Vintage Radio Shack/Realistic Speakers?

[bruhl001]

I’ve been into audio for decades: since the early 80s… but just recently joined AK.
I have a question about vintage Radio Shack/Realistic speakers. (Don’t take this the wrong way – I’m not knocking them. I’m trying to educate myself here.)
In reading through the speaker forum, I’ve been a bit surprised that many knowledgeable members seem to hold Radio Shack/Realistic speakers in high regard. Optimus, Mach One, etc… I vividly remember these models from the 80s, but never gave them much thought because RS had/has a reputation for rather low-end merchandise. What can you tell me about RS/Realistic speakers of this vintage? Clearly they have a loyal following of people who appreciate quality audio.

Thanks in advance.

jp

I recently purchased a pair of infinity il10 speakers for a new bedroom system. The il10 is a very good speaker by all measurements but I simply don't like them as much as my Realistic minimus 7's. In fact I've not run across too many bookshelves that grab me like the 7's do.....with a couple of subs for lf

 

[kevintomb]

If they weren't any good back in the day, why do people think they're any good now? Does it have anything to do guys hearing rolling off as we age. Are newer speakers that bad that we actually think the vintage RS speaker are any good now.

Come on guys, must of us wouldn't have been caught dead buying RS speakers back in the day with the exception of the Mach's maybe.

Now, I must admit that I did own a pair of Nova 6's, but I was about 10 years old and they were ok, but I never considered any RS speaker as a serious HI-FI speaker. And I know most of you felt the same way. So what gives?

My .02 cents

I think it has to do, more with they were not nearly as bad as many claimed back in the day. Back then they were looked down upon as being not good at all, mostly by people that had higher end gear.

Sure they made a lot of VERY low priced stuff that performed okay for the price, but there were several models that now looking back, were probably a lot better than given credit for.
More of a mindset of how people perceived them.

Honestly nothing was top class world quality, but id much rather have some Radio shack stuff "Available" today than not. That Is how I see it.

 

[kevintomb]

What’s VL mod?

There was a member here, that made somewhat extensive mods, to the Mach one, to make it perform far better than stock. New crossover values, foam fixes on the mid horn, expanding the volume of the Bass chamber into the mid horn chamber area and so on.
There is an extensive thread about this.

This is a PDF explaining the changes.....

http://www.levlhed.com/docs/tier1.pdf

 

[Poultrygeist]

These once cheapo Realistic/Radio Shack 40-1286c full range drivers are jaw dropping good in open baffles. They don't look like anything special but their Qts of 1.0+ gives them a huge sound advantage in OB's.

 

[bubbajack80]

There was a member here, that made somewhat extensive mods, to the Mach one, to make it perform far better than stock. New crossover values, foam fixes on the mid horn, expanding the volume of the Bass chamber into the mid horn chamber area and so on.
There is an extensive thread about this.

This is a PDF explaining the changes.....

http://www.levlhed.com/docs/tier1.pdf

Approximately how many hours does something like that take?

I don’t know if I really understood half of that document Feel like I need to be a mathematician or scientist lol

 

[Lavane]

Approximately how many hours does something like that take?

I don’t know if I really understood half of that document Feel like I need to be a mathematician or scientist lol

It really just comes down to lower bass, reduced harshness and an over all smoother, better balanced sound. This mod helps to address the dips and peaks that make these speakers have a pronounced boomy midbass and harsh upper midrange and top end. As for how long it would take depends on your skill level. I wouldn't rush it. Especially the midrange mods. If it were me I would probably stretch it out over several days. No need to rush it, get frustrated and ruin something. after reading the PDF I may try this if I run across a pair.

 

[Jazzbow]

I was reading this thread and had to chime in. I recently picked up a pair of Optimus 1B speakers. In their stock form they were pretty unremarkable. The top end was very weak, but from what I've read this has always been a down side. So I ordered 4 buyout special tweeters from Parts Express. I figured at $3 each it was worth a shot. Their overall diameter is 1/4" smaller than stock and the screw holes didn't line up. But they're purported to go up to 20K. I spun them 45° and did away with the cups that were behind the stock tweeters. The difference in top end was astonishing but they could be a bit harsh in some places. So next up was new crossover caps and added fiberfill stuffing behind the tweeters. Now they sound pretty amazing. If I decide to sell them, I can put them back to stock and the original tweeters will hide the holes I drilled to mount the new tweeters. It's been a worthwhile and inexpensive project for sure.

 

[Lavane]

I was reading this thread and had to chime in. I recently picked up a pair of Optimus 1B speakers. In their stock form they were pretty unremarkable. The top end was very weak, but from what I've read this has always been a down side. So I ordered 4 buyout special tweeters from Parts Express. I figured at $3 each it was worth a shot. Their overall diameter is 1/4" smaller than stock and the screw holes didn't line up. But they're purported to go up to 20K. I spun them 45° and did away with the cups that were behind the stock tweeters. The difference in top end was astonishing but they could be a bit harsh in some places. So next up was new crossover caps and added fiberfill stuffing behind the tweeters. Now they sound pretty amazing. If I decide to sell them, I can put them back to stock and the original tweeters will hide the holes I drilled to mount the new tweeters. It's been a worthwhile and inexpensive project for sure.

View attachment 1923795 View attachment 1923796

Those are three way speakers. It looks like they have two tweeters, but one is a midrange, and the other is a tweeter. Not the same at all. The Optimus 1B's are decent speakers. I bought a pair new back in the day. The electrolytic capacitors used in the crossovers were pretty cheap and are known to have the values drift after all these years. Replace them with some Dayton poly film caps and the top end and midrange should sound better. The 1B's are on my radar to buy also.

 

[Jazzbow]

Those are three way speakers. It looks like they have two tweeters, but one is a midrange, and the other is a tweeter. Not the same at all. The Optimus 1B's are decent speakers. I bought a pair new back in the day. The electrolytic capacitors used in the crossovers were pretty cheap and are known to have the values drift after all these years. Replace them with some Dayton poly film caps and the top end and midrange should sound better. The 1B's are on my radar to buy also.

I believe they are two way speakers with two 16 ohm tweeters wired in parallel. That's what I've read. The crossover has only one 15uf cap and a 1mH choke which would seem to back that up. There are two resistors: a 2ohm and a 6 ohm that serve to attenuate the tweeters.

 

[Lavane]

I believe they are two way speakers with two 16 ohm tweeters wired in parallel. That's what I've read. The crossover has only one 15uf cap and a 1mH choke which would seem to back that up. There are two resistors: a 2ohm and a 6 ohm that serve to attenuate the tweeters.

Could be then. I ways thought they were three way. I liked them back then. I remember the top end being a bit layed back, but cymbals and the like were clean and clear. I would recap them first before swapping drivers. Poly caps are just a few bucks. I still have a pair of Optimus 2B's. The top end was muddy before recapping the crossover. They sound much better now.
Is the FS of the new tweeters close to the original? I've thought about trying some silk tweeters in the 2B's. I have to figure out the response of the originals first though.

 

[S. Pupp]

My first speakers were the Realistic Nova 15, purchased I believe for $79 a pair. There was minimal stuffing ( a thin sheet of stuffing stapled to the back), and the only crossover was a single bipolar electrolytic capacitor to the paper cone tweeter. The particle board enclosure was thin.

They had a slightly hollow sound to them, but the imaging was surprisingly good.

I gave them to my parents when I bought JBL L20T’s. Twenty years later, I heard them again while visiting my parents; I was surprised at how good they sounded.

For the amount of cost cutting they did to produce inexpensive speakers, they produced speakers with better than “acceptable” performance. They were a good starter.

 

[Lavane]

My first speakers were the Realistic Nova 15, purchased I believe for $79 a pair. There was minimal stuffing ( a thin sheet of stuffing stapled to the back), and the only crossover was a single bipolar electrolytic capacitor to the paper cone tweeter. The particle board enclosure was thin.

They had a slightly hollow sound to them, but the imaging was surprisingly good.

I gave them to my parents when I bought JBL L20T’s. Twenty years later, I heard them again while visiting my parents; I was surprised at how good they sounded.

For the amount of cost cutting they did to produce inexpensive speakers, they produced speakers with better than “acceptable” performance. They were a good starter.

The Nova 4's are one of the shoutiest things I've ever heard. Similar to the 15's as in a single cap for the tweeter and the woofer running full range. The bass is very good, along with the lower midrange. But the upper midrange and high end just shouts at you.

 

[S. Pupp]

These once cheapo Realistic/Radio Shack 40-1286c full range drivers are jaw dropping good in open baffles. They don't look like anything special but their Qts of 1.0+ gives them a huge sound advantage in OB's.

View attachment 1913697

I used a couple of these in my ‘73 Superbeetle. They were quite good. I was sad when they burned up in the conflagration that resulted from an engine fire. I lost these speakers, a DIY amp, my car, and the floppy drive containing my senior thesis in that fire. All in all, not a good day.

 

[Infantry Man]

I just found this thread , looking for opinions on Realistic T100 floor standing speakers . I picked up some gear today . I paid $75 for what is in the picture, cabinet included .

 

[empirelvr]

Good lord...don't know much about those particular Radio Shack speakers, but even if they were cr@p, for $75 you scored on the rest of the system. Even that cabinet is nice!

 

[Infantry Man]

Good lord...don't know much about those particular Radio Shack speakers, but even if they were cr@p, for $75 you scored on the rest of the system. Even that cabinet is nice!

I tested everything yesterday , I was surprised by speakers for sure . I have to get it all home and cleaned up , then A/B the speakers with mine . Also never seen a linear tracking turntable in person .

 

[empirelvr]

The T-100 was introduced in 1977 and was second to the top of the line Mach One at that time. They lasted until the 1981 catalog where they became third down from the top. Pretty good run for a non flagship RS speaker. They are probably not bad. Might need new surrounds for the woofers if they were foam, and crossover caps at the very least though.

 

[Infantry Man]

The foams are all excellent .

 

[Steve Smiley]

I just found this thread , looking for opinions on Realistic T100 floor standing speakers . I pick some gear today . I paid $75 for what is in the picture, cabinet included . View attachment 1949483 View attachment 1949484

Infantry Man, I think you got a really nice haul there!

Looking at the stack in the rack, you may have a very interesting receiver there. Technics has a line that used what they marketed as “New Class A” and it seems like that might be the tag on that receiver. It is well-received. Google “technics new class a” And you’ll see good info - here on AK and elsewhere, like DIYaudio.

Might have some other nice gets in there as well.

I think you’ll like the speakers as well. Do starters, they look great! Walnut veneer all around. They refinish very nicely. A couple tweaks I did to mine that made a big difference:

First, I added bracing in the cabinet. Big difference in the overall character of the bass and mids.

The woofers run without any inductors and are meant to roll off smoothly on their own. The tweeter is a cap only. Replace the original cap. The tweeter runs through the L-pad.

The stock tweeter is disappointing. I replaced mine with a phenolic ring tweeter I picked up from Parts Express. I feel it is much nicer.

Make sure, also, you check that both woofers are working. They are 16 ohm wired in parallel. When I played mine it sounded like they were working fine. In actuality, one non-working woofer was acting as a passive radiator and unfortunately not doing a great job at it. Fortunately I had two pair of T-100 and I was able to get one pair fully functioning. I have been unable to find replacement woofers for the other pair. I may try and rebuild the woofers. Seems like they have a fragile lead to the voice coil. The cabinets are really nice, I say again. Maybe I’ll build a dual-woofer econowave out of the second pair. We’ll see...

Anyway, have a great time with your new gear, and at a bargain price as well, congrats!

Regards,

Smiley

 

[Isaac C.]

Has anyone on here ever used a Realistic 40-1310 Super Tweeter with another speaker? Im thinking of pairing them with my Dynaco A25s.