Hi
- Here are some pics of RCAs' answer to Altecs', A7 .
Hi
- Here are some pics of RCAs' answer to Altecs', A7 .
A couple more
I have not seen any of these in person, only advertising pics.
Cool vintage speakers!
Ron
- Yep, pretty cool . That flowing throat section of the lowmid horn would be a real brute to reproduce .Originally Posted by Ron
- I don't know what quantity these were made in / they are scarce . Steve Schell would likely know .
- Here are some pics of a likely candidate for the role of the compression driver. These are le175s' OEMed for RCA by JBL .
- I don't know anything about the 15" woofers' make or model # .
<>
Earl posted these images in response to a request over on the Audio Asylum High Efficiency Speakers forum... what a guy.
The story of the RCA LC-9A is an interesting one, at least to RCA buffs. This model was developed by Mr. A.J. May, who had a storied career in speaker engineering at RCA from 1943 until the early 1980s. It was RCA's attempt to compete with Altec's A7, and to improve on what RCA felt were the A7's shortcomings, most notably the lack of directivity control through the crossover region.
The LC-9A used 120 degree radial horn flares for both high and low frequency sections, and achieved a very uniform pattern over this angle. Due to the high construction costs of the cabinet and cast horn flares it was not cost competitive with the A7 and sold in very small numbers. RCA was really beginning to unravel by the time the LC-9A was introduced, and it is probably safe to say that it did not receive the marketing effort that the design deserved. I have heard a pair of them with original drivers, and they really are marvelous speakers with a captivating sound.
The LC-9A was a bass reflex design, with three large ports on the lower front faces of the cabinet. Mr. May had intended to fit passive radiators to these openings. As he told me the story, his managers heard the design at an early stage, found the performance to be "good enough", proclaimed the design finished, and reassigned A.J. to other tasks. Ah, the tribulations of working for a large corporation!
No one is certain how many LC-9As were built and sold, but it may have been only two or three hundred. The people I know who own them hold them in high esteem and wouldn't part with them for anything.
Here's a picture of Mr. A.J. May, taken in the fall of 2002. A.J. died in early 2004. He was a sweet, kindly man, the sort you cannot help but like immediately. He designed the LC-9A, the MI-9462 (Ubangi) bass enclosure, the majority of RCA's postwar radial horn products, and much more. He was very humble though, always attempting to assign credit to others. He was John Volkmann's (inventor of the radial horn) understudy in the early years, and helped him to maintain an ever-changing experimental sound system at Radio City Music Hall. He also worked for a time at Princeton with Harry Olson. He frequently said "I was their chief measurer", preferring to be regarded as an assistant rather than the innovator he truly was. He told me in 2002, on the day the picture was taken: "It has been a very interesting life."
I've been told that the number of LC9As made was between 100-300 pairs! That makes them a fairly rare item to obtain. To provide the information Steve didn't have the about the LC9A woofers their model # was MI-11421.
- Yep, pretty cool . That flowing throat section of the lowmid horn would be a real brute to reproduce .
- I don't know what quantity these were made in / they are scarce . Steve Schell would likely know .
- Here are some pics of a likely candidate for the role of the compression driver. These are le175s' OEMed for RCA by JBL .
- I don't know anything about the 15" woofers' make or model # .
<>
As I previously stated in this thread I have 2 LC9A cabinets ---{they were completely white when I received them as you can see in the previous photo but were painted via paintbrush, so there were a lot of drips and paintbrush lines}--- I've since removed about 99% of all the white paint from both cabinets.
I've been removing the paint and sanding them ---{for 2 years now}--- but, sadly being disabled it takes me forever to do anything to these enclosures. Plus since obtaining the RCA LC9As I was involved in a terrible car accident which only exasperated my disability. I'm afraid I bit off more than I can chew with this DIY project. Thus with a heavy heart I must let them go.
At present I have ---{and these are all exceedinly rare}--- 2 working pairs (4 drivers total) of the original RCA MI-11421 woofers ---{one has been reconed thus looks differently but the other 3 are completely stock}--- I also have 3 RCA MI-11419 compression drivers ---{1 doesn't work but I assume it can be rebuilt, the other 2 work perfectly and still have their red seals intact}--- Plus I have 1 working original crossover. These parts are extremely rare and difficult to find. In the 2 years I've been looking I've seen 1 MI-11421 woofer on eBay for $450 and I've yet to see the MI-11419 anywhere for sale!
Essentially I'm just 1 working crossover away from having 2 completely original, working, stock RCA LC9A speakers that health & finances are compelling me to sell. I thought I'd offer them first right here because I believe the people here appreciate their rarity. I'd like someone to get a good deal but I'm not willing to give them away either. I'm AM willing to entertain offers @ [email protected]
Of course being that I'm disabled I cannot bring these anywhere to have them shipped so the buyer would have to arrange to have them picked up and shipped at their expense. I'll happily make things as easy for the shipper as I possibly can. I'm also definitely willing to pack up all the drivers for safe shipping. So "if" you're interested in purchasing a piece of audio history and obtaining excellent sonics at the same time, please shoot me an email with your offer. The first person who hits the number I have in mind will get them.
Of course I'm willing to provide photos of any of the LC9A's components cabinets, compression drivers, woofers and crossover from any angle you might wish and "if" it starts to appear a transaction might transpire I'll provide my phone # at that time.
Thetubeguy1954
http://homepage.mac.com/ikecarumba/PhotoAlbum21.html
found a picture page on the RCA driver...
i am making a calendar mark now to make sure i don't miss the home school rally on the Denver capitol steps again next year....
I read somewhere that there is a field coil version of the LC1A driver....
anyone ever see one in real life?
thoughts?
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote