The famous 1973 Optimus 7 speakers. How do you open these puppies?

[Gorcon]

Long story short when my right side speaker went out I immediately thought it was the receiver. So for the last month have been shopping and purchasing vintage receivers, however after everything said and done it was actually the speaker that went out. It seems like I'm only getting the Tweeter playing out of the speaker. And I would assume a connection problem. However I have no idea how to open up this speaker? I don't know if I need to ask technical people or woodworking people. Here's a few pictures of the back, bottom and front of what I'm dealing with. The cabinets have to be a walnut or something very solid and the front grates are solid metal. These things are built like a Sherman Tank! Thanks for any help

 

[swechsler]

Based on pics I found online, the front grilles should come off. Hopefully someone who's got experience with these will be along shortly to tell you exactly how to remove them, but in the meantime, the inner frame of wood is part of the grille and is attached to the grille cloth and the metal (or plastic). Since there don't seem to be any holes in the baffle (of attachment) once the grille is removed, it's probably just held in by friction. A little judicious pulling on the sides of the grille frame might loosen it up.

 

[Dswankey]

..I have no idea how to open up this speaker?

A detailed thread here, see pics on page 3, post # 46

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/radio-shack-optimus-7-speakers.398463/page-3

..As for the grills, I suspect the usual, 4 wood screws, one in each corner. But not having seen these speakers I can only go by standard practice for that era.

^ This sounds about right

 

[Gorcon]

Based on pics I found online, the front grilles should come off. Hopefully someone who's got experience with these will be along shortly to tell you exactly how to remove them, but in the meantime, the inner frame of wood is part of the grille and is attached to the grille cloth and the metal (or plastic). Since there don't seem to be any holes in the baffle (of attachment) once the grille is removed, it's probably just held in by friction. A little judicious pulling on the sides of the grille frame might loosen it up.

Sounds like the screws on bottom releases the grill. Thanks for your effort.

 

[Gorcon]

A detailed thread here, see pics on page 3, post # 46

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/radio-shack-optimus-7-speakers.398463/page-3



^ This sounds about right

This is the link!! Lots of info, thank you!

 

[Gorcon]

Long story short when my right side speaker went out I immediately thought it was the receiver. So for the last month have been shopping and purchasing vintage receivers, however after everything said and done it was actually the speaker that went out. It seems like I'm only getting the Tweeter playing out of the speaker. And I would assume a connection problem. However I have no idea how to open up this speaker? I don't know if I need to ask technical people or woodworking people. Here's a few pictures of the back, bottom and front View attachment 2694322 View attachment 2694325 View attachment 2694326 View attachment 2694327 of what I'm dealing with. The cabinets have to be a walnut or something very solid and the front grates are solid metal. These things are built like a Sherman Tank! Thanks for any help

Just found this, very cool! My question on this would be, when it says each? Is that each speaker, or each pair? lol Not really relevant , just curious

 

[Gorcon]

Long story short when my right side speaker went out I immediately thought it was the receiver. So for the last month have been shopping and purchasing vintage receivers, however after everything said and done it was actually the speaker that went out. It seems like I'm only getting the Tweeter playing out of the speaker. And I would assume a connection problem. However I have no idea how to open up this speaker? I don't know if I need to ask technical people or woodworking people. Here's a few pictures of the back, bottom and front View attachment 2694322 View attachment 2694325 View attachment 2694326 View attachment 2694327 of what I'm dealing with. The cabinets have to be a walnut or something very solid and the front grates are solid metal. These things are built like a Sherman Tank! Thanks for any help

Very helpful site. Thanks everybody I'm getting her done. Might have some questions when I get the woofer out but looking like it's in pretty good shape. You can see the size of these things by way of the soup can! Ocean clams actually, bread them babies up and deep fry them.. yum yum yum. Anyway, thanks!

 

[Gorcon]

Long story short when my right side speaker went out I immediately thought it was the receiver. So for the last month have been shopping and purchasing vintage receivers, however after everything said and done it was actually the speaker that went out. It seems like I'm only getting the Tweeter playing out of the speaker. And I would assume a connection problem. However I have no idea how to open up this speaker? I don't know if I need to ask technical people or woodworking people. Here's a few pictures of the back, bottom and front View attachment 2694322 View attachment 2694325 View attachment 2694326 View attachment 2694327 of what I'm dealing with. The cabinets have to be a walnut or something very solid and the front grates are solid metal. These things are built like a Sherman Tank! Thanks for any help

I'm in! And I'll have to say I've never seen a speaker like this! Anybody know what I should do?
Like I said the woofer is not playing. Thanks

 

[Gorcon]

Long story short when my right side speaker went out I immediately thought it was the receiver. So for the last month have been shopping and purchasing vintage receivers, however after everything said and done it was actually the speaker that went out. It seems like I'm only getting the Tweeter playing out of the speaker. And I would assume a connection problem. However I have no idea how to open up this speaker? I don't know if I need to ask technical people or woodworking people. Here's a few pictures of the back, bottom and front View attachment 2694322 View attachment 2694325 View attachment 2694326 View attachment 2694327 of what I'm dealing with. The cabinets have to be a walnut or something very solid and the front grates are solid metal. These things are built like a Sherman Tank! Thanks for any help

Okay this is turning into a post for anybody else that happens to own a pair of these. I found the problem.
I guess if anybody's reading .... is soldering the only and best way to reattach this wire? And would you drill out that rivet in order to get to the bottom and solder it on as originally done? Or can I just attach it to the plug and wire? Thank you

 

[painttoad]

removing the rivet and soldering to the backside is the best way to do it. problem being, the lead is now shorter which means it will break easier under heavy excursion.

heavy excursion is most likely how it broke. i saw this alot in my younger days.

 

[Gorcon]

removing the rivet and soldering to the backside is the best way to do it. problem being, the lead is now shorter which means it will break easier under heavy excursion.

heavy excursion is most likely how it broke. i saw this alot in my younger days.

Yes I've decided to remove the rivet. But as far as the heavy excursion, what would you do in this situation?

 

[painttoad]

Yes I've decided to remove the rivet. But as far as the heavy excursion, what would you do in this situation?

repair them and flip them. ima basshead tho

 

[maxhifi]

I'd remove the solder from the hole using wick or a solder sucker, and then solder a short length of say #14 copper with a loop bent on the end going straight down. Then solder the remaining tinsel lead to the loop. I would not remove the entire terminal strip.

 

[painttoad]

I'd remove the solder from the hole using wick or a solder sucker, and then solder a short length of say #14 copper with a loop bent on the end going straight down. Then solder the remaining tinsel lead to the loop. I would not remove the entire terminal strip.

solid plan

 

[z-adamson]

Remove the spade connectors and get the driver on a bench if you haven’t already.

Remove solder, clean with acetone, solder in a short extension, solid copper preferably, with a hook on the end to solder the lead to. The other intact lead looks bad too. I would do this to both and check the woofer in the other cab too.

 

[maxhifi]

View attachment 2694558 View attachment 2694559 View attachment 2694558 View attachment 2694559

Just found this, very cool! My question on this would be, when it says each? Is that each speaker, or each pair? lol Not really relevant , just curious

Radio Shack always sold their speakers in singles. Also if you do this repair properly it will be fine, you don't need to worry too much about high excursion, unless it is to the point of abusive.

 

[Gorcon]

I'd remove the solder from the hole using wick or a solder sucker, and then solder a short length of say #14 copper with a loop bent on the end going straight down. Then solder the remaining tinsel lead to the loop. I would not remove the entire terminal strip.

Can I use the Copper from the center of a coaxial cable TV wire or do I have to go buy a number 14 wire do you think? Because I have tons of coaxial around here.

 

[maxhifi]

Can I use the Copper from the center of a coaxial cable TV wire or do I have to go buy a number 14 wire do you think? Because I have tons of coaxial around here.

Worth a try.. worst case you need to do it again, it's not life or death here. I'd probably double it up though for some extra strength. Just twist a couple pieces together to make a thicker piece.

And some advice - protect the speaker cone with a cloth while you're soldering, in case any solder drops.

 

[gusaudio]

My opinion: manufacturing defect. Excessive solder in the braid, left too short a length flexible.
Avoid repeating that mistake.
The advantage of the loop plan is better support for the piece of solid wire , lowering the potential for work hardening and breaking,
I would think smaller than 14 would be fine, larger wire wire needs more heat to get solder to flow, more wicking into braid
Loop should I think be mechanically secure,IOW not fall off before or while soldering
If using that technique to repair, solder the loop in place, leave a small blob of fresh solder on the loop and while it is all still pretty hot, bring the wire, loop and iron together for the shortest time practical to get the braid to attach to the loop
Hold the braid in place with needle nose [unless you have well calloused fingers] for several seconds after removing the iron
AGain, avoid over large wire or too much 'mass' to the loop as it requires more heat to get it to flow, and will cause more solder to wick into the braid
Of course, it probably took 40 years to break last time, so don't worry too much

 

[maxhifi]

unless you have well calloused fingers]

That made me laugh, I've made the mistake of holding a component with my fingers while I solder it more times than I can remember. It doesn't really get too hot unless you linger too long with the iron. I'm curious how these speakers sound anyway, they do look great.