• 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

Speakerlab S40s anyone??

Andyman

Andyman

Scroungus Stereophilus
Subscriber
Well, it's 45 and sunny out, so I'm starting some Spring cleaning in the garage. One of the treasures up front is a set of Speakerlab S40s I picked up a while back on the strength of the samarium cobalt Fostex ribbon tweeters. I read a bit on them and they seemed to be highly praised, so I loosely fitted the woofers with fresh, loose surrounds and gave one a spin.

Uh, they're pretty nice....
More recessed in the mids than my horns, but quit pleasing and dig deeper. Jerry Garcia and Richard Thompson sound like they're right here and I'm just playing one.

These guys are going to get refoamed and a chance to take on the A7s downstairs...

20180317_170435-1.jpg
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
Nice. I take it that you have early horn S7s? I'll bet that the S40s give them some good competition. That tweeter is nice and with that smaller(ish) mid they crossed them a good bit higher than the ribbon S7, so xou don't have to deal with the tweeter drop off below 6khz.

If your tweeters ever go bad you can use the Visiton MHT-12. it's nearly a drop in replacement. (the neg lead is smaller and the screw mounting holes are a little smaller).

Cheers,
James
 
I have Altec A7 VOTTs which I really like, but have been searching for a smaller speaker to replace them should I ever sell the house.

I don't have SpeakerLab S7s, but years ago I did have some kit version of a larger SpeakerLab product that was made of raw particleboard and charred from a fire. I gotta go dig some info up on those, as I must have posted here on them.
 
Last edited:
Love my S40’s. Yours are walnut which are even rarer. The Nestorovic bass system is hard to beat but is very touchy about stiffness of the surrounds and spiders. They need to be done with the correct surrounds. If you have any questions Paul at The Loudspeaker Store is the expert on Nestorovic and Speakerlab. I’ve had him work on my 40’s and both sets of 50’s.
I’d love to find a set of 40’s in walnut to match my 50’s. You will find that the 40’s are a more accurate speaker than the 7’s. Not as deep in the bass but way more honest without the boom. The audax mid does a nice job with the midrange and the Foster Leaf is a sweet tweeter. I also have a set of 1 st gen Super 7’s that rock your face off but aren’t as “audiophile “ as the 40’s or 50’s...
Get em done and you won’t be disappointed...
 
OK, so almost 2 years later, I've got them refoamed and playing. They need more time down here, but initial impressions are VERY positive. The samarium cobalt leaf tweeters are so sweet, the bass is so deep, and they have great dynamics.

I need to spend much more time with them, but right now these are no brainer keepers.
 
There are some DAS 7 and DAS8 on cl here for $400 and $800.Not for me but wondering if this guy is way off base?One has the backfiring woofer that needs a refoam but otherwise they look good.
 
Hard to say. Refoaming really is an easy fix. It looks like a set of S40s sold quickly on a FB store listing with a $1250 ask.

SpeakerLab stuff is really pretty rare and pretty good, so it may attract an eclectic clientele willing to pay.

I bought these as they were cheap and I knew I would double my money on the tweeters alone, and was somewhat familiar with the brand as a good marque. Now that they turned out sounding great, I'm even happier!!

More listening this weekend...
 
Last edited:
superdog said:
There are some DAS 7 and DAS8 on cl here for $400 and $800.Not for me but wondering if this guy is way off base?One has the backfiring woofer that needs a refoam but otherwise they look good.
Click to expand...

I am in Speakerlab country. I don't see the DAS7 very often. Here are some data points. Recently, there was a pair that looked like the front woofers and mid were refomed. The rear woofer needed new foam. It was listed for $400 and sold. Currently, there is a pair on CL listed for $100. All the woofers and mids need foam.

I don't recall ever seeing the DAS8 for sale.

The new price was 1K for the DAS7 and 1.8K for the DAS8 in 1985.
 
Last edited:
donbene said:
I am in Speakerlab country. I don't see the DAS7 very often. Here are some data points. Recently, there was a pair that looked like the front woofer and mid were refomed. The rear woofer need new foam. It was listed for $400 and sold. Currently, there is a pair on CL listed for $100. All the woofers and mids need foam.

I don't recall ever seeing the DAS8 for sale.

The new price was 1K for the DAS7 and 1.8K for the DAS8 in 1985.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that info.Like I said not in the market for speakers at that price.I find it odd that this person has two pair of these rare Speakerlabs in a small town on the eastern plains of Colo.I have never seen a pair of any Speakerlabs in all my speaker travels.
 
I'd hit a set of DAS7s needing refoams for $100. It would be a rewarding project for the small amount of effort to refoam, and a bargain for a DIYer for less than $200 after parts costs.
 
I miss my S6WA's and S7WA's. I started reading their catalogs around 1976 when I was twelve years old. Got my first kits when I was 14. They were a fun company back then.
 
Andyman said:
I'd hit a set of DAS7s needing refoams for $100. It would be a rewarding project for the small amount of effort to refoam, and a bargain for a DIYer for less than $200 after parts costs.
Click to expand...

I just don't have the time or space for them. There was a pair of DAS7s at St Vincent's last summer for $80. They needed foam also.
 
Andyman said:
I didn't take any when the 10" was out, but I'll pull it later and post some for posterity.
Click to expand...

That would be great. I want to see how it compares to the ones in my SDT40's (Delta Hybrid "I" Type Four) which looked like a rats nest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom