Hello all,

Can anyone who has access to 1970's product brochures/catalogues help with identifying some speakers.

I have acquired over time two sets of S30 speakers. Despite both being labelled S30 they are totally different

Set 1

Labelled HT S30 type 6301 and also 4-8 ohm 30(50) watt. They have the "uniphase" shaped front and composite material back with 6 mounting slots and detachable cables.

Dimensions 21.6*40.2*16.0 approx i.e. S22/25 sized

Set 2

Labelled S30 4-8 ohm 30(60) watt. No type label unfortunately. They have the uniphase front but only a flat chipboard back with a fixed cable and no mountings. 

Dimensions 25.8*48*17 approx i.e. as listed on Beoworld as S30's

The smaller speakers seem heavier and better made. I have no reason to suppose that either speakers have been tampered with.

Can anyone tell me the frequency response of the smaller units?

and also make a stab at identifying the larger ones?. 

Thanks

Gordon

Have a look here and look at the 1976 Danish catalogue, back pages and you will find a frequency graph of the S30 6301. Then look at the 1983 catalogue and you will find the S30 6317 which I think will be the other one you have. The older ones are much nicer! The 6317 was designed more as a link speaker. The original S30 is really rather good!

I have S30s in the dining room and they are wonderful, like new and lovely mellow sound.

Don't know which version they are as they have been there since the Norman conquest and I don't want to take them down to check. I would probably wreck something!

You don't need to take them down. The 6301 has a resin back whereas the 6317 has a vinyl covered wooden back. The 6301 has several recesses to help mount it. Both are OK speakers - the earlier one is really rather good for its size though. I think yours are the newer ones - they look a little bigger though clearly that is just a guess from the angle shown!

Mine appear to be 46 X 26 X 15 cms and have black wooden backs, looks like matt black paint.

Andy T.

The larger pair have the same black paint finish. On ebay at the moment is another version ! which has a flat back and mounting holes.

I agree with Peter, the smaller S30 sounds geat for its size.

I needed to know the specs as I am giving the speakers to my son (who is steadily getting the beovirus) for the extension he is building and I just know that the first thing he will ask is what the frequency range is. He already has my beloved S60's

Thanks for the info.

Gordon

  

My father still has his resin-backed S30's that he bought brand new in 1977.

About 15 years ago I arranged a session for him at a Hi-Fi dealers in Leicester as he was going to upgrade his HiFi.

He arrived with the S30's tucked under his arm because he wanted to be sure that any new speakers were better than what he had.

They looked down their noses at him a bit and said 'I think you wuill find speaker Technology has moved on a lot in the last 15 years, but we will wire up those speakers to anything we demonstrate so we can show you what we mean"

An hour or so  later, after they had done 1:1 comparisons between the S30s and more or less every speaker in the shop up to around £300 a pair they eventually said, "I see what you mean, shall we stick with your speakers after all?" and proceeded to build the rest of the system around them.

I bought a similar pair for a song via Ebay at Christmas and they were my 'Gateway Drug' into all the B&O purchases I made since. Mine don't sound quite as good as my fathers for some reason, but I think they are a true bargain if you can find a good pair.

 Simon

Ho ho! The other B&O speakers to look out for are S45-2s and S120s. Both of these punch way above what you would expect and are cheap.

If your S30s are not quite as good, try replacing the capacitors in the cross over. Could be all they need.

Peter:

Ho ho! The other B&O speakers to look out for are S45-2s and S120s. Both of these punch way above what you would expect and are cheap.

If your S30s are not quite as good, try replacing the capacitors in the cross over. Could be all they need.

 

Hence the comment about them bong the Gateway Drug! I have  since bought two pairs of S45-2's, although one pair is too tatty to use.

Is replacing the capacitors a DIY job or would I need to get it done? 

 Simon
 

Very easy - you will need a soldering iron though. The values are in the service manual on site though they will also be on the capacitors!