C-50 Olympus, Doing some research

[Twitch]

I have an old C-50 Olympus set, I think it was manufactured in '75 or so. I don't know much about speakers, and I was wondering if anyone could tell me about my set. I've included photos. What I'd like to know is:
-What kind of speakers are built into this thing? I keep hearing about S7R and S8R and I don't know what's going on.
-How much could I sell them for? Two of the woofer cones are busted but still sound good when played loud. Doesn't have grille or manual.

Sorry for the chicken wire in the pictures, needed something to keep the pets off.

[Twitch]

I just found this neat graph thing, I think I have a S7 system.
The plug things on the back say LX5 and the woofers look like the LE15A. However, I don't know what the slanted grill thing is, and I cant find an "LE85", or anything that looks like it, anywhere

[mech986]

Hi,

This link in our library should be useful. Also check in the JBL Catalogs under 1965-75 years for a catalog page:

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/...73-c50-c60.htm

The S7R (or system 7R) is the LE15 15 inch woofer with the yellow (was white) surround, a PR15 15 inch passive radiator (woofer without active driving voice coil, extends the bottom end bass, has pleated black surround), LE85 compression midrange/tweeter driver attached to a H91 aluminum horn (which is mounted inside the cabinet, attached to the front baffle, behind the "slant grill thng" ).

The slant lens is a device that acoustically changes the dispersion from the horn from conical to a broad horizontal wavefront and helps it to sound "better". It is removable by unscrewing the mounting screws opn the two wood supports. However, do not unscrew the baffle screws that hold the horn - the LE85 driver at the other end weighs at least 15 pounds and will fall down without being supported from inside. The S7 also has the LX-5 as the electrical filter/crossover which routes the appropriate frequencies to the drivers that reproduce them.

If your speakers have tears or cuts in the surrounds, that can be repaired in most cases or replaced. If the cones themselves are torn or damaged (looks like the right cone on the right picture has a big hole in it?), then the driver will have to be replaced or reconed which can get expensive. Or just sell as-is.

If the speakers lack the original wood fretwork grilles, there will also be a hit in value. If the cabinets have suffered significant cosmetic damage, water stains or rings, that will also devalue them for many buyers.

Before you decide to sell them, you might consider, if possible, cleaning up the speakers by taking off any stuff piled on top, dust and wipe off with a clean cloth and maybe get some good clear photos showing the cabinet and the drivers' condition. That would aid in assessing what you have.

The speakers are pretty decent sounding assuming everything works, which is not always a good assumption for a speaker now 33 years old at least.

Hope that helps!

Welcome to LH!

Bart

[mech986]

Oh, for the present, don't apply any cleaner, oil, or other liquid to the finish. These speakers have, IIRC, a lacquer finish and will stain if treated with the above.

Bart

May be oiled walnut but you might want to do a little searching here for finish care options.

[Twitch]

Wow, that was a helpful and quick response. Thanks!

[Twitch]

Assuming there are no cosmetic defects besides the missing grill, one LE15 has torn surrounds and one PR15 has holes in it, how much should I be asking for the set?

[hjames]

Assuming there are no cosmetic defects besides the missing grill, one LE15 has torn surrounds and one PR15 has holes in it, how much should I be asking for the set?

Can't tell - need better pictures ...
But the chicken wire is kind of a deal breaker

Its like asking how much a Camaro will sell for - it really does depend on a lot of things, not the least of which is the market for that kind of thing, and the local buyers. Those things are way too big to really ship out of your area - so you are down to local buyers, or anyone who is willing to drive to your area ...

What kind of money did you think you might ask for them ...?

[Twitch]

I am about to bring the two busted 15 inchers in to be repaired...

I dont know, I was thinking of asking for about $1500, I've seen them being sold in the 3000-4000 range

[mech986]

You're Welcome!

If you are going to go to the trouble of getting the drivers looked at, and one of the LE15's surrounds is already torn, you may consider getting both LE15's resurrounded at the same time.

If you are going to sink some money in, changing both surrounds will make them equal and operational (assuming the coils are good). Some people would prefer the surrounds be the same even if one is damaged simply because they are original and it doesn't cost as much to buy. But if you can get the work done well with the appropriate modern polyether surrounds with the correct roll size for these drivers, operational may be very attractive to the next buyer.

As for repair or reconing the PR-15, they are less critical if you can match up the correct surrounds/cone/spiders but the cosmetics will be different and that may be an issue for some buyers, even though damaged. A decent patch might be the most cost effective alternative? Then you still have mostly the original cosmetics, and the new owner can deal with it ultimately.

As for price, you may be in the ball park but only if the cabinets truly are in good condition. The lack of the grilles for some will be a problem and could dock 25-30% of the value IMO.

Regards,

Bart

[mech986]

BTW, how did you come to have these? C'mon, inquiring minds want to hear the whole story!



Bart

[Twitch]

First, the good news: I found a place that will repair all the cone damages for 150 dollars!


As far as the history, my grandpa's friend's friend died, left them to my grandpa's friend's friend's wife, who gave them to my grandpa's friend, who sold them to my grandpa for $50, who gave them to me many years later.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a replacement set of comparable power for under $1500?

[rgwalker]

[quote=mech986;234964]Hi,

This link in our library should be useful. Also check in the JBL Catalogs under 1965-75 years for a catalog page:

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/...73-c50-c60.htm

The S7R (or system 7R) is the LE15 15 inch woofer with the yellow (was white) surround, a PR15 15 inch passive radiator (woofer without active driving voice coil, extends the bottom end bass, has pleated black surround), LE85 compression midrange/tweeter driver attached to a H91 aluminum horn (which is mounted inside the cabinet, attached to the front baffle, behind the "slant grill thng" ).

I have the same size Olympus cabinets with a single LE15A in the center with the LX5, LE85 and H91. I always referred to them as S7s but that is apparently not correct. What are they?

Bob Walker

[mech986]

Congrats! Interesting yet familiar story for many of us who have found/stumbled/or cared for speakers like these. They always move from original owners to others who know, don't know or care too much, to others who learn.

In terms of finding something similar, well that's a different story. While the C50's are nice speakers, due to the way they are built, the sound is coupled a lot to the floor (called boundary reinforcement) so the bass is somewhat overblown. The LE85 being relatively low and then overhung by the cabinet lip, is limited in dispersion and overall top end treble response. If you had the S8R which had the 375 4" midrange compression driver and the 075 top end tweeter, it would be more extended but still sound "more vintage" than anything else.

Comparable speakers, if vintage JBL but better, would be the L300, 4331, 4333A/B, or the 4430/4435 type monitors. $1500 might get you into them if you can find them locally and they don't require a ton of work.

Check around local music studios to see if they're getting rid of these "Old school" monitors, you never know what you may find.

Do some research in the library for these numbers, consumer and pro, to get info on them.

Be sure the guys working on them will use the right surrounds, not just a generic 15". IIRC, these may use a narrow roll 15" surround, search for Looneytunes2001 here for Rick Cobb who could supply the correct surrounds for the LE15A.

Again, congrats, your grandpa had some discerning and nice friends, sorry for their loss but at least they ended up with you who seems to appreciate them.

Bart

[mech986]

[quote=rgwalker;235183]

Hi,

This link in our library should be useful. Also check in the JBL Catalogs under 1965-75 years for a catalog page:

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/...73-c50-c60.htm

The S7R (or system 7R) is the LE15 15 inch woofer with the yellow (was white) surround, a PR15 15 inch passive radiator (woofer without active driving voice coil, extends the bottom end bass, has pleated black surround), LE85 compression midrange/tweeter driver attached to a H91 aluminum horn (which is mounted inside the cabinet, attached to the front baffle, behind the "slant grill thng" ).

I have the same size Olympus cabinets with a single LE15A in the center with the LX5, LE85 and H91. I always referred to them as S7s but that is apparently not correct. What are they?

Bob Walker

Hi Bob,

Welcome to Lansing Heritage! Actually, you are correct. The S7 is the load of a single LE15A/LX5/LE85 and H91 in the same cabinet. The S7R adds the PR-15 passive radiator, hence the "R" for radiator I believe. Of course the baffles are cut for both frames and the PR15 is tuned for the enclosure. I can't recall, does your baffle have a port in it?





Regards,

Bart

[rgwalker]

[quote=mech986;235185][quote=rgwalker;235183]

Hi Bob,

Welcome to Lansing Heritage! Actually, you are correct. The S7 is the load of a single LE15A/LX5/LE85 and H91 in the same cabinet. The S7R adds the PR-15 passive radiator, hence the "R" for radiator I believe. Of course the baffles are cut for both frames and the PR15 is tuned for the enclosure. I can't recall, does your baffle have a port in it?

Thank you and no they don't have ports. If I've read right the LE15A is designed for a closed cabinet of 6 to 8 cu ft and with a smaller ported cabinet down to 3.5 cu ft. I have the LE85s but I am using a pair of 375s with them.

Bob W