Discussing Vintage Japanese Drivers

[planet10]

Originally posted by Otherwise
but it doesn't prevent me from taking some pictures about my newest purchase:

What are those -- taken the back off yet?

dave

[Otherwise]

dammit

See the rest (bigger pictures)
Sansui1 Sansui2 Onkyo1 Onkyo2 Onkyo3 Onkyo4 Philips ad8080 dipole + super tweet Philips again

They're Onkyo, built from the same kind of light plywood as Sansuis. Alnico and overall kondition 10+

[planet10]

Got pictures of the inside of the Sansui?

the Onkyo is probably a Foster alnico -- got a pic of the front of the cone -- is it a 6' (155-170mm)

That is the philips with the lattice basket & small ceramic magnet?

dave

[Otherwise]

Oh, almost forgot:

Sony1
Sony2
Some drivers

Above plastic Sonys are beautiful - full range (although ferrite) and a passive radiator.

[Otherwise]

This is beginning to be a chat

The Sansuis don't have their original drivers in. The second driver was broken (voice coil/cone) so I installed Philips 6,5" instead and took the undamaged sp-10 driver away. You can see it in the "some drivers" pic.

Those Onkyos are 8", accordian surrounds. I'll take more pictures about it. Strange that there isn't any markings at the back of the cabinet..

Yes, philips is lattice work chassis. Those little 5" white cone drivers are Akai. I posted pics of them to the melhuish forum.. mmm maybe year and half ago

[planet10]

I've had 2 sets of the plastic sony's. Nice little Coral driver in them. I have a set of the Akais too, they got left in the sun thou and it damaged the surrounds (cracks)... i've had those Sansuis as well -- superb driver... and lots of the Philips -- the lattice basket doesn't look like much, but sounds excellent. the 6.5" Philips is really good too -- some of my customers with both prefer them -- my fave is the smaller 5"

dave

[Otherwise]

BTW - how do you classify all those drivers? I mean, is there special distinguishing features you can see, for example, that those Sonys are Coral? Or are Sony drivers typically made by Coral and so on?

You're right about the Sansui. It's a shame that I've only got one driver.. must use it to a mono tube radio some day

[planet10]

Originally posted by Otherwise
how do you classify all those drivers? I mean, is there special distinguishing features you can see, for example, that those Sonys are Coral? Or are Sony drivers typically made by Coral and so on?

Experience from sifting thru some 1000 2nd hand speakers and slowly accumulating clues -- baskets. markings, terminals, magnets, etc. Sony bought from all 3 of the major Japanese OEMs, Foster, Panasonic/Matsushita, Coral -- sometimes i know for sure, sometimes it is an educated guess. I went and looked at these particular Sony's -- they are probably Panasonic/Matsushita not Coral -- i pulled a set of Coral/Sonys out for a fellow this AM and had them in my mind.

The Sansuis are also probably Panasonic/Matsushita -- they were the OEM that pushed the furthest. Here the neat thing is the metallic whizzer with the little anti-resonance pads on the back -- you can just make them out in the pic.

dave

[planet10]

The guess of Foster on the Onkyo driver has less to do with what the driver looks like, than the fact that Foster started life as Shinano Onkyo Institute and you will see Foster drivers with ONK stamped on them... i have yet to confirm if there is any connection between Foster & Onkyo these dats.

dave

[Otherwise]

Good idea to move the thread, was beginning to go off-topic..

Yes I can see how much you handle all kinds of drivers - the t-linespeakers.org has been long one of my favourite sites where I regularly visit to check new items.

I'll post some pictures later about the Onkyo and also about one european driver I got. To me it seems like a simple isophon, but you could give a professional opinion about it