Just collected an amazing pair of speakers

[BTH K10A]

I'm stunned at what I have just purchased. They have to be one of the best loudspeakers I have ever heard.

I took a chance on them and have been rewarded handsomely. :D:D:D

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/emttsd15/IMG_1289.jpg

More info to follow but can anyone guess what they are? very difficult from just this pic I know but some fun nevertheless. :scratch:

[seoirse2002]

go on Andy...tell us...dont keep us in suspenders...old acoustic research?

[bogle111]

There are shades of JBL layout on the cloth covers.

[selfaddict]

Looks interesting and must sound great: 12" or 15" wideband driver, horn tweeter and 4 bass ports on the front :scratch:???

Great looking pair, congratulations

[anthonyTD]

Dalquest maybe ?
A...

[StanleyB]

Lovely fireplace mind you :).

[Rare Bird]

Do they have Decca units? :)

[BTH K10A]

How about a little more help ;)

They were described as GEC but when I opened them up I was gobsmacked. No wonder I couldn't lift them :stalks: There is a sort of GEC connection though

The concept is very advanced for its's age

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/emttsd15/IMG_1293.jpg

More pics to come if you're still struggling

[BTH K10A]

There are shades of JBL layout on the cloth covers.

Not JBL but yes they have a lot of similarities.

[BTH K10A]

Do they have Decca units? :)

Not Decca Andre but certainly British. There is an american influence though.

[vinylspinner]

Hi Andy,

Acoustic Energy maybe?

Nigel

[BTH K10A]

I'm listening to them now using a single ended PE1/100 amp an the bass is effortless, deep and not a hint of boom. The mid /highs are natural and extended.

Here's whats inside

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/emttsd15/IMG_1316-1.jpg

Westrex 2390a which is a reversed 2090a with an open back in a sealed enclosure. I've never heard of or seen one before.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/emttsd15/IMG_1317.jpg

Westrex 2080H which has a brass mass ring arouns the edge of the dustcap.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/emttsd15/IMG_1315.jpg

Crossovers use big air core inductors and the cabinets are certainly not a home made effort. I cannot find any reference to this model anywhere'

Closeup of mid/high front.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/emttsd15/IMG_1309.jpg

Front of 2080H. Cones are like new.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f120/emttsd15/IMG_1296.jpg

[chelsea]

Lovely find.

[Rare Bird]

So are they Western Electric speakers?

[BTH K10A]

Hi Andy,

Acoustic Energy maybe?

Nigel

Hi Nigel

Not AE but Westrex.

On first listening I thought they were as good as my JBL Array 1400's but, the more I listen to them the more I'm convinced they may even better the JBL's and as you know, they take some beating.

They are very unusual though and I've not seen or heard of any Westrex speakers like them.
The concept of reversing a large format compression driver with the back removed is something far eastern enthusiasts have been exploring in the last few years. These, if the cabinets are anything to go by are late 50's or early 60's.

[BTH K10A]

So are they Western Electric speakers?

Hi Andre

Westrex, but really unusual ones. :scratch:

[vinylspinner]

Hi Andy,

Must sound great if you feel that they are better than the JBL 1400 that I listened to recently, will look good in your room as well, great find buddy.

dare we ask how much they were?


Nigel

[tannoy man]

Fantastic:), The Build Quality looks Phenomenal.

[Rare Bird]

Hi Andre

Westrex, but really unusual ones. :scratch:

Was'nt there a UK division of Western Electric that employed Westrex units? Maybe i'm wrong!

Nice anyway, you'll be changing your user name now then Andy?

:sofa:

ps: If you look at the such high quality build of those units compared to most the tripe these days.

[Jonboy]

Really nice find that Andy :)

[BTH K10A]

Was'nt there a UK division of Western Electric that employed Westrex units? Maybe i'm wrong!

Nice anyway, you'll be changing your user name now then Andy?

:sofa:

ps: If you look at the such high quality build of those units compared to most the tripe these days.

Westrex was a division of Western Electric.

The bass drivers were virtually the same as Altec 515A's but were better built and I think the large format compression drivers were effectively PM versions of Western Electric field coil 494a's although I can't be sure.

[Rare Bird]

Great stuff, thanks for showing these Andy, but i'm a bit in the dark as to products of this sort.. it's a bit early for me.. i'm a late 60's/early 70's man..

[bogle111]

My second guess was going to be Altec Lansing. The drivers do look good.

Like Americans engines, "it's all about displacement, - Cubic Inches"!

[BTH K10A]

My second guess was going to be Altec Lansing. The drivers do look good.

Like Americans engines, "it's all about displacement, - Cubic Inches"!

All drivers look like new. The cabinets and front covers need a little refurbisment but are generally quite good.

The cabinets are quite advanced for their age with non parallel sides and a very clever porting. There is absolutely no bass boom or chuffing.

Interestingly, something similar is still produced today, the Shindo Latour.

A bit pricey at $50k though. :eek:

[bogle111]

Shindo's - bit like pricing (not quite) for current Tannoys - Old Japanese saying - Pricing & Happiness is in the hand of the Salesman - Buyer in possession of empty wallet. I think I would rather have yours or the JBLs thanks, Lottery funding, of course.

I think you have an interesting beast there, and with a "little" tweeking to the cabinets, can see a lot of fun. I would think that cabinetry is the key here.

One day people will cotton on to old, more modest speakers like the MShort 700, MS737, RAM200, LEAK 2075 early KEF 105's and the prices will rocket. Maybe they already have. That isn't nostalgia speaking either.

[anthonyTD]

Lovely fireplace mind you :).
Funny,
i was thinking the same thing!:eek:
Fantastic find Andy.
Anthony,TD...

[aquapiranha]

Brilliant Andy, I bet the sound absolutely awesome. :)

[BTH K10A]

Shindo's - bit like pricing (not quite) for current Tannoys - Old Japanese saying - Pricing & Happiness is in the hand of the Salesman - Buyer in possession of empty wallet. I think I would rather have yours or the JBLs thanks, Lottery funding, of course.

I think you have an interesting beast there, and with a "little" tweeking to the cabinets, can see a lot of fun. I would think that cabinetry is the key here.

One day people will cotton on to old, more modest speakers like the MShort 700, MS737, RAM200, LEAK 2075 early KEF 105's and the prices will rocket. Maybe they already have. That isn't nostalgia speaking either.

Yes the Shindo's price is a bit extreme although one can't knock the quality of the finish. You could achieve something just as good with new speakers from Great Plains Audio. Shindo has also jumped on the field coil bandwaggon which, if the supply has some adjustment could have some room matching benefits by being able to alter the Q but I suspect is just there for the sex appeal factor.

Having had a good look and done some more listening, I think the cabinets on my Westrex speakers are very clever. They are obviously ported to the top but use an arrangement that reminds me of the porting on some old B&W DM2's I used to have. I have now played various genre's of music through them anf there is not a hint of any bass boom or chuffing. In fact the bass is some of the cleanest and natural I have heard. So I think it's just going to be a cosmetic refurbishment on the cabinets and I might have some new front grills made up as per the originals and cover them with something more acoustically transparent than the Targan cloth of old.

Mordaunt Short 700's are superb speakers and one of the best implementations of the decca ribbon horn