Speakers, what to use? Options

[Johny Blackstain]

I was curious as to what everyone recommends for stereo speakers that sound OK, fit & are concours acceptable? All thoughts welcome & being an audio engineer I'm sorry to tell everyone that speakers deteriorate over time just like tires & seals (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) . This is happening to your home speakers as well & is unfortunately normal. Anyway, what's good, fits & will pass judging (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif) ?

[Johny Blackstain]

I made my own adapters out of extremely thin plywood, spray painted them black, mounted them to the stock enclosures & in turn mounted the speakers to the plywood. The main problem I encountered was the heater tubes that run directly behind the enclosures; they're so big they bump into the magnets on the backs of my speakers. This brings up another "catch 22"- the larger the magnet the better the sound but then they don't fit (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif) ! So you wind up getting Radio Shack tin because they fit well w/ their small magnets. As for the deteriorating rubber you can always have a speaker re-coned, if you can find someone that still practices the ancient art. Like everything else in our "disposable" society now they just get pitched & replaced.

[orthobiz]

So I guess the final question is: can Pat tell there's an adapter and are you gonna get dinged on concours points?

Paul

[Pat Garvey]

So I guess the final question is: can Pat tell there's an adapter and are you gonna get dinged on concours points?

Paul

Paul,

"get dinged" depends on (1) whether the adapters are quickly noticeable and (2) how much time an interior judge has - most events have time limits for the judges (anywhere from 5-10 minutes). If a good judge has time to spot them, you'll probably get dinged for adapters. Wouldn't be a huge ding, but every 10th of a point counts in some events.

Couple of pics from my '72.

BTW, I've never installed an antenna through the body, but can still listen to my Blaupunkt Frankfort. Anyone care to guess about my removable "interior antenna"? (It's not in the windshield).

Pat

[orthobiz]

Pat: Does sound come out of your speakers? or are the surrounds blown?

I guess that....YOU are the human antenna. When you listen to the radio, you hold the volume knob to get better reception.

BTW, in cars that have no radio installed, are there empty speaker boxes mounted? If you chose to do a radio delete, will removing the speaker boxes likely to leave telltale holes and funny carpet markings?

Paul

[Pat Garvey]

Pat: Does sound come out of your speakers? or are the surrounds blown?

I guess that....YOU are the human antenna. When you listen to the radio, you hold the volume knob to get better reception.

BTW, in cars that have no radio installed, are there empty speaker boxes mounted? If you chose to do a radio delete, will removing the speaker boxes likely to leave telltale holes and funny carpet markings?

Paul

Paul,

No, I'm not the human antenna - though if I took some iron pills.....

The rubber/vinyl/whatzit surrounds are just fine & they produce the same 1972 quality sound as ever. I've never even though of trying to keep them up, but still very flexible so I won't start now with any kind of goo.

My recollection is that all radio-delete cars (pre-'75 at least) had grills & blanks in them. Probably to hide the ugly heating tubes just behind them. After this many years, you'd probably see some color difference on the carpet if they were removed, but the screws don't hold them tightly enough to cause a "ridge" in the carpet that wouldn't disappear over time. The screws in the carpet would disappear too, but probably not on the side panels. Best to leave the grills & blanks in place for a concours car.
Pat