BIC Venturi Formula 6

[mshaffer]

Hi can anybody tell me anything about these speakers? I snapped them up for $50 on craigslist.

Thanks

http://members.cox.net/michaelshaffer/bic1.jpghttp://members.cox.net/michaelshaffer/bic2.jpghttp://members.cox.net/michaelshaffer/bic3.jpg

[speakerdave]

When sighted walk swiftly away. These speakers were marketed to people who had somehow figured out that they were not supposed to buy Magnavox consoles.

David

[boputnam]

Dood!! Great call!

[Mr. Widget]

Hi can anybody tell me anything about these speakers? I snapped them up for $50 on craigslist.


I have the full line BIC Venturi catalog buried somewhere. If you are really interested I'll dig it up.

The Formula 6 was their top of the line and as I recall from listening to them more than a quarter of a century ago, they were "boom-tizz" boxes. They were trying to cut into the L100 market but never were much of a threat to the JBLs.

I am sure you can double your money or better on ebay... or, if you like 'em, keep 'em.

Widget

[sonofagun]

Years ago, I made and sold some replacement foam grille fronts for these.

Where're you from MShaffer? We might be related.

BShaffer

[pelly3s]

gotta love piezos lol jk

[tomt]

some xover work might clean some (much) of the sizzle

cap swap you know

[speakerdave]

Well, OK. I don't really mean to slash and burn. I'll try to be a little more articulate.

Following some of the above suggestions you could learn a lot working with these speakers. Still, I think Widget's suggestion to turn them over is the best. Set that money aside and wait for a good deal on better speakers. It happens. If money's an issue, any money spent on trying to upgrade these would likely be a loss. If you want good sound, I just think you need to start further up the line.

One of my over-riding concerns is that distortion in music reproduction adds to stress. Speakers like these induce what is known as listener fatigue. One of the symptoms is irritability. If that's what you want in your home, then keep the speakers.

The simple truth is that there is a lot of crap being made that never should have been made. Creating and selling terrible speakers to ostensibly provide someone the means of enjoying the beauty of music is like creating high-sugar soft drinks to quench thirst. They have exactly the opposite effect. It is morally equivalent to giving someone a stone who has asked for bread. It's not OK.

(In my family this is called "getting on your high horse," but there it is.)

David

[mshaffer]

Thanks, I'll just put them on ebay.

[tomt]

and keep the altecs

[pianis]

Hi can anybody tell me anything about these speakers? I snapped them up for $50 on craigslist.


I apologise that it's been a while since this thread was started, but I wanted to chime in to give a positive word about the Formula 6's for others who may be searching for info on them.

Firstly, I have read that there were apparently 3 revisions - 2 of them had 6 drivers and the last revision had 4. It might be worthwhile noting which revisions people are complaining about :)

I have had the 6 driver version for about 15 years. Contrary to speakerdave's experience, I have found them to have the opposite effect of listener fatigue - I am constantly drawn to listen to them (as are my guests!). And at least with classical music, particularly solo piano, the sound is extremely natural.

Of course they don't excel with every recording technique or music style, and just like any speaker I wouldn't imagine them to sound the same on other people's equipment. In fact I can remember not liking the sound when I hooked them up to someone's Harmon Kardon system (they had been storing the speakers for me).

The only other speakers I've heard that have a similar sound are the various "Reference Series" Klipsch floorstanding speakers. I'm not intending to compare the 2, but they are the only speakers I've heard that I intend to replace my Formula 6's when they eventually die.

[Michael Smith]

Great idea to sell them.
With the $50 you may get back go and buy wine to that value ,that would be a better and far more enjoyable to way to get a headache
Michael

[pianis]

Not meaning to annoy anyone who doesn't like these speakers, I ran across a posting regarding the value of these speakers which may or may not be useful for someone searching for information on them. Below is the link and I have quoted it in case the link dies in the future:

http://f16.parsimony.net/forum27133/messages/3926.htm

"The BIC Venturi Formula Six and Formula Seven are rare collector's items if they are complete and all original. The exception being the foam grill covers, which all disentigrated many years ago. If you have a complete original set, it's worth finding a woodworker and having custom fronts made for them. Even if they have pushed in cones on the UPPER range speakers (quite common, and does not effect the value much) or are generally even not in great shape. Woofer damage of any type will have a very serious effect on the value of the speakers. Keep in mind that unless you come across an extremely rare original replacement, placing reproduction upgrades in your boxes will devalue the speakers overall. A set with all original speakers - pushed in cones and all - is worth 2-3 time what a set loaded full of brand new reproduction components.

The prices and applications quoted above are essentially correct. The Formula Six and Seven indeed were most popular in the club scene due to their high SPL output, clarity, and relative efficiency, As to the original question, the Formula Six originally sold for 580.00 on the common market. Complete, all original sets go anywhere from 400.00 to 2000.00. 400.00 being complete and working, but in poor condition; 2000.00 being pristine new and unused with all original materials - minus the original covers."

[soundhound]

Boy this is an old thread..I know they made at least 2 versions of these. I had the first version with 6 drivers which I bought used back in the early 80's and I first ran them with a tube Sherwood amplifier. They have an incredible sound...very smooth and quite efficient. I would compare them soundwise with a set of JBL L65 Jubals I once owned. Never felt fatigued when I used them.The earlier posts may have heard the 2nd version with 4 drivers. When I first heard the second version I thought they were one of the worst speakers I had ever heard.These were suppost to be improved over the first version and I could never figure out what happened.I never really liked any of their other products. Sometimes speakers just seem to work like the Dahlquist DQ10's. If you look at the crappy quality of some of the componients they should sound horrible but they don't (except for that cheap Motorola peizo)....I sold the BIC's about 3 years ago only because of the lack of room. They brought quite a bit of money on Epay so others must like them as well. I've also found that just because a vintage speaker has a great name on it doesn't mean it sounds good. Last year I bought a very nice pair of L100's at a garage sale and couldn't listen to them for very long. If I hadn't remembered that I disliked L100's the first time I heard them I would think there was problems with the crossover or one of the drivers. I do know that many people like them and I made the guy that bought them very happy. I'm not putting the L100's down ...they just don't sound good to me.The fact that everyone hears speakers differently is one of the things that makes this an interesting hobby...... I do love my L-300's and would never sell them no matter what anyone says!

[Greedy]

When sighted walk swiftly away. These speakers were marketed to people who had somehow figured out that they were not supposed to buy Magnavox consoles.

David

Walk away? These are worth $400 in crappy shape. $2000 if perfect. Seems like the market may disagree with you.
Greedy
The BIC Venturi Formula Six and Formula Seven are rare collector's items if they are complete and all original. The exception being the foam grill covers, which all disentigrated many years ago. If you have a complete original set, it's worth finding a woodworker and having custom fronts made for them. Even if they have pushed in cones on the UPPER range speakers (quite common, and does not effect the value much) or are generally even not in great shape. Woofer damage of any type will have a very serious effect on the value of the speakers. Keep in mind that unless you come across an extremely rare original replacement, placing reproduction upgrades in your boxes will devalue the speakers overall. A set with all original speakers - pushed in cones and all - is worth 2-3 time what a set loaded full of brand new reproduction components.
The prices and applications quoted above are essentially correct. The Formula Six and Seven indeed were most popular in the club scene due to their high SPL output, clarity, and relative efficiency, As to the original question, the Formula Six originally sold for 580.00 on the common market. Complete, all original sets go anywhere from 400.00 to 2000.00. 400.00 being complete and working, but in poor condition; 2000.00 being pristine new and unused with all original materials - minus the original covers.ome research.

[Mr. Widget]

The BIC Venturi Formula Six and Formula Seven are rare collector's items if they are complete and all original.Who are these collectors and where are they hiding?:)

I guess there are people collecting almost anything, and while I did like the BIC speakers in the college dorm rock and roll sense, it seems a little odd for them to be so coveted by more than a few with warm memories of their youth.


Widget

[hjames]

This is a Dawn of the Dead thread - these things keep bobbing up like Algae blooms in the summertime.
As near as I can tell, BIC Venturi speakers have NOTHING to do with the Lansing Product marketplace - so this thread should be MOVED...

This isn't likely to be a place to find huge swells of potential BIC buyers - nice or not,
probably a lot more interest on AudioKarma, AudioGon, maybe sell them on ebay,
but somewhere else more sympathetic ...

[speakerdave]

. . . . Seems like the market may disagree with you . . . .

Not the first time.

Perhaps my original objections were a bit overstated, but not by much. See stereo salesman Judge Reinhold in "Ruthless People."

If what you say is true, there must be something about them that some people want. The high prices of current offerings may be a factor. I've looked on line and see no evidence of your claims, although there does seem to be a low-level BIC Venturi hum on ebay, but that is not a selective market. I read in a number of on-line audio forums, and somehow I've missed all the enthusiastic BIC Venturi threads. I'm probably narrow-minded, but, anyway, whoever wants them is welcome to them.

David

[sonofagun]

I haven't had an order (or inquiry) for replacement foam grilles for these in many years.

Hmmm, wonder what a set with new grilles would be worth to a collector!

[swagger93]

When sighted walk swiftly away. These speakers were marketed to people who had somehow figured out that they were not supposed to buy Magnavox consoles.

David

I love keeping old threads alive.

My dad purchased a pair of these new in 1975 or '76, and I was doing a search about them because I'm considering having them reconed and finished as a surprise for his 58th birthday next year. I didn't sign up to flame; I was more astonished to see such harsh criticism of these. This forum looks awesome btw, and I could see spending lots of time not doing homework if I get involved.

I always thought these were relatively nice sounding speakers, particularly for higher-fidelity vinyl jazz recordings. I don't know if I've liked the Miles Ahead version of "Blues for Pablo" on any set of speakers better barring modern JBL studio monitors. They definitely sound better in some respects than some ridiculously huge Altecs my uncle owns from the same period. I thought highly enough of them to snap up a pair of BIC V630s (circ. 1995) that popped up on ebay for $70 from a local audiophile/UW law student graduate so I'd have a pair of decent sounding speakers at college.

I had no clue the market value ranged up to $2k for excellent examples, which I'll admit seems utterly absurd. They're decent considering their age and significant usage, but you'd have to possess some incredibly strong emotional reason unrelated to sound quality to be the kind of individual who helps establish market values like that.

That said, however, I bet my knowledge of audio equipment is miniscule compared with speakerdave and other senior members of this forum, so I better just talking. Just figured I'd contribute $.005 or so.

[speakerdave]

. . . .My dad purchased a pair of these new in 1975 or '76, and I was doing a search about them because I'm considering having them reconed and finished as a surprise for his 58th birthday next year . . . .

If you could look at this from another perspective, this might be a good time to get your Dad some JBL's.

David

[rjsilva]

If you could look at this from another perspective, this might be a good time to get your Dad some JBL's.


It seems like this thread is kept alive by two opposing sides: those who like the Formula 6's but don't have anything more to offer than that, and those who don't like them but also don't seem to have any real experience with them.

For those who don't like them - has anyone performed critical listening tests or evaluations of the components and design of all three Formula 6 versions? My guess is that no one has performed the thorough assessment they would require of their favourite speaker in order to take a criticism seriously.

I'm not intending to be harsh, but this is the top hit for a google search on the Formula 6's and those who choose to express their opinion on this forum have a responsibility to express their opinion humbly, i.e. "does my experience/knowledge with these specific speakers back up the weight of my assessment?".

I loved their sound, they are particularly natural with closely-mic'd acoustic instruments and classical is usually great. I recently had to sell them and am still lamenting their loss.

[hjames]

I'm not intending to be harsh, but this is the top hit for a google search on the Formula 6's and those who choose to express their opinion on this forum have a responsibility to express their opinion humbly,
.

No, they don't - this is a LANSING forum, and there is no obligation to maintain a fondness for some off-brand that is no longer in business.

No flames meant, no anger from me - just a statement that James B Lansing and the company named after him did not design, build, or market that brand

If you feel a need, perhaps you should start a BIC Heritage site to be a better supportive site for that brand - but this forum was not meant to be that site ...

again, no flames or argument meant.

[Mr. Widget]

No flames meant, no anger from me - just a statement that James B Lansing and the company named after him did not design, build, or market that brandTrue, but I can understand the connection... high efficiency, horns tweeters... rock and roll...

Personally I'd be very curious to hear a pair with my adult ears. When I last heard them, I was a kid and had very different expectations from a sound system.


Widget

[hjames]

True, but I can understand the connection... high efficiency, horns tweeters... rock and roll...

Personally I'd be very curious to hear a pair with my adult ears. When I last heard them, I was a kid and had very different expectations from a sound system.


Widget
True that, so - move the thread to General Audio Discussions then ...

[Mr. Widget]

True that, so - move the thread to General Audio Discussions then ...Why not! I hadn't noticed. ;)


Widget

[Tom Brennan]

Many years a go a friend of mine was putting together a system and "audiophile" that I was I suggested he get Dyanaco A-25 speakers; they met his price range, were audiophile approved and most importantly I was then using them.

Anyway my pal disregarded my advice and bought some small BICs that used a 8" woofer and a small square horn tweeter. And damn, they WERE better than the Dynas---better clarity, better bass, better dynamics---better speaker.

[BMWCCA]

. . . there is no obligation to maintain a fondness for some off-brand that is no longer in business.

Ran across this today in an email link. Who knew? 10% off for three-days only with checkout code ADA10:
http://www.meijer.com/catalog/search_results_product.jsp?N=2857&Ntk=AllSearch&Ntt=Bic&view=15&navparm=2856&keyword=Bic


BIC America DV62SIB 6.5-Inch Bookshelf Speakers - Pair
The stunningly accurate DV62si bookshelf speakers have received numerous "best buy" ratings from a leading consumer buyer's guide magazine. Their long-throw 6-1/2" poly/graphite woofers deliver tight, accurate extended bass. Their patented "Venturi" vents (found on the rear of the DV62si) assist in extended low frequency performance. Custom-designed poly dome tweeters and unique front cabinet angles enable minimal distortion resulting in clear mid and high frequencies. BIC DV62si speakers are ideal for use with all surround and music formats. They can be used as mains speakers, a front or rear center, and as surrounds.

[hjames]

Ran across this today in an email link. Who knew? 10% off for three-days only with checkout code ADA10:
http://www.meijer.com/catalog/search_results_product.jsp?N=2857&Ntk=AllSearch&Ntt=Bic&view=15&navparm=2856&keyword=Bic

Well sure, if someone is doing business as Altec, why wouldn't someone else buy the name BIC, or Capeheart, or ... (pic favorite now extinct brand here ...)

Is it REALLy the same as the old classic British Industry Corporation (BIC)
from the BIC America website: (bolds and emphasis mine)

BIC, originally an abbreviation for British Industry Corporation, was established as an American corporation specializing in British products. We were among the earliest pioneers in the audio industry, distributing products including Garrard turntables, Luxman amplifiers and Wharfedale loudspeakers during the 1960's.

In 1973, BIC introduced its own brand of loudspeakers and the industry's first belt drive turntables. By the mid 1970's, BIC Venturi loudspeakers were among the top 5 best-selling brands. Eventually, the original corporation began diversifying outside of audio and shortly after the death of its founder, the company was sold.

It wasn't until BIC was again purchased in 1988, that the company has emerged as the clear choice for those seeking very high performance audio at affordable prices. BIC products were top-rated 4 times in 1999 alone in comparison with all of the top ten best selling loudspeaker brands! We encourage you to purchase your favorite testing publication (or check with your local library on past issues), to see for yourself how BIC products rank.

[doodlebug]

I worked for a BIC dealer as the bench tech back when BIC started their own lines of turntables and then shortly thereafter, speakers. Prior to this, IIRC, BIC was the US importer of Garrard products.

This was a marketing company in the US first and foremost. Here's the story:

- They spend gobs of $$ preparing for the release of their first turntable, the 960. There were big ads in all the popular audio magazines with the turntable under a sheet and all sorts of enticing verbiage promising that the world would open up upon release of BIC's new design.
- The dealership took delivery of a big pile of turntables but the rep showed up and insisted they not be put on the floor until "The Day" of release.
- Indeed, on the day of release, I witnessed something I had never seen before in a specialty audio store: A line of purchasers lined up out the door waiting to buy a BIC 960.
- Immediately, the TT's started coming back with all sorts of gremlins like poorly adjusted start/return mechanisms - if they had been adjusted at all!
- BIC paid me a flat rate of $4.00 per warranty item. They didn't have sufficient replacement parts when the flimsy aluminium mechanism parts started bending. The units started piling up awaiting parts and our stock of new ones went to those who had just stood in line to buy one.
- Weeks later, we got wind of the BIC speaker release from the BIC rep, a contract rep at that, who also sold clock radios to local drug stores.
- BIC mounted a similar marketing campaign for their speakers as they did for the turntables. They touted the Venturi effect as being the best thing since sliced bread for bass response. I started getting scared......
- The speakers hit the streets to great fanfare but we didn't get the line out the door for these.
- Used with the standard Pioneer, Marantz, Technics or Sansui receiver of the day, the speakers did passably against similar Bose, Advent, and Altec bookshelf speakers of the day. The good part was that the pizeo midrange drivers proved to be a bit more hardy and withstood the normal weekend frat partying that would have blown other tweeters.
- The grills tended to fall off the weak mounting tabs and would fold up and bottom of the speaker. We would find them this way in the morning when the store opened up. The cabinets tended to chip easily since the density of the cabinet board was a bit coarser than even the private label speakers. Of course, this made them lighter to ship.
- The drivers were ok, however, and they used the ubiquetous CTS phenolic driver in many models of the 1st generation.
- The speakers, as a line, did not do quite as well, sales-wise, in the store I worked in. The white woofer helped them associate with JBL, which was enough for some buyers.
- Due to all the quality problems, my store dropped BIC after the first generations stuff due to poor customer satisfaction and I lost track of how BIC responded to the quality issues in later generations.

Hope that helps with some perspective 'from the bench' at the time.

Cheers,

David

[BMWCCA]

- Weeks later, we got wind of the BIC speaker release from the BIC rep, a contract rep at that, who also sold clock radios to local drug stores.So, nothing's changed, really. And I've never seen the current products in any store. The link was to Meijer which is a mid-west discount/grocery chain similar to WalMart. I certainly wasn't posting in support of these or their predecessors, just figured this discussion should include the knowledge that the brand—in name at least—still existed. Fact is I paid little attention to any other brand of speaker growing up because I've lived in the same home with my JBL 030s since before I was 5-years-old. Sure, my friends had the endless parade of ARs, KLH, Cerwin-Vega, Advents, and probaby a BIC, or two. Back then I didn't even like Garrard, preferring Miracord and Dual. :dont-know My closest friends ended up with JBLs after listening to mine and some still own those (L100) today. I even had a later boss who bought L65s after listening to my 030s. Too bad none of them understood that having decent amplifier hooked to them was nearly as critical as what speaker you bought. ;)

[bigyank]

Funny thing (to me anyway:)) is the woofer. It's a RTR woofer.....:barf:

http://img.meijer.com/assets/product_images/styles/xlarge/1000615_RTR1530_A_400.jpg

Yank

[BMWCCA]

Oh no! :blink: Now even Parts Express has climbed aboard the BIC train.

http://www.parts-express.com/eflyer/6-4-09_EF_BIC.jpg

[speakernut]

This is a Dawn of the Dead thread - these things keep bobbing up like Algae blooms in the summertime.
As near as I can tell, BIC Venturi speakers have NOTHING to do with the Lansing Product marketplace - so this thread should be MOVED...

This isn't likely to be a place to find huge swells of potential BIC buyers - nice or not,
probably a lot more interest on AudioKarma, AudioGon, maybe sell them on ebay,
but somewhere else more sympathetic ...
Hi I am an audio enthusiast that love bose speakers and also altec apeakers
I have been exposed to almost every kind of speaker there is; and I really honestly couldnt believe the sound of this BIC speakers (formula 2 patent 3892288 BIC Venturi
they can be put in an automatic setting with a switch in front of the speakers, and I was pleasanly surprised of the sound quality.... As I say I was getting ready to use the cabinets for something else and to put the woofers in an old bose enclosure when a dj friend told me to first LISTEN to them and I am glad that I obey him.....now they are the favourite sound for me.....perhaps the ones you listen to had the electronics (capacitors etc) not in perfect order or maybe you dint put them in automatic mode. ...again, no offense ,dont take it personal ...I was gun-ho for altec until I listen to this beauties. also I was using a 50 watts car radio that i rigged in my apartment.
thanks for reading!!!!!

[hjames]

Hi I am an audio enthusiast that love bose speakers and also altec apeakers
I have been exposed to almost every kind of speaker there is; and I really honestly couldnt believe the sound of this BIC speakers (formula 2 patent 3892288 BIC Venturi
they can be put in an automatic setting with a switch in front of the speakers, and I was pleasanly surprised of the sound quality.... As I say I was getting ready to use the cabinets for something else and to put the woofers in an old bose enclosure when a dj friend told me to first LISTEN to them and I am glad that I obey him.....now they are the favourite sound for me.....perhaps the ones you listen to had the electronics (capacitors etc) not in perfect order or maybe you dint put them in automatic mode. ...again, no offense ,dont take it personal ...I was gun-ho for altec until I listen to this beauties. also I was using a 50 watts car radio that i rigged in my apartment.
thanks for reading!!!!!

I like Formula 1 more than Formula 2 - but what the hey ... still got to deal with Bernie Ecclestone!
Back to speakers ...
I was just give an old Bose Acoustimass system on Friday.
Checked it out on Sat - Bass & Treble pots seemed dirty so I opened the main SUB cabinet
and sprayed them out good, hooked up my iPod and ... it was party time for sure!
Played me some George Thorogood & the Destroyers - BIG fun, like it wuz the 80s all over again!!

Gonna give it to my inlaws (they bought a Bose radio last year) - they like that stuff ...
they're big Dave Matthews Band fans ...

[1audiohack]

A neighbor gave my oldest boy four of these things (model 1's 2's who cares) in various working order. We swapped drivers and crossovers around and got two that were at least functioning three ways. He thought (without coaxing from me) at the ripe old age of fourteen years that "they sucked".:rotfl:By God I've trained him well!

They sat in the barn for a few years until we made sub's (kinda) with the 10's for his Samauri, (I thought I trained him well) they lasted almost three months before all the magnets fell off.

I managed to find a measurement we made with them, that is very kind with 25% smoothing. I wanted him to feel good about our work.

To me, they sounded like sheeyit! I'm sure if they would take the power you could drill holes in concrete with the little mid horns.

It's a damn shame I didn't know of the collector value, he could have sold them and bought another Samauri, or added to his money and bought a real truck.

[indyaudio]

Picked up a pair in need from original owner. I finished them up today and listened for first time - slapped them in one of my systems - they sound better than half of the high end speakers I've ever owned and currently own.

Anyone bashing these hasn't a clue or perhaps is mixing up the 4 way version or maybe the piezo version that I cannot speak for. I realize BIC had a bad reputation, but this was their TOTL and it's a very respectable sounding speaker. Popped in my test track Donald Fagen and wow!

I own several JBL pairs - 100, 4312, L65 Jubal and Sovereign S8s. These BICs absolutely sound sweet.

[Mr. Widget]

Congratulations! They look great.
The most important part is that you like them... the world's best speakers are not so great if you don't.

I remember liking the BIC Sixes when I first heard them decades ago.


Widget

[BMWCCA]

Personally, what I liked best in your photo was the poster of the valve cover on the wall! :D

[indyaudio]

Congratulations! They look great.
The most important part is that you like them... the world's best speakers are not so great if you don't.

I remember liking the BIC Sixes when I first heard them decades ago.


Widget

Thanks! Agree and wanted to post if someone else happens along a pair as very little info out there. This thread and some on AK.

I wasn't looking for this pair and would have dismissed them as well had they not fallen in my lap.

[indyaudio]

Personally, what I liked best in your photo was the poster of the valve cover on the wall! :D

LOL figured you would with your ID! We love our Bimmers and Audis here