Realistic Optimus 5B - Surprisingly Good

[Pioneer Vir]

A while back I picked up a pair of Realistic Optimus 5-B speakers in a local thrift store for a whopping $8.98. The cabinets were in pretty rough shape and the grills were very badly bowed. Drivers all appeared to be good though.

Finally got around to finishing up a basic clean-up, crossover upgrade, new grills and trying to fix the cabinets as best as I could. I'm NOT a woodworker by any stretch of the imagination.

Crossovers upgraded with basic Dayton 5% capacitors and resistors. Sanded down the cabinets, patched the gouges, stained them (early American), cut new grills from .25 inch masonite and put new grill cloth on them. Grills had the original badges.

Hooked them up tonight with just a Pioneer SA-1050 amp and a Denon DCD-700 CD player through run of the mill, cheap interconnects and speaker wire. All controls set to "zero".

Played Doobie Brothers Greatest Hits and Sheryl Crow Globe Sessions through them and was very, very surprised at how good they sounded. Not the best or greatest sound I've ever heard but they certainly have a good sound to them. Solid bass and clear mid-range. If anything the tweeters may be a bit bright but setting the (crossover) switch on back to "low" made a nice improvement. I wasn't "blown away" but I was truly surprised at how good they sound!

Some pics attached for your viewing pleasure.

Don

 

[sax6]

Pics are always a pleasure shared.... thx for sharing.

I like to see pics of cabs sans drivers and drivers... well sans cabs !!!

Would like to have a pair of Optimus or Novas someday. I think they are satisfaying to rebuilt and upgrade.

A speaker find for a small price that ends with a ..99$ is ultra rare in Canada.

Enjoy them !

 

[dadsaway]

I just picked up a pair for $20 (Canadian so....maybe $13 U.S.....lol...). I agree with Pioneer Vir, these sound really good. I was doing a quick check to make make sure the drivers all worked properly and ended up listening to Dire Straits for about an hour. I will be doing the VL crossover upgrades for sure. I did a quick Howard's treatment and they now look as good as they sound. I do have a quick question though.....do the woofers have the same "lifetime foam" like my old Mach One's? The surrounds on these are perfect and I don't think the elderly gentleman I got these from did a re-foam job on them.

 

[Wolverine]

Nice work Don!
I think there are some threads on here about that model and most of them are pretty positive about the sound. I had a pair at one point and was impressed with them.

 

[Jayrosc]

I snag every pair of vintage realistic/optimus/nova speakers I see. No, not the best, but really really good sounding and they look amazing when restored. I'm using a pair of Optimus 1's right now in my home theater set up, mostly because of how they look. They match the 1970's furniture. And yes, that's a minimus 7 center channel.

 

[CLB3]

Very nice! I have always thought that the realistic Optimus and nova speakers punched above their weight class (price point). I had a pair of Nova 7b's (which I inherited from my dad) as the speakers for my first "real" system in 1980. They served me very well. Lots of bang for the buck.

 

[jessbob]

You guys do great work and I like it when pics are posted it helps the learning curve. I have a pair of Realistic Optimus T-200s and I love the look and sound of them.

 

[homebrew]

The RS speakers look like a rip off of the KLH Model 5 speakers

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/_Media/klh5_2-2.jpeg

 

[ra.ra]

Yep, and a whole lotta RS products bore a striking resemblance to "better known" brands.

 

[RS Steve]

My first entry into stereo equipment was with a pair of MC-1000 speakers, not long after I then purchased a pair of 5b's. The tweeters went bad in the 5b's so I replaced them with the RS super tweeters, good sounding speaks! RadioShack started me on this audio journey, it's a shame they pretty much just sell phones now.

 

[HTHMAN]

The RS speakers look like a rip off of the KLH Model 5 speakers

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/_Media/klh5_2-2.jpeg

Yep. If you look back at some of the old RS ads, they compare the Optimus-1 to the KLH-6 and the Optimus-5 to the KLH-5 without going as far as naming names. They said things like we designed these to sound like or favorite $134 speaker etc, Guess what the price of the KLH was back then. See page 46
http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catalogs/1970_small/

 

[gbroot]

I currently own Nova 8b's (used in office) and KLH Model 5's in the family room and have done the side by side comparison in the past. The 8b's hold up very well but are "darker" less open sounding. The 5's mid's are really the difference between the two. I wish KLH had taken the time and added in a little more expense in putting the threaded inserts for securing the woofers. That's a very nice touch on the Nova 8b's. Also my set of 8b's have the rubber surrounds. I also have a set of Nova 6's (2 way 8" woofers) that just have a very sweet sound and sound way bigger that they are.I would highly recommend for smaller bookshelf situations.

 

[Outposter30]

I picked up a pair of 5b speakers for 75 bucks Canadian that were used in a church. They are completely original and in excellent condition, and they sound fantastic...The best speakers I've owned and I've owned many...!!!

 

[Tim D]

Radio Shack sold two models that are basically the same. They are: Optimus 5B/Nova 8B. There is a thread about modifying the crossover on the Optimus 5B/Nova 8B that a number of people swear by. It's called the videolady mod. It's here.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/realistic-nova-8b-rebuild-crossover-re-design.307141/

 

[Outposter30]

Thanks...Yes, I have looked into the mods, but I am more than please with them as they are....I read that the cross-over mod results in high frequency dispersion issues. I like the high end top end dispersion the way it is now, and I like keeping things original when possible...

 

[jdmccall]

First separate speakers I ever bought were Realistic MC-1000's that I use as "surround" speakers with a Realistic Clarinette 88 all-in-one system. Later, I graduated to a pair of Nova 7-B's.

 

[sirrealism]

Picked up a pile of speakers and stereo equipment from a guy getting out. 7 pairs of speakers, 6 receivers "some good some ok. With a sansui." Several cassette and cd players. I was after the sansui and I paid what the sansui was worth. I didn't pay attention to the speakers at all. Just loaded and unloaded into the garage. That was about 4 months ago and today I pulled out the first set. Optimis 5b cabinets in about 8 and grills 9 . Hooked them up to there sister equipment radio shack mpa200. Pretty shocked how good they sound. I am a sub guy because so many speakers are missing that solid bottom. First speakers in a long time I could listen to without a sub "still going to use one". surrounds look perfect. I have not even cleaned them and they are just sweet. Not going to permanently replace my M&k s1 but they will stay for awhile. The switches on the back work like they should. You Definitely hear changes when you switch them. These speakers where well loved by a past owner

 

[gster]

New to the Forum
I saw a pair of these by chance the other day at a junk store and was interested.
I know some of the Radio shack stuff can be hit or miss.
Based on the discussions here, I went back right away and bought them!
$50.00 (CDN) and in very good shape.
Surrounds intact and the cabinets cleaned up very well.
I had looked at a pair of KLH 5's the week before @ $450.00 but
couldn't justify the expense.
They're in the shed being driven by a Pioneer QX-646 with another pair of Radio Shack
Minimus 7's..

 

[Gnesen]

New to the Forum
I saw a pair of these by chance the other day at a junk store and was interested.
I know some of the Radio shack stuff can be hit or miss.
Based on the discussions here, I went back right away and bought them!
$50.00 (CDN) and in very good shape.
Surrounds intact and the cabinets cleaned up very well.
I had looked at a pair of KLH 5's the week before @ $450.00 but
couldn't justify the expense.
They're in the shed being driven by a Pioneer QX-646 with another pair of Radio Shack
Minimus 7's..

Welcome to AK! And congrats on the new 5Bs. In my opinion they're a step above shed duty, at least for my very utilitarian shed. I have a pair of Nova-8Bs, which are nearly identical to Optimus-5Bs except for the cosmetics.

 

[gster]

Thanks,
It's really a bunkie....
The main house system is stacked Advents..