Vintage Products

Re: vintage speaker selection

Paul — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 05:44:23 GMT

Thanks for the pic,Simon.That S30 looks like something I need to put on my list.This thread,like all others I have posted,has proven very informative.I started out with almost no knowledge of the real gems that B&O produced,now I have quite a few ideas.In fact,I just purchased a set of Beovox 2200s and a Beomaster1000 combo which I am very pleased with.See the posting on it.

Thanks to all

Paul

Re: vintage speaker selection

wirralsimon — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:28:37 GMT

Apologies for the delay in posting the picture.

The relative sizes of the S45-2 and the S30 can be seen here, along with a CX100 for reference.

The S30 (type 6301) is often found guilty by association with it's later, bulkier, inferior namesake but is IMHO a great little speaker. The more astute amongst you will have noticed that the s30 is upside down!

Simon

Re: vintage speaker selection

Paul — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:40:16 GMT

ReinHiFitsgebot?

Speakers can only be made of Water,Barley,hops,yeast?

Re: vintage speaker selection

tournedos — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:27:55 GMT

At least they got some sense in the connector mess!

(Note that the RCA/phono/cinch connector that prevails nowadays is far from perfect - it is coaxial which is nice, but the fact that it usually connects signal before ground, certainly isn't.)

Re: vintage speaker selection

burantek — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:23:05 GMT

tournedos:
It was a mildly successful attempt by the German standards authority to lay minimum requirements on what could be called "high fidelity".

ReinHiFitsgebot?

Re: vintage speaker selection

tournedos — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:20:11 GMT

It was a mildly successful attempt by the German standards authority to lay minimum requirements on what could be called "high fidelity". The usefulness got quickly limited because of the rapid advances of technology in those days, and as the "hi-fi" badge got slapped on just about anything anyway.

The actual standard apparently still isn't freely available, but you might be well entertained reading what the Gramophone magazine had to say about it in the January, 1970 issue. The discussion continues in the following issues as well - better use the search box, as the complete issues are rather tedious to leaf through on the web interface.

Re: vintage speaker selection

Paul — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 07:52:43 GMT

Perhaps I need "all of the above"?

I am not familiar with the DIN 45.500 standard,can someone enlighten me?

Re: vintage speaker selection

Dillen — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:47:20 GMT

The Beovox 500 are the smallest "full range" speakers produced by B&O.
They are fairly good in their own right but shouldn't in any way be considered Hifi
as they do not live up to the DIN 45.500 Hifi norm.

For collectors of vintage B&O, owning a pair of Beovox 500 and/or 600 is a must but
for daily use a pair of Beovox 1100 (or 1700/1702) would be the better choice soundwise.

I tend to prefer the sound of the older B&O speakers to that of the later CX range that
to me sound a bit sterile.

Martin

Re: vintage speaker selection

Paul — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:34:55 GMT

I am considering the offer by Jeff (burantek) of the forum to sell his 500s.Are these comparable to the 2200s?Or would I be better off with a pair of 2200s?

It sounds like the 1100 with the dome tweeter are better still.I assume this helps correct the directionality of the tweeters.

Paul

Re: vintage speaker selection

Dillen — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:27:35 GMT

Beovox 2200 is a nice little speaker.
Beovox 1100 springs to mind too as one of my own favourites.
The 1100 actually has a dome tweeter.

Martin

Re: vintage speaker selection

Paul — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:44:18 GMT

I agree Peter.I am sure the frequency response curve out of My tube amp would not likely be too pretty.With these vintage tube units,it's more about creating a very pleasant to listen to tone.I just need to find a set of speakers with a good match to this low power amp.By the way it sounds,I would say I already had it with the Advents!I'm sure many of the suggestions mentioned in this forum would be as good,if not better.I kind of like the vintage appeal of the 500s and 2200s.

Thanks

Paul

Re: vintage speaker selection

Peter — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:47:58 GMT

I had some S22s which are the smallest of the S range - OK for a link room and they had the dome tweeter. I wouldn't use them for a main room though. I think you are trying to get a quart out of a pint pot! Especially when you want to use a valve amplifier. Obviously speakers like the Beolab 3 can produce a well balanced sound from a very small box much that is down to an amplifier matched to the cabinet - to frequency output from the amplifier will not be flat in the slightest! I have a manual showing the amplifier output on the Beolab 2500 - looks like the Himalayas!

Re: vintage speaker selection

Paul — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 07:02:40 GMT

Simon,It sounds as if you are quite pleased with the S30 type 6301.Any specs on these available?Those would likely get the WAF.

What I did not mention was that I tried to substitue a pair of baby advent II speakers with somewhat disappointing results.These are,like the S30s a 6 1/2 inch woofer,2 way system.They were just too much of a downgrade.The bass wasn't really the problem,it was the lack of detail and the 3D soundstage collapsed.

Re: vintage speaker selection

Claus — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 05:53:22 GMT

wirralsimon:

If can post 'side by side' pictures if it would help but will not be able to do so until the weekend.

Simon,

Pictures are always nice - so let's have a side-by-side .

I was puzzled because the link shows the S30 (type: 6317) which has the same grille (and height/width) as the 45-2.

Yours must be type 6301 then (H: 41cm / W: 22cm / D: 15 cm).
And you’re right – that is a good deal smaller.

Re: vintage speaker selection

wirralsimon — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 05:21:54 GMT

Claus:

Simon,
The S30 and S45-2 are - unfortunately - very much the same size: H: 48cm / W: 26 cm - only difference is D (resp. 18 and 21 cm) which you might not notice since the height and width is what you normally see.

There were different speakers called S30 over the years. the S30 I am referring to is significantly smaller than the S45-2 ( I know this because I have both!) I think the dimensions on Beoworld refer to a later, inferior version of the S30 that had a flat rather than a resin back, I would estimate the overall volume of my S30's to be about half that of the S45-2's. The S30's are shorter, narrower and significantly less deep.

If can post 'side by side' pictures if it would help but will not be able to do so until the weekend.

Simon