JBL C60 Sovereign (Olympus) S7R (S7, S8, S8R) Model & Serial Number Assistance Needed

Hello,
I've read about every thread on this site about Sovereigns and Olympus and could use your further insight.

I have purchased a beautiful pair of original owner S7R C60 Sovereigns (cabinet is Sovereign, not Sovereign 1). Consecutive serial numbers on the C60 cabinets. Original envelope pouches on the rear indicate Model # D60S7RP. The seller is in his 60s' and swears he purchased these brand new with the 075 bullet ring radiator and the N7000 crossover right off the JBL dealer floor. So they look just like an S8R (except inside are LE85 not 375).

In all the literature I can find, this seems to be a contradiction and not an option. S7 was 2 way; add passive for R. S8 was 3 way; add passive for R.

These speakers have both the LX5 crossover and the N7000, in the correct factory location, with correct hardware, etc, and do not look like add ons. They have LE15A woofers; PR15, LE85 and HL91, and 075 bullet ring radiator.

I got all the original manuals, etc, but no original sales invoice or paperwork. On the pouches, there are 3 serial numbers; on one speaker, cabinet #10824 - 15957, 15952, 18313. These have been matched to the components for LE15A, LE85, and LX5. Other speaker also matches and the serial numbers are all very close in sequence. I will also add that that the serial numbers for the the pair of N7000 crossovers are consecutive/matched and the 075s are very closely numbered too.

On other S8Rs, I've seen the same envelope pouch and it listed 5 serial numbers - assume this adds for the N7000 and the 075?

I noted in a post on this forum, maybe from Zilch, owning a pair of S7s with the 075 option or add on? Was this factory and available?

Can anyone tell from the model number D60S7RP anything further? Original owner speculates D should mean something and that R = Ring radiator; P = Passive Radiator, what do you think?

Anything you experts can do to shed insight would be appreciated. I love investigating the history on stuff like this, do often with vintage cars. I just bought these and they sound great, cabinets are excellent, grilles near perfect, and with some light detailing, will be preserved and enjoyed for many years to come. They are pretty much unmolested and kept well for 40 years. He bought them new in '73. Thanks in advance for your assistance!

Just like you can go to a car dealer and purchase a car with dealer installed options like custom wheels etc, it sounds like the previous owner purchased his speakers from a dealer who added the 075 and N7000 "Options". While he could have probably ordered it that way from the factory, which would have resulted in all 5 serial numbers being recorded, It's such an easy change to remove the filler panels and add the driver and crossover and not have to answer any phone calls about why you're making the change. Back then, JBL dealers still sold individual drivers, horns, and crossovers to the active hobbyist trade, so I'm sure that some mild "Customizing" was commonplace. Some dealers even built custom speakers with JBL parts (Hal Cox in SF, for one) and sold them from their storefronts. Other than the adjustments on the crossovers, I'm not sure what improvement it would make over the standard S7 configuration, but I guess you can easily bypass the N7000 to compare. From the standpoint of value or desireability, the condition drives the price - if your speakers are pristine, they're probably worth more if you pulled the 075's and N7000 and sold them off separately.

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Originally Posted by HCSGuy

Just like you can go to a car dealer and purchase a car with dealer installed options like custom wheels etc, it sounds like the previous owner purchased his speakers from a dealer who added the 075 and N7000 "Options". While he could have probably ordered it that way from the factory, which would have resulted in all 5 serial numbers being recorded, It's such an easy change to remove the filler panels and add the driver and crossover and not have to answer any phone calls about why you're making the change. Back then, JBL dealers still sold individual drivers, horns, and crossovers to the active hobbyist trade, so I'm sure that some mild "Customizing" was commonplace. Some dealers even built custom speakers with JBL parts (Hal Cox in SF, for one) and sold them from their storefronts. Other than the adjustments on the crossovers, I'm not sure what improvement it would make over the standard S7 configuration, but I guess you can easily bypass the N7000 to compare. From the standpoint of value or desireability, the condition drives the price - if your speakers are pristine, they're probably worth more if you pulled the 075's and N7000 and sold them off separately.

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HCS Guy,
Thanks very much for the prompt and informative reply. This is what original owner and I both thought. He had been in to this shop many times and came in one day intent on buying another pair of JBLs, but he'd admired these many times on the showroom floor and now they were his to bring home.

I'm actually moving speakers out of my audio room, including a pair of 4311 and 4312s, to make room for the new, large Sovereigns to sit up front. My intent in purchasing these was for keepers, not resale.

From what I've read, agree with you, the LE85 had enough high end that the 075 wasn't needed like it was with the larger 375 driver, so agree, if I were to resell, would consider pulling it and the extra crossover and installing block off plates so they were 100% stock. I'll have to do some listening and see what it all means inside my head.

I'm just getting this all reconfigured in the audio room now so I'll snap and post some pics this weekend, along with some listening impressions. When I was a kid, I dreamed about the JBLs wih the horns and lenses. This is a speaker bucket list thing for me.

Thanks again HCS, and if anyone else has intel, pls share.....Zilch?

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Originally Posted by indyaudio

if anyone else has intel, pls share.....Zilch?

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Not much to add about the speakers, but Zilch has been dead for a couple of years now.

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Originally Posted by JeffW

Not much to add about the speakers, but Zilch has been dead for a couple of years now.

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Thanks for letting me know, so sorry. I'm new to the forum and had no idea. His PM was still seeming active.......but thanks again, god rest his soul.

Attachment 58282Attachment 58283Attachment 58284

Got them home with the help of a friend , cleaned up and oiled them down. They sound absolutely fantastic with my McIntosh MC30 tube monoblocks. The midrange and highs are just so "there!" They are incredibly efficient and absolutely can get loud, but cleanly.

These may be my new favorite speakers.

A couple photos of the N7000 crossover installed with a factory type stamping on the rear of the cabinets. My LX5's serial numbers match the envelopes on the rear. What do you guys think about these stampings on this otherwise S7R speaker? Attachment 58438Attachment 58439

By the way, they sound outstanding with both the LE85 and 075s. I would not want to remove the 075s now that I've experienced the combo.

Looks fabulous! A very nice addition.

Great! With spring coming I am looking to find the time to restore my S8R Olympus speakers I bought last year. I just need a few spring / fasteners (what are they called) for the crossovers as when I bought them, the seller ripped of the cables a bit violently, thereby losing some of the clips. :-( I only discovered it later.

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Originally Posted by frank23

Great! With spring coming I am looking to find the time to restore my S8R Olympus speakers I bought last year. I just need a few spring / fasteners (what are they called) for the crossovers as when I bought them, the seller ripped of the cables a bit violently, thereby losing some of the clips. :-( I only discovered it later.

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Any insight on the "Installed' stamps in the photos? thanks.

Man those are beautiful and a nice match for your MC 30's:applaud:

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Originally Posted by Audiobeer

Man those are beautiful and a nice match for your MC 30's:applaud:

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Thanks, they really do sound great with the MC30s. Also nice with my MC2205, haven't had enough listening time to compare the 30 watt tube amp versus the 200 watt solid state, but they both sound very nice!