Help me ID my new speakers

[chillywilly]

Any idea what I have?
3-way
Walnut veneer
Fixed fronts
No markings

Here's some pics

 

[tensleep]

These look like Utahs, to me.

 

[Dan ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ]

Utah.

 

[chillywilly]

Can you tell me any more?
What's a Utah?

I just got em off CL

 

[Dan ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ]

Plenty of threads on Utah here. Utah manufactured raw drivers and complete systems for decades for themselves, Rat Shack, Heathkit, Fender, Allied Radio, Lafayette, etc. This may have happened before you were born. Probably from the late 60's to early 70's.

 

[tensleep]

Use the AK search function, especially with the Google option. You will find plenty of information on the Utah here at the AK forum. Yours look like they are in very good shape.

 

[chillywilly]

What you don't see in the pics is some house paint spot on one side.
On one, a wire terminal has come loose and will need some sort of replacement.
But, I'll see how they sound.

 

[chillywilly]

This may have happened before you were born. Probably from the late 60's to early 70's.

I might be older than you think.
The year I was born, my dad was listening to music on his Pilotone amp.
Amp is still in there. Built into the wall in the family room. I don't think it has been used in a while.

 

[audiozaz]

If you find these to be keepers, you might want to replace the "Elcaps" capacitors in the crossover, as they might have aged since then. Though they were quality units when new, KEF used them extensively in their products.

az

 

[backinthelou]

Yep, definately look like Utah speakers. I have some HS5-A's that I am refurbing. The drivers all look new, but the "crossover" sucked. I am waiting on crossovers from Parts Express and will report back on how they sound.

 

[Dan ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ]

New film caps would go a long in way making them sound better. :yes:

 

[chillywilly]

Tried them out. Nothing out of the tweaters out on either speaker.
Took 2 I had laying around and ground of two sides to get them to fit. Before grinding I covered them with tape so I wouldn't have metal sticking everywhere.
Sound is OK. Very nice walnut veneer. I plan on sanding down and refinishing them. I haven't refinished speaker cabinets before. I thought this would be a good pair to start on.

 

[tomt]

New film caps would go a long in way making them sound better. :yes:

they sure do.

Utah made speakers from what, the late 1920's?

328xxx, is the eia code for utah.

 

[tmad40blue]

Tried them out. Nothing out of the tweaters out on either speaker.
Took 2 I had laying around and ground of two sides to get them to fit. Before grinding I covered them with tape so I wouldn't have metal sticking everywhere.
Sound is OK. Very nice walnut veneer. I plan on sanding down and refinishing them. I haven't refinished speaker cabinets before. I thought this would be a good pair to start on.

You physically filed down the tweeters to fit into the cabinet? Nice. :

A very easy way to check the tweeters is to touch (not hold) the leads of the tweeter to an AA or AAA battery. If you hear a pop, then your driver is fine. If not... uh-oh.

Most likely, the nonworking tweeter issue is a result of the capacitors inside. Replace them with same-value Dayton or Solen caps from Parts Express and you'll most likely be good to go.

If not, you may have suspect level controls. They could probably use a good cleaning by now.

If still nothing, then you probably need different tweeters.

 

[Sam Cogley]

Utah made speakers from what, the late 1920's?

Yep, I have a Utah field-coil speaker with it's own copper-oxide rectified power supply on a shelf above my workbench. I need to repair the cone on it one of these days.

 

[ddragg1]

Yep. Utah. I just removed the drivers from some Heritage cabs and installed some JBL L100t drivers. I used the JBL crossovers as well. I left in the Utah horns. I haven't tried them yet, but believe they'll sound like crap. The Utah's sounded like crap, so it's not like I'm losing out anything. To me, and just to me, I think the Utah's are low cost, low performing speakers, but the cabs are nice.

 

[TrexT]

Tried them out. Nothing out of the tweaters out on either speaker.
Took 2 I had laying around and ground of two sides to get them to fit. Before grinding I covered them with tape so I wouldn't have metal sticking everywhere.
Sound is OK. Very nice walnut veneer. I plan on sanding down and refinishing them. I haven't refinished speaker cabinets before. I thought this would be a good pair to start on.

Did you test the original tweets while out of the cabinet? Love those old simple networks. Replaing those caps would be a 10 minute job at the most.

 

[chillywilly]

You physically filed down the tweeters to fit into the cabinet? Nice. :

A very easy way to check the tweeters is to touch (not hold) the leads of the tweeter to an AA or AAA battery. If you hear a pop, then your driver is fine. If not... uh-oh.

I started with a file. Taking to long. Used the bench grinder. Much faster.
Thanks for the tip on checking the tweeters.

 

[GordonW]

I started with a file. Taking to long. Used the bench grinder. Much faster.

Mr. Bench Grinder is my friend too.

As you mentioned... you just have to make sure you really have the areas you don't want metal shavings on, taped up really well!

Regards,
Gordon.

 

[ratpack]

I have some UTAH speakers (horn type) from the teens.