I am hoping someone might recognize this speaker- western electric L-8 system. It came from a late 40's-early 50's for western electric theater system. Altec A-7 system was made based on this speaker. Anyway I am looking for a plan of this speaker cabinet. I wanna make it for myself. Also I want to know more about this speaker. Any information anyone might have would be a help. Thanks very much.
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That is not an L-8. It is not a WE design as far as I know.
It uses the horn and driver from an L-8.
The woofer in the pic is the phenolic cone predecessor to the 728B, the D173368, which was made for the US Navy.
The L-8 uses 728Bs or the 754A. Paper cone.
All of the WE cabinets in that "L series" were sealed back designs.
Here is a pic of the L8 in the Silbatone factory listening room...
It uses the horn and driver from an L-8.
The woofer in the pic is the phenolic cone predecessor to the 728B, the D173368, which was made for the US Navy.
The L-8 uses 728Bs or the 754A. Paper cone.
All of the WE cabinets in that "L series" were sealed back designs.
Here is a pic of the L8 in the Silbatone factory listening room...
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Thanks for your reply Joe. I think you are right about woofer in L-8 system. But the cabinet of that speaker is also original L-8 cabinet. The only difference is that one was made by Westrex company. But we could call westrex is same as western electric. anyway Do you have plans for two speakers? cuz I like W.E design that you attached too. Thank you!
Westrex was Western Electric EXport company. We don't see any Westrex gear in the US except for a few film production items.
In the attached Westrex ad from 1955, you will see "Not for theaters in the US and Canada."
I have Westrex documents that talk about an L-8 with a Jensen P12N woofer, which WE never used, but I saw pictures of L8's with Jensen woofer from Germany and the baffle is the same as my photo.
This baffle is called WEX837 in post-1949 Altec Service Corporation literature.
Even Westrex documents usually name a 754A woofer for the L8. I don't know when/where they switched to P12N.
I don't have the plans of the L8 Baffle but it is 5'2" x 4'10" x 2'8" HWD.
The late 40's WE L-series theater systems are quite rare in the US. They were only marketed for one or two years and few have survived in one piece. Most of them are probably in Korea already!
I never saw anything like the baffle you posted and I asked my WE expert friend from Korea and he never saw it either. As you know, Westrex is quite popular over there, most of it imported from England.
How do you know this black baffle is original Westrex? Does it have a label? Did you ever see another one like this?
In the attached Westrex ad from 1955, you will see "Not for theaters in the US and Canada."
I have Westrex documents that talk about an L-8 with a Jensen P12N woofer, which WE never used, but I saw pictures of L8's with Jensen woofer from Germany and the baffle is the same as my photo.
This baffle is called WEX837 in post-1949 Altec Service Corporation literature.
Even Westrex documents usually name a 754A woofer for the L8. I don't know when/where they switched to P12N.
I don't have the plans of the L8 Baffle but it is 5'2" x 4'10" x 2'8" HWD.
The late 40's WE L-series theater systems are quite rare in the US. They were only marketed for one or two years and few have survived in one piece. Most of them are probably in Korea already!
I never saw anything like the baffle you posted and I asked my WE expert friend from Korea and he never saw it either. As you know, Westrex is quite popular over there, most of it imported from England.
How do you know this black baffle is original Westrex? Does it have a label? Did you ever see another one like this?
Thanks for your reply. Yes like I said earlier, the L-series was made for theater system. And you are right about westrex company, it was not for theaters in the States and Canada. that speaker I posted was imported from australia. I asked the guy who imported that speakers said that it is original westrex cabinet. He also said he saw the picture of that speaker in catalog? westrex documents. And I know this one is quite rare to find it. I've never seen it before but I love the design for my home and that's why I am trying to make it for myself.
is this speaker that you talking about? from Germany?
is this speaker that you talking about? from Germany?
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I saw that pic. But they call the baffle M825 when the 825 is an early VOT cabinet. I think that well-circulated information is WRONG.
I attached the chart where I think this wrong information came from. It lists many cabinets as M825, when they are all very different! I don't know who made this chart.
It is possible that the Jensen P12N in L8 story started with this chart also but I think I remember seeing another picture of this....could have been the same German speaker in a different picture, not from ebay.
There was a Westrex system with an 825 bass cabinet and a 1005 horn but it was not an L number.
Maybe you have seen the Westrex list that is also attached. I would trust this more than the other historical chart calling it an M825!.
I have the same information in the USA 1950 Altec Service lit on the L series, by then referred to as Westrex. Model numbers for all parts are the same as the Westrex page.
I have not seen pre-1950 Western Electric literature on these L systems, only on the drivers.
Your pictured cabinet is very nice looking. I never saw it before. Can you get me a copy of the Westrex catalog listing for this "Australian L8?"
I attached the chart where I think this wrong information came from. It lists many cabinets as M825, when they are all very different! I don't know who made this chart.
It is possible that the Jensen P12N in L8 story started with this chart also but I think I remember seeing another picture of this....could have been the same German speaker in a different picture, not from ebay.
There was a Westrex system with an 825 bass cabinet and a 1005 horn but it was not an L number.
Maybe you have seen the Westrex list that is also attached. I would trust this more than the other historical chart calling it an M825!.
I have the same information in the USA 1950 Altec Service lit on the L series, by then referred to as Westrex. Model numbers for all parts are the same as the Westrex page.
I have not seen pre-1950 Western Electric literature on these L systems, only on the drivers.
Your pictured cabinet is very nice looking. I never saw it before. Can you get me a copy of the Westrex catalog listing for this "Australian L8?"
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Hi, Joe. thank you for the informations about that system. it helps alot to understand it. Like you said W.E and Westrex's L-series theater systems are quite rare to find it, (I'm pretty sure just few have survived in the world) so I'm just thankful for see this system in my eyes. also if I get the copy of the Westrex catalog listing then I will post it for you. Thanks alot!
If you can get more information, PM me. I am trying to study this line of speaker designs. It would be very difficult to find an Australian Westrex catalog here!
By the way, the L-8 is really a wonderful speaker. If you get the other parts--754A, 713B, KS12025, I'll measure the one at the Silbatone factory for you next time I am in Seoul or you can meet me there with a measuring tape.
We took the L-9, the two woofer version, to the Munich HighEnd show a few years ago and it was very popular.
The cabinet you posted might be a sealed box for the woofer, which is the usual way the WE 12" speakers were enclosed, and the rest is merely "sculpture." It looks like it might have side ports, however, which would be interesting and unusual for this driver!
By the way, the L-8 is really a wonderful speaker. If you get the other parts--754A, 713B, KS12025, I'll measure the one at the Silbatone factory for you next time I am in Seoul or you can meet me there with a measuring tape.
We took the L-9, the two woofer version, to the Munich HighEnd show a few years ago and it was very popular.
The cabinet you posted might be a sealed box for the woofer, which is the usual way the WE 12" speakers were enclosed, and the rest is merely "sculpture." It looks like it might have side ports, however, which would be interesting and unusual for this driver!
yes definitely I will give you the information when I will get more about it. Also that would be very nice of you about measuring thing. actually I have never seen L-8 system before utill this one. But I just loved the design of cabinet. And I am thinking I will put my system(15" woofer ks12004,ks12024,713b) in that cabinet! so I will see how it goes.
Is the KS12004 the Jensen woofer from the 753C?
There is a pair of 753Cs in the same room as the L-8s. I like the L-8 better...the KS12024 is a a great horn, better than the 32A for sure!
I think the KS12004 might be very close to the Jensen N series PM speakers that were the alternate choice for the L-8!
I seems you can make a sealed box suitable for the woofer and then put the rest of that "Westrex" cabinet behind it.
There is a pair of 753Cs in the same room as the L-8s. I like the L-8 better...the KS12024 is a a great horn, better than the 32A for sure!
I think the KS12004 might be very close to the Jensen N series PM speakers that were the alternate choice for the L-8!
I seems you can make a sealed box suitable for the woofer and then put the rest of that "Westrex" cabinet behind it.
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I never took the back cover off of a KS12004 woofer and I never saw the cone in front.
There were a number of Jensen PM drivers with different size magnets. I have some from the 40s that were portable movie projector speakers with very large magnets. They sound good too, although not in WE754A class for full range use.
I think the KS woofer might match some series of standard Jensens, quite possibly Jensen "PM15" of the 1940s.
Don't know about the Racon driver. Racon was a PA gear company from the 1920s on. They made some interesting looking stuff, including some theater horns in the late-20s early 30s, but reputation among audiophiles is not great.
Here are some pictures of a crazy Racon paper snail horn from the 1930s called a Model 1. It is similar to WE 13A and KS paper horns, all mixed together!
There were a number of Jensen PM drivers with different size magnets. I have some from the 40s that were portable movie projector speakers with very large magnets. They sound good too, although not in WE754A class for full range use.
I think the KS woofer might match some series of standard Jensens, quite possibly Jensen "PM15" of the 1940s.
Don't know about the Racon driver. Racon was a PA gear company from the 1920s on. They made some interesting looking stuff, including some theater horns in the late-20s early 30s, but reputation among audiophiles is not great.
Here are some pictures of a crazy Racon paper snail horn from the 1930s called a Model 1. It is similar to WE 13A and KS paper horns, all mixed together!
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I came across this thread a month late but I do have info on the woofer from the 753
The Western Electric KS 12004 is a Jensen A15PM. You can find a picture of a frame with both numbers at this link
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r119/martyh45/Altec 800/Simplex IPC LU-1004/A15-PM.jpg
Jensen also provided the same woofer to Simplex labeled LU-1004 it had a wrinkle finish and no magnet cover. Photo here
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r119/martyh45/Altec 800/Simplex IPC LU-1004/100_1677.jpg
All variants that I know of used 2518 2 cone assembly number. I have some close up photos of the LU1004 in the same album that show spider/surround etc.
Simplex IPC LU-1004 Photos by martyh45 | Photobucket
The Western Electric KS 12004 is a Jensen A15PM. You can find a picture of a frame with both numbers at this link
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r119/martyh45/Altec 800/Simplex IPC LU-1004/A15-PM.jpg
Jensen also provided the same woofer to Simplex labeled LU-1004 it had a wrinkle finish and no magnet cover. Photo here
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r119/martyh45/Altec 800/Simplex IPC LU-1004/100_1677.jpg
All variants that I know of used 2518 2 cone assembly number. I have some close up photos of the LU1004 in the same album that show spider/surround etc.
Simplex IPC LU-1004 Photos by martyh45 | Photobucket
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