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New member Username: Catbert2003Post Number: 1 Registered: Aug-06 | I've inherited a 1940's style GE cabinet stereo, solid walnut, perfect shape. Have refurbished all controls, turntable, etc. Speakers are shot. I've gutted the old speakers and soundproofing from the cabinet, and have an approx 13 inch hole (x2) in which to mount speakers. I can cut mounting (plywood) any way I need to. However, I am having a terrible time trying to find just speakers - I don't need bookshelves, all i need is the actual speakers and can mount them as need be. I do not want to mount bookshelves in the holes because of possible vibration. Can anyone recommend WHERE I could find this sort of equipment? I've tried Crutchfield, Tweeter, etc. I also don't need to spend an arm and a leg, I've got an HK reciever that's pretty darn good, and only need these two front speakers as front channels for the TV. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4005 Registered: Dec-04 | Mike, as much as you do not want to mount speakers in there, I MUST offer the following. Tim's emmas would fill the bill exactly/ alegriaaudio.com |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9069 Registered: May-04 | . You have me completely confused. You've refurbished all the controls and the turntable, but you aren't interested in using them? What TV? A 1940's TV? But you're not planning to run the speakers off the electronics inside the console? If you are looking for raw speakers you can find more than a few sources. Place "DIY loudspeakers" into a search engine and you'll get enough sources that you should be able to accomplish whatever it is you're planning. If you are running the speakers off a modern receiver, you can use contemporary drivers. But you might not get very good results since modern components are meant for more inert cabinets built to a more or less specifc size than what you probably have in an existing 1940's console. If you are going to run the system off the electronics inside the cabinet, which would be vacuum tube based, you should use a speaker which is appropriate to that sort of amplifier. This would be a place to start, if that is your intention; http://www.tubesandmore.com/. You can also place "vintage audio repair services" into a search engine and get a few more ideas. In either case, unless you are familiar with speaker design, you might want to consider full range speakers rather than trying to mate a crossover to multiple drivers in an existing enclosure. There are also some DIY kits which might suit your purposes, or you might consider an in-wall speaker mounted on a baffle. Since you've already "gutted" the speaker cabinet, you might want to consider whether further modifications to the cabinet will be of value to anyone other than yourself. If this is your project and you are only interested in a unique piece of equipment for your own enjoyment, that is one thing. If you are gutting a piece of equipment which began the project in restorable condition, you might want to research whether further "adjustments" to the cabinet and electronics are going to reduce the value to someone else. If the latter is the case, the vintage repair facilties can guide you in the direction to take next. . |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4007 Registered: Dec-04 | Morning, Jan. Yeah, the last time I did this I ended up with the cabinet as a nice bar cart, with subtle audio on the side. This is a very difficult project, working with the thin wales cabinet and newer drivers. It just dont work well without re-cabbing the big box. Mike, make it into aaa rolling bar and keep the audio seperate if you ask me.(you did ask). |
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New member Username: Catbert2003Post Number: 2 Registered: Aug-06 | Ok, so here's what I'm up to. The turntable has been rewired as a sole output device. The radio won't be used. The plan is to mount speakers in the cabinet & route them to my reciever. The turntable will also be routed to the reciever - HOWEVER, I don't anticipate using the turntable much, and if it does work that's cool, if not, no big deal. My major concern is to have a cool piece of furniture & have the speakers hidden in it. The speaker grilles on it are solid wood, so mounting a bookshelf speaker inside makes me a little nervous - I'd rather have a freestanding speaker custom mounted inside. Not messing with any more specific wiring - basically just using the cabinet as a housing for two speakers & enjoying the orange glow from the interior & radio backlight, the red velvet record holder area, and the silver turntable. The big question - bookshelves mounted, or is there someplace I can buy speakers without the case? |
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Silver Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 931 Registered: Dec-03 | Mike: I once did the same thing with a two cabinet stereo my folks bought back in the 1950s. Worked great after I learned that the sound would be greatly improved if I sealed the cabinet (the unit simply had free standing speaker drivers mounted on the face of the unit and the back was open). Here is the resource you need: http://partsexpress.com/ Another resource I have used is found here: http://www.madisound.com/ Finally, you may find the simplest way to go is with a set of car stereo speakers, particularly the component sets (a seperate tweeter, woofer, and cross-over). They can provide a simple, yet very effective solution for what you want. Whatever you do, pay attention to matching the impedence of the speakers to your receiver. Don't buy 4 ohm drivers if your receiver is only rated for 8 ohm speakers good luck! |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9070 Registered: May-04 | . The amplifier in this unit must be tube based due to its age. It will require a load to operate. Without a speaker or load resistor connected to the output of the amplifier, it will fail completely and possibly catastrophically. This will probably take out the radio's operation also. There goes the orange glow. You don't have to use the amplifier, but if it is still intact, it powers up when you switch on the radio. You should at least connect an 8 Ohm load resistor to the outputs. The internals of the radio and amplifier would be a concern at this point. Particularly if this unit has sat unused for some time, they could easily become a fire hazard. . |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 4018 Registered: Dec-04 | Jan's post is revealing in several ways. When I see 'catastrophically' fire hazard' and fail completely' in one paragraph, I take notice. Mike, you should, too. |
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Silver Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 933 Registered: Dec-03 | Whoa there, guys. As I read Mike's last post, this unit is being used as a turntable, which is connected to his modern stereo receiver. Then the receiver's speaker outputs will run to these new drivers in the old cabinet. I don't see "fire hazard" as even remotely a possibility! All he is seeking is speaker drivers which will be connected to his receiver. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 9072 Registered: May-04 | . If he is only powering up the turntable, then you're probably corrrect, Hawk, if he has rewired the table with a modern AC cable. However, most 1940's consoles didn't have independent operation of the individual components. When you turned on the turntable, the amplifier came on also since you would need it to play a record through the console. The same applies to the radio. Most of these units drew power off a single transformer which powered up the amplifier and the component selected on the front panel. Any 1940's power supply would be suspect for condition at this point. If the console produces a nice orange glow, chances are the amplifier is operating also. In my opinion, Mike should be aware that his nice orange glow can grow significantly, if he is puttering with electronics he doesn't understand. I doubt Mike will find the turntable to be of any real use. A 1940's console would have a mono cartridge with a concial stylus tracking at five or more grams. Assuming the stylus is in good shape (which there is no reason to assume), that is not the table I would choose for a modern microgroove LP. The 1940's covered a lot of territory in audio. But chances are the table is set up for 78's. If not, then the console probably isn't from the 1940's. If it can play LP's, it will more than likely have a ceramic cartridge. The issue of a good stylus is still present along with the incompatibility of a ceramic cartridge with a modern phono input. To play 78's or early LP's Mike should have a pre amp which reflects the typical playback curve(s) of the time. It's not necessary, but the records will probably not sound very good without it. If a 1940's turntable plays at all, I suspect Mike will get to hear each record just once before the stylus scrapes away the vinyl to the point of irreparable damage. . |
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Gold Member Username: Timn8terSeattle, WA USA Post Number: 1066 Registered: Dec-03 | Depending on how much money you want to invest in drivers (the correct term, btw) my first thought would be to use a single full range driver, Fostex being one of the more popular brands. Pioneer offers an 8" full range driver that could provide a simple and inexpensive solution. Many can be used without a sealed box and will sound similar to the original equipment. If you're looking for a more modern sound then your best option is to try and incorporate a proven design into the cabinet. If done correctly I doubt you'd have trouble with vibration. Most likely you'd need to build a "cabinet within a cabinet" with the front grill left in place. As long as the inner cabinet is either firmly affixed or well isolated to/from the original cabinet material it should work ok. As Nuck said, this is more than a weekend project. Jan's suggestion of visiting the DIY Audio forums is a good one and can provide you with more detailed information. http://www.diyaudio.com |