Pioneer HPM-40's

OLDisGOLD

OLDisGOLD

Well-Known Member
Just picked up a pair of HPM-40's at GW for $10. Grills & drivers seem to be in good shape. Cabinets have a little "road-rash". If I decide to hang on to them, they're small enough to veneer easily & reasonably. Hefty "weight-wise" for their size too.

EDIT 8-16-2009

After listening to these on 2 different receivers I've come to the conclusion that the left woofer is putting out less bass & tone of he tweets is not working. Despite all that they sounded decent. The controls on the back seem to be working properly & are a non-factor. Looks like I'll have to tear into them & check the crossovers & tweets. The woof in question is free ranging with no rubbing, just less output.
 

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Wow...mine look really different....

The super-tweeter is the same but the tweeter and woofer are different ... mine have the aluminum ring kinda thing around them and the tweeter is completely different. also, mine lack the HPM-40 badge on the inner face....I only have badges on the actual grills....

Perhaps yours are the newer improved model ? ? ?

Anyhow, $10 .... nice deal....
 
Tucker99 said:
Wow...mine look really different....

The super-tweeter is the same but the tweeter and woofer are different ... mine have the aluminum ring kinda thing around them and the tweeter is completely different. also, mine lack the HPM-40 badge on the inner face....I only have badges on the actual grills....

Perhaps yours are the newer improved model ? ? ?

Anyhow, $10 .... nice deal....
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That could be, because the surrounds are foam, but still in good shape. They have a nice bass kick for a small speaker. Are your cabs vinyl or wood veneer?
 
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Actually the HPM's pictured are the 1st generation HPM-40. The 2nd generation has the silver framed tweeters and woofers and cloth surrounds.
 
I believe only the HPM-100's and up have real wood veneer. The 30's 40's and 60's have vinyl veneer.
 
Still have the HPM-900's I bought new in the early 80's and love 'em. I've been looking at the HPM-40's for my office. I'm gonna assume they have the signature crisp high end, and you mentioned a nice bass punch for the size. How about the mids? Good balance?

Thanks,

Norski
 
Tripqzon said:
Actually the HPM's pictured are the 1st generation HPM-40. The 2nd generation has the silver framed tweeters and woofers and cloth surrounds.
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Thanks for the info. I wonder if these have been refoamed? They look & sound great for a fairly small profile speaker. Think I'm gonna veneer 'em & add 'em to my stable of keepers.
 
1st image is 1st generation.
2nd image is 2nd generation
 

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I have both generations and like them a lot. Imo the 2nd generation has a crisper high end but as we all know it's a matter of personal taste. If you wanted to try a set of 2nd generation tweeters they fit in the opening of the 1st gen. tweeter. I know because I changed the tweeters out for my mother because she preferred the extra crispness of the newer tweeter.
 
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Ol Norski said:
Still have the HPM-900's I bought new in the early 80's and love 'em. I've been looking at the HPM-40's for my office. I'm gonna assume they have the signature crisp high end, and you mentioned a nice bass punch for the size. How about the mids? Good balance?

Thanks,

Norski
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Yup ............... And it has a nice smooth wirewound for the highs. Listening to a little Butch Hancock & Jimmie Dale Gilmore thru them right now.
 

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Tripqzon said:
I have both generations and like them a lot. Imo the 2nd generation has a crisper high end but as we all know it's a matter of personal taste. If you wanted to try a set of 2nd generation tweeters they fit in the opening of the 1st gen. tweeter. I know because I changed the tweeters out for my mother because she preferred the extra crispness of the newer tweeter.
Click to expand...

These seem plenty crisp enough for me .............. so much so that I backed the control on the back of each speaker off a bit.
 
OLDisGOLD said:
These seem plenty crisp enough for me .............. so much so that I backed the control on the back of each speaker off a bit.
Click to expand...

it's possible that the crossovers in my mothers pair need to be recapped.

Glad you're enjoying them.:thmbsp::music:
 
Tripqzon said:
it's possible that the crossovers in my mothers pair need to be recapped.

Glad you're enjoying them.:thmbsp::music:
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I have a pair of Pioneer CS-99A's & I wanted to experience some of the HPM line. I had a chance to pick up a pair of HPM-150's at GW a year or so ago that needed refoaming but I didn't have the $50 at the time & someone else snapped them up.
 
Tripqzon said:
Holy crap! $50.00! Someone did extremely well on that deal.:yes:
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I knew what they were worth even in that condition .......... just didn't have the coin in my pocket until payday & by then they were gone. They probably didn't last the rest of that day.:tears:
 
Those HPMs were very popular back in the day, I think every other guy in the barracks had them. Fun sounding speaker if I recall rightly~
 
OLDisGOLD said:
I knew what they were worth even in that condition .......... just didn't have the coin in my pocket until payday & by then they were gone. They probably didn't last the rest of that day.:tears:
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I think it's safe to say that we've all been there. :thumbsdn:
 
OLDisGOLD said:
Are your cabs vinyl or wood veneer?
Click to expand...

They are the vinyl stuff .... My plan is to strip and veneer. I am doing a Pioneer sx-780 up as gift (just today spraying the lacquer on a newly maple veneered case for it) and I was thinking originally to include a pair of Paradigm's but I an now rethinking that .... I picked up a PL-A35 TT for her and perhaps the HPM-40 would make the combination seem more like 'set' ....
 
Tucker99 said:
They are the vinyl stuff .... My plan is to strip and veneer. I am doing a Pioneer sx-780 up as gift (just today spraying the lacquer on a newly maple veneered case for it) and I was thinking originally to include a pair of Paradigm's but I an now rethinking that .... I picked up a PL-A35 TT for her and perhaps the HPM-40 would make the combination seem more like 'set' ....
Click to expand...

I'm going to veneer these & hang on to them. I like the sound for the size of the speaker. Plus .............. it adds to my Pioneer collection.
 
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