• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Realistic speakers - "B" series

DirtFarmer

DirtFarmer

Well-Known Member
I'm just curious what differentiates the "B" series speakers from the non-B (i.e. Optimus 5 vs. 5B).

I did a Realistic search here, but cannot seem to find what I'm looking for in the millions of hits returned.

Thanks in advance.
 
Register to hide this ad
DirtFarmer said:
I'm just curious what differentiates the "B" series speakers from the non-B (i.e. Optimus 5 vs. 5B).

I did a Realistic search here, but cannot seem to find what I'm looking for in the millions of hits returned.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I'm no expert, but I believe that they put the B on when they made significant changes to the parts going into the speakers. Usually it was a change in the drivers but there are often other cosmetic differences too.
 
My opinion is that the original (non-B) versions were of higher quality, but that is only based on an evaluation of the build quality of the drivers (and sometimes cabinets), and not any sort of subjective or measured performance comparisons.
 
I know I cannot post "buying, selling, discussing prices" here, but I've got a line on some used (previously used by a church!) 5b's for $25. Cabinets will need some Howard's Feed & Wax, but the seller says they sound excellent, foam looks good, etc. Just wondering if I should drive 105 miles for these $25 speakers.
 
105 miles back and forth ?
If so, NO
If not, well, you have to be shure every driver works before getting there
That will mean have faith in the seller's knowhow ( '' Ahhh ! they play loud '' is not a good sign of knowhow )
If not fully working., drivers are available on the selling site.

Pretty good speakers.
 
Some non B series like the Optimus 1 used doped cloth surrounds and the 1B 's used rubber surrounds. The doped cloth dries out and stiffens over time. The 1B's I thought had better bass.
 
Lavane said:
Some non B series like the Optimus 1 used doped cloth surrounds and the 1B 's used rubber surrounds. The doped cloth dries out and stiffens over time. The 1B's I thought had better bass.
Click to expand...
Not rubber surrounds. Foam surrounds, albeit a different kind of foam than most are used to.
 
I have a pair of Optimus 5b's.
They sound great.
Very solid bass, nice midrange and high end.
A very nice speaker.
Excellent build quality on the cabinets.

Check the integrity of the moldings around the grill.
They are multi-piece assemblies of triangular wood strips and very thin veneer.
The glue dries out and they can come apart.
Look closely and give them a few pokes with your finger.

Here is a thread about modifying the crossover on the the Nova 8b, same speaker as the Optimus 5b, but Novas have the Kabuki grill.
Some people spend hundreds of dollars on buying and modifying these speakers.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/vl-mod-shout-out-nova-8b-optimus-5b.693357/

$25? Come on...
Drive out and pick up the speakers.
Have a bite to eat at a nice Mom-and-Pop place and consider your options over dessert and coffee.
Stop at a couple of points of interest on the way back.
Make a day of it and have some great speakers at the end of the trip.
 
rkgren1 said:
$25? Come on...
Drive out and pick up the speakers.
Have a bite to eat at a nice Mom-and-Pop place and consider your options over dessert and coffee.
Stop at a couple of points of interest on the way back.
Make a day of it and have some great speakers at the end of the trip.
Click to expand...

You, sir, have crystallized my thoughts eloquently!
 
There is a thread on AK about a very effective crossover modification for the 5b. The originator of the mod is a member known as videolady. Many people have performed this mod with good results, including me.
 
The "B" version on most RS speakers were as others were saying....updates done to the original models. Some good, some bad.....it depended on the model. Woofers usually went from cast frames with cloth doped surrounds to steel frames with treated foam surrounds, and usually the crossover values were changed as well. Some think the "B" versions sound better, other think the original's sound better. In the case of the Optimus 1, I have owned both and personally I like the non-"B" version better. To me it has the better sound. The "B" versions were usually done as cost-cutting measures by RS in order to make a larger profit margin. $25 for a pair of 5b's? If they are in real nice shape, I'd go for it. They have a similar sound to the KLH Five they are modeled after, so it may be worth the trip, depending on condition of course.
 
Older Realistic and Optimus speakers were built like the famous brick reading room. Sold 1000's in my RS days and they never caused problems. If someone blew a driver new parts were readily available in just 3-5 days, if the store ordered them promptly from Tandy National Parts. If ordered before noon, they shipped the same day and I received them 2 days later. You could even order a new empty cabinet. When people tried to drive Minimus 7's loud with low wattage, new woofers were like $6 + $2 or so shipping. At that price I was still make a fair margin. Sadly those days are gone forever.
 
Last edited:
Well, the guy that was selling them, with whom I'd been communicating all last week, never responded to me on Sunday, the day I was to drive up and get them. I tried reaching him several times. I've a feeling he decided he could get much more. But he should have at least sent me a courtesy text instead of ignoring me!

I bought instead some Advent Legacy II that are re-foamed and in excellent condition. I'm guessing mid 80's, before Jensen sold out to some crap company.

Thanks, all, who replied.
 
91r100gs said:
...if the store ordered them promptly from Tandy National Parts. If ordered before noon, they shipped the same day and I received them 2 days later. You could even order a new empty cabinet...Sadly those days are gone forever...
Click to expand...

I still have plenty of original parts, still in the plastic bags, stapled to the various orange/white/pink National Parts Order forms. The amazing thing was the incredibly low cost of the parts to the store (and of course me). Tape heads were around $2, many parts were under $1 and even major parts were mostly under $20. I went nuts ordering all sorts of OEM parts for Hitachi tape decks, Pioneer CD players back in the day.

We still have some original Minimus 7 bass drivers, even a few Mach 2 crossovers and tweeters etc. Spares.

Tandy Australia's National Parts distribution was arguably the best support service I have ever seen.

Ahh, the days. (the late 80s)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom