• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Norman Lab Model 9's - Time to start on 'em

erniejade said:
Hang on, with your 9's can you bi wire them? isn't that the screw terminals on the top? If you are not going to, you might want make a better quality jumper instead of the stock ones.
Click to expand...

I don't believe they are....you'd have to see how they are connected underneath. I need to call my buddy, Dave, in Tulsa and see. I'll end up taking those connectors off and use Deoxit on them or shine them up with a dremel. Might even make new ones.
 
avguytx said:
I don't believe they are....you'd have to see how they are connected underneath. I need to call my buddy, Dave, in Tulsa and see. I'll end up taking those connectors off and use Deoxit on them or shine them up with a dremel. Might even make new ones.
Click to expand...

They may have intended to put out a kit for converting to biwiring.
As avguytx mentions the terminals don't connect to anything, but they're labelled tweeter and woofer so....

clydeselsor said:
Really nice speakers!
Click to expand...

+1. But I may be biased. :)
 
Congrads on your model 9 speakers. They appear to be from 1983...

I've got 2 sets of model 9's just like these. One set I just need to refoam/restore but I am not sure yet whether I am going to repair them or just sell them. I've just got too many NL sets to even begin to find a place for.

I recapped my 1st set a couple of years ago and I feel pretty sure they have more than one capacitor. I checked my archive of Norman Lab photo's and I didn't take pictures of that particular repair so I'd need to look inside again to confirm. I haven't yet looked inside the 2nd pair so I am now interested to "know" for sure. I might be thinking of the earlier version model 9's, I've had a couple of sets of those too.

Of course, the crossovers in mine could have capacitor values that were doubled to obtain the desired value.

Was there any evidence that the crossovers could have been tampered with? I'll be interesting to look inside both sets of mine since they were from the same production era to compare.

I've really been out of the loop this past year with other projects so I haven't been able to tune in much to see what's happening on AK. Maybe things will slow down a little in 2011.

Happy New Year - Everybody!
 
Last edited:
basicblues said:
Of course, the crossovers in mine could have capacitor values that were doubled to obtain the desired value.

Was there any evidence that the crossovers could have been tampered with? I'll be interesting to look inside both sets of mine since they were from the same production era to compare.
Click to expand...

No, mine did not look like they'd ever been tampered with and they had the same brand of caps like a lot of speakers of that era used. My buddy and I recapped my Infinity Quantum III's (that reside in his "sound room") last night and the same types were used in parts of the x-over. Must have been a major supplier to everyone. Mine had (2) 10uf caps paralled together so I guess there were lots of those in the parts bin at the time. lol. I just used a single 20uf to replace them. BIG difference....sounding better as the caps, and the recently refoamed woofers, are still breaking in.
 
These Model 9's are fast approaching to being the favorite of the speakers I own. No matter what I play thru them, they shine like a new penny. The detail is amazing for these six Phillips tweeters (3 per cab) and with new caps, terminals and the switches cleaned, they are definite keepers. I've hardly ever switched the rear firing woofers on as they sound so good with the front four 10" woofers.

If you find a pair of these, or similar models, out there for a reasonable price, I highly recommend picking them up. You won't be sorry. And if you don't like them, someone will take them off your hands I'm sure! :D
 
Looking good!
I don't believe I've ever seen a Norman Labs speaker here in LA.....Speakerlabs another one unsighted.
 
Don't laugh... I got out the old Michael Jackson "Bad" CD and gave it a listen for poops and grins. I always liked that song "Liberian Girl" from back in my car audio days and how it sounded on the cars we built for sound quality (although it's still a car). If you have it on CD, give it a listen if you haven't heard it in awhile. Besides bringing back some fun memories from that era, it's a well recorded track.
 
I would never get rid of my Model 9's. Even without recapping, etc they sound wondeful no matter what I play on them.
 
avguytx said:
No, mine did not look like they'd ever been tampered with and they had the same brand of caps like a lot of speakers of that era used. Mine had (2) 10uf caps paralled together so I guess there were lots of those in the parts bin at the time. lol. I just used a single 20uf to replace them. BIG difference....sounding better as the caps, and the recently refoamed woofers, are still breaking in.
Click to expand...

+1 and Same Here on all above statements. I'm guessing 2 10uf's were a bit cheaper than a single 20.
 
Scored some 9's

Great thread, never heard of Norman Labs until seeing them on Craigs this weekend. Guy advertised pair of 10's, photos show 9's, so I'm even more interested. I bring over a receiver, they make music, all drivers work. He got them for free from downsizing neighbor who's home was described as antique museum.

I get them home, blow them off, clean up drivers and oiled cabinets and they really start looking nice. Love the sloping front cabinet design and glass top inserts. Reaffixed the rear woofer grille cloth with some spray adhesive, nipped some snags on the front grilles, and have them hooked up to one of my McIntosh amps and they sound fantastic! Woofers are paper cones with rubber surrounds and all 6 are perfect condition. My tweeters are not like the phillips in this thread. I will take and post some pics later today.

They are now next to my Carver ALSiii speakers and are giving them a run for the money.

Best $75 I ever spent:)

Definitely keepers, will have to do the binder post upgrades you have outlined and may recap too. Thanks for the great post.
 

Attachments

  • DSCN4797.jpg
    DSCN4797.jpg
    77.5 KB · Views: 100
  • DSCN4798.jpg
    DSCN4798.jpg
    83.1 KB · Views: 113
Last edited:
You did good! Those are beautiful and great sounding speakers for sure. They definitely give many, many speakers costing way more a run for their money....plus a lot of other speakers that are so coveted here on AK. I see Carver amps there...I use 'em too. I have a TFM-55 running on my Model 9's. Your 9's are the earlier version but still a Phillips tweeter, I believe. I'd like to come across a pair of that version for comparison. Make sure those circuit breaker switches and the woofer/tweeter switches are clean, too. I bypassed the circuit breakers in mine as they would literally cut off while playing at even low volume and you'd have to "wiggle them" for them to work again. I also recapped them which was a very simple process.

Enjoy!
 
Thanks for the follow up. I'll keep your thread for the recap upgrade down the road, a good project when the snow if flying.
 
Really nice speakers and very skilled resoration work done! I think NL are one of the top under rated builders of our day. Their designs were inovative, their sound were usually very good and the cabinetry very stylish, clean and eye catching. Everyone I knew that ever owned them certainly liked them- including me. I hope as they are found they can all be restored as good as yours so people can once again appreciate their quality of sound and looks. I will be doing my part for sure!
DC
 
Man, I just love my Norman Lab Model 9's. It's amazing how good they sound no matter what music I play on them and at all sorts of volume levels. :D I still need to get some glass tops cut for them to make them "complete", though.

Again, if you guys come across any of the Norman Labs in this series, or the older version, or the x32 or x35 series, pick them up and give them a chance if the price is right.
 
FWIW, I believe I bought the first pair of 9's sold to the public. I ordered a pair, sight unseen or sound unheard, as they were not publicly available yet, from Audio Tech, in Waco, Tx, in early '74. They were special built for me, and I had to wait for about three weeks for their arrival. The serial numbers ended in 001 and 002. The rear speaker was passive only, as a jumper wire was connected between the + & - posts, and not connected to the other drivers.

In '76 I removed the passive driver, boarded up the hole and bi-amped the set, using a Crown DC300A on the bottom, a Phase 150 on the top with a Pioneer multi amp crossover to set it all up. they were awesome both ways, but much cleaner bi-amped

I ran the Audio Tech Waco store for about six years and sold untold sets of all models of Norman speakers.

A little trivia. Leonard Bernstein, (not the conductor) who owned Norman Labs, also owned the Audio Tech Hifi Stores in Texas and Ok. I worked for him and had a ball selling his speakers over JBL's, Bose, Pioneer, AR, Yamaha, Technics, B&O, and all the other popular speakers of the day. I also have a set of Model 7's made in '78, factory stands, too.
tomp/dd5
 
Very nice work on these model 9's from 1983. I'd say you probably have the very last or next to last year NL made this model but this is the latest produced set I've seen to date. I've got 2 sets of model 9's like these from 1981 and 1982.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom