Maybe kabuki, maybe not, Kanazawa. Like a diamond in a billygoat

[oldman55]

Picked up some pristine kawaaaa. Thought they would look great with a Fisher x-100 or Sherwood s5000 (my next adventure). Only 12" woofing so dont know if they qualify for kabuki klub.
Guess the only thing to do is replace caps?
Built like a brick... Shines like a diamond in a billy goat's.....
Gotta spread the vintage karma.
Something else to mod with them? Havent even listened to them. Will soon.




1" walnut ply cabs. Drivers mainly 15W, 16 ohm.

 

[oldman55]

This speaker has what appears to be non polarized caps: 16uf and 25uf 30v.
Any recommendations on cap or any kind of modification to crossover without changing any drivers?

 

[ra.ra]

Wow, those are oddballs - - only two caps for a speaker with four types of drivers? Hmmmmm.......??? You'll need to stick your head in there and poke around and get the cap values.

From the backside at least, drivers appear well-built. I'd plug 'em in and give a gentle listen before anything, but you might also want to inspect whether any drivers have foam surrounds that require replacement.

 

[toxcrusadr]

I see another cap mounted on a driver, the silvery one next to the tan one.

Definitely not kabuki...built like tanks for sure.

What is their actual model number?

Post a schematic once you sort it out, I'd love to see it.

 

[theophile]

Simple crossovers can translate to excellent sound. It is no guarantee of course.

 

[Stuart Pedaso]

They do contain a mess of drivers. But the tradition of kabuki speakers springs from the era when some Asian manufacturers built baffles loaded with flashy drivers prominently on display for maximum visual impact (the theatrical and Asian aspects of the kabuki metaphor).

Your Kanazawas by contrast are the picture of understatement, with their staid grille cloth and prim logo borrowed from western heraldry (two lions combatant). The build philosophy hints at substance, and not at all of glam.

I ran into a pair of these in good nick at a thrift some years ago. Would have picked them up, just out of curiosity, but I was on the road and had no room. Thanks for opening up a pair to share with the community. Looking forward to further impressions.

 

[oldman55]

I believe they are KS-55H.

First 16 ohm speaker I've had. Put them on an Eico st70 and couldn't get past the first volume level mark. Dont know the efficiency rating but its up there with the angels.

The surrounds appear to be paper with liquid butyl poured around them. Still pliable. Grilles are not removable and all is bolted into plywood. On closer look, teak and not walnut.

Only way they could sound better is to get them off the floor. Dont think I'll recap for now, someone took great care in storing or using them.

Going to get them up off the floor and put them on a Scott ecl86; might be the the match I've been looking for. Acoustically and aesthetically, except maybe for the art deco Sherwood.

Still juggling the other speakers with a few different amps. It's speaker match nite.

Just wish I had more room....packratting inexpensive but solid gear, keeping what makes the world go round.

Yesterdays truckload was the Kanas, Mitsis, yamis and B&O (gotta match the 1700 TT). And some old JBLs. Gotta lot of love for CL.

And this old man's back is feeling how they used to be built.

 

[Sam Cogley]

I've had a few pairs of Kanazawas over the years. Very efficient and well-built. I think they usually used Coral drivers.

 

[toxcrusadr]

Geez I have never heard of this brand. Unless I came across it on AK, but I've surely never seen them in the wild.

 

[Sam Cogley]

I don't think they were ever officially imported to the US. Both pairs I've had came from servicemen who were stationed in SE Asia in the late 60s.

 

[don philipe]

I have a pair of Kanazawas,they have the lattice grillwork and sound very good.Although they are not a matched pair,one is stamped 'custom' on the back and there is very slight difference in the grill work,same set of drivers.I'm guessing the difference is in the crossovers because when i bought caps for them I assumed they were both the same ,not so.Never got around to recapping the custom one but they do sound dam good.I'll post some pics if I can find them.

 

[don philipe]

 

[oldman55]

Though I dont know why, I will be recapping mine reluctantly. They sound so fine right now that I dont want to rock the boat. But if anything, they could use a little help on the low in.
I'll have to remove the mini horn that has a cap tucked beneath. Will be interesting to see it. The drivers are all bolted from the front but the grille is not readily removable. I am sure that there is a way but not worth the chance of damaging them.

 

[don philipe]

If they sound fine to you I would leave them alone. I don't think they were ever sold in the US as there is little info on the company.Probably brought over by service men like a lot of speakers were.

 

[stereofanboy]

Lattice grills are a requirement for entrance into the kabuki club.