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RS Nova 8b

hurricanestv

hurricanestv

Member
covered in dust, but dirt cheap. they weigh a flippin' ton.

had been looking for something to run off the Marantz 2440 (had a set of sony bookshelfs waiting to be replaced by something from the 1970's).

got them home, took off the grills, saw the drivers were all perfect. foam was perfect. both read 7.5ohms. cleaned them up with howard restor a finish and feed & wax. there was some paint splatter on top of both (looks like someone painted the walls without bothering to move the speakers), and most came off with the howards and some steel wool...the rest stayed for "character" or "laziness" :)

hit the brown plastic grills with some chrome spray paint to make them a little more unique and personal. the tweed underneath just needed a brushing.

not high end, but it completes the system: Marantz 2215/2440 to JBL L88/RS Nova 8b.
 

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Those are good speakers. There is a long thread around here about a crossover rebuild designed by Videolady. If you don't go that route I would suggest at a minimum to recap with original values. Enjoy them.

Edit: The chrome paint is kind of neat. I'm not a big fan of the brown plastic that RS used on this line of speakers. I guess that's how they kept the cost down however.
 
tiga said:
Those are good speakers. There is a long thread around here about a crossover rebuild designed by Videolady. If you don't go that route I would suggest at a minimum to recap with original values. Enjoy them.

Edit: The chrome paint is kind of neat. I'm not a big fan of the brown plastic that RS used on this line of speakers. I guess that's how they kept the cost down however.
Click to expand...

Whoa just found that thread, impressive, thanks...I'll price out the components for that redesign. Don't feel like putting a bunch of money into them, but you're right, the caps probably could use a refresh.

the brown plastic has a faux woodgrain molded into it which the chrome paint can't hide. So they look cool from 5 feet away and a little "special" up close :D
 
hurricanestv said:
covered in dust, but dirt cheap. they weigh a flippin' ton.

had been looking for something to run off the Marantz 2440 (had a set of sony bookshelfs waiting to be replaced by something from the 1970's).

got them home, took off the grills, saw the drivers were all perfect. foam was perfect. both read 7.5ohms. cleaned them up with howard restor a finish and feed & wax. there was some paint splatter on top of both (looks like someone painted the walls without bothering to move the speakers), and most came off with the howards and some steel wool...the rest stayed for "character" or "laziness" :)

hit the brown plastic grills with some chrome spray paint to make them a little more unique and personal. the tweed underneath just needed a brushing.

not high end, but it completes the system: Marantz 2215/2440 to JBL L88/RS Nova 8b.
Click to expand...
My 5b's are the little brother and they are nice, as are the 7b's. I'll be doing the 8b mods to my 5b's down the road (5b shares exact same drivers and cabinet as the 8b). My 7b's are my mains in my workshop (in my business, not home) and I love them, always surprise me with their performance.

I would never have thought of doing the silver/chrome work, but not bad. Interesting, I have two pairs of L88's, the plain janes and the Nova's with the custom wood grill. Well maybe not custom. I like them better in person than the marketing images. Had I not seen them in person I would never have owned them, based on the ads of course.
 
I was going to say, what's up with the grill, but then I read that you sprayed it. Interesting. Not sure what I think of that? But it does look different.

Have always wanted to get my ears on as set of these so that I could hear what they sounded like back in the day when I couldn't afford a pair. lol

I'm kinda stuck in the '70s of late, for better or worse.

Nice find!

cnh2
 
Try some ultra fine steel wool with "Howards Restore-A-Finish" on the 5Bs. I bet that the remaining paint flecks will be gone and the finish will come right back. They are very good looking and sounding speakers. Search AK for more info on them, there is a lot available.

They will no doubt benefit from having the crossover capacitors replaced too. The existing ones are long past their expected life span. If you like the way they sound now you will really like them with a properly functioning crossover.
 
Copa1934 said:
My 5b's are the little brother and they are nice, as are the 7b's. I'll be doing the 8b mods to my 5b's down the road (5b shares exact same drivers and cabinet as the 8b). My 7b's are my mains in my workshop (in my business, not home) and I love them, always surprise me with their performance.

I would never have thought of doing the silver/chrome work, but not bad. Interesting, I have two pairs of L88's, the plain janes and the Nova's with the custom wood grill. Well maybe not custom. I like them better in person than the marketing images. Had I not seen them in person I would never have owned them, based on the ads of course.
Click to expand...

My L88's are Nova's. Dad bought them new, I grew up listening to them. He gave 'em to me a couple years ago and I just replaced like for like in the crossovers. Still makes me nostalgic looking at and listening to them.
 
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I have a pair of Optimus 1b's (smaller, two-way but otherwise similar), bought new 33 years ago. Realistic put a rubbery coating on the foam woofer surrounds to preserve them. Mine are still good after all this time!
-Mark
 
hurricanestv said:
hit the brown plastic grills with some chrome spray paint to make them a little more unique and personal.
Click to expand...

Interesting. I have a pair of 7b that I like other than the awful lattice work.

Maybe some primer then some black would look less "special".:scratch2:
 
the nova 8 and optimus 5 are identical except for the higher crossover point between the woofer and the midrange speakers on the Nova 8 making it a bit warmer than the optimus 5
the jazz classical and easy listening crowd went for the Nova , by comparison the Optimus made for a great rock speaker, being a little dryer
 
[QUOTE

hit the brown plastic grills with some chrome spray paint to make them a little more unique and personal.

[/QUOTE]

I guess that makes you one of the few with silver face speakers to match your receivers... :scratch2:
 
Years ago my brother managed some RS stores and would sometimes help him with late night work. We always had music going and always the 8B's. Really the best sounding speakers in the store, as niether of us cared for the Mach series. I've had speakers with sunkin grill mounting boards. Usually pull the old grill cloth/lattice, nail on some 3/4 to 1" square wood strips flush to the front, and wrap some new grill cloth on.
 
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