Found these in the basement. They say "Laser L-8"
They have two drivers, one being 8".
No info on the back at all. They're bookshelf sized.
The low end driver is all dry rotted around the edge and falling apart. I'd like to know what I could cheaply fit in its place they'll be plug n play.
Are these any good? Or should I just toss them?
Going to try to add pics below, we she'll see if it works.
Any help would be great! Thanks in advance.
They have two drivers, one being 8".
No info on the back at all. They're bookshelf sized.
The low end driver is all dry rotted around the edge and falling apart. I'd like to know what I could cheaply fit in its place they'll be plug n play.
Are these any good? Or should I just toss them?
Going to try to add pics below, we she'll see if it works.
Any help would be great! Thanks in advance.
It isn't difficult to replace the rotted surrounds. Many places offer kits for low prices that include new surrounds, adhesive and instructions. I've done it, doesn't take long at all. This will be the least expensive repair, and most likely to sound near the same as the originals.
Thanks for that info! I'll be repairing them myself. Are these speakers worth keeping at all though?
Hi! Resurrecting a dead thread, but I can contribute a bit of info someone might find useful.
These speakers were made by Mitom Industries OR Laser Audio Inc. in late 70s or early 80s. The "OR" will be explained in a minute. This is the first time I see this model, but the logo is unmistakable and they look similar enough to my pair of Laser L-80s to assume they are part of one line: Laser L-8, Laser L-80 and Laser L-150.
Are these L-8s worth restoring? In my opinion yes. They probably aren`t worth anything in collector`s market, but based on my experience with their bigger siblings I wouldn`t be surprised if they turned out to be a pair of nice sounding obscure gems.
Story time: Years ago I was given a pair of Laser L-80s. For years I could not find any information regarding them, most people I asked mistook them for Wharfedale Laser 80s. Only recently I managed to stumble upon some clues and collect some info with the help of a few people. Here`s what I know:
The manufacturer was located in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, and operated in the 70s and 80s, went out of business before the 90s. The company changed its name at least one time, maybe more, hence the "OR". Known names are Mitom Industries, Laser Inc. and MAYBE Glenn Electronics (not enough info to confirm beyond doubt). They produced speaker boxes and assembled speakers for other companies (among them Cerwin Vega), also made their own designs: Audiotronix series, BSM series, Laser L and R series and MAYBE Mach series.
BSM series brochure: https://www.canadianhifi.com/sites/default/files/product/798/manuals/Mitom%20BSM%20Series%20Speaker%20Brochure.pdf
The company was said to produce decent quality cabinets (I can confirm), also made their own drivers, most notably a powerful tweeter (note: drop-in replacement diaphragms impossible to find, diy only!) and it seemed to put some effort in quality of woodworking and driver assembly. Unfortunately final assembly leaves something to be desired, at least in my boxes, but nothing that can`t be fixed during restoration.
The company and its products have fallen into obscurity and today are almost totally unknown. There`s virtually no information online, and what`s available is confusing at times.
These speakers were made by Mitom Industries OR Laser Audio Inc. in late 70s or early 80s. The "OR" will be explained in a minute. This is the first time I see this model, but the logo is unmistakable and they look similar enough to my pair of Laser L-80s to assume they are part of one line: Laser L-8, Laser L-80 and Laser L-150.
Are these L-8s worth restoring? In my opinion yes. They probably aren`t worth anything in collector`s market, but based on my experience with their bigger siblings I wouldn`t be surprised if they turned out to be a pair of nice sounding obscure gems.
Story time: Years ago I was given a pair of Laser L-80s. For years I could not find any information regarding them, most people I asked mistook them for Wharfedale Laser 80s. Only recently I managed to stumble upon some clues and collect some info with the help of a few people. Here`s what I know:
The manufacturer was located in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, and operated in the 70s and 80s, went out of business before the 90s. The company changed its name at least one time, maybe more, hence the "OR". Known names are Mitom Industries, Laser Inc. and MAYBE Glenn Electronics (not enough info to confirm beyond doubt). They produced speaker boxes and assembled speakers for other companies (among them Cerwin Vega), also made their own designs: Audiotronix series, BSM series, Laser L and R series and MAYBE Mach series.
BSM series brochure: https://www.canadianhifi.com/sites/default/files/product/798/manuals/Mitom%20BSM%20Series%20Speaker%20Brochure.pdf
The company was said to produce decent quality cabinets (I can confirm), also made their own drivers, most notably a powerful tweeter (note: drop-in replacement diaphragms impossible to find, diy only!) and it seemed to put some effort in quality of woodworking and driver assembly. Unfortunately final assembly leaves something to be desired, at least in my boxes, but nothing that can`t be fixed during restoration.
The company and its products have fallen into obscurity and today are almost totally unknown. There`s virtually no information online, and what`s available is confusing at times.
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Must have missed this one first go round. I too have experience with Laser speakers. I seem to be at opposites with TT on these though. I used to sell them in a retail outlet back in the early 80's. Although they seemed heavy and well built, by the time we were receiving them, they were covered in a product resembling Formica. You could place a beer on top for weeks and never worry about leaving a ring but they didn't looks so good with the sun reflecting off of them.
Also, they sounded OK but were never going to be anything but a niche speaker. Compared with others, they were very hot in the midrange. They were efficient but not a well balanced sound. They were mid priced. I still have a set of the tweeters but they they simply sit on a shelf.
Also, they sounded OK but were never going to be anything but a niche speaker. Compared with others, they were very hot in the midrange. They were efficient but not a well balanced sound. They were mid priced. I still have a set of the tweeters but they they simply sit on a shelf.
Wow! Do you remember what models you were selling?
Formica? I had to look it up. My boxes are covered with hard compound imitating wood veneer, and doing it rather well, but yes, it is a bit reflexive. Probably this is it 🙂
Can`t argue on sound quality, given my minimal experience and third degree of musical sensitivity (annoying/not annoying 🙂 ) , all I can really say about my boxes is that I find them not annoying, whathever I play on them. They`re not tiresome for me, even after a couple hours. Then again I never had an opportunity to listen to a really top quality set-up.
Wonderful stuff. We have an all purpose/dining table covered in Formica. It has been used for countless projects, had vices clamped along its edge, been ued for cutting on etc etc. It is still good after many decades.
I used to own a pair of Laser L-123 in the late 70's. They were 3-way, L-pads on the back, and looked like the drivers in your pic. The sound was OK, but eventually succumbed to teen excess. I suspect the XOs or power ratings were "imaginatively" rated. Interesting to read what happened to the company.
Personally I would not put much money into them.
Personally I would not put much money into them.
What died in them? 🙂
I was given my pair of L-80s because the tweeters were blown. Couldn`t find drop-in replacement diaphragms, so they ended up in the attic for almost 2 decades. A couple years ago I dug them out, gave some TLC, made replacement diaphragms myself, replaced padding and have been using daily without regrets 🙂
Now let's see...what did I have for breakfast?
Nope, not gonna remember what models but IIRC, we had four, all with that same tweeter.
8" 2 way
10" 2 way
12" 3 way
15" 3 way
Don't quote me though.
They were not a big seller. I think the 15" 3 way went for about $1k/pr. in '81 or '82
Yes but unlike vinyl veneer which attempts to duplicate a grain pattern, this stuff is rather smooth albeit 'durable'. I am guessing it's the same as you have, although at first glance yours looks nicer.
Also, again IIRC they had round over corners and a gray coloured baffle which yours don't have.
The woofers (12") and the tweeters were blown, only the mids survived. I think the tweeters had a poor XOs and lots of midrange hit them. The receiver (Nikko1220) low pass probably was off and I think LP rumble / warp did the woofers in. This is only analysis in far, far, hindsight. There may have been excess volume involved as well.
You could consider a pair of Eminence Beta 8A drivers as replacements.
Highly efficient, and a Vifa DX25 tweeter is usually considered as an efficient little replacement unit to match. https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/soft-dome-tweeters-vifa/
The rest is just technique. Oh wait. Old thread. I don't know what we are trying to do here. 😱
Highly efficient, and a Vifa DX25 tweeter is usually considered as an efficient little replacement unit to match. https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/soft-dome-tweeters-vifa/
The rest is just technique. Oh wait. Old thread. I don't know what we are trying to do here. 😱
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Well, the coating on mine immitates wood grain, to the point that I thought for a moment it`s a real wood veneer. It can be scratched without much effort, too, so I guess It`s not Formica but vinyl or similar.
I`m half-guessing here, but they may be early model (made by Mitom Industries), later models that I saw (made by Laser Inc) looked kinda you described, and a bit too white van-ish for my taste. Google doesn`t help much with pictures, "laser r-150" returns a couple thumbnails. I`d pass them.
I never bothered to make any measurements, but I got curious. If anynone`s interested, I can run RightMark Audio Analyzer on my set-up and post the results here.
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Nikko! I never had anything from them, but the brand is on my list to pick up given a chance. You probably mean sta-2020, if so maxing out 20WPC amp on 150W speakers could end badly for the tweeters 🙂 Not disparaging low power amps, my daily driver is dinky Pioneer SA-500A @ 15WPC, and even that I rarely turn past 10-11 o`clock. Cranky neighbours are cranky :/
Got the number wrong and had to reverse look it up from pictures and specs. It was a Nikko NR-1219 100w/ch https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/nikko/nr-1219.shtml Classic receiver, heavy with real wood sides and it sounded good.
I may have given you the wrong impression. The cabinets and drivers were well built, they were quite heavy. I just didn't like the sound nor the industrial looking finish.
Down here in Australia I can recall Laser drivers being marketed. It was early to mid 70's and all I can recall is that they came from New Zealand and had plastic chassis I think.......any connection?
No, I referred specifically to the looks, such industrial finish in general makes me suspicious, especially when it comes to speakers. After the fall of the Soviet Block in the 90s a lot of similarly looking crap flooded Eastern Europe and hence my bias against shiny industrial looking stuff. People here were throwing out rather decent locally made amps and tuners and bought chrome plated plastic shells with cheapest chinese garbage inside.
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