• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Zenith Allegro 3000 Speakers - Surprising!

AdamITR

AdamITR

Well-Known Member
So I went to my local thrift shop and they had a pair of excellent condition Zenith Allegro 3000 speakers. Knowing nothing about them, I searched for them on google with my iPhone, and found out the drivers used were pretty good. So I took them home for $10.

I thought I would compare them to my main system speakers.

The setup is:

McIntosh C26 Preamp
Aragon 4004 Poweramp
Nuforce Icon-UDac2 - USB Connection
Mac Mini - iTunes
Acoustic Research M4 Holographic Imaging Speakers

So I grabbed one of my spare receivers and hooked them up. The setup was:

Technics SA-GX500 Receiver (Made in 1990)
Zenith Allegro 3000 Speakers
My Macbook Air - iTunes - Headphone Out connection

I played some Ed Sheeran, Adele, Steely Dan, etc. Switching between the 2 setups.

I was very surprised how well the Allegros sounded. They sounded different than the AR M4’s, but not in a bad way.

I even had my wife listen blindly to both setups, and she preferred the Allegro speakers.

I know this is not a apples to apples comparison, but still I’m sort of impressed how well they sound.

Pic:

zenith.jpg
 
Register to hide this ad
I have an exact pair I bought at a garage sale probably 12 or 14 years ago. I was curious about the horn tweet, which by the way is a Fostex/Foster . I plan on recapping it soon and possibly making a new sturdy cabinet . I find them super cheap on construction, but pleasantly surprised by the sound! Not super powerful but pair really good with low - mid wattage amps.
 
I had a pair that I trashed out. The woofers seem to be made quite well. Don't know much about the Foster tweeters but some folks say they are decent. The cabinets are garbage in my opinion. I remember some years ago a person on another site measured the woofer parameters and designed a vented enclosure for them. Seems like he got good performance down into the 30's Hz range.
 
Nice rescue!

I scrapped out a set of water damaged ones (split open bottoms) and sold off the parts. I recall at the time being surprised at what was inside. About a year ago a friend bought a set of 3000s and a set of 4000s at a yard sale for next to nothing and I told him he would do alright scrapping them out. Fortunately he set them up and listened to them. He was very surprised at what he heard, they both sounded good. I am not looking for a set to keep but I am looking for a set to try. They stay on my radar now.
 
My buddy Vegaman9 (who hardly ever posts here) has a set. We recapped and did a little bracing, and I'll tell you, they dogged several other speakers that were considered far better. Should I ever find some for cheap, hell yeah I'll buy them.

The hollow box leads to tubbiness in the upper bass, but that is very easily mitigated with bracing and polyfill, even some bags of sand in the bottom, like Wharfedale.

Box was crap, crossover stupid cheap, but drivers were very nice. I have a guitar cabinet I built from scrap lumber and flat blacked, ugly as hell, but I dropped those woofers in there from another pair he had trashed out, and guitarists LOVE that cab.
 
I just picked up a pair from a friend. Traded straight up for an old Pioneer turntable. They are dirty and beat up. They sound absolutely awesome. I have it running with my Pioneer SX-D7000 receiver.
 
Me too, nerdorama. And a buddy has some of the horns. Could modify some cabs I have here, make some frankenspeakers.
 
nerdorama said:
If you are willing, I'd like to know the TS numbers as I have a pair of the woofers.
Thanks,
John
Click to expand...


Here ya go, John:

* This data was exported from DATS the Dayton Audio Test System
*
* Manufacturer: Rola
* Model: 40671
* f(s)= 37.68 Hz
* R(e)= 6.942 Ohms
* Z(max)= 161.5 Ohms
* Q(ms)= 9.743
* Q(es)= 0.4376
* Q(ts)= 0.4188
* K(r)= 0.02283
* X(r)= 0.6643
* K(i)= 0.03007
* X(i)= 0.6785
*
*
upload_2015-12-14_11-18-31.png
 
kirk57 said:
Here ya go, John:

* This data was exported from DATS the Dayton Audio Test System
*
* Manufacturer: Rola
* Model: 40671
* f(s)= 37.68 Hz
* R(e)= 6.942 Ohms
* Z(max)= 161.5 Ohms
* Q(ms)= 9.743
* Q(es)= 0.4376
* Q(ts)= 0.4188
* K(r)= 0.02283
* X(r)= 0.6643
* K(i)= 0.03007
* X(i)= 0.6785
*
*
View attachment 660818
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting this. I too own a pair and wish to build better cabinets for them. :thumbsup:
 
I've had a pair in my garage for quite a while. Someone on this forum mentioned them and I picked up a pair for cheap.
 
kirk57 said:
No. Still have the drivers though, and picked up some enclosures.
Click to expand...

Sounds like my kind of pace, lol.

If you should get the time, if possible, could you provide the dimensions your T/S parameters gave for a proper enclosure, as well as aperiodic hole??
I think I might take the woofers, buy some foster tweeters off that auction site, and make some nice cabs and basic crossover for these, give them to a friend whose basement flooded, taking out his Marantz Imperial 6's. He always liked the sound of those, as well as his own Zenith Allegros.
 
I too picked up a set for $10 at a garage sale. Cabinets were thin and rattly so I braced and glued them with some 3/4" dowel I had and packed the cabs with some fill, then set them up on a girlfriends Denon for her in her living room. I was hugely surprised to hear how good they sounded. Real sleepers, you'd never suspect their potential from looking at them.
 
4mer.JTF2 said:
I too picked up a set for $10 at a garage sale. Cabinets were thin and rattly so I braced and glued them with some 3/4" dowel I had and packed the cabs with some fill, then set them up on a girlfriends Denon for her in her living room. I was hugely surprised to hear how good they sounded. Real sleepers, you'd never suspect their potential from looking at them.
Click to expand...

Hello, and welcome to AK !!

Did you happen to recap??? It makes a staggering difference, as well as removing the knob (simply take it out of the loop).

Glad to have you here.
 
Are these the smaller 70’s model with the fixed split grille, or the 80’s version with the removable grille?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom