Ge 1skx5000

[astouffer]

Does anyone recognize speakers made by GE with the model number 1SKX5000? They say Honeycomb Disc Speaker System on the front name plate. I recently acquired a pair and they sound great. Google turns up two hits for people who sell service manuals. All the drivers are flat piston types. Heres a hastily taken picture.

[Willitwork]

Are there any indications as to who manufactured the speakers? Most of GE's incursions in the audio market since the 1970's were done through rebranded licensed products manufactured by Japanese companies. Mitsubishi comes to mind. You may have to remove the drivers and see if there aren't original manufacturing labels on the drivers themselves.

[astouffer]

The drivers are made by Technics. Searching for honeycomb disc speakers always turns up similar models with a Technics label.

[Willitwork]

Intriguing. Even though it's written on the woofer I suspect that the "Honeycomb Disc" probably refers to the tweeter's diaphragm which looks like nothing I have ever seen. At first glance I thought it was just a sonically transparent screened used over a traditional diaphragm for aesthetic purposes but it looks like the real thing...

[Willitwork]

Hmm, this is more serious than I thought.

http://www.aes.org/e-lib/browse.cfm?elib=2811

That tweeter is indeed unusual. Googling "Honeycomb Disc" yields a few interesting hits like the one above.

[astouffer]

http://www.puredigitalaudio.org/digi...ics_SB-10.html

http://www.abtelectronics.com/brands/technics/history/
(scroll down about 1/3)

And lastly check this one out

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/loudspeakers/sbx300.htm

[Willitwork]

Jeez, it's the whole driver set that's based on Honeycomb Disc technology it would appear. I wonder what "low hysteresis" means?

Reading that page reminded of the time where mass-market brands also ventured in the cutting-edge high-end segment. Unfortunately most of their offerings for that market were never made available outside Japan.