VL Mod shout out! Nova 8B/Optimus 5B
Gnesen
Super Member
I have a pair of un-modded Nova-8s where I had the same issue as you. So I pulled the drivers to check them out and found one tweeter reading at 1.9 ohms and the other at 12 ohms. They still produced sound, but they were definitely out of spec. A fellow AKer was parting out a set of Nova drivers on Bartertown last spring, so I grabbed the tweeters and it brought my Nova 8s back to sounding the way they should.
My suggestion is to put a DMM on your drivers to see how they're reading.
RickeyM
Addicted Member
VINTAGEO
Newbie in New B.
woofercooker
Well-Known Member
I finally got these VL Nova 8b hooked up to a tube amp using a Creek passive pre amp a Marantz 8005 cd player. Man, these things sound great. So smooth and neutral. What more can I say. I do have an idea for people who would like to upgrade to the new crossovers but feel unsure if they could do it themselves....Why not commission a fellow Aker who might be interested to do it for them? I have a pair of regular Optimus 5s that I'm willing to upgrade if anyone could build a crossover for me. My tech guy hurt his back and will be laid up for a while and I have other projects that he hasn't finished yet. Let us know out there!!!
VINTAGEO
Newbie in New B.
Hmm, sounds like a good idea and I'm sure there are those who would like to do this, but if there is any shipping involved, especially across borders, I think the price of the crossovers would get out of hand.
Mine cost me $185 besides any labor, because I did it myself. Parts were actually about $100 from PE but with exchange and outrageous shipping to Canada, it was nearly doubled!
Besides, I think people get a certain satisfaction from doing it themselves and don't forget, there are plenty of us AKers here to give help and support to anyone who needs it..
try1256
Super Member
Nova 7 crossover is different than the 8b. VL mod doesn't work for those. Nova 8 tweeter impedance is different than 8b impedance. Need to use 8b tweeter for crossover mod to work correctly. Have fun!
VINTAGEO
Newbie in New B.
I don't see the 7Bs on CL anymore, did you snatch them up?
I know the crossovers wont work on these, but still a nice set of speakers for a good price!
dennismiller
Active Member
I did this mod over two years ago. These speakers are still performing in my shop system. Two thumbs up!
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VINTAGEO
Newbie in New B.
I think it would sound awesome! I too just picked up another pair of 5Bs for cheap, all original, but haven't had time to fix em up yet, contemplating doing the mod on these too or just keep em original. Drivers are all perfect and grills too, just need 1 badge and cabs need a little love and of course recap or mod crossovers...
Bigkahuna
Well-Known Member
I have 5Bs and owned them since 1977. They had seen better days and were used as plant stands by my mother for a while. I could not sell these on CL for $20. I did consider doing this mod. I stripped and refinished them and recapped the crossovers using Dayton 5% films. I can't seem to sell these now for $150 and have sold two pairs of Cerwin Vegas while people admitted these sound better. I very much like how they sound without the mod and will probably keep them for a while longer.
Copa1934
My ears are bleeding
BigK, networks pop up frequently. You should buy a pair and mod them and try them. If you don't like you can always go back to original. But if you do, well you can sell the originals, keep as spares or to put back to original if you part with the speakers. I did that with Mach One speakers, only the next party didn't want them, so still have a spare set. Not an issue since I recently acquired another pair. The 7b speakers are awesome, love mine. Listen to them 8:00-5 m-f, never tire of them. Some day I have to do the 5b's.
ttbccw
Active Member
Just did the mod last night.
SO, my brother's father-in-law had a pair of Nova 8's. (Not the 8b) and didn't want to throw them away and asked if I wanted them. Told him I did and took em home....this was like 6 years ago. In doing research on them I came across the VL mod thread and read the WHOLE THING. I tested the speakers and found that the tweeters were blown (4ohm tweeters in the 8's). So as a temporary measure I replaced them with 8ohm phenolics (like they have at Parts Express) and did a temp. recap of the existing x-over....until I could get the $ for the mod. During this time the highs were way to high, the bass was missing and they sounded very unbalanced in the mids. Couldn't wait to get the VL mod in to see the difference. Well....finished last night and I can tell you what a difference. Most important is the stereo imaging. You have to be in the correct position, with the speakers near ear level...so I will make stands someday, but they sound great! Very nice improvement...very tight but not boomy bass, very clear mids, and dynamic highs. Since I don't know what they sounded like stock I can't make a comparison, but I can say that they sound pretty darn good now! I did remove the 2 pots on the back for the mid and high's and replaced them with the posts.
#11
SO, my brother's father-in-law had a pair of Nova 8's. (Not the 8b) and didn't want to throw them away and asked if I wanted them. Told him I did and took em home....this was like 6 years ago. In doing research on them I came across the VL mod thread and read the WHOLE THING. I tested the speakers and found that the tweeters were blown (4ohm tweeters in the 8's). So as a temporary measure I replaced them with 8ohm phenolics (like they have at Parts Express) and did a temp. recap of the existing x-over....until I could get the $ for the mod. During this time the highs were way to high, the bass was missing and they sounded very unbalanced in the mids. Couldn't wait to get the VL mod in to see the difference. Well....finished last night and I can tell you what a difference. Most important is the stereo imaging. You have to be in the correct position, with the speakers near ear level...so I will make stands someday, but they sound great! Very nice improvement...very tight but not boomy bass, very clear mids, and dynamic highs. Since I don't know what they sounded like stock I can't make a comparison, but I can say that they sound pretty darn good now! I did remove the 2 pots on the back for the mid and high's and replaced them with the posts.
#11
salt h2o fly
New Member
Anybody still on this thread? I just found AK site, and love all the posts regarding the ARS equipment.
My dad bough an STA-180 receiver with Nova-8 speakers new as part of a package (in 1972, evidently) and I've always loved the sound of this system.
It was the stereo I grew up with, and I have many fond memories hearing The Beatles, The Hollies, Elvis, Barbara Streisand, etc. coming through those speakers.
I know I am biased, but I was always put off when people would say that the radio shack stereos were cheap, and don't measure up to the really high end equipment (Klipsch, Advent, etc...).
Realistically speaking (excuse the pun) I suppose there are finer specimens of audio equipment out there which I might collect or refurbished,
but I LOVE that ARS has a following here, and I'm inspired to rebuild these speakers ... and maybe even do a little work on the reciever ... maybe as a project with/for my soon-to-be 10yr old daughter.
So ... first things first ... am I crazy to think the sound coming out of this system would compare to what I might expect out of my other "old" stereo receiver (a ~15 yr.old Harman Kardon AVR-20)?
I just hooked up the speakers to both, and the HK actually seems to make them sound a little thin. (though there are noticebly fewer crackles & pops than when I move dials on the ARS)
Any bets on how the Nova-8s would compare with a pair of Klipsch RF-82 ii speakers (which I just scored at Fry's Electronics on clearance for $198 apiece)? I haven't opened up the new speakers yet,
as I've gotten distracted with the idea of refurbing this vintage system from my childhood.
As for the refurb work, I'm not sure where to begin.
I am a mechanical engineer, and know relatively little about electronics and electrical circuitry, so I'm hoping people can point me to the simplest of instructions on how to go about this project.
Secondly ... are all these mods (for the Nova-8 speakers) just to do with the crossovers, or
Does anybody ever replace the drivers?
(I'm concerned they foam may be in bad shape, and or the drivers have suffered from age -- especially as these poor speakers sat in a garage for 3 year and were exposed to some weather.)
Maybe I should start with this simple question on the speakers:
How do I get the grills off these things? (without damaging anything)?
My dad bough an STA-180 receiver with Nova-8 speakers new as part of a package (in 1972, evidently) and I've always loved the sound of this system.
It was the stereo I grew up with, and I have many fond memories hearing The Beatles, The Hollies, Elvis, Barbara Streisand, etc. coming through those speakers.
I know I am biased, but I was always put off when people would say that the radio shack stereos were cheap, and don't measure up to the really high end equipment (Klipsch, Advent, etc...).
Realistically speaking (excuse the pun) I suppose there are finer specimens of audio equipment out there which I might collect or refurbished,
but I LOVE that ARS has a following here, and I'm inspired to rebuild these speakers ... and maybe even do a little work on the reciever ... maybe as a project with/for my soon-to-be 10yr old daughter.
So ... first things first ... am I crazy to think the sound coming out of this system would compare to what I might expect out of my other "old" stereo receiver (a ~15 yr.old Harman Kardon AVR-20)?
I just hooked up the speakers to both, and the HK actually seems to make them sound a little thin. (though there are noticebly fewer crackles & pops than when I move dials on the ARS)
Any bets on how the Nova-8s would compare with a pair of Klipsch RF-82 ii speakers (which I just scored at Fry's Electronics on clearance for $198 apiece)? I haven't opened up the new speakers yet,
as I've gotten distracted with the idea of refurbing this vintage system from my childhood.
As for the refurb work, I'm not sure where to begin.
I am a mechanical engineer, and know relatively little about electronics and electrical circuitry, so I'm hoping people can point me to the simplest of instructions on how to go about this project.
Secondly ... are all these mods (for the Nova-8 speakers) just to do with the crossovers, or
Does anybody ever replace the drivers?
(I'm concerned they foam may be in bad shape, and or the drivers have suffered from age -- especially as these poor speakers sat in a garage for 3 year and were exposed to some weather.)
Maybe I should start with this simple question on the speakers:
How do I get the grills off these things? (without damaging anything)?
