Radio Shack / Realistic Minimus lineup
- Thread starter ethangsmith
- Start date
Minimus 2...accept no other.
Back when I was selling them '69-'74 as a high school then college kid, I found the 1's bright and harsh. The 2's were nice. Both used the Optimus paper cone tweeter and had "real" crossovers, not just a high pass cap on the tweeter.
I have a single, lonely, Mini 2 here, used it with a mono amp for a rear channel off my Sansui 3000 back then...
Back when I was selling them '69-'74 as a high school then college kid, I found the 1's bright and harsh. The 2's were nice. Both used the Optimus paper cone tweeter and had "real" crossovers, not just a high pass cap on the tweeter.
I have a single, lonely, Mini 2 here, used it with a mono amp for a rear channel off my Sansui 3000 back then...
To avoid confusion, Optimus PRO-7 is the mini speaker. The one officially named Optimus 7 is a floor stander with a 12" woofer.
That more angular profile grille is actually of Optimus PRO 7AV (cat. no. 40-2048). Optimus PRO-7 by contrast has a gentle, low-profile curve to its grille -- just slightly different than original Minimus-7.
PRO-7 is essentially a vented Minimus-7. You'd find a port at the rear. PRO-7AV OTOH is sealed like a Minimus-7, but its drivers are magnetically shielded.
( Might you have Optimus PRO-7 with grilles replaced from PRO-7AV? ...
)
Those are shielded for use next to TVs. Otherwise they’re a standard Minimus 7
I have a pair of slightly smaller RCA speakers, I guess made later, with, I think, a slightly smaller woofer and a poly dome tweeter. I think the catalog number was XX-4500?
Always liked the Pro X77 with the Linaeum tweeter and stepped baffle. The port tube could hoot at times so filling the cab with acoustic insultion a must.
Good eye, these are 7AV speakers, so they are sealed and shielded.
My desktop use is little, because my main system is in the same room.
The Minimus 7 is one of those things that have developed what I call 'cult' status. They can only do so much, before they Peter out. Sure, they do ok for such a small box, but I like the 26 and 25 more, just a touch bigger. I also liked a RCA version which was ported, it gave a bit more on the bottom.
Now, I'll admit, way back in 71 I put a pair of 7's in the back of a Jeep CJ7 and they performed superbly in that situation. Small boxes but they lit up the sound!
My desktop use is little, because my main system is in the same room.
The Minimus 7 is one of those things that have developed what I call 'cult' status. They can only do so much, before they Peter out. Sure, they do ok for such a small box, but I like the 26 and 25 more, just a touch bigger. I also liked a RCA version which was ported, it gave a bit more on the bottom.
Now, I'll admit, way back in 71 I put a pair of 7's in the back of a Jeep CJ7 and they performed superbly in that situation. Small boxes but they lit up the sound!
Have about a dozen Minimus 7 including the W, none can come close to the SQ of the identical size Canton Plus S. The bass response of the little Canton is quite startling, with silky smooth highs.
These are the mini RCAs I was referring to earlier. Model number is 40-5000.
I would like to hear those.
I've also had the ADS, and Vanco Compac 50's, both superior to the Minimus 7, but the Canton handily beats both with the ADS second, then the Vanco, followed by the Minimus 7.
The allure to the Minimus was it's ridiculously low price of $39 a pair when on sale. All of the others were considerably more with the Vanco at $120 being the cheapest. That was a lot of money for such tiny speakers 40yrs ago, and why there are so many more Minimus 7's out there.
the skipper
Professional Curmudgeon
My first DPL HT in '98 used five pro7 AV's and a passive sub. Didn't play loud but it was a first step.
The Canton Plus C passive sub matches quite well with the Minimus 7.
Shown here with the Plus S.
Lou F Quincy
Super Member
I wonder who owns the rights or tooling for that line. If I win lottery, expect to see them at Best Buy (with Bluetooth). I have several 7s. They're on my back deck, bathroom (white), wood (stored somewhere) and a pair of Optimus PRO X7 which sound great nearfield. Been bedside for years. They have a staggered face with tweeter set slightly back from woofer and the casing is ribbed.
I also have the LX5 which has the linaeum tweet cage-mounted on top. Great desktop tester for gear. Takes a punch of power.
One other forgotten model is the Optimus center video speaker PRO CS5 with the Linaeum tweeter. Beats my Infinity center Video 1 speaker musically.
I also have the LX5 which has the linaeum tweet cage-mounted on top. Great desktop tester for gear. Takes a punch of power.
One other forgotten model is the Optimus center video speaker PRO CS5 with the Linaeum tweeter. Beats my Infinity center Video 1 speaker musically.
Lou F Quincy
Super Member
The Realistic Minimus-11 is interesting in that it uses a slightly set back paper tweeter mounted in a shallow plastic horn. Also has rubber facing material on baffle front like Design Acoustics uses.
used the LX5 as rear surrounds for yrs, great for that application.
Here are several variations on a theme of Minimus. I have more wood ones, the classic black metal ones too plus a set of post RCA Genexxa in the same size as the 77. I also have the Optimus LX-4 with the Linaeum tweeters and kevlar woofers.
On the left, repainted Minimus 77 (used to be white), Minimus 22 which has the same volume as the 7 but different proportions designed for wall mounting, 7W's, and in the front the single driver (I hesitate to call it full-range) Minimus 3.5.
Here is the back of the 22 with keyhole mount and recess for the wire. When I saw these rare birds advertised locally for $20 I had to have them. It actually took months for the seller and I to finally meet.
On the left, repainted Minimus 77 (used to be white), Minimus 22 which has the same volume as the 7 but different proportions designed for wall mounting, 7W's, and in the front the single driver (I hesitate to call it full-range) Minimus 3.5.
Here is the back of the 22 with keyhole mount and recess for the wire. When I saw these rare birds advertised locally for $20 I had to have them. It actually took months for the seller and I to finally meet.
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Brendan808
New Member
I have a pair of the RCAs (model# 40-5001) and they're quite impressive to my aging ears. Oddly, I prefer their sound to my M7's, which is blasphemous to most.
They are ported as opposed to their Minimus brethren, which gives them a fuller sound in the upper/mid bass. It could be the room but I always felt that the M7's were a tad bright.
Looking back to my 2020 post (#22), stand by my remarks, still have a single, lonely Minimus 2 which I would like to either sell or get a mate for her (in good to excellent condition) 