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View Full Version : Vintage Jim Lansing Speaker from rummage sale



Trainbuftony
10-14-2017, 11:16 AM
I rarely surf craigslist but I saw this speaker on craigslist advertised by a local rummage sale. The kind of rummage sale which does not close and has piles of useless worthless stuff which has been bought in bulk from storages. I went there directly after I finished my business for the morning thinking I would come home with a Big old EV or University or Maybe a JBL. The price on the box was $100 but because there was only one and I'm generally pretty broke, I asked if she would take any less and she immediately blurted out $75. The lady drives a hard bargain, I gotta say. I had pulled the grill back at this point and I was pretty sure the speaker was not a JBL due to the dust cap not being aluminum. I only glanced at it but the multi cell horn looked like a plastic replica or something cheap from Montgomery wards at the time and I was pretty sure I was looking at a cheaper speaker. If that were the case I would not be posting here. I paid the lady, thanked her and loaded the speaker into my car. I posted asking for info on AudioKarma where I am a regular on the tube forum, they told me to post here, and that what I had was a Pre 1949 example Lansing signature speaker. I have been listening to it for a few days now, several hours a day on my Mcintosh Mc30, I think it sounds great. The components were identified as a H1000 horn with D-175 driver. A D130-A 15" woofer, and an N1200 crossover unit. They all have the same serial number of 5012. I took photos when I brought them home but I am reluctant to take more because exposing the drivers is very risky and the risk is compounded by my extreme clumsiness. As it sits the system works perfectly.
The first photo of it out of the car.
https://image.ibb.co/dOMh0b/IMG_3399.jpg

https://preview.ibb.co/mJoHYw/IMG_3398.jpg (https://ibb.co/btoHYw)

https://image.ibb.co/fYfxYw/IMG_3397.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/ciLEDw/IMG_3396.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/nmoO6G/IMG_3395.jpg

https://image.ibb.co/dbQQLb/IMG_3394.jpg

I am totally in love with the way this speaker sounds and what I know about it suggests it is historically significant. Part of me says I shouldn't even be playing music through it, another part of me says that i shouldn't NOT play music through it. I realize it is valuable to a collector but at this time I am not interested in selling it. I tend to want to listen to it. It sounds superb with my vintage McIntosh MC 30 and is by far the nicest speaker I have ever owned.
Am I Insane to play music through this thing? I'm not shy with the volume . I would like to know more about what I have if anyone can point me in the right direction towards some Info. I purchased it at a junk stand in Chico CA. I don't imagine it lived to far from here most of it's life, but where? Who bought this thing? What was their story?

grumpy
10-15-2017, 05:02 PM
Welcome aboard! Nice LHforum tale.

Pretty sure you’ll be able to get your $75 back if you sell ;)

This story/find should float Steve Schell’s boat.

Mac amp is appropriate. Might want to check d130 surround for cracks/separation before cranking.
(if it were mine, I’d put the originals aside and enjoy with some less vintage bits)

hsosdrum
10-16-2017, 02:00 PM
WOW, am I envious! :bouncy: That appears to be a Lansing D1002 system (link: http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/catalogs/1948/page6.jpg), in great condition. I've always wanted to own a pair of those.

Mr. Widget
10-16-2017, 05:55 PM
WOW, am I envious! :bouncy: That appears to be a Lansing D1002 system (link: http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/catalogs/1948/page6.jpg), in great condition. I've always wanted to own a pair of those.Yeah, I've wanted one since 1948! :rotfl:
Well, maybe not, but it is a very cool museum piece you can actually enjoy. I'd treat it gingerly though. It was designed when 15 watts was considered overkill.


Widget