[Boatanchors] Boatanchor Speakers

[Singley, Rodger]

Bill,

I do everything except pay super high prices for speakers.  Whenever I see a good price on a vintage speaker speaker for one of the major brands I buy it; for example I just bought 3 "restorable" NC-173 receivers at a hamfest to get the two matching National speakers ($75 total).  I also do woodworking and I have made some wood replica speakers for some of my older Halli receivers.  Later this winter I am going to try to build a replica of the RCA floorstanding speaker that was sold to go with the AR-77 receiver I have awaiting restoration.  For the simpler style speakers you don't need extensive woodworking equipment or skills and low cost MDF works just fine for later spraying with vintage style crackle and wrinkle finishes.

Hamfests and garage sales are both good sources for drivers (old stereo speakers) and if you don't care about looks they generally sound fine as they are with vintage gear.  Of course in some cases you will need a matching transformer.

Even as more radios are parted out there still are less speakers than there are radios so expect the prices to stay high (at least on Ebay).

Rodger WQ9E 

-----Original Message-----
From: boatanchors-bounces at mailman.qth.net on behalf of Bill Stewart
Sent: Sat 10/17/2009 6:05 PM
To: boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Boatanchors] Boatanchor Speakers
 


I wonder if you guys have this problem...several BA receivers, such as the Hammarlunds, Nationals, Hallicrafters, etc, (which sound so great on the big 10" speakers like the Hali. R-46), without its matching speaker or any other type. I have watched speaker prices go out of sight, especially on Ebay, over the years. I would really like to get a few more large size speakers to use on some of my old receivers (I don't mind using a National speaker with a Hammarlund receiver, etc) . I have used smaller size speakers, but they just sound tinny to me. Luckily, I accumulated a few over the years, but not enough for the pile. Do you all just bite the bullet and buy the speakers at the high prices... pick up anything you can find, whether it matches or not (which works ok for me)... or do you rig up a switching arrangement to switch different receivers to a particular speaker. If so, what kind of switching do you use as far as speaker loads, switching, etc. Any caveats which should be considered?  



I still can't get away from the 1950s/1960s speaker prices...usually in the teens, for the matching speaker, on many of those 10 inch jobs. And yes, I know, the dollar has fizzled, but....  



Thanks and 73 

Bill, K4JYS 


 
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