Hartley Holton Tower Speakers - Help and Advice

[RuffzGuts]

Taken from stereophile,
"But even as the Hartley company faded somewhat from the US scene, their products continued to draw a loyal following from the same group that kept the flames burning for Western Electric 300B tubes and Thorens TD 124 turntables: hardcore Japanese audiophiles. God love them.

One of them is a well-respected amplifier designer in Tokyo, named Kore-eda. A few years ago, Kore-eda asked Yoshi Segoshi, who owns and operates the distribution company Sakura Systems, to find him some Hartley drivers on eBay. Segoshi wound up buying a vintage pair of Hartley 220 MSG drivers for about $1000—but when they arrived, he decided to try the Hartleys himself before shipping them on to Japan. "I was very impressed," Segoshi said, "so I called Mr. Kore-eda and told him that I was sorry, but I wanted to keep the drivers myself. Kore-eda was a little bit angry, but we continued to speak, and eventually he told me the news that Hartley might still be in business."

I though this was really funny, picturing two Japanese blokes arguing over who is getting those drivers I can relate!!

 

[Guido57]

Don't know enough about Japanese culture to even have a clue, probably be a lot funnier to me if I did.
For the record I've found one of my files regarding the boffle enclosure. Supposedly the preferred cabinet of Henry Luth for his drivers. I know you've probably got your own ideas for using the MSG-220 drivers but I seems to me the main design Hartley used for these is a simple tower with just the 220 and a supertweeter; occasionally with an additional woofer. The only drawback I found in the MSG-220 in the short time I had with one was lack of dispersion in the 6,000 to 6,500Hz range. I ran a 6250Hz test tone and there was a huge drop off in volume as I moved off axis. I think this may have to do with the geometry of the center high frequency section of the cone. Perhaps in a modern speaker there would be a phase plug to mitigate this but if one only sits in the sweet spot it might not be a problem.

 

[rusomon]

I ran a 6250Hz test tone and there was a huge drop off in volume as I moved off axis.

Hmm. This isn't something I've ever noticed, at all, but then I don't do much off-axis listening. So there you go, problem solved.

 

[Guido57]

The frequency band affected is pretty narrow, 500Hz. I was deliberately looking for it. To be fair to the Harleys, some well regarded speakers like Magnapans have a narrow sweet spot.

 

[RuffzGuts]

Don't know enough about Japanese culture to even have a clue, probably be a lot funnier to me if I did.
For the record I've found one of my files regarding the boffle enclosure. Supposedly the preferred cabinet of Henry Luth for his drivers. I know you've probably got your own ideas for using the MSG-220 drivers but I seems to me the main design Hartley used for these is a simple tower with just the 220 and a supertweeter; occasionally with an additional woofer. The only drawback I found in the MSG-220 in the short time I had with one was lack of dispersion in the 6,000 to 6,500Hz range. I ran a 6250Hz test tone and there was a huge drop off in volume as I moved off axis. I think this may have to do with the geometry of the center high frequency section of the cone. Perhaps in a modern speaker there would be a phase plug to mitigate this but if one only sits in the sweet spot it might not be a problem.

Have you not seen Gung Ho? The film was called "Working class man" in Australia, the hit song for Jimmy Barnes, the original lead singer for Cold Chisel, an iconic Australian band of the time.
I still haven't got the right room to place mine in, but i did find it interesting the way the 220msg were placed recessed in the white cabs and again ported.
The boffle design is interesting, doesn't look very appealing to build though does it. It would be nice to have the room to build all these monster cabs.

 

[Guido57]

That movie came out when I was busy falling head over heals and getting married. Most movie watching for the next ten years depended on what was in the local video shops and had to also suit the wife. I did catch the last fifteen minutes or so once. Sure I can find it somewhere on the net now.
While the boffle looks like a difficult build it is simple compared to the folded horn designs sometimes recommended for smaller full range drivers.

 

[RuffzGuts]

That movie came out when I was busy falling head over heals and getting married. Most movie watching for the next ten years depended on what was in the local video shops and had to also suit the wife. I did catch the last fifteen minutes or so once. Sure I can find it somewhere on the net now.
While the boffle looks like a difficult build it is simple compared to the folded horn designs sometimes recommended for smaller full range drivers.

Its on the tube, I might give it a watch for a bit of nostalgia tonight. plus it has George Went in it, or Norm from Cheers.. Had a few pints of Guinness with him in Glasgow way back.. good bloke.
On topic though, the more information from anyone that has experimented with these drivers the better.

 

[Mikey17265]

Hi all, just picked up on this interesting discussion.
@RuffzGuts - I have recently come across a pair of Hartley speakers very similar to yours (looking at the pictures you have kindly posted). Owned here in Adelaide by the lovely gentleman that purchased them new. The crossover boards are the same (marked Hartley Holton III) but components config slightly different - this might be due to a slight difference in the tweeters applied?
220 MSG Driver (blue magnet /white paper cone)
SEAS 1" Dome Tweeter H086
Radial dome at the top of the enclosure Im not sure the variety yet (just marked as 8 ohm on the back?)

I found out that these speakers were sold in Australia by Alex Encel Stereo in Melbourne - mostly in the 70's. Enclosures were built be Aranmar Acoustics I believe for the distributor Interdyn.
I haven't fired these up yet - but hoping they are ok!

I was wondering how you got on with the magnet refurb discussion with the US contact? And whether you would be able to share the contact details with me?

Cheers.