SABA Greencones

[Juha]

I have studied the SABA Greencones case. After reading hours and hours on the net, I had try them myself. I won a SABA set today on local French Ebay.

Here are some main links:

O. Briggs book scan (http://members.myactv.net/~je245/obriggs.htm)

Lampizator (http://www.lampizator.eu/SPEAKERS/PROJECTS/Speaker%20projects.html)

Lenco heaven discussion (http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=302.150)

Lebong blog: Original 50's cabinets (http://www.lebong.de/blog-images/raumklang4-1024.jpg)

Troels Gravesen (http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/greencones.htm)

There seem to be at least three options on building cabinets for them:

1. The Lampizator way with a large modern woofer (done at HiFiWigwam)
2. The LeBong resonantz box
3. Lightweight open back cabinet

I am going to try number 3. I'll visit the large Emmaus charity shop tomorrow. They usually have 10-15 pairs of speakers. Maybe there is a light "cigarbox" set from the 70's. I will fit the SABA elements and then fix the rear wall of the cabinet so that at least 30% will be open. Just one capacitor for the tweeter. Light damping material. Maybe old carpet pieces.

Will it be sounding like grandma's old radio or incredible electrostatic-like fast action.

[Ali Tait]

I've heard Sabas in OB's. sound very good.

[John]

very detailed not ideal
The few I heard have not sounded good with electric guitar but for acoustic music very nice

[Juha]

Saba Greencone project continues:

Visited Emmaus market. Found speakers with no labels or info. They were covered with 70's plastic wood imitation vinyl. When opened these turned out to be manufactured by Siare, a well respected French maker. There was a Siare 20 cm paper cone full range speaker and a paper cone tweeter with just one capacitor for filtering. Stamped 1978. Size 27*23*46 cm.

Decided to change my plan. I will try the boxes without alteration. The original components are just like the Saba set. So closed box with moderate damping material.

The Saba speakers are definitely an original pair. They are stamped März 1955. The tweeter is not greencone. It is nylon like woven silky material with a gold colored dust cap. Must be the deluxe model.

http://kuninga.com/saba.jpg

Like every good thing in life the Greencone sound is an acquired taste. With these modest looking boxes it is too easy to hear the 1955 radio sound.

These are very directional. On the right spot in front of the speakers we have wonderful, detailed, airy sound. Moving around the room there is a tendency for honking old radio sound. Particularly for radio dj voices.

I am happy. Interesting stuff with moderate total 60 GBP cost.

[Juha]

One more thing.

With the right music these little speakers sound fantastic. Smooth jazz from JazzFm / Dinner Jazz.

After a glass of wine the sound is as good as my large Magnepan panels. These Saba speakers need higher volume levels. And yes, there is enough bass for jazz.

I think I get it now.

Forgot to mention that I installed second tweeters on the back of the cabinet. Mitsubishi paper cone. If this was going to sound "like electrostatic", we must have some reflections from the back wall.

[Juha]

Testing Saba Greencones again.

I decided to try another way for the 1955 Greencones.

1. Wanted more modern tweeter sound. Put in Audax AMTW51 tweeters.
This is better for current music. The original 1950's tweeters were great for certain types on music.

2. Not enough bass. Added a sub-woofer. This is Triad Design System Seven sub with 12 inch Peerless woofer and 70 W amp.

3. The Greencones need a valve amplifier. I found one.

So now I have 70's inexpensive speaker boxes with Greecones and new Audax tweeters.
Only one capacitor for crossover.

This sounds good. We have the fantastic Greencones mid-range plus modern top end and a sub-woofer.

You could say that this is not the way to do it. Just trust your ears.
I also run audio analyzer frequency plots and they look ok.

Here is my valve amplifier:

http://hoone.com/soviet.jpg


Someone in Tallinn takes old Soviet valve amp components and builds new amplifiers.
I got this one second hand. It is not exactly Euro CE certified.

This is a 5 Watt amp. Unfortunately I do not read Russian text so I have no idea what the valves are.

This amp has an interesting filtering feature.
It has separate sub-woofer and normal speaker terminals. The normal full frequency terminals have low frequencies blocked.

This is inexpensive fun. All the old audio test material songs sound fresh and different.

[Sovereign]

I have the lampizer design, I have had these for around a year or so now, I must admit I am very very pleased with the sound.
http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?75424-FS-Lampizator-P-17-OBs
They have worked well with both solid state monoblocs and a dual mono valve amplifiers.
I must admit I can't relate to the directional or honking sound you mention but I can relate to a very open, detailed and airy sound; with 15" bass drivers I also have very 3D and deep bass. Very happy indeed.

[hoopsontoast]

Nice, heard a pair of Saba Greencone OB's at Scalford a few years back, sounded very good!