Mono - can we talk mono?

[maxhifi]

I need to take a trip down to the Home Depot, I have a circular saw so that’s not an issue; I don’t have a jig saw tho, but I do have a rotary tool with wood bits and a router attachment I can use to cut the hole. I’ve been wanting to build a single small box for a 12” driver, I just live in an apartment and have no where to really do the work. I may just move my car out to the spot and set up shop for a day, I do have a cordless circular saw and a cordless rotary tool and sander, I’m pretty sure I can do this. If we have time this week I may try to go to HD and try this.

I do appreciate the info!

So on the Utah driver, it’s a really nice speaker, that is one id love to get into a nice bass reflex cabinet, it’s one of my favorite speakers, and somewhat rare I don’t see many of them. I’ve been hunting for a 2nd for a good while.

Apartment? Perfect. The way I constructed my JE Labs baffles, I can remove all the screws and store them flat. Many also find that an open baffle sounds better than a bass reflex box, particularly for the given level of effort and cost. It also doesn't need to be tuned to the driver to avoid undesirable resonant peaks, making it an order of magnitude more useful to a speaker collector who plans to use multiple drivers.

 

[jobrewer1983]

Apartment? Perfect. The way I constructed my JE Labs baffles, I can remove all the screws and store them flat. Many also find that an open baffle sounds better than a bass reflex box, particularly for the given level of effort and cost. It also doesn't need to be tuned to the driver to avoid undesirable resonant peaks, making it an order of magnitude more useful to a speaker collector who plans to use multiple drivers.

Im gonna try to make it over to HD this weekend, I’m sure I can knock out a singe one in an afternoon.

 

[maxhifi]

Pictured above is a Goodmans 201 sent by a reader at my old website.

I never had a chance to hear Goodmans drivers in the OB but I recently lucked out on a pair of 12" Tri-Axiom 100Cs. I have all the panels cut to size, I just need to find a warm enough day to cut out the mounting holes with a router and screw the panels together.

I just noticed in that photo it looks like he has a PHY-HP speaker in the background. That's sure not something you see every day! I was always curious how they sound.

 

[setup1]

I just noticed in that photo it looks like he has a PHY-HP speaker in the background. That's sure not something you see every day! I was always curious how they sound.

I was actually surprised that he indulged and even enjoyed the Goodmans/open baffle experiment. If memory serves me he sent the picture in the early to mid 2000s. Unfortunately, I've lost contact.

A friend had PHY-HPs in Hans Kortenbach enclosures. They were very coherent and refined speakers. A pair of G.I.P. Monitor 1s have taken their place.

 

[RS Steve]

The only mono system I currently have brings great nostalgia to my listening experience. Knowing this was purchased new in 1936 and would of been a households only source of entertainment and news besides a newspaper, adds to my listening experience. The quality of sound will surprise people, and with the added AM transmitter w/ FM / Bluetooth module I recently purchased, I can now listen to many sources through it. Mono is a good thing in my man cave! My 1936 Silvertone.

 

[Pio1980]

Couple of thoughts on mono;
My pref for mono listening is by a pair of spaced speakers, to "float" the virtual sound source in open space between them instead of being confined to a box.
Second, I do not know if preserving absolute acoustic polarity (the tin can telephone model for ref, the Edison cylinder process inverts polarity) was standard practice in the mono era or when it came into use if it was/wasn't, I have found that getting it right makes a profound SQ improvement in my own experience. A simple speaker polarity reversal switch would be an easy way to incorporate a test to tell if it does in one's own mono listening experience. I've noticed a difference in my own stereophonic listening in many but not necessarily all recordings, and there are those that do not hear the change at all. Not everyone in the industry observes it or always gets it right, or has in the past, fwiw.
Just a thought and a couple suggestions.

 

[charles 1973]

I concur with Pio 1980 about spacing 2 speakers apart. I just setup my Vintage Realistic STA7 receiver and the matching Minimus 7 speakers on stands for music in my bedroom. With the speakers placed in the corners of the room I get a much more balanced sound in mono or stereo even near the speakers.

With my Bose Soundlink Color bluetooth speaker the sound is more intense at the speaker as expected.

In some ways a single Bose actually sounds better then one Mimimus 7 speaker even with the the EQ on the matching receiver switched on. With the EQ off, Operated flatt, the Bose sounds much better then the Minimus 7. Bass and midrange specifically.

 

[Selmerdave]

I'm a luddite using two speakers in mono but recently got my mono cartridge (Fairchild 225A) installed again after a hiatus of almost a year. I'm a very happy camper again, the difference between it and my stereo cartridge (Denon 103R) on a mono record is pretty stunning.

Not impossible that someday I'd add a proper single-channel setup but not in the cards at the moment.

 

[Pondoro]

I have a collection of Magnavox drivers from the late 50’s and early 60’s. This thread has inspired me to build a mid-Century mono system. The goal would not be to sound like today’s speakers, rather to hear what a Hi-Fi enthusiast in the original period might have heard in a well built mono system. I will ask a lot of advice. I am an expert in building rectangular plywood boxes. I can calculate crossover frequencies. But I’m a novice at designing a speaker. Should I start a new thread or ask questions in this thread? I lean towards a new thread.

 

[Katalyst]

I lean towards a new thread.

Post the link here when you do.

 

[Pondoro]

Post the link here when you do.

Here it is...
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/vintage-mono-speaker-project.1021186/

 

[jobrewer1983]

The only mono system I currently have brings great nostalgia to my listening experience. Knowing this was purchased new in 1936 and would of been a households only source of entertainment and news besides a newspaper, adds to my listening experience. The quality of sound will surprise people, and with the added AM transmitter w/ FM / Bluetooth module I recently purchased, I can now listen to many sources through it. Mono is a good thing in my man cave! My 1936 Silvertone.



View attachment 2784456

Beautiful unit!

 

[jobrewer1983]

Couple of thoughts on mono;
My pref for mono listening is by a pair of spaced speakers, to "float" the virtual sound source in open space between them instead of being confined to a box.
Second, I do not know if preserving absolute acoustic polarity (the tin can telephone model for ref, the Edison cylinder process inverts polarity) was standard practice in the mono era or when it came into use if it was/wasn't, I have found that getting it right makes a profound SQ improvement in my own experience. A simple speaker polarity reversal switch would be an easy way to incorporate a test to tell if it does in one's own mono listening experience. I've noticed a difference in my own stereophonic listening in many but not necessarily all recordings, and there are those that do not hear the change at all. Not everyone in the industry observes it or always gets it right, or has in the past, fwiw.
Just a thought and a couple suggestions.

Well said P-80

 

[setup1]

I like this set up!

 

[SixCats!]

It sounds as good as it looks too; the thing is impressively efficient as well. I got really lucky on this one. The guy who posted it to eBay gave me a fantastic deal. I didn’t think he would accept my offer but he did! Shipped it express to. Fantastic eBay guy, boxed like a pro too. Dude had the cone sealed off and he had foam tightly wrapped around the motor/mag in a way that if the box was dropped it would absorb the shock. I’ve shipped many speakers, and turntables and various audio items, and I always get good compliments on my packaging, this guy was next level. Box was cut down to the perfect size the driver was suspended in nice foam and wrapped with plastic rap to keep it all from being loose in the box. He took some time to package this thing. Needless to say he got a full written review in his feedback lol got to give credit to where credit is due.

Wow jobrewer! I am so happy to hear this seller truly CARED how he shipped this Driver by doing such a PRO packing job. Outstanding!
I am also happy that this Driver sounds so excellent. No doubt about it jobrewer, you were meant to have this Driver. Enjoy!

SixCats!

 

[jobrewer1983]

Wow jobrewer! I am so happy to hear this seller truly CARED how he shipped this Driver by doing such a PRO packing job. Outstanding!
I am also happy that this Driver sounds so excellent. No doubt about it jobrewer, you were meant to have this Driver. Enjoy!

SixCats!

thanks SixCats!! Yea I seriously should have documented it and taken a few pic. He really had it properly boxed. I did learn a few things from it, one was use that thin foam and wrap it around the motor/mag and then use some plastic wrap over that. I love the driver, I have 2 now, this one and a 9” one.

I also just landed a new mono amp today on eBay

 

[SixCats!]

Whoa! NICE Eico Amp jobrewer! Please keep us posted on how the Amp sounds/works out!

SixCats!

 

[jobrewer1983]

Whoa! NICE Eico Amp jobrewer! Please keep us posted on how the Amp sounds/works out!

SixCats!

I will, it was set to be delivered today but just got the update it will be out tomorrow. I should have all the needed tubes. Should be a fun little amp!

 

[knockbill]

Nice thread!!!
Here's a few of my mono amps, and tuners... L to R Eico HFT-90 on top of a Freed-Eisemann tuner/preamp,,, a 6K6 Carilon(sp) amp an AKer gave I converted to 6L6s,,, 1962 RCA movie/PA amp w/6146s,,, 618Challenger/C625 output stage...
12" Utah/Califone box...

 

[Sq1]

That’s a nice little collection.