New member with lucky thrift shop hifi finds

KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
If you plan to use it for Home Theater and want those depth charges to kick your adrenaline in, get something like the SVS 3000 series. If you go this route, I would start a new thread under the subwoofer forum to get assistance finding the right sub for your situation.
If you really only care about music, your choice is not quite so obvious. The graph I posted for the ICS 300 is pretty impressive and assuming that your next revision sub was not a step backwards, it seems a pretty fine sub for music (unless you are a pipe organ aficionado or into modern music with ultra-low synthesized bass). For reference, a standard kick drum is at 50Hz, the bass has a lowest fundamental of right around 40Hz with some non-fundamental artifacts down to around 30Hz. Generally, in this situation I might recommend the Hsu ULS-15mk2 as a good performer without breaking the bank (but we need to know how big your room is before we can really say what sub you should get). But the Hsu will cost more than $550 and there is something to be said for having matching aesthetics and a "thrift store find" Snell/Arcam system.
Definitely gently poke at the surround for the driver of the subwoofer to make sure it is not ready to crumble, and since you have the plate off of the back, post the best pic or two that you can get of the driver - some of the guys here may be able to give you an idea of the quality of the driver. Typically, most subs made by speaker manufacturers are not very good, but Snell definitely was not a "typical " company, so it may be a sub well worth reviving!
Last, don't hesitate to call any of the mainstream ID sub companies: SVS, PSA, Hsu, Rythmik. These companies all have people to help you pick your best sub option (based on room and listening habits) and see what option each suggests. It is a free education on what factors matter and these guys generally offer quite a bit of expertise in formulating your best solution. You will get a pretty decent education just from talking with these guys, and the process may give you better insight into your choice.
But again, probably best to start another thread under the subwoofer forum to focus on your sub choices with the best people to discuss it with.

Oh, to answer your other question - No! You generally only want to listen to stereo music on two speakers (or two speakers and a sub). The technologies to synthesize extra channels from a stereo signal generally don't work well - I have heard nice things from them in places, but not consistent enough to actually want to leave it engaged. Even so, that is surround channels, more than the center.
There are some quality recordings made in 5.1, but you have to seek them out and they are far from establishing there place as the future of music!
 
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Kvn_Walker

Kvn_Walker

Audioholic Field Marshall
I would get the best new sub with warranty you can find for $500 before spending that on fixing one.

I know it has a beautiful matching finish but I wouldn't throw that kind of money at it.

Testing the Dc resistance is just putting the meter on ohms and putting a lead on + and one on - . You should get a number slightly lower than the driver's impedance rating. If you get OL (infinite resistance) the voice coil is open. If you get close to or equal to zero ohms then it's shorted out. Either of those conditions means the driver has to be replaced... but I suspect only the short would put the amp into protect.

 
Shanman

Shanman

Audioholic
Thank you the thoughtful replies gents. I was thinking that I was taking my own thread towards a different tangent and thought of posting a separate thread as well. Much to ponder, thanks!
I was a tad hesitant to take this out of the "newbie" section and end up getting shredded by other forum members for asking something stupid like spending $550 to fix what some may feel is an outdated sub.
 
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KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
Thank you the thoughtful replies gents. I was thinking that I was taking my own thread towards a different tangent and thought of posting a separate thread as well. Much to ponder, thanks!
I was a tad hesitant to take this out of the "newbie" section and end up getting shredded by other forum members for asking something stupid like spending $550 to fix what some may feel is an outdated sub.
Thus far, all of your post have been thoughtful and worded well. I don't think you need to worry too much about getting shredded here! Just don't start arguing about how changing to a $500 power cord made a night and day difference in the sound quality or that Bose makes the best speakers, period!;)
 
Kvn_Walker

Kvn_Walker

Audioholic Field Marshall
Thank you the thoughtful replies gents. I was thinking that I was taking my own thread towards a different tangent and thought of posting a separate thread as well. Much to ponder, thanks!
I was a tad hesitant to take this out of the "newbie" section and end up getting shredded by other forum members for asking something stupid like spending $550 to fix what some may feel is an outdated sub.
Nah there are pieces of equipment well worth a high repair cost. I have an amp now that would cost me over $400 to get fixed but would probably recoup that cost and then some if I did get it repaired and put it up for sale. Most likely I will just sell it as-is though. I would spend good money to fix the right speakers if I had to, but I feel like you can get good returns on a new sub for that amount, versus a repair.
 
Shanman

Shanman

Audioholic
If you plan to use it for Home Theater and want those depth charges to kick your adrenaline in, get something like the SVS 3000 series. If you go this route, I would start a new thread under the subwoofer forum to get assistance finding the right sub for your situation.
If you really only care about music, your choice is not quite so obvious. The graph I posted for the ICS 300 is pretty impressive and assuming that your next revision sub was not a step backwards, it seems a pretty fine sub for music (unless you are a pipe organ aficionado or into modern music with ultra-low synthesized bass). For reference, a standard kick drum is at 50Hz, the bass has a lowest fundamental of right around 40Hz with some non-fundamental artifacts down to around 30Hz. Generally, in this situation I might recommend the Hsu ULS-15mk2 as a good performer without breaking the bank (but we need to know how big your room is before we can really say what sub you should get). But the Hsu will cost more than $550 and there is something to be said for having matching aesthetics and a "thrift store find" Snell/Arcam system.
Definitely gently poke at the surround for the driver of the subwoofer to make sure it is not ready to crumble, and since you have the plate off of the back, post the best pic or two that you can get of the driver - some of the guys here may be able to give you an idea of the quality of the driver. Typically, most subs made by speaker manufacturers are not very good, but Snell definitely was not a "typical " company, so it may be a sub well worth reviving!
Last, don't hesitate to call any of the mainstream ID sub companies: SVS, PSA, Hsu, Rythmik. These companies all have people to help you pick your best sub option (based on room and listening habits) and see what option each suggests. It is a free education on what factors matter and these guys generally offer quite a bit of expertise in formulating your best solution. You will get a pretty decent education just from talking with these guys, and the process may give you better insight into your choice.

But again, probably best to start another thread under the subwoofer forum to focus on your sub choices with the best people to discuss it with.

Oh, to answer your other question - No! You generally only want to listen to stereo music on two speakers (or two speakers and a sub). The technologies to synthesize extra channels from a stereo signal generally don't work well - I have heard nice things from them in places, but not consistent enough to actually want to leave it engaged. Even so, that is surround channels, more than the center.
There are some quality recordings made in 5.1, but you have to seek them out and they are far from establishing there place as the future of music!

I'll go back and full screen the ICS 300 graph, and I agree- Snell would have at least matched or improved with the Basis 300 being an updated version. My user manual states the frequency response as 26Hz- 150hz, +/- 3dB. Max output 107 dB. Here are some pics I snagged off eBay that are of the driver. It's burly, and obviously 4 ohms.
s-l1600.jpg

s-l1600 (1).jpg

s-l1600 (2).jpg
s-l1600 (4).jpg


I have actually pulled the driver out and gave it a close look- surround is golden, no issues whatsoever. Cast aluminum basket, not stamped steel. Spring loaded connectors instead of flat push connections. Huge vented voice coil, massive magnet nearly the diameter of the 10" sub. Will check DC resistance as recommended above by on my next day off. Very interesting cabinet design- especially port configuration. I expected a single, straight flared port indicated by the grill removed. The interior actually shows a continuation of a segmented PVC tube the extends into the enclosure and then forms a complete 180 degree bend back towards the front baffle.

In regards to using these towers as my stereo music only set up, on the back of the Snells are two toggle switches. One is for boundary setting, the other turns off the rear facing soft dome tweeter. Should I keep that rear firing tweeter ON or OFF for a stereo application?
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
Wow! That is the kind of driver I a used to seeing from the ID sub companies. The only obvious strike against it is the 10" driver rather than 12" or 15". Based on the measurements from the earlier ICS 300, it is good down to ~25Hz which is impressive for a 10" driver. The question is whether it was loud enough at those lowest frequencies for your tastes. Too bad you did not know it was going belly-up or you could have done a critical listening evaluation!
 
Bucknekked

Bucknekked

Audioholic Samurai
Wow! That is the kind of driver I a used to seeing from the ID sub companies. The only obvious strike against it is the 10" driver rather than 12" or 15". Based on the measurements from the earlier ICS 300, it is good down to ~25Hz which is impressive for a 10" driver. The question is whether it was loud enough at those lowest frequencies for your tastes. Too bad you did not know it was going belly-up or you could have done a critical listening evaluation!
My Big 10 Inch is plenty enough for my room :)
The room has never complained about not having enough size.
I couldn't pass this up
 
Kingnoob

Kingnoob

Audioholic Samurai
Hello Everyone,

First post here for me, happy to be here. I've been snooping here the last few months before deciding to register today after seeing the huge amount of resources and help this place is.

A few months back, I was randomly browsing a thrift store for an aquarium for my daughter and stumbled upon an Arcam AVR350 sitting on a shelf for $70. Growing up in a household of a working musician father surrounded by many high end brands of professional gear (and being a student of jazz studies for 20 years of my life),I instantly recognized the brand and realize that this was no ordinary big box store junk. I hopped on it, brought it home, and I now have a $70 beast that puts out a solid 120w RMS for my stereo listening room I was starting to set up. I purchased a pair of Elac Debut 2.0 bookshelf speakers about a week later as I started to feel the bite of the hifi bug. They rated well, and I very much like the sound of them.

Fast forward about a week later and I'm cruising through the same thrift shop, hifi fever starting to consume me. Over in the corner I see a very nice set of tower speakers, a matching subwoofer about the size of the old Velodyne stuff, and a matching center channel. My heart drops when I realize the Snell badge on all these items. I made an offer for the lot far under what they were asking. Out came the plastic, and out I walked with a speaker set I could have NEVER afforded or ever dreamed of owning. Stoked to say the least, and nearly my whole system is from a thrift shop! The only thing I have purchased elsewhere is my Project turntable, the Elac Debut 2.0's, and a beautiful old Adcom pre-amp. Here's some picks of the haul- disregard the Elac floorstanders, they got sold a week after I lucked up on the Snell set.

View attachment 30737View attachment 30738View attachment 30739View attachment 30740View attachment 30741View attachment 30742View attachment 30743View attachment 30744
My local thrift stores either have no speakers or ultra low end shelf systems and the cheapest flimsiest vintage speakers ever built.
Congratulations


Ultimate bass lover !! si ht15 dvc.
Free the reptile aliens
 
Kingnoob

Kingnoob

Audioholic Samurai
LOL your thrift shop must be in a pretty good neighborhood :) That is among the best deals I've seen cited for thrift shopping, tho (at least on the Arcam). Congrats and enjoy.
How is this even possibly ? You should see the trash at my local thrift stores nothing good not even audio worth buying .
Amazing find he much live in a rich neiborhood. Maybe someone died and speakers were donated ? Or someone wanted to throw out a valuable set .


Ultimate bass lover !! si ht15 dvc.
Free the reptile aliens
 
Shanman

Shanman

Audioholic
Man I can't believe the luck I am having. Walked in the same thrift shop again yesterday and there sit a pair of Def Tech Mythos 4's! Grilles were beat but they are still available for $36 ea..
 
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Kingnoob

Kingnoob

Audioholic Samurai
Man I can't believe the luck I am having. Walked in the same thrift shop again yesterday and there sit a pair of Def Tech Mythos 4's! Grilles were beat but they are still available for $36 ea..
No one donates good speakers to thrift stores in this rathole know as canton :


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Kingnoob

Kingnoob

Audioholic Samurai
L. M. A. O.
I guess I have no shortage of useless shelf system speakers I should crank them up get some use out of them .
The Sony ones seem to be hifi quality cannot say the same of the Phillips Magnovox there more less mini subwoofers . I guess I know not to buy more .
Only system that was sellable I passed on the last sony one .

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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BMXTRIX

BMXTRIX

Audioholic Warlord
Man I can't believe the luck I am having. Walked in the same thrift shop again yesterday and there sit a pair of Def Tech Mythos 4's! Grilles were beat but they are still available for $36 ea..
That's awesome. I have been really impressed with the quality, both build and audio, from my Mythos 8 that I've had for years now. I think that one cost me $500 brand new.

I don't see much about the Mythos 4 online, but the few photos make it appear like you got one heck of a deal. If all the drivers are working, then I wouldn't even worry about the grills in favor of just enjoying the sound quality.
 
Shanman

Shanman

Audioholic
I don't see much about the Mythos 4 online, but the few photos make it appear like you got one heck of a deal. If all the drivers are working, then I wouldn't even worry about the grills in favor of just enjoying the sound quality.
They aren't bass monsters by any stretch, but paired with a sub they are very nice. Basically a D'Appolitto array with two mid bass drivers and two flat coned radiators below. Each tower has 5 active drivers and 2 radiators. The glass bases of the cabinets seem to date them a bit, but the curved backed aluminum tower encolosures are pretty easy on the eyes. Gotta get some new grilles though, I have a curious 5yr old that would likely poke at the speakers!
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20191107_233329.jpg

20191107_233430.jpg

20191107_233441.jpg
 
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Kingnoob

Kingnoob

Audioholic Samurai
They aren't bass monsters by any stretch, but paired with a sub they are very nice. Basically a D'Appolitto array with two mid bass drivers and two flat coned radiators below. Each tower has 5 active drivers and 2 radiators. The glass bases of the cabinets seem to date them a bit, but the curved backed aluminum tower encolosures are pretty easy on the eyes. Gotta get some new grilles though, I have a curious 5yr old that would likely poke at the speakers!
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Ahh nice , are they better then modern def tech towers ? Why do they have so many amplifier failures ? Do they towers subs compare to stand alone subs??



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