Vintage homemade speakers

[Sitandlisten]

Hey folks! I just picked up these cool vintage homemade speakers off Kijiji. I have no idea what's inside, but they're super heavy and handsome as hell. My question to you all is how the heck do I hook these up? They each have 4 speaker wire terminals in the back - which are mysteriously labelled W M T C. I have tried to connect them with the usual method of R (+) (-) and L (+) (-), but I'm only hearing one channel, and it just sounds kind of odd.

Has anyone ever come across this before? Photos attached. Thanks all!

 

[JRhoBurton]

Hey folks! I just picked up these cool vintage homemade speakers off Kijiji. I have no idea what's inside, but they're super heavy and handsome as hell. My question to you all is how the heck do I hook these up? They each have 4 speaker wire terminals in the back - which are mysteriously labelled W M T C. I have tried to connect them with the usual method of R (+) (-) and L (+) (-), but I'm only hearing one channel, and it just sounds kind of odd.

Has anyone ever come across this before? Photos attached. Thanks all!

I would guess that means (W)oofer, (M)idrange, (T)weeter, and (C)ommon. If that's the case, it could indicate that they were intended to use external crossovers. So, if you connect to T and C, and don't keep the sound level very low, you would blow the tweeter.

Reading the terminals with an ohmmeter would help.

 

[Sitandlisten]

I would guess that means (W)oofer, (M)idrange, (T)weeter, and (C)ommon. If that's the case, it could indicate that they were intended to use external crossovers. So, if you connect to T and C, and don't keep the sound level very low, you would blow the tweeter.

Reading the terminals with an ohmmeter would help.

OHHH that makes sense. I have a multimeter arriving in the mail later this week. I will read the terminals and post the results when it arrives. Thanks!

 

[JesusChrysler]

Man you better open them dudes Up




Matt

 

[Sitandlisten]

Man you better open them dudes Up




Matt

That's the plan! Looks like I can only open them from the bottom - not the back. Strange design, but I'm very intrigued. They were built for an old audiophile type guy, so I'm hoping to find some treasure inside. lol

 

[Drugolf]

Yeah you could try each terminal at a time (c + T, C + M, C + W) to see if you hear anything. And as JRho said above, do the same with your meter.

 

[Jeffery]

Shame they don't appear to be a stereo pair (unless it's some sort of perspective skew that makes the one in front look much smaller), and it sure would have been nice to get that crossover.

 

[Sitandlisten]

Shame they don't appear to be a stereo pair (unless it's some sort of perspective skew that makes the one in front look much smaller), and it sure would have been nice to get that crossover.

Yeah one is medium size, and the other large. I can ask the seller if he has the crossover kicking around. He didn't know much about the speakers as they were his fathers, and sold them both for $60 CAD. Do you have a photo example of a crossover I should be looking for that I can send him? Thanks so much.

 

[Jeffery]

It was likely a custom made piece, too. No idea what it might look like, but it should have a place for 2 wires in and 4 wires out.

 

[db12]

Here's a picture of the crossovers from when I replaced them in my Lascalas. They are a three way like you need. My old ones still work. I'm in Coldbrook ( Annapolis Valley) , if you are close enough you are welcome to try them to see if your old speakers work.

Danny

 

[Sitandlisten]

Here's a picture of the crossovers from when I replaced them in my Lascalas. They are a three way like you need. My old ones still work. I'm in Coldbrook ( Annapolis Valley) , if you are close enough you are welcome to try them to see if your old speakers work.

Danny

Oh cool!! Thanks Danny! I'll send you a pm - maybe I can take a drive up to the valley soon and bring one of the speakers with me to try that out. Awesome.