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Minimus 7 Speakers

A Minimus story

I'm new to AK, my very first post here, and I'd like to share my experience with the Minimus 7's. Don't really have a question about them. I figure the good folks here at AK are the only people in the world who would be remotely interested in this.

In 1977 I bought my first good stereo system, including a pair of HPM 100s, which are still going strong today. Late in the year I was wandering through Radio Shack - you know, back in the times when "radio shack" also had a meaning besides being the name of a retailer. They had the music up pretty loud that day and I was browsing around in front of a three-foot tall set of floor speakers, which I assumed were the sound source. After about a minute of this I turned around and realized I was listening to the small black speakers sitting on top of the floor speakers and was amazed! I bought a pair for $100 that day.

A couple of things about this story so far. I swear I bought these in Nov. or Dec. of 1977, but most of the literature says they first came out in 1978. It is just barely possible that I actually bought them in Jan. of 1978, but no later since I was moving across the country at that time and I know where I bought them.

Second thing, these were model 40-2030; no A or B or C appended. They have screw terminals for the speaker wires, not spring clips. And the grill is very soft metal; picking up the speaker by gripping it always dents in the grill.

I used these speakers all over, including tarp-straping them on top of the rear seats of my car at one time. So, in the mid-eighties I went back to Radio Shack to get another pair, still priced at $100. I was shocked! They were terrible! I tested/switched them with my old beat up pair multiple times and the difference was amazing; the newer ones were junk plain and simple. I took them back to the store and did get my money back, though the folks there weren't too happy about that.

Does anyone have real specs on the differences of the various models? (Guess I did have a question after all.) I did manage to get another pair of the screw-terminal speakers on that Bay place and have a B set as well. I think I'll use that crossover kit on one set and also recap another set and see what I end up with.

Anyway this is a great forum and I'm glad I finally found it!

Mark
 
mbsmbs2001 said:
I'm new to AK, my very first post here, and I'd like to share my experience with the Minimus 7's. Don't really have a question about them. I figure the good folks here at AK are the only people in the world who would be remotely interested in this.

In 1977 I bought my first good stereo system, including a pair of HPM 100s, which are still going strong today. Late in the year I was wandering through Radio Shack - you know, back in the times when "radio shack" also had a meaning besides being the name of a retailer. They had the music up pretty loud that day and I was browsing around in front of a three-foot tall set of floor speakers, which I assumed were the sound source. After about a minute of this I turned around and realized I was listening to the small black speakers sitting on top of the floor speakers and was amazed! I bought a pair for $100 that day.

A couple of things about this story so far. I swear I bought these in Nov. or Dec. of 1977, but most of the literature says they first came out in 1978. It is just barely possible that I actually bought them in Jan. of 1978, but no later since I was moving across the country at that time and I know where I bought them.

Second thing, these were model 40-2030; no A or B or C appended. They have screw terminals for the speaker wires, not spring clips. And the grill is very soft metal; picking up the speaker by gripping it always dents in the grill.

I used these speakers all over, including tarp-straping them on top of the rear seats of my car at one time. So, in the mid-eighties I went back to Radio Shack to get another pair, still priced at $100. I was shocked! They were terrible! I tested/switched them with my old beat up pair multiple times and the difference was amazing; the newer ones were junk plain and simple. I took them back to the store and did get my money back, though the folks there weren't too happy about that.

Does anyone have real specs on the differences of the various models? (Guess I did have a question after all.) I did manage to get another pair of the screw-terminal speakers on that Bay place and have a B set as well. I think I'll use that crossover kit on one set and also recap another set and see what I end up with.

Anyway this is a great forum and I'm glad I finally found it!

Mark
Click to expand...
wow, I didn't think the speaker changed that much.... I have a white pair of OPTIMUS minimus 7's and I did the crossover mod and was very happy with the results. maybe you could take out your drivers and take pics and i could compare with mine???

BTW I paired my M7's up with a ta2024 t-amp and it drives them perfectly.... great synergy coming from this match
 
Interesting, I've never seen a set with screw terminals. As the speakers reputation came as a result of a review, does anyone have a copy of the review and if so what is the terminal setup of the set reviewed. I've read over the years from various persons who do reviews who did a listen to the later variants and did not like them as much as the 1st edition that had received the thumbs up. Of course, I am sitting here typing this as I listen to a pair of the silver 20-2034s through my little Sony office system.
 
The Minimus 7 is a good little speaker, but not a great one. I have the walnut version, 7W, and they still look new after a couple decades or so. As another poster has said, they will never be a/d/s L200's, one of the many pieces of audio gear I let slip through my fingers years ago. However, the 7's sound good for what they are, and I have found over the years that they are a very handy thing to have around. I use them from time to time, on one system or another, until I find something better. Also a good way to test old receivers/amps; small and light so quick to set up. However, every year when I go to my mother-in-law's on July 4th, I put them in a small cooler with a compact amp, and my Zune. My little 'portable system' sounds so much better than her WalMart bookshelf.
 
thedelihaus said:
Like your brother? Invest a few benjamins and do the crossover mod, and he'll have a nice speaker.
Click to expand...

I hope you meant Washingtons!
Great little speakers, even without mods.
I've got 3 different pairs of the Radio Shack/Optimus variety.
 
These were my main speakers when I was in high school in the early 90's. I had aspirations of being a DJ at that time, I had 2 Technics 1200s, a Radio Shack (later upgraded to Numark) mixer, Technics receiver, and these mounted to my wall with some heavy-duty mounting kits. I lived in an apartment with my dad so couldn't have anything louder than those.

I still have them and tried to sell them on CL recently with no success...I may just put them in the garage. I hooked them up to my MC250 and they sounded surprisingly decent, I didn't realize people were actually modding these.
 
Johnny Salam said:
A friend wigged out and said these were great speakers. My impression of Radio Shack stuff is that it was way overpriced and these speakers, while OK, weren't great.

I'm also told there's an upgrade that makes these super-duper. My question is this: are the Minimus 7 speakers that good, and are the upgrades worthwhile?
Click to expand...

All of the above answered previously and in thoughtful detail -

Minimus Search
 
MAXZ28 said:
My Minimus 7W's are now my main speakers in my HT system along with a Harman Kardon HKSUB12 12" subwoofer. All the sound I need for watching television and DVD's or listening to background music. :yes:
Click to expand...

Mini-7-wise, exactly what I am doing, and I love it.
 
Michael Powers said:
But I think that the Minimus 25's are the ones to get. They don't look as high tech as the Minimus 7's do, and are a little larger. Their baffles sport a textured rubber surface, hidden by the grill, and have real wood veneers. Oh, I almost forgot: they sound a lot better.
Click to expand...

I've compared the two and I really think the mids of the 7 are superior. Just my ears, though, and the 25s I tried may not have been up to par or something, it was a pretty brief comparison.
 
I have a set and the only complaint I have is the tweeter is a bit wild at times, something the crossover mod addresses.
 
I found that my set didn't like some of the receivers I used. I have driven mine with a marantz 2220, and an old fisher solid state, and I wasn't real proud of the way the minimus 7's sounded. Hooked them up to a Cyrus 7 along with a sub, and the sound stage opened up, and sound real good for computer desk setup.
 
The Minimus 7 is a great little upgrade speaker. The crossover is easy as cake and the sound isn't bad in stock form either.

I got mine for free so I returned the favor and gave em to a friend in need
 
shrinkboy said:
wouldn't a minimus 7 upgrade be an interesting and fun project for zilch?
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I am willing to do it, but less inclined to start from scratch, which is why I am trying to find out the details of the existing upgrade for comparison.

I don't want to put in a bunch of effort to another chorus of yawns here and elsewhere. The task is NOT trivial.... :no:
 
I guess I can start there. My problem is conflicting info in previous threads here about this. If somebody has the original 1988 Speaker Builder article, that would be helpful, as well; seller says his design is different in some indefinite respect. This needs to be a cooperative effort to get it right.

Wiredbecker has a pair of Minimus somethings he said he'd donate to the cause; I'll check up on that. I also have a pair of his 7AVs here for comparison. No, I've never measured them. ;)
 
Keep us in the loop, I have 2 pair with 1 pair that seems to have a high end problem. It was not played at high levels as long as I've had it so suspect the cap has given up the ghost.
 
I have 3 pairs of Realistic Minimus 7s (2 pair Cat. No. 40-2045 in whte and 1 pair Cat. No. 40-2030C in black). I bought them new whenever I had cash and you could get them for 1/2 price on sale (i.e. $30/speaker).

While I can't part with them, I really think the ADS 200s are head and shoulders better. That said, I can't wait to see how Zilch "hot rods" them.

I believe the 1988 Speaker Builder article referred to by Zilch above involves a coating that is applied to the woofer. Can't recall anything else about it.
 
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