Speaker Identity Crisis! Can you identify these?

[musicallowb]

Hi all, I found these strange little speakers at Goodwill about a week ago, but have no idea what they are. They sound kind of bright, but very clear. The mystery deepens because of the presence of a mini toggle switch placed on the binding post cups. Looks as if it was likely done aftermarket, but I frankly don’t hear any difference when I engage the switch. But honestly, I haven’t really really sat down and critically listened to them to be sure there is no tweeter attenuation happening when the switch is engaged. A couple of folks have suggested that they look very similar to AE (Acoustic Energy) or Castle speakers. Real wood veneer cabinets, an unusual crossover, Audax tweeter, and a woofer made by Carbonneau.

Help!

 

[crazy-in-az]

Interesting. They kinda' look like an older Madisound kit.

 

[toxcrusadr]

Pretty common Polydax tweeter I think.

819 is Carbonneau.

Do the inductors have any stickers on them?

Edit: Yes they do, and that sticker looks a lot like Madisound.

You could contact them, send the pics and ask if this is a kit of theirs, do they know when it was sold, do they have specs etc.

 

[swechsler]

Those toggle switches were probably added on by a previous owner. That, or the manufacturer had poor quality control.

 

[goodolpg]

Decent tweeter I think.
Rubber surround on the mid/woof it looks like.
No idea what the toggle is for.

 

[musicallowb]

Interesting. They kinda' look like an older Madisound kit.

Yeah…I was thinking speaker kit also.

 

[musicallowb]

Pretty common Polydax tweeter I think.

819 is Carbonneau.

Do the inductors have any stickers on them?

Edit: Yes they do, and that sticker looks a lot like Madisound.

You could contact them, send the pics and ask if this is a kit of theirs, do they know when it was sold, do they have specs etc.

Good idea. I know it’s just a 5” mid driver, but the low mid output is almost non existent, so I’d be curious to know what the original kit was supposed to sound like if it is in fact a kit.

 

[musicallowb]

Those toggle switches were probably added on by a previous owner. That, or the manufacturer had poor quality control.

Haha…yeah that would be poor QC!

 

[musicallowb]

Decent tweeter I think.
Rubber surround on the mid/woof it looks like.
No idea what the toggle is for.

Yes, rubber surround. I’m not familiar with Carbonneau drivers, though.

 

[musicallowb]

Pretty common Polydax tweeter I think.

819 is Carbonneau.

Do the inductors have any stickers on them?

Edit: Yes they do, and that sticker looks a lot like Madisound.

You could contact them, send the pics and ask if this is a kit of theirs, do they know when it was sold, do they have specs etc.

Yeah, I peeped the Carbonneau brand via the number. Any idea of their quality? I’m not really a kit builder, nor familiar with all the various brands of drivers out there. It’s American made with a French name…interesting…lol!

 

[toxcrusadr]

Sorry for the slow reply, been away.

I don't know much about Carbonneau either. I don't recollect that they are treasure, but not garbage either. I suppose they'd have to stand on their own merits.

 

[CraigVMN]

Homebrew

 

[Boonaroo]

Homebrew

Unlikely since the baffle is so precisely CNCed.

I think it is a kit that the builder decided to modify the Xover somehow. Best way to find out is pull off the binding post cup and check it out.

 

[frommerstop]

Carbonneau were out of Michigan, can’t remember the city, they were bought by Rockford Fostgate in the eighties, around the same time they acquired Acoustat. They were a good OEM supplier, for both home audio companies as well as automotive. Iirc, Ford was using them at least up to the point where Rockford bought them.
Acoustat used their drivers for subs and in the Spectra 11s & 1100s, not sure who else, I think American Acoustics, and maybe a few DCMs.

 

[NH-MAN]

someone might have been in them and reversed the wires to the woofer or something.

 

[Akustic]

Burhoes ??

 

[cscottrun4it]

I don't want to be snarky, but I'll be snarky: Speakers by the White Van Transit Corporation?

 

[Tom Brennan]

There's often a guy who thinks a speaker he doesn't recognize is white van.

 

[jdurbin1]

These speakers couldn't look less like white van if they tried... pretty sure Audax tweeters have rarely if ever starred in one of those scams.

John