Realistic Optimus 7 vs Optimus T-200

[Showtime5884]

Having a first world vintage speaker dilemma. Got lucky a few years ago and got a real nice set of Realistic Optimus 7 speakers. The word online and in the RS community is that they're the best speakers RS ever made and they do sound amazing hooked up to my Pioneer SX-828. Just recently I came across a pair of MINT T-200 with original woofers, drivers, etc. Cabs look in really good shape and all for really decent price. I've also heard the T-200 are the best RS put out. Does anyone have any experience with both sets and can tell me what the conclusion was? I want both but I'm sure if I come home with another set of speakers, I might be sleeping with them in the garage

 

[katana1100]

The finest sounding RS speakers were the Optimus 300, offered only for one year (‘83?) real walnut veneer, was also most expensive ($259).
Friend got pair at end of year bogo and I always wanted a pair

 

[absolve2525]

The finest sounding RS speakers were the Optimus 300, offered only for one year (‘83?) real walnut veneer, was also most expensive ($259).
Friend got pair at end of year bogo and I always wanted a pair

Holy smokes! I never knew those existed. Sweet!

 

[RadioNerd]

I've been on a buying binge the past couple of years. I now have two sets of T-300, three pair T-200, a pair of Optimus 7, and a pair of Optimus Mach 3. In various places on AK you will find people saying that any one of those four models is "the best RS ever sold." I've said that myself about the T-200, the model I have the most experience with. Maybe I'm wrong?

I've been toying with the idea of writing up a comparison review of all of them, once I'm done with driver and cabinet restorations. I haven't yet listened to the Optimus 7, they are still in the shop waiting for cabinet work and driver surround re-doping. The Mach 3 are currently my daily drivers, and I like them far more than I thought I would. I had preconceived notions about a 15" woofer with mid and tweet horns being boomy and horny, but I was wrong.

Anyway, I'll come back to this topic and start a new thread comparing all four of these legendary Optimus speakers, hopefully by the fall.

 

[colehager]

Hi @RadioNerd – did you ever get around to listening to your Optimus 7? I acquired a pair just recently and I adore them. The sound is huge, which doubly means it easily "fills" the house, even at a relatively low volume. Couldn't say whether it's the "best" speaker Realistic ever made, but I'm quite taken with them. And the more they sit in the living room, the more I have trouble imagining the room without them.

Unfortunately, the pair I acquired had its tweeters replaced with Cerwin Vega tweeters. So I am on the hunt for originals! I secured one on the auction site, but it arrived with a tear in the paper cone (which I'm going to do my best to fix). Hopefully they turn up again some day––or at least one more.

Eventually I'd like to hear the T series. I'm especially fond of the look of the T-100 and T-200, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed a pair turns up locally.

 

[Ed240]

Hi @RadioNerd – did you ever get around to listening to your Optimus 7? I acquired a pair just recently and I adore them. The sound is huge, which doubly means it easily "fills" the house, even at a relatively low volume. Couldn't say whether it's the "best" speaker Realistic ever made, but I'm quite taken with them. And the more they sit in the living room, the more I have trouble imagining the room without them.

Unfortunately, the pair I acquired had its tweeters replaced with Cerwin Vega tweeters. So I am on the hunt for originals! I secured one on the auction site, but it arrived with a tear in the paper cone (which I'm going to do my best to fix). Hopefully they turn up again some day––or at least one more.

Eventually I'd like to hear the T series. I'm especially fond of the look of the T-100 and T-200, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed a pair turns up locally.

I'd replace with a decent quality dome tweeter. Will sound worlds better. Dayton silk dome, or the Dynavox tweeter. https://www.newark.com/dynavox/d-2801xl-m01/1-soft-dome-tweeter-100-watt-6/dp/78Y7657

 

[RadioNerd]

Hi @RadioNerd – did you ever get around to listening to your Optimus 7?

Life, and defective midranges got in the way. My Optimus 7 tweeters were original and working fine, but the midranges turned out to be toast. The coil form was frozen in place in the magnet on one, and the cone was ripped away from the edge on the other. And both had dried out surrounds that were very stiff. I tried to source proper midrange replacements but came up empty. I wanted the true original Optimus 7 experience, so I didn't bother with subbing in modern components. I reluctantly sold off the Optimus 7s locally for essentially scrap pricing. I'm still working on my backlog of T-200 and T-300 that need repairs, and to be sold off.