Scored another Pair of Stephens Tru-sonics!

[hunter00]

I realy need to go out and pick ups some loto tckets.Since hearing my first Stephens Tru-sonic speakers that my tech buddy scored at an estate sale ive been hooked on these great vintage hi end drivers.
Large edge wound voice coils,heavey alnico magnets,featureing free cone suspension and heavey cast aluminum frames.
This pair of Tru-sonic FR-150's {full range speakers}sat in a box for 50 yrs,owned by an audiophile an were never used,my buddy built a custom x-over for them and added JBL 075 bullet tweeters to augment the top end..On tube amps these 16 ohm speakers Shine!,
Robert Lee Stephens was a loudspeaker pioneer and amicable competitor of Jim b. Lanseing and both worked together on early MGM Theater soundsystems,both going on to develop their own brand and companies.
These beaut Drivers will be installed in my large Tannoy Cabinets and I will drive them with a HHscott LK-150 amp/LC-21 tube preamp.
Picking them up after work today..pics to follow

hunter

 

[sheltie dave]

Hunter, you will really like these, and they will fit the HH Scott gear like a hand in a glove.

 

[hunter00]

Yes dave I will.They have such realistic ,rich tone to them,I have a single Tru-sonic FR-150 now and have been on the lookout for another to complete my Tannoy Box's and have been pestering my buddy to sell me his if he ever decides to move them.
Well he called last night to tell me there moving across the country and cant take them with him.
They realy are quite rare so jumped on them quick.

hunter

 

[drbiggles]

GAH !!!!!! Phooey, you lucky !@#$ guy. Congratulations, I think. Wow.

Biggles

 

[rusomon]

I own two pairs of 80frs and would jump on 150s any day of the week. Well done, sir.

 

[hunter00]

Just got in from work...long day..but the Stephens tru-sonics came home with me after a side trip to my buddies,,A few jamisons later and after listening to some dam good tube amps on big tannoys its R&R time .Too beat to take pics of the Stephens as I have work again early tomorrow .
Ill get the 15 inch drivers installed later tomorrow and post pics.They came with the JBL 075 bullet tweeters and active x-over which will all be installed in my Tannoy box's...I traded my buddy for my Stephens 120 cx co-axials and we tested them at his place ...both happy with the trade and no coin traded hands.

hunter

 

[hunter00]

Ive bought him a couple bottles here and there.Cris is a fantastic Tech and has rebuilt all my tube gear.His side of the deal was he's downsizeing for a potential move across the country and my Stephens cx120's are mounted in a smaller cabinet then he had his FR-150's in.Plus he's gotten into the single point source vintage drivers{tannoy} and he will cook up a custom x-over that will sound great in the cx-120's .
Will get started here on these tannoy box's of mine shortly..few pics of my new to me speakers/x-overs and jbl bullets..they are going into the boxes with the single Stephens fr-150 in it..

hunter

 

[hunter00]

mocked the speakers up and sat them on top of the tannoy enclosures there going into.Paraelled the speaker cables thru neg/pos at each driver and ran cable to each jbl bullet connecting the neg and soldered in a 3.0/600v cap at each positive post,hooked it up to my little Pilot el84 tube amp and the Stephens are singing....
Great tone to these..tomorrow they go in the cabinets

hunter

 

[hunter00]

Altho the speakers when finished will be paired with my Scott LK-150 {6550 tubes}amp these drivers ive been testing on the Pilot 602{el84}tube receiver just produce the sweetest tone.Last pics before I start the install today..
Im thinging about installing the jbl's into the front baffle opposed to just sitting on top of the box's..anyone have an opinion on the best position for mounting them in ie directly ubove the frers or to one side lt or rt and ubove of the driver..
thx

hunter

 

[drbiggles]

Hey,

I've had to sit and watch this thread for a few days. I'm so jealous I can't see straight. Congratulations!

Are there any brochures or images on the web to see how the factory might have done it, or suggested any placement?

Biggles

 

[hunter00]

great minds must think alike Biggs
I was going to pm you to pick your brain.Ive been looking and will look some more..got the hole saw ready and a good bud's comeing by to help hold these heavey asz drivers for the install.Hopefully someone here will have a suggestion or two

hunter

 

[hunter00]

So I guess the question is do I mirror image the drivers /keep both to the lft/or rt or inline.Im looking a vintage JBL's that use the 075 driver for some hints.

hunter

 

[drbiggles]

Hay,

I haven't made too many baffles, not an expert. However, I have made a handful and they've come out pretty darned okay. If I were in your position, I'd make one set of baffles with the tweeter directly above the 150FR, centered nicely. I'd make another set of baffles with the tweeters rolled off to the right and left, mirror imaged for the pair. I realize it's a lot of work, I've done the same here. For me, I have to listen to things in person and make my own opinions as to which way sounds better to me. It's not an easy life, but it sure is fun!

Biggles

 

[hunter00]

I just listened to my Stephens 3 ways with basically the same horn ring radiatorStephens 5kt } as the JBL 075 and the horns are mirror imaged.I think that's the way im going to cut them in.In my mind they disperse perfectly in a large room that way which is how I will use these Tru-sonics.

 

[hunter00]

Tru-sonics drivers and JBL horns are installed .Just need to find a matching grill cloth to my Other Stephens 3 ways and build a grill for these.
Midrange majic and clearity in spades.HHscott amp/pre are singing with Diana Krall at the moment..impressive to say the least

 

[hunter00]

a few pics..special thx to buddy Cris for parting with these wonderfull drivers and bud Lyle helping with the build so far..
I will be looking for a pair of vintage Stephens tru-sonic badges for my grills if anyone out in AK land has a pair looking to move

hunter

 

[drbiggles]

Yeah, see that's how it's done. Do it. I wish you luck on finding the badges, no really. I looked for a bit, even put an ad up on BT for a while. From what I could tell, so few were put into production when compared to other manufacturers. This is why I chose the Ford 298 emblems for my 80FR project. And you have to admit, for that pair they worked really well.

Biggles

 

[hunter00]

Yeah, see that's how it's done. Do it. I wish you luck on finding the badges, no really. I looked for a bit, even put an ad up on BT for a while. From what I could tell, so few were put into production when compared to other manufacturers. This is why I chose the Ford 298 emblems for my 80FR project. And you have to admit, for that pair they worked really well.

Ya when you have a passion for vintage quality speakers like we do theres no sittin on the fence hopeing things get done on there own.Even tho my talents are not up your great work Biggs im a stuborn s.o.b and will tackle most chit.And your 289 bdges are plain cool'thats comeing from an ex-1968 mustang gt 390 owner.
Think of the great sound you get from your Stephens 80 full rangers in a bigger package.Then add in the JBL 075 horn for extention up top
Another truly great super efficient/sounding speaker to add to the stable for the tube amps to play with

hunter...
Biggles

 

[hunter00]

What an interesting project. Kudos...

Thx MarZ..its turn out great but will be better when the grills are done.Realy is no replacement for displacement when it comes to Large quality made vintage cabinets and Bigazz Quality vintage drivers,especially the Various Full-Rangers and Co-axials that can be sourced with a little patients,so many never attempt to build/assemble their own and are satisfied with "off the shelf" models from various manufacturers.Ive owned tons in my day and id put the sound from these on tubes up against the majority of big $$ speakers ive heard over the yrs

hunter

 

[hunter00]

Yup been there done that/when we sold our home 3 yrs ago I had a garage full of hi-er end SS amps and big speakers.When it came time to leave I sold all but my tube gear and my very best speakers.One pair of speakers I kept were IMF als40ii ,kind of a transmission line speaker from Irvine m Fried that was too good to sell.
Ironically im selling those speakers today as my new Stephens build have pushed them out...tears...
good luck with the house sale
hunter