going to threaten Quad ESLs or Altec VOTs (or whatever your favorite vintage speaker is), but they are actually rather nice. If they are bottom heavy, I wonder if the crossover caps need replacing -- the ones I've heard are a little dim and not perfectly even in response, but pretty well balanced. And on tubes they sound pretty better, it seems to me. On typical solid state sounding transistors they can sound hard and dim, a bad combo.
 
Nat said:
I've had a couple of EMIs, and use a singleton DLS (Dangerous Loud Speaker) as a nightstand. Dangerous or not, they aren't going to threaten Quad ESLs or Altec VOTs ------------------.
Click to expand...

Well the B&W DM1 and DM3 are not at all bad when compared to Quad ELS 57 and Quad ESL63. I have all of them.

But to be fair, the DM1 and DM3 are the cream of the EMI bass/ mid units.
 
I was referring to the DLS systems, not the B&Ws that used EMI woofers which I haven't heard. I was suggesting that the 626 might be a nice speaker if in good shape, and then I was just being droll about the 'dangerous' claim -- perhaps they were dangerously better than other similarly sized or priced speakers of the time, but they weren't making an assault on the high end.
 
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