radford s90 transmission line opinions needed
- Thread starter radioactive
- Start date
radioactive
tube gear fanatic
i wish it was jorge.the t/t is actually a old mccurdy broadcast turntable that came from the cbc(canadian broadcast corporation)i posted on ak awhile back on it and some pictures can be seen here http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=121156&highlight=mccurdy
you better believe they are
SteveP
Active Member
Hey radioactive,
Those are nice speakers. I thought about them myself, but our house is a bit too full already
By the number of screws that have been replaced you can tell that someone has been fiddling with them a bit. That add-on supertweeter is another clue (and I think I remember seeing some stray wires). I'd open them up and recap them and check that everything is in order. I did see some crossover diagrams for these on the net somewhere, so you should be able to compare what you have to that and put them back the way they should be.
good luck,
Steve.
Those are nice speakers. I thought about them myself, but our house is a bit too full already
By the number of screws that have been replaced you can tell that someone has been fiddling with them a bit. That add-on supertweeter is another clue (and I think I remember seeing some stray wires). I'd open them up and recap them and check that everything is in order. I did see some crossover diagrams for these on the net somewhere, so you should be able to compare what you have to that and put them back the way they should be. good luck,
Steve.
LWB
Well-Known Member
Another Radford S90 Owner
I have a pair of Studio 90s that I built from kits in 1975. They are still working, still sound great. The cabinets weigh 110 pounds each, not especially portable, and as big as a fridge. Mine are full of 16 ounces of english lambs wool (came with the kit), hand carded to uniform fluffyness and stuffed carefully into the cabinets by yours truly - a task that consumed eighteen hours, I recall. I used high density particle board (K5?), but many were built of 1/2" birch plywood. I was poor at the time, chipboard was cheap and I wasn't convinced I could hear the difference.
The tweeter is a Phillips unit, very high quality. The mid-range was always criticized as these speakers' weak point, but there is an adjustment for mid-range response on the crossover, so you can, theoretically, adjust mid-range response to our ears/room. I've never bothered. I've heard a comment about the transmission-line bass enclosure muddying the bass response. Myself, I don't think so. I have always found them to be a very natural sounding speaker. They are very efficient, it doesn't take too much power to drive them. I was positively shocked to hear them driven by a little old borrowed Sugden A21, 20 watts per channel, class A. Fantastic. Every time I've brought better equipment home, the Radfords reveal their high quality and rise to the occasion. I'm still learning how good these things can sound after 32 years of using them.
I brought home new speakers, once, that had sounded great in the shop, but when I got them home and compared them to my old Radfords, I couldn't listen to the new ones. I took them back. The only reason to replace these is because they are so big, or when they eventually die.
I'm thinking I ought to replace the XO caps, but it wouldn't be because I don't enjoy what they sound like now.
$200 is a steal for this level of sound quality. On the other hand, don't go overdriving them, because you probably won't find replacement drivers. Having said that, I know of a guy in Calgary who claims he has a few leftovers from a speaker business.
If I remember correctly, the kits cost about $550 in 1975: drivers, crossovers, a bundle of wool, and a brochure with dimensioned drawings. Couple of buddies and I bought three kits to grind the price down a bit.
I have a pair of Studio 90s that I built from kits in 1975. They are still working, still sound great. The cabinets weigh 110 pounds each, not especially portable, and as big as a fridge. Mine are full of 16 ounces of english lambs wool (came with the kit), hand carded to uniform fluffyness and stuffed carefully into the cabinets by yours truly - a task that consumed eighteen hours, I recall. I used high density particle board (K5?), but many were built of 1/2" birch plywood. I was poor at the time, chipboard was cheap and I wasn't convinced I could hear the difference.
The tweeter is a Phillips unit, very high quality. The mid-range was always criticized as these speakers' weak point, but there is an adjustment for mid-range response on the crossover, so you can, theoretically, adjust mid-range response to our ears/room. I've never bothered. I've heard a comment about the transmission-line bass enclosure muddying the bass response. Myself, I don't think so. I have always found them to be a very natural sounding speaker. They are very efficient, it doesn't take too much power to drive them. I was positively shocked to hear them driven by a little old borrowed Sugden A21, 20 watts per channel, class A. Fantastic. Every time I've brought better equipment home, the Radfords reveal their high quality and rise to the occasion. I'm still learning how good these things can sound after 32 years of using them.
I brought home new speakers, once, that had sounded great in the shop, but when I got them home and compared them to my old Radfords, I couldn't listen to the new ones. I took them back. The only reason to replace these is because they are so big, or when they eventually die.
I'm thinking I ought to replace the XO caps, but it wouldn't be because I don't enjoy what they sound like now.
$200 is a steal for this level of sound quality. On the other hand, don't go overdriving them, because you probably won't find replacement drivers. Having said that, I know of a guy in Calgary who claims he has a few leftovers from a speaker business.
If I remember correctly, the kits cost about $550 in 1975: drivers, crossovers, a bundle of wool, and a brochure with dimensioned drawings. Couple of buddies and I bought three kits to grind the price down a bit.
krimney
Super Member
radford info
Looks like there are now at least 3 pair of these S90 in Western Canada. I picked up a set today
Looking at your mids Chris, I'm wondering if you've determined whether they are original or not. it looks like there are a few screws missing in your pic and it looks different than mine. Perhaps mine has been replaced? or there were different versions used?? You'rs has 3 screws and minee have 4??
Here is a pic.
Looks like there are now at least 3 pair of these S90 in Western Canada. I picked up a set today
Looking at your mids Chris, I'm wondering if you've determined whether they are original or not. it looks like there are a few screws missing in your pic and it looks different than mine. Perhaps mine has been replaced? or there were different versions used?? You'rs has 3 screws and minee have 4??
Here is a pic.
Attachments
krimney
Super Member
confused..
This link:
http://www.t-linespeakers.org/classics/radford.html
indicates that the studio s90 uses md9 part for the mid.
this link
http://homepage.mac.com/planet10/TLS/classics/pdfs/Radford-Brochure.pdf:
shows that the monitor speaker uses the md9/1 and that there is also an md9/2
this link
http://homepage.mac.com/planet10/TLS/classics/pdfs/Radford-Product-77-78.pdf
indicates that the s90 uses the same drivers as the monitor and that is the md6.
I pulled a mid and it is marked md6.
This link:
http://www.t-linespeakers.org/classics/radford.html
indicates that the studio s90 uses md9 part for the mid.
this link
http://homepage.mac.com/planet10/TLS/classics/pdfs/Radford-Brochure.pdf:
shows that the monitor speaker uses the md9/1 and that there is also an md9/2
this link
http://homepage.mac.com/planet10/TLS/classics/pdfs/Radford-Product-77-78.pdf
indicates that the s90 uses the same drivers as the monitor and that is the md6.
I pulled a mid and it is marked md6.
sheltie dave
Addicted Member
Good show, guys. I hope someday we can see what all the Radford fuss is about!:thmbsp:
krimney
Super Member
radfords
Well, messed around with mine a bit today. Pulled the mid and out of the speaker the meter shows it has good continuity. Re-installed and tightened up the solder joints to it, still no go. Start poking around the x-over and touch a certain spot and it cuts in/out. turns out it's a loose solder joint on the x-over. hit it with the hot iron and they are playing away now
Solid bass, great mids. Looks like my mid and tweeter are both peerless with a radford sticker on them. Woofer looks like a Goodmans.
here are some pics.
Well, messed around with mine a bit today. Pulled the mid and out of the speaker the meter shows it has good continuity. Re-installed and tightened up the solder joints to it, still no go. Start poking around the x-over and touch a certain spot and it cuts in/out. turns out it's a loose solder joint on the x-over. hit it with the hot iron and they are playing away now
Solid bass, great mids. Looks like my mid and tweeter are both peerless with a radford sticker on them. Woofer looks like a Goodmans.
here are some pics.
Attachments
LWB
Well-Known Member
Radford S360s
A friend of mine, living on the outskirts of Calgary, has a pair of Radford Studio 360s he bought in the '70s and still listens to. There were quite a few Radfords sold in Calgary, both in kit form and built locally. Many of the kits did use the same drivers. The cabinet size and weight differentiated them, and they did sound different.
A friend of mine, living on the outskirts of Calgary, has a pair of Radford Studio 360s he bought in the '70s and still listens to. There were quite a few Radfords sold in Calgary, both in kit form and built locally. Many of the kits did use the same drivers. The cabinet size and weight differentiated them, and they did sound different.
