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Need help identifying Pioneer vintage speakers

MoonPigeon

MoonPigeon

New Member
Things my father told me:
- He bought them sometime in the 60's.
- The cabinets are made of cherry wood
- They have 15 inch speakers

Things I know:
- Dimensions are approx. 36" tall x 24" wide x 20" deep
- The brand is Pioneer
- They have feet

I've inherited these speakers and I'd like to restore them to their former glory, but I need the model number.

I've scoured the internet looking for speakers that match mine. The closest I came in appearance was the CS-A31 and the Titan IV, but nothing I found had the same beveling or feet as the ones I have. Can anyone help identify them?

*note: they're darker than they appear in the photos. The sun made them appear a lot lighter than they actually are.

20180825_232500.jpg 20180825_232639.jpg 20180825_180532_1535242929281.jpg
 
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MoonPigeon said:
Things my father told me:
- He bought them sometime in the 60's.
- The cabinets are made of cherry wood
- They have 15 inch speakers

Things I know:
- Dimensions are approx. 36" tall x 24" wide x 20" deep
- The brand is Pioneer
- They have feet

I've inherited these speakers and I'd like to restore them to their former glory, but I need the model number.

I've scoured the internet looking for speakers that match mine. The closest I came in appearance was the CS-A31 and the Titan IV, but nothing I found had the same beveling or feet as the ones I have. Can anyone help identify them?

*note: they're darker than they appear in the photos. The sun made them appear a lot lighter than they actually are.

View attachment 1265853 View attachment 1265855 View attachment 1265856
Click to expand...

Actually, I found a helpful hint. The model number is likely something like PAX followed by a number such as the link below to a PAX-A30.

http://www.vintageaudioworld.com/products/catalogue/pioneer-pax-a30-2/
 
Those are beauties!
Very nice cabinet work on them. The top, the feet and border beading show the high level of craftsmanship. Good luck with the resto, they deserve it!

Did your Dad buy them at at a PX?
 
I honestly dont know where he bought them or what the stickers are for, it was all before I was born.

BUT!!! It finally occurred to be to open up the back, and lookie what I found! The mystery is solved - PAX-30E. They look like a variant of the original style, but that just makes them more special to me. I also got a better idea of what work needs to be done both inside and out. The wiring is still in good shape but I was thinking of replacing it with wire that's not 50 years old. The cabinets have some substantial scratches and dings so I'll refinish the wood. And the insulation inside will need to be replaced. But the actual speaker is in impeccable shape. My only question now is where to find the fabric to replace the front lining.

Anyway, thank you guys for all your help, and for sharing in the beginning of my journey with me.20180826_101433.jpg
 
The crossover could use some modernizing as well the horns can be better controlled then in the past. Make them sing again for Dads sake.
 
Outstanding! You should be very proud to have inherited those. Can't wait to hear how they sound.

* You can find replacement grill cloth by searching for "guitar amplifier grill cloth" or "speaker grill cloth." Hundreds of patterns available. Just be sure to get cloth that is acoustically transparent or it will muffle the high frequency output.

* Replace the wire? I wouldn't unless it is corroded. Unless it makes you feel better.

* I agree with Borus - there may some crossover updates/upgrades that might dramatically improve the sound if you are not happy with the current signature. Advice: submit the problem to the guys on the Parts Express Tech Talk forum. They are some of the best crossover designers in this country - and the advice is free!

* What's wrong with the current cabinet "insulation?" This and cabinet bracing are two more areas where you can safely experiment for better sound reproduction.

Keep us updated on your progress.

GeeDeeEmm
 
Cool ! Having just seen the pic of the faded cloth I could have told you with fair certainty that you had some version of the PAX coaxial drivers in there. Just be the circular fade and the bar across the middle - that's exactly how mine looked :-)

I picked up very generic looking big cabinets at the Salvation Army and the only marking on them was a Pioneer badge. I opened the backs and found beautilly ornate PAX-20G drivers in there. They sounded great with my little valve amp.
 
Contrary to posts above, I do not believe there are any cross overs that you can service in those. Everything is built into the driver assembly so they either work or they don't. I know on my 20G's the speaker wire connected straight to the speaker so assume yours are the same.
 
* I was going to replace the insulation because when I opened up the back it gave off a musty odor and I noticed some staining. I figured it was better to replace it than risk the possibility of mold or mildew or something gross that I cant think of.

20180826_101359.jpg

I also read something about enhancing sound quality by replacing fiberglass insulation for foam, but I admittedly know nothing about any of this stuff.

I will say, though, researching everything for this project has captured my interest enough that I'm already considering restoring more vintage audio equipment when I'm done with the speakers. You guys might be stuck with me.
 
Markoneswift said:
Contrary to posts above, I do not believe there are any cross overs that you can service in those. Everything is built into the driver assembly so they either work or they don't. I know on my 20G's the speaker wire connected straight to the speaker so assume yours are the same.
Click to expand...

I don't even know what a cross over is. I've been trying to find a manual online but so far I've come up empty, and I'm honestly not even sure what to look for or where to look.
 
I don't see how critters could get in. I would consider disinfecting the bottom and leave the rest alone.
Nice speakers. I think they will be a lot of fun and need little power.
 
The crossover is the part that separates the different frequencies to each driver. The green dials on the back are the tweeter controls. Those will need cleaned. If you post your location or at least state many here would help. Very nice heirlooms.
 
There has to be a capacitor under the bell housing. If you take the screw out on the back of the driver, it is under there. If the cap fails then the tweeter horn could fail. We could walk you thru it if you want.
 
You guys are awesome. I'm in Georgia, specifically Winder which is just NE of metro Atlanta. I'll take all the help I can get. I'm reading obsessively and trying to absorb all I can, but I'm completely overwhelmed.

I can say that my husband hooked the speakers up last week just to see if they were functional, and they not only worked but the sound quality was fantastic. I can't tell you anything technical but it was clear and crisp and rich. Two thumbs up.
 
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