Thank you -- that was extremely helpful
XP Series Speakers 1959-1973
- Thread starter TheRed1
- Start date
Thank you -- that was extremely helpful
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Thanks for all that great information on the XP series! These are my XP-65's I've owned for a little over seven years now. All I've done to them is replace the foam surrounds. I think I really need to rebuild the crossovers, too:
Are these the "XP-65_" version, (no "S" suffix as non-sculpted "grills")?
If so - do they have true wood veneers?
I ask as the scanned Fisher glossy in the thread hints that an "XP-65S" would have vinyl "veneers".
Please advise! and TIA!
michigannick
Well-Known Member
I have a pair of XP-65s i am 99.9% sure they are wood but they are hidden in a box right now awaiting some foam
Thanks - the pics of your XP-65_ look sweet. The CL-poster's pics are too hard to tell, and was unresponsive to the veneer question.
Thanks for checking! Those pics look great!
I have 2 pairs of "higher end" speakers (in the eyes of speaker cognoscenti) - that have that acceptable look of recycled and spray-painted woods with slopped glues - almost ashamed to remove the grills in public. No comparison to the looks of those XP-65's.
Fisher XP-10
Hello, great info on the Fisher speakers. I just purchased a set of XP-10's and am restoring them. After new capacitors and cleaning the potentiometers they sound spectacular.
I wanted to follow up on your info about the date of introduction of the XP-10. When I opened this set up I found that one crossover was stamped "XP-10" and had a rubber stamped date of 2/12/64. The other crossover did not have the "XP-10" stamp but was identical and had a rubber stamp date of 1/10/64. This would seem to indicate that they were at least producing components at the beginning of 1964. With the crossovers being dated within 4 weeks of each other I would guess my set was assembled in the early part of 1964.
This is interesting, as you mentioned, if they were not in the 1964 catalog, they had certainly done the engineering and geared up production. I think it's safe to say they designed them at least in 1963 for a 1964 release.
Hello, great info on the Fisher speakers. I just purchased a set of XP-10's and am restoring them. After new capacitors and cleaning the potentiometers they sound spectacular.
I wanted to follow up on your info about the date of introduction of the XP-10. When I opened this set up I found that one crossover was stamped "XP-10" and had a rubber stamped date of 2/12/64. The other crossover did not have the "XP-10" stamp but was identical and had a rubber stamp date of 1/10/64. This would seem to indicate that they were at least producing components at the beginning of 1964. With the crossovers being dated within 4 weeks of each other I would guess my set was assembled in the early part of 1964.
This is interesting, as you mentioned, if they were not in the 1964 catalog, they had certainly done the engineering and geared up production. I think it's safe to say they designed them at least in 1963 for a 1964 release.
TheRed1
Console Conservationist
Tbennett, I appreciate the additional empirical data in reference to the introduction of the X-10. You are indeed correct in your conclusion that it was earlier than indicated by the catalogs. Catalogs are never a reliable source for dating items since they are usually prepared well in advance of the model year and often omit later introductions. But catalogs were all I had to go on back then.
Since I posted the Fisher speakers history back in 2012 I have acquired additional sources by several orders of magnitude. That was even before I had the chance to go through Avery Fisher's personal stash of Fisher Radio Corp. mementos:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=502888
Audio magazine was correct in stating the X-10 was introduced in late 1963. I now have a more comprehensive collection of price lists which are the definitive source for dating the introduction and availability of specific models. The Aug. 1, 1963 price list is the earliest to list the X-10 in my collection. It's even possible the introduction may have been a few months earlier as my price list collection is by no means complete. That August date would place it very, very late in the '63 model year. It might almost be considered a '64 since model years typically kicked off in September.
Since I posted the Fisher speakers history back in 2012 I have acquired additional sources by several orders of magnitude. That was even before I had the chance to go through Avery Fisher's personal stash of Fisher Radio Corp. mementos:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=502888
Audio magazine was correct in stating the X-10 was introduced in late 1963. I now have a more comprehensive collection of price lists which are the definitive source for dating the introduction and availability of specific models. The Aug. 1, 1963 price list is the earliest to list the X-10 in my collection. It's even possible the introduction may have been a few months earlier as my price list collection is by no means complete. That August date would place it very, very late in the '63 model year. It might almost be considered a '64 since model years typically kicked off in September.
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Xp-10
Wonderful information!! That was quite the opportunity you had to go through Mr. Fisher's records.
One question that comes to mind regarding the XP-10's, the catalogs seems to only show walnut as a finish. Mine have a decidedly red hue. I'm not sure if years of sunlight have faded the walnut and revealed red pigments or if mine actually have a mahogany finish. Several other XP models seem to have had options for finishes including mahogany. Did you come across any info in your research to indicate that other colors were offered?
Thanks
Tom
Wonderful information!! That was quite the opportunity you had to go through Mr. Fisher's records.
One question that comes to mind regarding the XP-10's, the catalogs seems to only show walnut as a finish. Mine have a decidedly red hue. I'm not sure if years of sunlight have faded the walnut and revealed red pigments or if mine actually have a mahogany finish. Several other XP models seem to have had options for finishes including mahogany. Did you come across any info in your research to indicate that other colors were offered?
Thanks
Tom
TheRed1
Console Conservationist
Tom: All of the price lists I have, 1963-67, show only a walnut version. Mahogany grain is pretty distinctive. You should be able to distinguish it from walnut. The following photo shows the mahogany veneer on my Fisher 560 cabinet on the bottom versus the cherry, (I think,) of my old 510 at the top.
Xp-10
No I'm pretty sure the wood trim and veneers are walnut. I was referring to stain color. I guess that raises a couple questions. Most 60's vintage equipment / speakers I've come across had walnut trim and veneers but the manufacturers sometimes offered several stain color choices on the walnut. So are you saying that when Fisher offered an alternate stain color they also offered the complimentary wood as well? That would be very special treatment!!
No I'm pretty sure the wood trim and veneers are walnut. I was referring to stain color. I guess that raises a couple questions. Most 60's vintage equipment / speakers I've come across had walnut trim and veneers but the manufacturers sometimes offered several stain color choices on the walnut. So are you saying that when Fisher offered an alternate stain color they also offered the complimentary wood as well? That would be very special treatment!!
TheRed1
Console Conservationist
Occasionally Fisher offered a choice of stains for a certain veneer but for the most part they used only the stain associated with that veneer. So, in general, when the catalog stated a specific wood: that's what you got - not one wood stained to look like another. Speakers of the size and caliber of the X-10 were often referred to as "Consolettes" and they appeared to have had a status similar to Fisher's consoles as far as their quality of construction.
Xp-10
Here are some pics. It was dark in my workshop but I think they are passable. I rubbed the cabinets down with Howards Restor a Finish in mahogany color. It brought back their finish pretty well. It made only a very slight change in the color.
In my opinion these cabinets definitely have a red mahogany like color that is not similar to any walnut colored cabinets that I have. The pics are not nearly as red as the cabinets appear in person. As far as the wood type I'm on the fence. I can identify many types of wood but I'm stumped here. I can find samples of both walnut and mahogany that look similar to what I've got here. Anybody got a feeling one way or another?
Here are some pics. It was dark in my workshop but I think they are passable. I rubbed the cabinets down with Howards Restor a Finish in mahogany color. It brought back their finish pretty well. It made only a very slight change in the color.
In my opinion these cabinets definitely have a red mahogany like color that is not similar to any walnut colored cabinets that I have. The pics are not nearly as red as the cabinets appear in person. As far as the wood type I'm on the fence. I can identify many types of wood but I'm stumped here. I can find samples of both walnut and mahogany that look similar to what I've got here. Anybody got a feeling one way or another?
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rafael1971
Member
who can put some pictures of the speakers fisher xp85a to see what the original woofer and I just buy them and each has a different woofer.
BackInThe70s
New Member
I recently purchased a pair of Fisher XP60B speakers for $30. I put a scratching covering stain on it, which it a fresh look. After connecting them to my Sansui receiver, I experienced connectivity problems intermittently with both speakers. I would move around speaker wire on one and the sound would come and go, until finally I got it right. Then the same problem would happen with the other speaker. In looking at the connector terminals on the back of the speakers, the metal back there looks really oxidized, and I'm hoping that's the only problem.