[Vintage-Audio] small speakers

Thu Nov 22 20:31:29 EST 2007

Hello Michael,

Would the XYL consider letting you ceiling mount speaker cabinets? My 
Century L-100's are 24 long by 14 high by 11 deep and weigh 55 pounds. The 
cabinets are oiled Walnut with a light brown grill cloth. Not distasteful, 
not 'out of place looking' and the Walnut wood and grill cloth color blend 
in with almost any room decor. Up there they are out of her way, she does 
not have to dust them, they do not take up valuable floor space - where she 
thinkgs that hexagonal coffee table should be and they do not alter 
furniture placement locations, or movement whims!, nor do they reduce 
seating capacity.

The wires can be dropped down through the wall between the studs and brought 
up through the floor behind the equipments location.

The basement sounds as it is well setup for your listening sessions Michael. 
Nice thinking on speaker and furniture placement!

Personally, I do not think that 18 gauge multiple strand lamp cord is suited 
for audio use! Yes it works, but put a VOM on it OM. Get some 'speed wire'. 
It is about 22 gauge, solid conductor and offers almost no resistance.

I first noticed a problem when using wire similar to yours. The amp was my 
1974 solid state Sony TA-1144, which is currently providing 35 watts RMS per 
side for the Sony PS#2 video system of the numero uno grandson, when I 
noticed a hesitation from the time I flipped the TA-1144 power switch to 
"ON" and when I heard a faint hiss in the speakers. Why? Resistance! The 
impedence of the amp was 8 Ohms, but who knows what I really had with that 
lamp cord wire?

I asked a super technician, Ron Douglas, (Ron! Where the heck are you son?), 
who immediately told me that I needed to use 'speed wire'. I got some, wired 
up the James B. Lansing 8 inch full range in custom built bass reflex 
cabinets, ceiling mounted, and no more hesitation. When I turned the power 
"ON", the faint hiss was immediate.

I know you are an intelligent guy Michael, and I presume you can use a VOM. 
(Quiet Peter! I can hear you chuckling all the way from NJ and 'see' that 
knowing grin!) Check the resistance. I know there is a way to check between 
the amp and the speakers and see the loss, but I do not recall how it is 
done. Can one of you out there, who are still awake, please tell Michael and 
I how?

Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
dfischer at usol.com
HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
http://www.w9wze.net
HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
hhrp.w9wze.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Salmons, Michael" <SalmonsM at missouri.edu>
To: "Vintage home and professional audio equipment from 1975 back" 
<vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>; "Vintage home and professional audio 
equipment from 1975 back" <vintage-audio at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2007 9:55 AM
Subject: RE: [Vintage-Audio] small speakers

>
>
> Duane,
>
>>I have a fairly detailed description of your stereo gear from a while 
>>back,
>>I am curious if it is still in the same room or if you managed to talk 
>>your
>>wife into letting youmove it into a larger area?
>
> No, the main system is still in the half-finished basement room, and it's 
> not likely to see the light of day. Living room space is at a premium, and 
> I've managed to whittle the living room system down to a older TV, DVD 
> receiver, two Realistic Minimus Seven minispeakers and a diminutive 
> subwoofer. It sounds good and is very unobtrusive. I feel lucky to have 
> anything at all to listen music to in the living room!
>
>>I am particularily
>>interested in the placement of your speaker cabinets and what type of wire
>>you are using to connect them to the amplifier.
>
> I think you're referring to the Boston A-150s in the basement. They are 
> placed directly in the corners along one of the shortest walls of this 12' 
> X 26' room, toed in to face the couch. The excellent design of these 
> tallish speakers puts the midrange and tweeter right at ear level when 
> sitting on the couch, which seems just right.
>
> For wire I use some simple 18 gauge lampcord with a polarity stripe that I 
> found at the hardware store.
>
>>I am still using the same wire I bought in 1974, I am a "little" out of 
>>the
>>current speaker wire info loop!
>
> Yeah, I don't follow much of the current esoteric thinking regarding wire 
> myself. Copper lampcord has never given me a reason to change.
>
>>Thanks! I would love to hear your system. When can I sneak in Bro?
>
> Next time you find yourself in Jefferson City, Missouri, you are most 
> welcome to come listen!
>
>
> Michael
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