ID my Acoustats, please

[dgator]

Originally Posted by speedracer5

Tall Model 3
http://www.audiocircuit.com/A-Images...28-941-ACO.jpg

That's the one - the Tall Model 3s but in black. I like the fact that steve jobs has similar speakers as mine. I wish I had a boat similar to his.

[speedracer5]

The socks are not fun to take off. If they are not making any sounds that are disturbing I would not think it is necessary. I will tell you that there is a "soot" that builds up on the plastic and the wires and I suppose it could become conductive path for arcing but dirt in and of itself is not looking to be a problem for me. I took apart a perfectly good pair of Model 3 and now have 18 loose panels I'm playing around with in various configurations and the dirtier ones sound OK to me. I don't have any that seem to have any nicotine buildup. That sludge from what I've been told will not come off and you can't really take apart a panel very easily to get to the wires inside the stator halves since they were glued together with serious stuff. That's why there is so many working panels after 30+ years. They are really robust. As you seem to be a first timer let it sink in a bit before you dig in. There should be a metal capture plate at the top of the speaker which traps the loose grill cloth. But under there is a boatload of staples that must be carefully pulled out one at a time. You can "undress" the sock down to the base carefully sliding it over itself till it is pulled down to the base. The sock is likely stapled under the slab base before the foot plate is screwed in so to remove it totally for replacement would mean unscrewing the interface box and disconnecting the wires and unbolting the foot plate to expose the other end of the sock and staples. It's quite a job I can testify. The outer frames on these are what I term "graham cracker crumb" particle board. The edges are chamfered but it is not sturdy stuff. There are hard wood lumber strips that have bevels cut in them and are attached to the particle board frames. These sturdy up the whole assembly and are what the panels are bolted to inside the frames. The whole base on my short ones was substantial out of thick ply but it is hollow. The hardwood "sticks" passed into the hollow cavity of the slab base and screw in at various points. I can't be sure what your taller base is like but I'd bet it is just a taller version of the short base. I won't tell you not to take them apart but don't do it if you are the least bit unsure if you'll put them back together. When I took mine apart I did it on purpose to dissect and learn more about them and to use the interfaces to test more loose panels I bought later. They will go back together but when is the question.

[speedracer5]

Originally Posted by dgator

That's the one - the Tall Model 3s but in black. I like the fact that steve jobs has similar speakers as mine. I wish I had a boat similar to his.

That was when he was a young feller! I bet he got rid of them but boy if he did not and someone got them or if they are in the care of someone else? That'd have to be one of the most collectible pair of Acoustats ever!

Anyone know what happened to Steve Jobs Acoustats?

I have a Mac Mini and have only used Mac's since 1992! If I had a boat like his I'd sell it and use the cash for other things.

[speedracer5]

dgator,
I forgot to ask but what amp are you driving the Model 3's with?

[dgator]

Originally Posted by speedracer5

dgator,
I forgot to ask but what amp are you driving the Model 3's with?

The search is probably not over but I went through a few before settling on one. I'm now using an Adcom 5800. It has plenty of power and is stable given the load the Acoustat's present. It's a little bright I think compared to some others I've tried.

I've collected three Accuphase P300s and was looking forward to using one on them. They are exceptional amps and sound really fine with other speakers I've tried. At low volumes it worked ok, but at higher volume the amps clicked into protection mode. Someone suggested there may be a problem with the amp - so I tried the other two, none of them could handle the load.

For a while I used a Hafler DH220, sounded great but not enough power. On a lark, I also used a 1976 Pioneer SX-1250 receiver. I think it sounded the best of all, but it needs some work - a couple of the pots are scratchy.

[AcoustatAnswerMan]

Originally Posted by dgator

Thanks. Do you know about the guy from Sounds Like New - still in business? Or is there anyone else in FL that can work on these?

To the best of my knowledge, Roy Esposito of Sounds Like New is still in operation, although apparently being semi-retired, he can be difficult to contact. His contact info can be found in the Acoustat section of The Audiocircuit website.

Unless there is a distinct problem with your speakers, they may not really need any servicing. There is little in the speaker that gradually degrades over time: most failures are abrupt and you'll know when they happen. Even so, problems are 99.9% confined to the interface, so at most you'd need to send only the interfaces for any needed repairs.

[j beede]

I owned the original model 2 which was sort of a two-panel version of the model 3. I also owned the the 2M which was the taller two-panel speaker with the sock going down to the horizontal base. There was also a model 2MH which was tall, had the sock going all the way down, and had an integrated dynamic woofer driven via mk-131 interface.

I remember hearing the model 6 (like stacked model 3s) in Fort Lauderdale at the "company store" a hundred years ago. I don't think I have heard deeper or cleaner bass--ever. On that trip I stopped by Coral Gables where the Infinity IRS was at one end of the store and the Levinson/Quad/Decca/Hartley stack was at the other. Think Wilson makes big speakers? Ha.

[MrAcoustat]

Originally Posted by j beede

I owned the original model 2 which was sort of a two-panel version of the model 3. I also owned the the 2M which was the taller two-panel speaker with the sock going down to the horizontal base. There was also a model 2MH which was tall, had the sock going all the way down, and had an integrated dynamic woofer driven via mk-131 interface.

I remember hearing the model 6 (like stacked model 3s) in Fort Lauderdale at the "company store" a hundred years ago. I don't think I have heard deeper or cleaner bass--ever. On that trip I stopped by Coral Gables where the Infinity IRS was at one end of the store and the Levinson/Quad/Decca/Hartley stack was at the other. Think Wilson makes big speakers? Ha.

Me with my all steel modified 1+1s and my friend's modified all steel Spectra 6600 the 1+1s weigh 200 pounds the Spectra 6600 weigh 600 pounds.