Music Centre Speakers

[steptoesyard]

I`ve got a lovely Panasonic (SG-2070L I think) music centre that I`ve had for about 20 years, it came from a car boot sale and cost me £5. All I had to do to get it perfect was fit a new turntable belt and spray the control pots with switch cleaner as they were a bit crackly. At 42 years old it still works perfectly, even the cassette deck.

Anyway, the only let down is the original speakers. I can`t help feeling that if I upgraded them, this old girl would sound amazing as there`s plenty of power there, but what would be a good choice? I don`t want to go too big, just want something decent to make the most of it.

Bit of a "how long is a piece of string" question I know, but anybody done something similar with good results?

Thanks all

[Scimitar]

Some of the small Denon speakers would be a good match. I would go straight for Heybrook Point Fives if I could find any though.

[steptoesyard]

Thanks.

Small is good! I`ll be setting it up in my office so smaller speakers would be better. The originals are huge, and awful...................

[Studio263]

Wharfedale Diamonds exist for this purpose, they are small and even a pair of new ones don't cost very much.

If you want to stick with the Matsushita brands, Technics SB-F1s, 2s, or 3s range from 'small' to 'absolutely tiny' and sound amazing, especially if positioned as intended in corners or on bookshelves. eBay is full of them, although prices and condition vary greatly.

[Radio Wrangler]

Back in the day it was well known for retailers to suggest people bought Japanese music centres without the speakers and instead bought a pair of small Wharfedales for example. This worked for two reasons: Japanese speakers were made small and light to economise on shipping costs, and British speakers were made to give a sound more to British tastes. Sony did this for you, their more up-market systems and separates speakers were Sony-badged Bowers and Wilkins models!

Better quality speakers tend to be less efficient, so it won't go quite as loud. If the originals were 4 Ohm speakers and your new ones are 8 Ohms nothing bad happens but you lose a bit more volume, however, the originals may be 8 Ohm types and this factor won't happen.

If you have the space, go larger in your choice of speakers. There are physical limitations on what can be done and deep notes don't come out of small instruments, so the designers of larger speakers start with a large advantage. Modern fashions and modern house sizes make most people want small speakers, so larger ones almost get given away.

The how long is a piece of string answer is of course "It depends". It depends on the space you have, it depends on what turns up in your vicinity and their condition.

Wharfedale, Goodmans, KEF, Mordaunt & Short, Celestion, Mission, Acoustic Research, etc. all made things you could find an improvement.
There is an outside chance you might come across something that still fetches a lot of money like one of the licenced BBC designs, Lowthers or Spendors.

What you now need to know about is the effects of age on speakers and the repairs which can and can't be done. Have a trawl round this website. You can replace rotted plastic foam surrounds yourself if you are careful.

Put a post on here in the wanted section, someone might have something surplus to requirements within travelling range.

David

[Studio263]

Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler

Japanese speakers were made small and light to economise on shipping costs

An overly simplified generalisation which I shall think about when I'm struggling to heave my (neither small nor light) Technics SB-7000s up the stairs later!

http://www.thevintageknob.org/technics-SB-7000.html

The Japanese made loudspeakers in all sizes, price bands and quality grades, you always got what you paid for though. Yamaha NS-1000Ms anyone?

[Nickthedentist]

Little "JPW" brand ones originally sold by Richer Sounds can be had for next to nothing and sound very good IMHO. They always got very good reviews in the press.

I have several pairs of the ML-310 and they work really well in this kind of application. I use a pair with the telly (directly from its class D amp the size of my little fingernail!) and another with the Denon micro system in the dining room.

Some previous "sold" prices on eBay suggest £5 to £30 should buy you a pair: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_n...&LH_Complete=1

[crackle]

One of the best upgrades to any HiFi is upgrading the speakers. I depends on what your current ones are, if they are a single driver in a small box then a noticeable improvement can be made for very little. But as David mentions the better quality speakers may sound quieter. I believe the output of the SG-2070L is around 20 watts per channel so it should be OK still for a reasonable volume without getting too close to the distortion point.

Mike

[Radio Wrangler]

Originally Posted by Studio263

An overly simplified generalisation which I shall think about when I'm struggling to heave my (neither small nor light) Technics SB-7000s up the stairs later!

http://www.thevintageknob.org/technics-SB-7000.html

The Japanese made loudspeakers in all sizes, price bands and quality grades, you always got what you paid for though. Yamaha NS-1000Ms anyone?

OK, I'll re=phrase that. Japanese manufacturers made a wide variety of speakers. Most of what we got to see in the UK were the smaller and lighter models because we'd be put off by the effect of the shipping charges. Most of what they sold in Japan were smaller models to suit typically small city apartments. There were exceptions, of course. The Yamaha NS-1000s sold well into recording studios but that still leaves them a bit on the rare side

David

[ben]

I must heartily recommend the Philips FWB-MC50 speakers. They're compact but have an extremely tight, powerful bass sound. Being of fairly recent manufacture, the drivers will be fine (i.e. no perished foam suspension to mess about repairing). I've not heard such sound from any speaker that size in all my years!

[Studio263]

Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler

Most of what they sold in Japan were smaller models to suit typically small city apartments. There were exceptions, of course. The Yamaha NS-1000s sold well into recording studios but that still leaves them a bit on the rare side

NS-1000Ms sold well in the UK over the 20 or so years they were available here, they aren't rare at all. In fact there was a pair at our local house clearance auction last week, but over £500 exceeded what my friend who saw them thought was sensible to spend there (untested, no warranty, ooh er!). They were once a popular choice for domestic systems in the higher price ranges, for what they cost there wasn't much to compete with them. There are loads about, look on eBay.

I wrote my column in this year's HFN yearbook on the joys of big Japanese loudspeakers so I've done quite a bit of background reading on the subject recently. The Japanese market for 'full size' hi-fi was a large one, they had a real taste for vast turntables, amplifiers, loudspeakers and every other type of audio component. A look around the TVK website shows all manner of large equipment sold on the home market only (such a shame...). Speakers like Sony SS-G7s, Trio LS-1900s, JVC / Victor Zero 10s and Technics SB-10000s are all worth trying to see and hear if you get the chance.

Here is a typical example of not-tiny-flat-friendly Japanese excess:

http://www.thevintageknob.org/yamaha-GT-2000.html

Note the closing line of the description, 'there are thousands and thousands and thousands of these in Japan'...

[paulsherwin]

If you don't mind going a bit bigger than Wharfedale Diamonds, a pair of 1970s Wharfedale Lintons or Goodmans Ministers work very well with music centres of the period. They have a pleasant, forgiving sound. You can often find them at car boots or even on Freecycle, or you may be able to buy a collection only pair nearby on eBay. After about 1980 speaker manufacturers tended to pursue a more accurate, dynamic, toppy sound which was fashionable at the time but doesn't suit 70s mid market stuff very well.

[rontech]

Small Castle lodspeakers sounded very good on a music centre my friend had back in the mid 1980's

[Beardyman]

Mordaunt Shorts are quite a compact speaker but they sound much bigger.
And relatively cheap to obtain, I've found a couple of pairs in local pawn shops, both pairs under £40 & in good condition.

[steptoesyard]

Thanks for all the input on this everybody, that`s given me plenty to look at. I`ll report back when I`ve made my purchase.

[Scimitar]

Originally Posted by paulsherwin

If you don't mind going a bit bigger than Wharfedale Diamonds, a pair of 1970s Wharfedale Lintons or Goodmans Ministers work very well with music centres of the period. They have a pleasant, forgiving sound. You can often find them at car boots or even on Freecycle, or you may be able to buy a collection only pair nearby on eBay. After about 1980 speaker manufacturers tended to pursue a more accurate, dynamic, toppy sound which was fashionable at the time but doesn't suit 70s mid market stuff very well.

That is why I suggested the Heybrooks. Clean and mellow, unlike the later market stuff which is all top and bottom.

[G6Tanuki]

If you can possibly find a pair [Ebay? Gumtree?] the old Radio Shack/Tandy/Realistic "Minimus 7" and their bigger '10' brothers packed a lot of bang for your buck.

Diecast aluminium cases! I wish I still had mine.

I have a pair of Tannoy DC4's small, not the cheapest and extremely good. Being nearly a single point source they are great for radio plays and classical concerts (you can hear where each instrument or actor "is").