Western Electric 2080A speaker !

[audiogrunt]

Can anyone please tell me is WE made their own speakers or were they made by Altec ?
I have recently acquired 4 x 2080-A fifteen inch drivers that came from a Sydney cinema and on each the label says the ' property of the ' Western Electric Company made in England !
If anyone can shed some light on this I would be very great full please.

 

[bowtie427ss]

Westrex, not Western Electric.

Western Electric owned the equipment and leased it to the theaters where it was installed.

Note EXACTLY what the label says, property of.

If you had posted comprehensive pics, details of the cast aluminum Altec split rim basket, paper hinged cone, and phenolic spider would be clearly visible to viewers who might be able to offer information. It's a kinda get what you give thing.

They are essentially Altec 515's with different paint, and a formed steel handle clamped around the magnet assembly. The feeling among those far more knowledgeable than i is that the components were probably manufactured in England from Altec USA sourced parts. Documentation is pretty much non-existent.

Try contacting Steve Schell, he's a member here and his moniker is his name. I know of no other individual on the planet at this point who would be able to give you more factual information on these great drivers than he.

 

[Bo Lindström]

Westrex, not Western Electric.

Western Electric owned the equipment and leased it to the theaters where it was installed.

Note EXACTLY what the label says, property of.

If you had posted comprehensive pics, details of the cast aluminum Altec split rim basket, paper hinged cone, and phenolic spider would be clearly visible to viewers who might be able to offer information. It's a kinda get what you give thing.

They are essentially Altec 515's with different paint, and a formed steel handle clamped around the magnet assembly. The feeling among those far more knowledgeable than i is that the components were probably manufactured in England from Altec USA sourced parts. Documentation is pretty much non-existent.

Try contacting Steve Schell, he's a member here and his moniker is his name. I know of no other individual on the planet at this point who would be able to give you more factual information on these great drivers than he.

The 2080-A was labeled Western Electric not Westrex. According to Steve Schell the 2080-A ”was more lavishly built with better materials”. They are also four kilograms heavier than the 515, so not just a repaint job.

 

[bowtie427ss]

The 2080-A was labeled Western Electric not Westrex. According to Steve Schell the 2080-A ”was more lavishly built with better materials”. They are also four kilograms heavier than the 515, so not just a repaint job.

Does the label claim that Western Electric made it?

Could you point me to the Western Electric factory in England?

I'll take Dave Fenner's word where the actual manufacturer is concerned.

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulle...strex-speakers&p=349014&viewfull=1#post349014

 

[Bo Lindström]

Does the label claim that Western Electric made it?

Could you point me to the Western Electric factory in England?

I'll take Dave Fenner's word where the actual manufacturer is concerned.

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulle...strex-speakers&p=349014&viewfull=1#post349014

What I said was that the company name when the 2080-A was made was Western Electric (Co Ltd), not Westrex as you claimed. And that the 2080-A was not just a 515 with different paint and a handle. I have no more idea than anybody else who actually manufactured the 2080-A.

 

[jeb98]

Sorry I don't have any insight on who made these, but finding four of these is quite a score! Congratulations. Were there any horns in the system as well?

 

[Bo Lindström]

Does the label claim that Western Electric made it?

Could you point me to the Western Electric factory in England?

I'll take Dave Fenner's word where the actual manufacturer is concerned.

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulle...strex-speakers&p=349014&viewfull=1#post349014

Bowtie, what happened to your ”internet parroting" post? Did the moderators remove it?

I recommend that you have a look at the ”who made this” thread on Lansing Heritage, particularly post #21 by Steve Schell. Your post #2 in this thread suggests that you trust him. The weight of the 2080-A I related has nothing to do with internet hearsay. I have a pair and I weighed one of them myself. It was ca 16 kg against the 515s 11,78 kg (according to the datasheet). That´s a difference of approx. 4 kg.

I am well aware of Dave Fenner´s most interesting posts on Lansing Heritage.

 

[bowtie427ss]

Bowtie, what happened to your ”internet parroting" post? Did the moderators remove it?

I thought better of it. My interest is in helping the OP with useful information, not engaging in the kind of jackassery you're trolling up at this point.

I am well aware of Dave Fenner´s most interesting posts on Lansing Heritage.

Of course you are, now that you've had time to google his name a bit.

Moderators don't normally have to edit or babysit my posts. They have enough to do and i try not to add anything to their workload. I'm sure they'll be watching this thread now, however.

 

[Dazaa]

Western electric made in London? Whaaaat???? I had no idea whatsoever, and have NEVER, in almost 10 years of watching Ebay listings, seen any WE gear turn up for sale here.

 

[Bo Lindström]

I thought better of it. My interest is in helping the OP with useful information, not engaging in the kind of jackassery you're trolling up at this point.

Of course you are, now that you've had time to google his name a bit.

Moderators don't normally have to edit or babysit my posts. They have enough to do and i try not to add anything to their workload. I'm sure they'll be watching this thread now, however.

So your interest was in helping the OP with useful information, but when I showed this ”information” to be incorrect, you descended to insult and defamation. Yes, I do think the moderators should have a close look at this thread.

For your information I have been a member of Lansing Heritage for a number of years and I have been aware of Dave Fenners highly interesting posts for some time, since I am particularly interested in Western Electric England Co Ltd/Westrex products.

 

[djnagle]

Check the bay. Those are big money drivers!!!

 

[onwardjames]

Sorry I don't have any insight on who made these, but finding four of these is quite a score! Congratulations. Were there any horns in the system as well?

Yes, as others have opined, this is a hell of a score. Pics, more pics please. And congrats!!!!

 

[toxcrusadr]

Lighten up people. Let's not lose our cool over stereos. Sheesh.

I too want more pics!

 

[audiogrunt]

Thank you very much for the valued information given, here are some photos of the actual speakers, they are certainly well built and should sound pretty good, these were going to be sent to land fill, the cabinets were discarded the day before i picked them up ! so no idea of horns or crossovers etc !!!

 

[audiogrunt]

Yes, as others have opined, this is a hell of a score. Pics, more pics please. And congrats!!!!

A great score and never to be had again I suspect, have no idea at this stage what type of enclosure to use ! any ideas ? cheers

 

[toxcrusadr]

Unless someone knows something about this particular woofer, and the cabinet it was typically installed in, the only other way is to get the Thiele-Small parameters. You might search the web for that, someone may have posted them. Inquire over at the Lansing Heritage Forums. It's possible someone has made those measurements and posted them. You can buy a gadget that will do driver measurements that you can plug into a PC, for about $100 (Parts Express DATS for example). Or find someone down there who has one and would be willing to do the test for you. May be a long shot but you never know. There are a number of AKers in Aus.

 

[epifanatic]

Very cool, too bad the rest of the system wasn't there. Imagine the big WE amps driving those things.

 

[toxcrusadr]

 

[audiogrunt]

Unless someone knows something about this particular woofer, and the cabinet it was typically installed in, the only other way is to get the Thiele-Small parameters. You might search the web for that, someone may have posted them. Inquire over at the Lansing Heritage Forums. It's possible someone has made those measurements and posted them. You can buy a gadget that will do driver measurements that you can plug into a PC, for about $100 (Parts Express DATS for example). Or find someone down there who has one and would be willing to do the test for you. May be a long shot but you never know. There are a number of AKers in Aus.

Sadly the cabs the 4 woofers were in were actually pulled apart the day before I got these from a Cinema in Sydney, the guy said he ripped the cabs apart and was about to take timber to the tip boohoo, I wasn't thinking on the day, should have looked for the crossover and anything else !!!!

 

[Bo Lindström]

Sadly the cabs the 4 woofers were in were actually pulled apart the day before I got these from a Cinema in Sydney, the guy said he ripped the cabs apart and was about to take timber to the tip boohoo, I wasn't thinking on the day, should have looked for the crossover and anything else !!!!

On Audiosharing.com ”Archive" there are drawings of the speaker systems that used the 2080-A.