[Vintage-Audio] Re Speakers From Yesteryear

[Salmons, Michael]

I'm entering the fray a little late but thought I'd throw my two cents =
worth in, since I've been subscribed to this list for months but so far =
have contributed almost nil. I really wish I could have heard every one =
of the setups described thus far in this thread. I've never experienced =
a VotT in a home setting, but sure would love to: I play a lot of mono =
records and have to just make due with what I have.

Ok, so here is what I'm making due with: an Eico HF81 amp (about 16 =
watts per) and a pioneer sa-8500 (60, I think) driving mainly smaller =
speakers. My turntable: a stock Voice of Music 4-speed turntable with =
the original sonotone 8TA cartridge (lucked into a store of replacement =
needles)- this is a pretty basic record player and pretty cheap =
catridge, but 45s sound so great with it!

Speakers: A variety, including Bang and Olufsen 2600s, KLH model =
fifteens, and AR 4AXs. So no thumping bass here, but the B&Os and the =
KLHs both have very satisfying highs and midranges (and, actually, the =
bass of the 2600s is nothing to scoff at); the AR 4AXs have great =
midrange and bass but almost nonexistent high end. A pair of janszen =
electrostatic cabinet toppers mix with these speakers like butter and =
honey. wow!

CDs take on new depth and imagery when played through vintage sets. One =
of my favorite pastimes is amazing friends by playing familiar material =
through old amps and speakers. I'd like to procure mac or quad equipment =
for further amazement... as soon as I refinance the mortgage.

Michael Salmons


-----Original Message-----
From: Bob [mailto:wolfbob@csnsys.com]
Sent: Sunday, July 14, 2002 1:22 AM
To: vintage-audio@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Vintage-Audio] Re Speakers From Yesteryear


No question that the VotT is a wonderful and probably the
very best Monaural speaker. The problem is with stereo. It
is not good for making a sound field when used in pairs for
the the left and right or even as the center speaker. Makes
great sound but doesnt make a stereo sound field correctly.
If the spacial disribution of the sound SOURCE is important
to your enjoyment then the horns suck.

WBob

Robert Nickels wrote:
>=20
> > The center channel in a home theater is hardly vintage. (grin)  A =
horn,
> no.
>=20
> Actually a horn, yes!
>=20
> The classic Voice of the Theater setup was a single cabinet located =
behind
> the center of the screen, which produced the brilliant mono sound we =
all
> remember from Saturday matinees, way before  stereo and surround sound =
made
> it to the movies.   While it might present a challenge to most =
decorating
> schemes, the Altec Lansing 811B mulit-sectoral horn used in the A7 VOT =
is
> designed to produce a 40 degree vertical and 90 degree horizontal
> distribution pattern, with a response of 800 hz to 22 khz when used =
with an
> 800 hz cutoff.   The 511B used on the A7-500 like I use to shake-test =
my
> basement is the same, only with a 500 hz cutoff.   The horn makes an =
ideal
> center channel speaker because that's basically what it was designed =
for,
> but the modern type Duane describes is an attempt to produce similar =
results
> without having to have a 24" wide horn in your living room!
>=20
> 73, Bob W9RAN
>=20
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