Allison Three Speakers. Anyone still have them or used to have them?

[isolar8001]

Well I got them as a package with a JVC 200 disc changer, yamaha rx v 1050 and a niles speaker switch all for $100. The surround was totally rotted. I thought about refurbishing, but some of the cone on one of them was totally ripped and chunks missing. I donated them to the local thrift store. I didn't want the wrath of my wife when I got home. The receiver's right channel was cutting out and had static. I also donated that. The JVC xl-mc 334 is what I was after and that works perfect (after I got the stuck cd out) Someone tilted it with a bunch of CD's. I'm already no longer an Allison three owner. Oh well.

So...what you should have asked here is "How much are a pair of inoperable/poor condition Allison Threes worth?"
Thanks for wasting my time.

 

[geoffW]

It looks like you waste a lot of time online without any of my help... Gosh communities used to be so much more kind. I didn't know they were in poor condition. The lady said they were her late husbands and didn't know anything about them but said they "worked fine". Yes I got them for free and decided to donate them after having them in my possession for 3 hours. The surround was rotted as well as chunks of the woofer missing. Don't worry guys I wont ask any more advice.

 

[geoffW]

Picture for reference.

 

[crazyfingers]

The surround was rotted

I still don't get what you mean by "Surround".

From the photo that's really sad that those vintage and wonderful speakers got so badly treated.

The grills are actually worth something on eBay if they were not all bung up too.

How did the tweeters look? They might also have been worth something to someone trying to restore one.

Don't mind one snarky comment. I thought your input was interesting.

 

[Eppie]

The "surround" is the circular piece of foam that connects the cone to the metal frame. The photograph is a prime example of foam rot typical for speakers of that era and the 80's.

In that condition they are not worth very much. Depends on what condition the tweeters and grills are in. Vintage speakers (or any for that matter) or worth the most in original condition. People that know these speakers will also know that they are susceptible to foam rot, so having the surrounds replaced is not uncommon. The value can also depend on who did the repair. Some buyers will want the work done by a professional as opposed to the novice owner installing a kit.

I agree with the comment on the grills. As these speakers are collectable, if the drivers or cabinets are shot, there is value in a set of grills in good condition.

 

[geoffW]

I'm not sure what else to call the rubber or foam surrounds between the cone and the metal basket on a speaker. . Edges?. I'm an armature but I've been around speakers a while now and I've only heard them called surrounds. If I'm not using the preferred term, someone chime in.
The cabinets could of used refinishing but they were solid. Also someone could have used the cabinets as is. The grills weren't perfect either. They were discolored but held their shape fine. The other drivers seemed to be just fine. It crossed my mind to try to repair them or just replace the woofers. I also thought about parting them out or selling as is. I'm a business owner without a lot of extra time. I don't have a ton of extra room at home to store them. My wife wants me to get rid of audio equipment, not brining more into the basement. Those are all things that ran accross my mind when I decided not to even take them out of the truck and donate them. Hopefully someone will refurbish them or get them into the hands of someone that can.

 

[isolar8001]

It looks like you waste a lot of time online without any of my help... Gosh communities used to be so much more kind. I didn't know they were in poor condition. The lady said they were her late husbands and didn't know anything about them but said they "worked fine". Yes I got them for free and decided to donate them after having them in my possession for 3 hours. The surround was rotted as well as chunks of the woofer missing. Don't worry guys I wont ask any more advice.

Well dumb ass, you could have stated in your first post that you never saw them, and had no idea of their condition.

Hope you never ask what a 69 Camaro is worth somewhere.

 

[highfigh]

Yes. They were made about 3 miles from my parent's house and they still had spare parts around 1999.

The doohinckey is a 100 year old set of roast beef cutting knife and fork. I know tney look like dueling pistols but not.

Very old dueling pistols is what I thought of first, but on my monitor, it looks like it's one piece with the barrels connected- it would handle the problem of someone getting into duels repeatedly, though.

 

[highfigh]

I have not seen those speakers for years. They were good for their time, but things have moved on a lot since then. I'm sure you could do better now. Also those mids and tweeters are pre ferro fluid, so they will not take the power of modern transducers. So be careful how loud you play them, as those speakers are done, with the first driver you burn out. Back then amps were not as powerful as they are now.

Probably pre-ferro fluid, but not necessarily- Phillips was using it at that time and I have a pair of AD-0163 tweeters that used it. IIRC, Allison used Audax/Polydax drivers at that time.

Here's a link that includes a spec sheet-

Allison Three - Retrotech Audio - Vintage Audio

retrotechaudio.co.uk